Winning the Super Bowl is the best feeling in the world, cutting players to get under your salary cap is the worst. The celebration is still going on, but now they face the tough part when they need to decide which players to keep this offseason.
Their salary cap barely budged from $120.6 last year to about $121 million this year. They currently have $69 million tied up in 10 players. There isn’t much time to get things done; the new league year begins March 12.
The Ravens have 13 unrestricted free agents:
- QB Joe Flacco
- LB Dannell Ellerbe
- CB Cary Williams
- OLB Paul Kruger
- S James Ihedigho
- DL Ma’ake Kemoatu
- TE Billy Bajema
- CB Chris Johnson
- LT Bryant McKinnie
- CB Jimmy Smith
- DL Ryan McBean
- LB Ricky Brown
- S Sean Considine
They also have six restricted free agents:
- TE Dennis Pitta
- TE Ed Dickson
- OL Ramon Harewood
- DL Arthur Jones
- WR David Reed
- LS Morgan Cox
MVP quarterback Joe Flacco is their top priority. The Ravens will either work out a long-term deal or franchise tag him.
Safety Ed Reed would like to stay in Baltimore and the team has expressed interest in keeping him, but it all depends on the contract length and money he demands.
Unfortunately they can’t afford to keep everyone so they have some tough decisions to make in the next few weeks. It won’t be easy, but they have been in this situation in previous years and have a proven record of making good decisions.
I know I will be sad about some of their decisions, but since I don’t sign their paychecks I have no say in the process. I will prepare myself for a tearful good-bye of some players, I know it’s not personal, it’s business. While I trust the Ravens to make the best decisions for their future, I’m still bracing myself for the bumpy ride…
Zennie Abraham