Should we/Will we use the Tag on Someone Else?

**RavensRule21215** · 03-01-2013, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by GOTA

Is Barwin good or did he just have a great year? Same issue with Kruger

Good point. I should have said he looked good in the games I watched.

**RavensRule21215** · 03-01-2013, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

4-5 mill per year...give or take.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Forum Runner

That sounds like a good deal.

**CharmCityCrab** · 03-01-2013, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by helloharv

What say you ?

Kruger is the only potential Ravens free agent (Other than the reportedly already signed Flacco) who's production last year could justify the payout the franchise tag would generate, in my opinion. And I'm not sure we can afford to do it for Kruger. In fact, I'd say we probably can't. But if we could find a way to make the numbers work, he's the one I'd consider doing it for. It'd also offer us an opportunity to see if last year was the first of many great years to come, or a fluke, without a long-term deal weighing us down cap wise for years to come (Even if we cut him, we'd have to "pay" the rest of signing bonus not already "paid" on a pro-rated basis for the years he played the next year from a salary cap perspective). We could pay him for a year and then use 2013 to determine his long-term value.

Ellerbe is important from a continuity perspective, but he's not a star, and we can't afford to pay him like he is a star. So, no franchise tag for him, but he's a guy who's agent we should be on the phone with about a reasonable contract extension. If we can't get him at a number we like, the combination of maybe a Bart Scott (If the market for him is low enough) and Kevin Minter (or other draft pick) backed up by Bynes and Ayanbadjedo is a reasonable alternative.

Ed Reed is an all-time great, but with his age, injury history, and recent production, combined with our cap issues, it's not worth franchising him either. He can come back to Baltimore at a deep discount, or we can move on. I hate to say it, because I love Ed to death (No homo), but as Vince Lombardi said, winning isn't everything, it's the only thing, and I think with the salary cap situation, we can only afford to pay Reed based on what we expect his production to be next year and beyond, and not for what it was in the past. He's certainly still a starter in this league, and deserves starter money, but we can't afford to pay him like we did last year, or get into a bidding war with a team that has tons of cap room to burn and wants the name value. If he leaves, which I hope doesn't happen, hopefully we can bring him back for a Ring of Honor induction in a couple years when he retires, and maybe as a coach (As long as he agrees not to teach anyone that lateral thing ;) ).

Cary Williams to me should be as good as gone. He's a quality cornerback, but a bit overrated, and he's going to be overpaid by someone. Meanwhile, we have Ladarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, Corey Graham, and C. Brown. We've got depth there, we can move on. Of course I'd love to have Williams back and in that mix, but, realistically, there's no way I'd pay him even half his market value given the talent we have, the cap situation, and what the market is going to bare for him.

**B-more Ravor** · 03-01-2013, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

There is no such thing for a MLB, the franchise tag for LBs covers OLBs and MLBs. And its reportedly set at $9,619,000M for this year.

What Leach said!

And, before anyone brings up using the franchise tag on Ed Reed, that is also cost prohibitive.

The Franchise tag for Safeties is relatively low, but the Tag for Reed would be much higher because the Tag is actually the higher of the calculated Tag number or 120% of the player's prior year's salary (for these purposes, his Cap number).

Reed's salary for 2012 was $8.5M, so his Tag amount would be $10.2M.

**B-more Ravor** · 03-01-2013, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by RavensRule21215

Do you anticipate any major releases and/or restructures?

At a minimum, Bobbie Williams is a lock to be released.

IMO, Leach (short of a paycut) and Ayanbadejo will also go.

If Ellerbe is re-signed, I could see them then possibly parting ways with McClain.

**RavenScallywag** · 03-01-2013, 09:47 PM

Only other guy I'd use tag on is Reed.

Kruger might deserve it, but you'd be renting him for a year. Also, that'd blow just about all your remaining cap space.
Ellerbe...maybe, but I don't think we'll need it.
Cary Williams...don't make me laugh.

Reed, you'd be basically extending his current deal, for all intents and purposes. That said, I kind've think we should let him do a Ray Lewis market test. If he gets money and runs, fair enough, we'll take the comp pick next year. If he comes back, we'll get a better deal than a tag.

**RavensRule21215** · 03-01-2013, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by B-more Ravor

At a minimum, Bobbie Williams is a lock to be released.

IMO, Leach (short of a paycut) and Ayanbadejo will also go.

If Ellerbe is re-signed, I could see them then possibly parting ways with McClain.

OH NO. NOT BOBBIE WILLIAMS!!

j/k

C'mon, man. Nothing racier than that? No big time restructures, like Ngata or Suggs? Trading Rice, maybe? Something JUICY?!!!

;)

**RavensRule21215** · 03-01-2013, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by B-more Ravor

What Leach said!

And, before anyone brings up using the franchise tag on Ed Reed, that is also cost prohibitive.

The Franchise tag for Safeties is relatively low, but the Tag for Reed would be much higher because the Tag is actually the higher of the calculated Tag number or 120% of the player's prior year's salary (for these purposes, his Cap number).

Reed's salary for 2012 was $8.5M, so his Tag amount would be $10.2M.

Ouch.

**B-more Ravor** · 03-01-2013, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by RavensRule21215

OH NO. NOT BOBBIE WILLIAMS!!

j/k

C'mon, man. Nothing racier than that? No big time restructures, like Ngata or Suggs? Trading Rice, maybe? Something JUICY?!!!

;)

Maybe a Suggs restructure and, hopefully, a Boldin extension. How's that!

**mmi16** · 03-01-2013, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Ozzie has already said no about this. If anyone, it would be Ellerbe, but nobody is really eligible for it IMO.

The Oz has spoken!

**RavensRule21215** · 03-01-2013, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by B-more Ravor

Maybe a Suggs restructure and, hopefully, a Boldin extension. How's that!

Toss in JJones, and we got a deal!

**wickedsolo** · 03-01-2013, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by RavensRule21215

Toss in JJones, and we got a deal!

Im not sure JJ isnt out of the woods yet as becoming a cap casualty. IIRC, isnt he supposed to get like a $4 mill roster bonus in the next few weeks?

I dont want to see the guy go, but the Ravens also have Streeter and there are some solid WR prospects in this draft. Plus, Doss and JJ split a lot of snaps last year. That is a lot of money to pay fpr a kick returner and part-time WR.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Forum Runner