Eugene Monroe has announced he will retire from the NFL.

Monroe was released by the Baltimore Ravens in June. Monroe was the only active player to support taking marijuana off the NFL's banned substances list.

"After 18 years, I am retiring from the game I love," Monroe said in a statement. "This was not an easy decision to make, but I know it's the right one for me, my health and my family. Thank you to my fans for your continued support, and to my friends and family for always standing by me. I'm excited about what's to come."

Monroe discussed his decision further in a post on The Players' Tribune.

"The last 18 years have been full of traumatic injuries to both my head and my body," he wrote. "I'm not complaining, just stating a fact. Has the damage to my brain already been done? Do I have CTE? I hope I don't, but over 90% of the brains of former NFL players that have been examined showed signs of the disease. I am terrified.

"That's why one of the first things I'm planning to do is to go to the doctor. I need to take stock of my current health, and I don't want to miss a thing. I'm going to get brain and body imaging scans, mental health assessments -- anything that might help me get a handle on the state of my body and my mind. My health is critical to the future of my family."

Monroe started only 17 games in two seasons since receiving $17.5 million in guaranteed money as part of the five-year, $37.5 million deal he signed with the Ravens in 2014. 

Justin Tucker and the Baltimore Ravens have agreed upon a four-year, $16.8 million deal. Tucker's deal includes a $6 million signing bonus and $10.8 million in guaranteed money.

Tucker is the second most accurate kicker in NFL history.

Tucker also becomes the NFL's highest-paid kicker in terms of guaranteed money. His $10.8 million tops the $10.1 million guaranteed that Stephen Gostkowski received last July from the Patriots.

Justin Tucker has grown frustrated enough with negotiations that he is vowing not to re-sign with the Baltimore Ravens after this season if the two sides do not have a long-term deal in place by Friday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.

"Justin's disillusioned with the process right now and the Ravens' position with him on his contract," Tucker's agent, Rob Roche, said. "If we don't get a long-term deal done by Friday, Justin will not entertain offers from [the] Ravens after the season."

There was hope of progress recently. However, that hope dissipated Thursday, when the Ravens provided Tucker with an offer that actually paid him less than their prior offers.

The franchise tag for kickers this season is $4.5 million, which Tucker would be playing for if the two sides are unable to get a long-term deal done by Friday.

The Baltimore Ravens are paying Joe Flacco a lot of money, but Marc Trestman doesn't view the passing game as the focal point of the offense.

"We're always looking at ourselves as a team that should be able to run the ball first," Trestman said. "That's just the way we want to play it, and everything starts with the physicality of our run game, and the physicality of our runner. That's how we coach offense here, and everything starts there."