Tag: NFL franchise tag

Ravens miss contract deadline with OLB Matthew Judon’s franchise tag

The Baltimore Ravens are locked into a $16.808 million pricetag on OLB Matthew Judon for 2020 after not getting a deal done in time.

The Baltimore Ravens and outside linebacker Matthew Judon are locked into a franchise tag amount of $16.808 million for the 2020 season, after failing to agree to a long-term contract extension in time.

The Ravens initially applied the franchise tag to Judon back in March, compromising on a salary that will pay him between a linebacker and defensive end. Judon signed his tender in May but Baltimore had until today at 4:00 p.m. ET to get him locked up to a long-term contract in order to alter his 2020 salary cap cost. After failing to get a deal done in time, Judon and the Ravens have locked in his 2020 cap hit.

Now, that’s not to say a contract extension still couldn’t happen before next offseason when Judon will become an unrestricted free agent again. We’ve seen the Ravens hand out contract extensions early, especially under new general manager Eric DeCosta, who has made it a priority to create a maintainable salary cap since taking over for Ozzie Newsome last offseason. However, any deal won’t impact his salary for 2020 or free up cap space for Baltimore to use this season. Then again, with the top free agents already signed this offseason, the Ravens haven’t been under any immense pressure to get Judon signed.

Still, Baltimore has been able to turn the franchise tag into contract extensions nearly every time they’ve used it previously, giving plenty of hope to Judon eventually getting a long-term deal done too. The Ravens have used the franchise tag eight times (six different players) prior to Judon, coming to terms on a long-term extension with all but Wally Williams following his franchise tag in 1998.

There are plenty of good reasons for Baltimore and Judon not being able to get a contract ironed out yet, even if one eventually happens.

It’s been a tumultuous offseason given the coronavirus pandemic. It’s had huge ramifications on free agency, the 2020 NFL Draft, and now in the preparation for the regular season. It seems plausible that both the Ravens’ front office and Judon’s agent have been stretched thinner than they normally would have been, making negotiations take longer than usual.

Of course, the lack of qualifying deals this offseason likely also further complicated negotiations and meant it has been harder to accurately set Judon’s value. It was expected Judon’s deal would mirror that of top free agent Jadeveon Clowney. But Clowney is currently unsigned with just a few weeks before training camps kick off around the league. Many of the other top pass rushers also received the franchise tag instead of contract extensions, again failing to create an accurate bar for a potential deal for Judon.

There’s also some concern about how the coronavirus pandemic will impact the salary cap next season. As teams have already announced significantly reduced capacity for home games this season, there will be less revenue this season and subsequently less growth in the 2021 salary cap. Teams are likely hesitant to hand out massive contracts in light of that uncertainty while agents don’t want to leave money on the table simply to get a deal done right now.

It would have been nice for the Ravens to free up some cap space this offseason or to at least know where they stand with one of their top players. But Baltimore has plenty of time to get Judon under contract, even if it didn’t happen by the deadline.

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Ravens OLB Matthew Judon joking as franchise tag deadline nears

With only a few hours before his $16.8 million cap hit is locked in for 2020, Baltimore Ravens OLB Matthew Judon is joking about his status

The Baltimore Ravens and outside linebacker Matthew Judon have until 4:00 p.m. ET today to work out a contract extension or the $16.808 million cap hit will be locked in for the 2020 season. While neither the Ravens nor Judon necessarily need a deal done right now, the deadline presents some pressure to get something worked out in order to retain one of the best players on the roster and potentially free up some salary-cap space.

Well known for his more casual attitude during interviews and frequent jokes, Judon has taken to Twitter with the deadline quickly approaching and fans on edge. Judon first raised eyebrows after asking Chiefs defensive back Tyrann Mathieu about the real estate prices in Kansas City.

This came right after it was reported the Chiefs had given defensive tackle Chris Jones an $85 million extension on top of the $500 million deal for quarterback Patrick Mahomes last week. While Judon reiterated he was asking “for a friend,” the joke didn’t exactly thrill Ravens fans on Twitter.

Judon wasn’t done yet, hinting about an “important call” the day and time of the deadline.

While Judon’s tweet could just as easily be another joke or him hoping something gets done before the deadline, it’s going to make the next few hours a little more interesting at least.

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Ravens, Matthew Judon come to compromise over franchise-tag salary

The Ravens and Matthew Judon stop a potential battle over his franchise tag position, coming to a middle ground on his salary.

Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matthew Judon signed his franchise tag tender on Thursday. But it’s not quite that simple.

Judon was designated as a linebacker, which carries a price of $15.828 million under the franchise tag. However, defensive ends are slated to earn $17.788 million on the franchise tag. With a potential disagreement on his designation, the Ravens and Judon met in the middle ground. Under the franchise tag in 2020, Judon will earn $16.808 million, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The difference in designations has been a sore point on the franchise tag for years and one Baltimore has had to deal with before. Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs filed a grievance when the Ravens used the franchise tag on him in 2008, initially designating him as a linebacker instead of a defensive end. The sides reached an agreement to split the difference at that time, much like has happened with Judon.

While the designations go by player position, there’s a case to be made for linebacker to be split up or a new hybrid position to be created. The difference in what premier inside linebackers and outside linebackers make is massive — a disparity of $5.5 million per year between the top contract for both positions, according to Over the Cap, with the difference primarily being how often each rushes the quarterback. Though Judon is far more than just a pass rusher for Baltimore, he still rushed the quarterback nearly 80% of the time, according to Pro Football Focus.

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Matthew Judon signed his franchise tag

Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matthew Judon inked his franchise tag, months after initially having the tender placed on him.

It appears as though outside linebacker Matthew Judon will indeed be a member of the Baltimore Ravens this season. Judon has officially signed his franchise tag, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, two and a half months after the Ravens initially placed the tender. The one-year deal will see Judon earn $15.828 million for the 2020 season.

Many had wondered if Judon was going to hold out for a long-term contract, as we’ve seen other franchise tag recipients do over the last few years. However, with a deadline of July 15 to sign the tender, Judon’s decision to ink the deal points to him being willing to play in 2020 without the security a long-term contract provides.

Judon was Baltimore’s best pass rusher last season, taking over for Za’Darius Smith and Terrell Suggs, who had both left in free agency last offseason. Judon had a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2019 while also forcing four fumbles. Over four seasons with the Ravens, Judon has 28.5 sacks, 186 combined tackles, seven forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

After not addressing the position in the 2020 NFL Draft and only re-signing Pernell McPhee, Baltimore is hoping Tyus Bowser or Jaylon Ferguson can further step up this season.

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REPORT: Titans officially place franchise tag on Derrick Henry

The Tennessee Titans came up short in their attempt at getting to the Super Bowl during the 2019-20 season, but that doesn’t mean another run can’t be made. With the franchise locking up starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill to four-year, $118 million …

The Tennessee Titans came up short in their attempt at getting to the Super Bowl during the 2019-20 season, but that doesn’t mean another run can’t be made.

With the franchise locking up starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill to four-year, $118 million extension on Sunday, it opened the door for star running back Derrick Henry to get the franchise tag.

The belief was that news could be coming any day now, and on Monday morning, it will be official. According to Adam Schefter with ESPN, the Titans placed the tag on Henry:

The idea that Tennessee would want its backfield back for the 2020-21 season isn’t a surprise in the slightest, and that especially holds true for Henry.

The former Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama has been outstanding over the last two seasons. In 31 regular season games, Henry has rushed for 2,599 yards and 28 touchdowns on 518 attempts (5.0 yards per carry).

The 6-foot-3, 247-pound bruising back also added 33 receptions, 305 yards and two touchdowns receiving during that period of time.

And during Tennessee’s playoff push last season, he was even more effective, as the team leaned on his ability to handle a heavy workload while taking as much off Tannehill’s plate as possible.

Now with Henry locked up for at least one more season, we should see another year of 300-plus carries for the former Crimson Tide star!

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What could the Ravens realistically trade Matthew Judon for this offseason?

Given the trades of last season, we have a pretty good idea what the Baltimore Ravens could get if they wanted to trade OLB Matthew Judon

The Baltimore Ravens announced they have officially used the franchise tag to retain outside linebacker Matthew Judon for the 2020 NFL season. However, that doesn’t mean he’ll actually be playing for Baltimore come Week 1.

All offseason, I’ve speculated that tagging and trading Judon might be in the Ravens’ best interests. If Baltimore feels they won’t be able to get a deal done at a value they like, trading Judon for draft capital would make a ton of sense as they look to rebuild their depth chart at the position. But just what would the going rate for Judon actually be?

Of course, everything depends on the final market for pass rushers and the level of interest the rest of the league would show. A single team inquiring about Judon likely wouldn’t return a ton of value whereas if a handful of teams are interested in pulling off a trade, the Ravens could drive up the asking price. The fewer premier pass rushers available will likely dictate all of this and with several expected to get the franchise tag this offseason as well, it could lead to Judon being the big prize of free agency.

To figure out the floor and ceiling for Judon, we have to look to previous trades for pass rushers. Luckily for us, last season saw a bevy of deals pulled off, so we have a pretty good indication of what to expect here.

2019 pass rusher trades:

  • New England Patriots Michael Bennett to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2021 seventh-round pick (midseason before trade deadline)
  • Miami Dolphins Robert Quinn to the Cowboys for a 2020 sixth-round pick
  • Cleveland Browns Emmanuel Ogbah to the Kansas City Chiefs for safety Eric Murray
  • Philadelphia Eagles Michael Bennett and a 2020 seventh-round pick to Patriots for a 2020 fifth-round pick
  • Chiefs Dee Ford to San Francisco 49ers for a 2020 second-round pick
  • Seattle Seahawks Frank Clark and a 2019 third-round pick to Kansas City for a 2019 first- and a third-round pick, as well as a 2020 second-round pick
  • Houston Texans Jadeveon Clowney to Seahawks for Jacob Martin, Barkevious Mingo and a 2020 third-round pick

Of that group, Ford, Clark and Clowney are the ones that most clearly mirror the Ravens’ and Judon’s situation now. All three had been franchise tagged because a long-term deal couldn’t be figured out. For Clark and Ford, they ended up being traded to teams that were willing to pony up the cash to lock them up.

For the Chiefs, they jettisoned Ford, who ended up getting a five-year contract worth $85 million ($17 million a year average) from the 49ers, according to Over The Cap. Kansas City ended up trading for Clark, giving him a five-year deal worth $104 million ($20.8 million a year average), according to OTC. Clowney ended up being a one-year rental that will likely be worth a third-round compensatory pick if he signs elsewhere this offseason as a free agent.

Let’s better break down what the floor, ceiling and realistic trade values are for Judon given that history and what the Ravens should do in those situations.

Previous trades / Floor / Ceiling / Realistic

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Ravens franchise tag Matthew Judon

The 2020 NFL free agency will have one fewer pass rusher available after the Baltimore Ravens used the franchise tag on OLB Matthew Judon

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After watching C.J. Mosley, Za’Darius Smith and Terrell Suggs leave for greener pastures and bigger deals last offseason, the Baltimore Ravens don’t want a sequel this year. The Ravens have used the franchise tag on outside linebacker Matthew Judon to keep him from hitting the free-agent market.

The decision hung over Baltimore since it lost to the Tennessee Titans in the playoffs. Judon was the most prized pending free agent for the Ravens and the one most likely to earn contract offers that Baltimore couldn’t have reasonably matched.

If Judon signs the franchise tag, the Ravens will have until July 15 to work out a long-term contract extension. Of course, Judon doesn’t have to sign the tag and could decide to hold out in an effort to force Baltimore’s hand. On the flip side, the Ravens could still trade him as well.

The franchise tag for linebackers is expected to be $16.27 million, according to Over The Cap. Baltimore currently has an estimated $37.74 million in available cap space, before using the franchise tag. It should take them down to just $21.47 million remaining, according to OTC.

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NFL franchise tag deadline pushed back again, giving Ravens more time to negotiate with Matthew Judon

The deadline for the franchise tag has been pushed back again to before free agency, giving the Ravens more time to sign Matthew Judon

As the NFL owners and NFLPA continue negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement, the league has been fiddling with their offseason dates. After initially pushing back the start and deadline for the franchise and transition tags, the NFL has once again altered the deadline to a second before noon on March 16, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, giving teams an extra four days. The beginning of the NFL’s legal tampering period — effectively known as the real start of free agency — begins a second later at noon.

The Baltimore Ravens are expected to franchise tag outside linebacker Matthew Judon if they can’t come to a deal on a long-term contract. While the extra time could mean a final push to get a deal signed before having to use the franchise tag — something general manager Eric DeCosta said he’d like to do — if the Ravens and Judon have gone this far, it seems unlikely to suddenly change.

Unlike in previous years, teams are able to use both the transition and franchise tags in the final year of the CBA. However, that isn’t likely for Baltimore this offseason as the transition tag also carries a huge cost but without the security of the non-exclusive franchise tag’s two first-round picks in return for losing a player. Since defensive tackle Michael Pierce is the Ravens’ next biggest pending free agent, the cost of the transition tag on him wouldn’t make much sense.

Though the exact figures aren’t known yet, it’s expected the franchise tag for Judon will cost Baltimore approximately $16.27 million, according to Over The Cap. It will lock Judon up through the 2020 season, barring him refusing to sign the tender and holding out.

The Ravens could decide to tag and then trade Judon if they feel they won’t be able to sign him to a long-term contract. With most of the top pending free agent pass rushers expected to be franchise tagged this offseason, Judon could garner quite a lot of attention and tons of value for Baltimore if they put him on the trading block. However, it would put the Ravens in quite the predicament in not only replacing Judon’s production but improving a pass rush that struggled mightily to win one-on-one matchups last season.

It looks like we’ll have to wait a few more days to figure out exactly what Baltimore is going to do with Judon and the franchise tag.

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Ravens can now use franchise tag on OLB Matthew Judon, but will they?

The Baltimore Ravens can officially slap the franchise tag on OLB Matthew Judon to keep him from free agency, but will they?

After the NFL pushed back the start date and deadline for the franchise tag by two days, we’ve finally hit the glorious day when it’s open to all 32 teams to use. The Baltimore Ravens could be among the teams using the franchise tag with outside linebacker Matthew Judon set to hit free agency when it opens on March 18.

But the question now on everyone’s mind is will they?

The Ravens have until 4:00 p.m. ET on March 12 to make that decision but according to general manager Eric DeCosta, it’s an option that remains on the table. Baltimore has still been trying to work on a long-term contract extension in an effort to not have to use the franchise tag. But as the deadline creeps closer, the pressure to retain Judon will increase.

Simply put, the Ravens cannot allow Judon to enter the free-agent market. With an estimated $30.74 million in salary-cap space, according to Over The Cap, Baltimore sits around the bottom third of the league in available funds. Much like we saw last offseason with Za’Darius Smith and C.J. Mosley, if Judon hits the open market, he’s likely going to get a massive deal the Ravens can’t afford to match. And just as we’re liable to see this offseason, the compensatory pick formula might not be a good enough return on letting Judon leave.

Yet, the franchise tag comes with a hefty cost and salary-cap hit. At an estimated $16.27 million for 2020, according to OTC, it would put a huge dent in Baltimore’s ability to be active in free agency. It would take the Ravens down to around $14.98 million available, which would rank as the eighth-least amount of cap space if no other moves are made.

If Baltimore can’t work out a long-term contract with Judon before the deadline hits, the franchise tag buys them some much-needed additional time and leverage. As I’ve covered before, if DeCosta and the Ravens believe they won’t be able to lock up Judon on a manageable long-term deal, trading him might be in their best interest, which wouldn’t be nearly as easy to pull off without using the franchise tag on him first.

With no obvious answer to replace Judon if he leaves via free agency or trade, that’s not likely a scenario Baltimore wants to see play out. But if Judon’s less-than-cryptic tweet is any indication, it seems as though he and the team are still pretty far apart in negotiations.

While the team seems eager to work out a contract extension, every day we get closer to the deadline without a deal being signed, the more likely it becomes that Baltimore uses the franchise tag to their advantage. At this point, there appear to be just two options — contract extension or franchise tag.

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6 biggest questions ahead of GM Eric DeCosta’s NFL Scouting Combine press conference

It will be the first time in 10 months we’ve heard from Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta and here’s what questions he should expect to hear

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta will speak to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine. It’s the first time we’ll have heard from DeCosta since the 2019 NFL draft and is a golden opportunity to find out some of the team’s plans for the offseason and 2020 NFL Draft.

However, there’s not a team in the league that will completely divulge their plans openly, so while DeCosta’s presser is sure to provide some answers, it’s likely going to bring about a lot more questions.

Here are some of the top questions we’ll expect from DeCosta’s NFL Scouting Combine press conference today.

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Potential trades

At this time of the year, trade rumors begin to swirl. Normally most can be taken with a huge grain of salt but DeCosta hasn’t been afraid to make a deal since taking over for Ozzie Newsome. He traded away a handful of Ravens players last year while trading for cornerback Marcus Peters, giving enough credence to the idea DeCosta could be looking for some more trade action this offseason.

The question is just how much will he reveal openly. DeCosta is sure to be asked about potential trades and he could decide to be transparent about it in order to drive more attention and hopefully some more phone calls.

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