Bryant McKinnie wants to remain with the Baltimore Ravens, his agent Michael George told The Baltimore Sun on Wednesday. The mammoth offensive tackle is eager to make that clear.
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"Bryant would want to come back," George said. "He likes it there. He likes the situation, the way it is now. He's a free agent, so it's up to the Ravens what happens next, obviously. The intention is to see what the market says.
"If the Ravens want to do something, we're definitely open to that. Obviously, it has to be (the) right numbers for both sides."
George's remarks come after Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome praised McKinnie last week, before adding, "I think he has a decision to make as to whether he wants to come back and play here."
Drama put a strain on McKinnie last offseason. He wasn't in prime condition during minicamp, then he failed his conditioning test at training camp. Off the field, McKinnie's wages were garnished as the result of a lawsuit, then he lost nearly a third of his salary after he was forced to take a $1 million pay cut from his $3.2 million salary.
McKinnie wasn't a regular starter for the first time since his rookie year, but an injury to guard Jah Reid caused a shuffle which moved McKinnie back to left tackle and Michael Oher to right tackle during the AFC Wild Card Game. McKinnie handled Dwight Freeney (Indianapolis Colts), Elvis Dumervil (Denver Broncos) and Aldon Smith (San Francisco 49ers) in the playoffs, allowing Oher to move to his natural position.
The postseason version of McKinnie should be attractive to the Ravens. He's a good tackle when healthy, in shape and focused. He's an affordable option that maximizes the investment in Oher.
But what McKinnie would they get after a multi-year deal? That's the Ravens' concern.
"Whatever happens with the Ravens, it depends on them and whatever discussions are held before free agency," George said. "There are a lot of teams with needs at tackle, and there are maybe a half-dozen good ones in free agency. I'm expecting a lot of interest and a lot of demand. I'm expecting a domino effect with the tackle position as some of them get signed with the rest to follow."
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.
