Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce could have become an unrestricted free agent in March. Instead, the former Daphne High School and Samford standout will stay with the Ravens.

Baltimore and Pierce have agreed on a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension, ESPN reported on Saturday. The Ravens’ official website posted the ESPN report without confirming it.

With Baltimore set to close its regular season at 3:30 p.m. CST Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers before advancing to the AFC playoffs as the No. 1 seed, Pierce has played a career-high 605 defensive snaps in 2023. Pierce has recorded 36 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries this season.

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Pierce was an all-state selection for Daphne’s AHSAA Class 6A championship team in 2010 and won the Most Valuable Player Award in the state-title game as the Trojans capped the campaign at 15-0 with a 7-6 victory over Hoover.

Pierce joined Baltimore from Samford as an undrafted rookie in 2016. But he made the team, played in every game, then went into the starting lineup in his second season.

After four seasons with the Ravens, Pierce left in free agency for the Minnesota Vikings. He opted out of the 2020 season under the NFL’s plan to play during the coronavirus pandemic, and an injury limited him to eight games in 2021.

Released by Minnesota after the 2021 season, Pierce returned to Baltimore on a three-year contract. But a torn biceps knocked him out for the season after three games.

With the Ravens seeking salary-cap space and Pierce having 11 games to show for the previous three seasons, the defensive lineman took a pay cut in a renegotiated contract in March that allowed him to become a free agent a year earlier.

But now Pierce is bypassing that by agreeing to stay with Baltimore through the 2025 campaign.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.