Source: Ravens add Pierre-Paul to aid pass rush

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Jason Pierre-Paul agreed to a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a move that helps the team’s thinned-out edge rushers.

The Ravens were down to two outside linebackers (Odafe Oweh and Justin Houston) on their 53-man roster after Steven Means (right Achilles) was placed on injured reserve Monday.

This season, Baltimore has placed two other outside linebackers on injured reserve (Vince Biegel and Daelin Hayes) and lost Jaylon Ferguson, who died in June. Tyus Bowser, a starting outside linebacker last year, is on the physically unable to perform list and could return in a couple of weeks.

The Ravens’ pass rush struggled in Sunday’s 42-38 loss to the Miami Dolphins, which featured the biggest fourth-quarter collapse in team history. Baltimore has four sacks in two games this season.

The addition of Pierre-Paul comes after his second meeting with Baltimore. He visited the Ravens in June, and he left without a deal.

Many of the Ravens players were unaware of the news coming off the practice field.

“Oh s—, he’ll give us a lot of pressures. A lot of sacks,” Oweh said. “That’s good for us.”

Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald deferred questions about the signing of Pierre-Paul to general manager Eric DeCosta but said, “Obviously, JPP’s had a great career. He’s a heck of a player.”

Pierre-Paul, 33, had 2.5 sacks in his fourth and final season with Tampa Bay during which he was hampered by a torn rotator cuff. He underwent shoulder surgery in February and was not re-signed by the Buccaneers in free agency.

When healthy in 2020, Pierre-Paul played a key role in the Bucs’ championship run, registering a team-leading 9.5 sacks in the regular season and two in the NFC Championship Game.

A three-time Pro Bowl player, Pierre-Paul has totaled 91.5 sacks in 12 seasons.

ESPN’s Jenna Laine contributed to this report.

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