An undrafted free agent in 2009, Ellerbe is coming off his best season, one in which he recorded career highs of 92 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

A source said the Cleveland Browns are definitely prepared to try to sign Kruger. However, they will confront intense competition from the Indianapolis Colts, who will attempt to persuade Kruger to rejoin Chuck Pagano, the former Ravens defensive coordinator and current Colts head coach.

According to a source, the Colts have targeted Kruger as the replacement for Dwight Freeney, the franchise’s career sack leader who also hits the market next week. Kruger, a 2009 second-round pick, collected a career-high nine sacks this past season.

Freeney told ESPN he has not yet decided on a list of teams to visit.

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Arians led the Colts to a 9-3 record as interim head coach in place of Chuck Pagano, who was receiving treatment for leukemia. He has groomed Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck early in their careers.

NFL.com reported on Thursday that the Chicago Bears were the first team to request permission to interview Arians, who’s helping the Colts prepare for their playoff game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

Bradley is helping the Seahawks prep for their playoff game against the Washington Redskins on Sunday. He’s been the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator since 2009, and the team’s defense allowed a league-low 15.3 points per game this season.

The Eagles are seeking a replacement for longtime coach Andy Reid, who was fired Monday.

They already have interviewed Penn State’s Bill O’Brien and Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong. O’Brien is remaining at Penn State.

Team officials will meet with Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy Sunday in Denver, and are also expected to talk with Oregon coach Chip Kelly.

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Lewis said, “It is time for me to create a new legacy” after 17 NFL seasons.

He intends to play for the first time since tearing his triceps two months ago when the Ravens host the Colts in Sunday’s wild-card game, saying: “There is no reason for me to not play,” according to The Baltimore Sun.

Sunday likely will be Lewis’ final game in Baltimore even if the Ravens win because of their No. 4 seed entering the playoffs.

“I talked to my team today,” Lewis said Wednesday. “I talked to them about life in general. And everything that starts has an end. For me, today, I told my team that this will be my last ride.”

He returned to practice on Dec. 5, and for him to be eligible for the playoffs, the Ravens added him to the active roster later in the month.

Colts coach Chuck Pagano, Lewis’ defensive coordinator last year, said, “I thought, shoot, the guy could play forever and would play forever. Great person, great man, great player, just an unbelievable human being — what he’s done for that organization, that city and for that matter, so many people. He’s obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer and will be sorely missed.”

Lewis has gone to 12 Pro Bowls, been named first-team All-Pro seven times and been voted NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice. He led the Ravens in tackles in 14 of his 17 seasons, the exceptions being those years in which he missed significant time with injuries (2002, 2005, 2012).

According to Stats & Information, only four players in NFL history have been to more Pro Bowls than Lewis (Bruce Matthews, 14; Jerry Rice, 13; Reggie White, 13; Tony Gonzalez, 13).

“I never played the game for individual stats. I only played the game to make my team a better team,” he said.

Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs, who is almost always upbeat, said of the announcement: “It was sad. It affected me, because for the past 10 years of my career, I’ve been sitting right next to the man and going to war on Sundays. It’s going to one hard last ride, and we need to make it one to remember.”

Lewis led the Ravens to the 2000 Super Bowl title when he was the key figure on a defense that set the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season.

Lewis had hinted at retirement previously. He said last summer that he couldn’t see himself playing past age 37. Lewis turned 37 in May.

Lewis wants to spend more time with his two sons. While working to return from his injury, Lewis watched them play on the same high school football team, and he intends to watch Ray Lewis III perform as a freshman next year for his alma mater, the University of Miami.

“God is calling,” Lewis said. “My children have made the ultimate sacrifice for their father for 17 years. I don’t want to see them do that no more. I’ve done what I wanted to do in this business, and now it’s my turn to give them something back.”

Which means he’ll pull off his No. 52 uniform for the last time after the Ravens are eliminated or win the Super Bowl.

“It’s either hold on to the game and keep playing and let my kids miss out on times we can be spending together,” Lewis said. “Because I always promised my son if he got a full ride on scholarship, Daddy is going to be there. I can’t miss that.”

Lewis could have made the announcement during the offseason, but thought it best to do it now.

“I think my fans, my city, I think they deserved for me to just not walk away,” he said. “We all get to enjoy what Sunday will feel like, knowing that this will be the last time 52 plays in a uniform in Ravens stadium.”

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