Upon hearing the news that linebacker Zach Orr planned to return after a brief retirement, Ravens players immediately started to recruit their leading tackler to come back to Baltimore.
While players are gung-ho about bringing Orr back, Baltimore's brass might not be so enthusiastic about signing a player with a congenital neck and spine condition.
"There are a lot of variables that the Ravens are having to deal with," agent Rob Sheets told WJZ-FM in Baltimore on Thursday, via ESPN.com. "There's a lot of internal consternation. One side of the line fighting to get Zach Orr back, and another line saying we need to move on."
One issue for the Ravens will be team doctors clearing Orr to see the field again. While the 25-year-old might have found a doctor outside the NFL to suggest he can play, it's not a given Orr will pass a team physical -- especially from the club that nudged him toward retirement in the first place.
Another issue could be compensation. The Ravens were in talks about a new contract for the breakout linebacker before his abrupt retirement in January. Clearly, the parameters of that deal would change. Interest from other teams will change the dynamics of what Orr can get on the open market.
Sheets said Orr has garnered curiosity from more than a dozen teams.
"We've spoken to 15 teams," Sheets said. "In essence, half the NFL is curious to do their own 'due diligence.'"
Orr's first meeting is with the Detroit Lions, which began Thursday and spilled over into Friday, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Orr said on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Friday morning that he's at the Colts' facility and will visit with the Jets next.
Lastly for the Ravens, the question is whether the team is content to continue forward with their post-Orr plans. Coaches have reportedly been impressed with second-year linebacker Kamalei Correa. The 2016 second-round pick saw limited snaps last year, but the team might believe he can manufacture a similar leap to the one Orr made in his breakout season.
