



The Ravens have terminated the contract of left tackle Eugene Monroe.

Head Coach John Harbaugh said teams were inquiring about Monroe's status Tuesday, but trade talks with the New York Giants reportedly fell through, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Monroe had the highest base salary ($6.5 million) on the team and the third-highest cap hit ($8.7 million).

Releasing him means the Ravens save that $6.5 million in salary-cap space, though are hit with $2.2 million in dead money this year and $4.4 million in 2017. The Ravens can help offset that hit next year if they carry over some of this year's extra cap space into next offseason.

The move marks the end of an odd offseason with Monroe in which it long appeared he would not be back with the team in 2016.

Before free agency opened, General Manager Ozzie Newsome said he ideally wanted to re-sign Kelechi Osemele to play left tackle. After Osemele departed, the Ravens used their No. 6-overall draft pick to select left tackle Ronnie Stanley.

Thus, Monroe became expendable following two-plus years of being unreliable.

After signing a five-year, $37.5 million extension in 2013, Monroe has missed 15 regular-season games. Undrafted left tackle James Hurst has played more regular-season snaps than Monroe the past couple years, not including two playoff games in 2014 that Hurst started.

After being very durable during his five years in Jacksonville, Monroe missed games in Baltimore due to a multitude of injuries to his shoulder, knee, ankle and head.

Monroe had surgery to repair a torn labrum (shoulder) this offseason, and used the time off to become the first active NFL player to openly campaign for the use of medical marijuana. The Ravens did not rally behind the cause.

"I promise you, he does not speak for the organization," Head Coach John Harbaugh said this offseason.

Monroe did not participate in Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and was held out of minicamp after being cleared to play. The Ravens didn't want to risk another injury that could jeopardize trade discussions.