Ravens Roost 4

Ravens:
With Flacco now the highest paid player in the NFL, the Ravens need to fill in the pieces around him. Next up on the priority list is Ellerbe, who could command significant dollars on the open market, but has expressed his desire to stay in Baltimore. Meanwhile, the Ravens are trying to negotiate a pay cut for Boldin. If unsuccessful, the Ravens would release Boldin, who has already stated his intent to retire if that does happen. The bigger implication is the loss of a “go to” receiver for the Ravens, that is not easily filled. Other free agent news has Cary Williams on the market, Ed Reed still in limbo, and Paul Kruger heading for the exit. Restricted free agents Pitta, Dickson, and Art Jones have been tendered contracts, but if the Ravens want to keep Ellerbe, they will have to do more acrobatics, which may include the release of Vonta Leach, and/or restructuring contracts of big names, like Ngata, Suggs, and Yanda. That is fine and dandy for 2013, but only amplifies future salary cap problems (see the stealers for a prime example).

On Monday, Joe Flacco will sign a long term deal with the Ravens that will make him the highest paid quarterback in the NFL, but if the deal doesn’t include Bryant McKinnie, we won’t get our money’s worth. It was the addition of McKinnie to the O-line at the start of the playoffs that finally gave Joe the time to throw and be the elite quarterback, albeit for 4 games, that he claims he is. Traditionally, the year after a huge contract signing (6 years, $120.6M) is a huge let down. Retiring Ray Lewis and Matt Birk freed up $6M in cap space, but more must be freed to keep us a contender. If Flacco was under a microscope before (Remember, I keep calling him “Average Joe Flacco”), the next several seasons will amplify the magnification on him, as he now tasked with proving he is worth of every dollar now being paid to him.

Ravens:
Well, with Joe Flacco’s head swelled larger than the Good Year Blimp, things are going to be tough next season. The kind of money Joe is asking (over $20M/year, to make him the highest paid QB in the NFL), will put us further into Salary cap hell. Ravens really can’t negotiate with other free agents until Joe is settled, which is supposed to start taking place this weekend. Options are to use the restricted Franchise tag (worth about $14.6M, but other teams could make him an offer, and we would have to match), use the unrestricted franchise tag (worth just over $20M), or sign him to a long term deal. Obviously, the latter is preferred, and I would recommend giving him a ridiculously long contract (8 or 10 years), with a base of $17M this year, which goes up $1M or $2M per year, and tag on a big signing bonus. That would give us wiggle room in the future. There are other complications that can arise, like Flacco protesting the Franchise tag, and having to cut several key players to make salary cap space, but first things first, we need to make “average” Joe, well above average.

Ravens:
I can finally say it! Team of Destiny. 4th and 29: That was the first sign. 70 yard TD to Jacoby Jones with 30 second left in Denver to send the game to overtime: That was the 2nd sign. But now, with the game on the line, the defense kept Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers out of the end zone, and the moniker is official. Team of Destiny. Only 1 team in the playoffs was an underdog, and won. The Ravens did it. Not once. Not twice. But three times they were underdogs, and came out victorious. And if you thought winning the title was remarkable, then came the victory parade! Un-bliev-able hon!