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Ravens look to remain NFL's top closers on Jeremy Maclin's visit

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- When Jeremy Maclin takes his visit with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, he'll chat with persuasive team officials and get a tour of the team's impressive, castle-like facility. If it's like past visits by free-agent wide receivers, Maclin will have a difficult time leaving the building without a contract.

The Ravens pride themselves in being among the best when it comes to sealing the deal on coveted players. Over the past three offseasons, they've convinced Steve Smith Sr. not to go to his next visit in New England and chased down Mike Wallace in the parking lot to keep him from heading elsewhere.

Now Baltimore will try to do the same with Maclin. He left the Buffalo Bills after a two-day visit, and the Ravens intend for that not to happen in Baltimore.

In 2014, Smith was a surprise release, just like Maclin. A free agent for the first time in his career, Smith had intended to take multiple visits because he wanted to enjoy the recruitment part of free agency.

That all changed with his first stop, which was two days in Baltimore. The Ravens did an excellent job selling themselves to Smith, who had talked to Patriots coach Bill Belichick on the way to his flight to Baltimore and had an offer on the table from the San Diego Chargers.

In the end, Smith reached an agreement on a three-year, $11 million deal with the Ravens and canceled his trip to New England.

"I was very open to go there as well," Smith said in March 2014. "I really felt like after sitting here [in Baltimore] that this was the place that I felt best fit me, and they convinced me that I would fit in here very well."

This is why Smith sent out this tweet upon hearing Maclin left Buffalo for his visit to Baltimore:

Two years later, Smith was included in the recruiting process. Wallace was flattered by how hard the Ravens pursued him, with Smith, coach John Harbaugh and general manager Ozzie Newsome all calling him after he was released by the Minnesota Vikings.

When Wallace came to meet team officials in Baltimore, he had a handful of teams interested in him and other visits lined up. The Ravens just weren't going to let him leave. In fact, Harbaugh tracked down Wallace in the parking lot of the facility and urged him to come inside to finalize the deal.

"He wanted to go home. He wanted to get his clothes. He wanted to come in here and do it right," Harbaugh said at Wallace's introductory news conference in March 2016. "So, I apologize that he didn’t have a chance to really dress up and do it right, because I wanted to do it, man! That was me. [I said], 'Let’s get this thing signed, and let’s go down there, and let’s get going and get out in front of people and let them know you’re here.'"

Wallace, who wanted to wear a three-piece suit for the media gathering, had to hastily put on a Ravens polo shirt.

"We’ll have three-piece moments in the future," Harbaugh said. "We will."

The Ravens are once again playing host to another Pro Bowl wide receiver who has other teams interested. Baltimore can use a playmaker like Maclin because Joe Flacco has lost two of his top targets this offseason. Smith retired after 17 NFL seasons, and tight end Dennis Pitta was released after reinjuring his right hip.

Baltimore has other options at receiver, from acquiring Eric Decker from the New York Jets to signing veteran Anquan Boldin closer to the start of training camp. But all of that won't be necessary if the Ravens continue their successful streak of wrapping up deals with Maclin.