Super Bowl champions Baltimore Ravens sign Elvis Dumervil

The Baltimore Ravens are fighting back in the off-season market after making their biggest splash yet in free agency by bringing in Elvis Dumervil.

The reigning Super Bowl champions lost defensive stalwarts Ray Lewis and Ed Reed as part of six defensive starters after splashing out on a new contract for quarterback Joe Flacco left them short of salary cap room.

However, they are building back up and have benefited from a bizarre mix-up in Denver to sign the storming pass rusher after he left the Broncos due to an error in faxing between the team and his agent.
Denver had wanted the 29-year-old in the fold but, as a free agent, he opted to join the Ravens and signed a five-year deal worth around $35m and including $12m in guaranteed earnings.

After playing defensive end for Denver, three-time Pro Bowler Dumervil will move to outside linebacker in Baltimore and will line-up opposite Terrell Suggs to form a fearsome duo of pass rushers.

"I'm a fan," Suggs said about the new signing. "Not to take away from the pass rushers we already have, but it would be flattering to play with those other guys who have had success in this league.

"I think this move is awesome. It shows we're still in business of winning, and we have best GM in the world," Suggs added in The Baltimore Sun. "(Dumervil) is a phenomenal pass rusher and I have not had a chance to play alongside another dominant pass rusher."

Dumervil has 63.5 sacks during a six-year career that has seen him become one of the best in the league at getting to the quarterback, and in partnership with 2011 Defensive Player of the Year Suggs it could be argued that if anything the Ravens have upgraded their defence from last season.

Dumervil will not wear the number 92 jersey he did at Denver, and will instead be sporting the number 28 shirt for Baltimore - reverting to the number he wore in college.