OWINGS MILLS - Unable to convince imposing wide receiver Malcom Floyd to leave San Diego as he signed a two-year deal with the Chargers worth up to $7 million, the Baltimore Ravens are still hoping to get Derrick Mason to rejoin them.

Mason is contemplating whether to return to Baltimore after being cut days into training camp due to his scheduled $4.5 million salary. His other choices are a veteran minimum offer with the New York Jets or going back to the Tennessee Titans, where he began his career. The Ravens are believed to be the frontrunners for Mason.

"I'm carefully considering all the options available to me right now," Mason said. "I've been speaking with my family and my agent and hope to come to a decision very shortly."

A two-time Pro Bowl selection and the Ravens' all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, Mason's decision is expected to come down to three elements as he approaches the end of his career: chances of winning a Super Bowl, financial package, his projected role and proximity to family.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh had been texting back and forth with Mason, 37, but said he hasn't in the past day.

"Not in the last 24 hours," Harbaugh said. "I've been on the practice field; I don't bring a phone out here, as you all well know."

If the Ravens are unable to get Mason back on the team, then they could turn their attention toward former Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery.

Cotchery underwent back surgery after last season, but has resumed running and cutting. However, he was cut by the Jets with a failed physical designation.

"There are several teams interested in Jerricho," said Jack Scharf, Cotchery's agent. "Jerricho is healthy now and we're looking for the right fit for him. He's cleared to play football. The back is fine."

It's a thin group of currently available free agent wideouts, including retired Randy Moss, hobbled Terrell Owens, Steve Smith, former Ravens receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Bryant Johnson.

The Ravens haven't ruled out getting another veteran wide receiver to work in tandem with former Pro Bowl selection Anquan Boldin. The Ravens added former Buffalo Bills second-round wide receiver James Hardy after last season, but he has struggled with hamstring issues and dropped passes so far during training camp.

"It's a possibility," Harbaugh said of signing another veteran. "We're not going to shy away from adding players, and it's a position where you talk about the rookies, and we're counting on them. I think we'd be happy to bring in a really good player.

"We definitely have room for one. That doesn't mean that we're not looking at guys like Hardy out here. There are some really good players out there with the veterans, too."

It was a disappointment for the Ravens to not land Floyd after several days of discussions with the athletic 6-foot-5, 225-pounder.

Floyd played for Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron for three seasons in San Diego.

The Ravens were willing to give Floyd over $3 million annually on a long-term deal, but he decided to stick with the Chargers.

"I'm not surprised Floyd stayed in San Diego," Houshmandzadeh said in a telephone interview. "That makes sense. If you have a chance to stay with your old team, that's always a good thing."

Houshmandzadeh reiterated that he doesn't expect to return to Baltimore after the most unproductive season of his career.

"I would love to come back to Baltimore, but it has to be mutual," he said. "I didn't have a good year and I dropped a ball that really mattered. I'll be playing football, I know that. It's a matter of when and where. I'll prove it to people all over again. My agent and I have been talking to several teams. I'll be playing somewhere."

The Ravens drafted University of Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith in the second round and Indiana wide receiver Tandon Doss in the fourth round.

They haven't ruled out going with a youth movement.

"The history is guys can play right out of the game," Harbaugh said. "We're not going to lower the bar for these guys. The bar is high, and they knew what they getting into when we drafted them.

"We did draft them because we thought they were guys that would get up to speed quickly. They're smart guys. They catch the ball well. They're good football players."