Gaither Gets First Round Tender

[ForceEight]

As opposed to first and third, which I'd assume most folks thought he'd get.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/03/ravens-place-first-round-tender-on-gaither/

[SpearSrai]

As opposed to first and third, which I'd assume most folks thought he'd get.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/03/ravens-place-first-round-tender-on-gaither/

 

I never understood why everyone assumed we'd tender him a first and third. He's not that good... he's big, yeah, but I think we've been judging him based on the fact that we got him for a 5th round supplemental pick, rather than as a star tackle. By the time Oher, an actual first rounder, has Gaither's experience, he'll be head-and-shoulders better than Gaither. If he isn't already.

[thundercleetz]

I never understood why everyone assumed we'd tender him a first and third. He's not that good... he's big, yeah, but I think we've been judging him based on the fact that we got him for a 5th round supplemental pick, rather than as a star tackle. By the time Oher, an actual first rounder, has Gaither's experience, he'll be head-and-shoulders better than Gaither. If he isn't already.

 

This is how I see it. If anything, this will speed up signing Gaither to a long-term deal. We are essentially letting Gaither go out and set the market himself. A first and third round tender is basically a franchise tag, no team will make an offer on him and it says the team is taking a wait-and-see approach. But with only a first round tender the compensation is realistic enough where if a team really wants Gaither, they will make an offer. If a team makes him an offer, we get to match it. If the offer is too high, we get a first rounder. It is a win-win in my opinion.

[REEDPIXOFF]

Moll: low tender (6th round comp)

Burgess: low tender (6th round comp)

Cundiff: low tender (no comp)

Koch: 2nd round tender

Beck: low tender (3rd round comp)

Le'Ron McClain: 1st round tender

Dawan Landry: 2nd round tender

Edgar Jones: No tender

[geo]

Moll: low tender (6th round comp)

Burgess: low tender (6th round comp)

Cundiff: low tender (no comp)

Koch: 2nd round tender

Beck: low tender (3rd round comp)

Le'Ron McClain: 1st round tender

Dawan Landry: 2nd round tender

Edgar Jones: No tender

 

Moll? And Mcclain a first round tender.. who would give a second round pick?

[REEDPIXOFF]

Moll? And Mcclain a first round tender.. who would give a second round pick?

 

 

Not sure. Apparently Fabian got 1st round aswell.

 

http://twitter.com/Ravensinsider

http://twitter.com/dankolko

[vmax]

This is how I see it. If anything, this will speed up signing Gaither to a long-term deal. We are essentially letting Gaither go out and set the market himself. A first and third round tender is basically a franchise tag, no team will make an offer on him and it says the team is taking a wait-and-see approach. But with only a first round tender the compensation is realistic enough where if a team really wants Gaither, they will make an offer. If a team makes him an offer, we get to match it. If the offer is too high, we get a first rounder. It is a win-win in my opinion.

 

 

Good points and I see it that way too.

 

None of this is confirmed yet but these are decent sources.

 

According to various reports, the Ravens have begun the process of offering tenders to their restricted free agents.

 

Starting left tackle Jared Gaither, cornerback Fabian Washington, fullback LeRon McClain, safety Dawan Landry, punter Sam Koch, quarterback John Beck, guard Chris Chester, offensive tackle Tony Moll, linebacker and special teams standout Prescott Burgess, and kicker Billy Cundiff have all been mentioned.

 

ESPNs Adam Schefter wrote on his twitter account that Gaither, a former fifth-round supplemental draft pick, received the first-round tender.

 

Aaron Wilson of The Carroll County Times tweeted Burgess earned a low tender.

 

And, The Baltimore Sun stated that Washington and McClain got first-round tenders, Landry and Koch received second-round tenders, and Beck, Chester, Cundiff, Burgess and Moll all have the low tender.

 

The Ravens have not made any formal announcement regarding their restricted free agents.

http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/?p=4273

 

Restricted free-agent recap

The tenders have been flooding in for the Ravens' restricted free agents. Here's the recap:

 

OT Jared Gaither: First-round tender ($2.3 million)

FB Le'Ron McClain: First round ($2.3 million)

CB Fabian Washington: First round ($2.6 million)

P Sam Koch: Second round ($1.7 million)

SS Dawan Landry: Second round ($1.7 million)

OL Chris Chester: Low (means third-round pick as compensation, $1.1 million)

QB John Beck: Low (means third-round pick as compensation, $1.1 million)

K Billy Cundiff: Low (no compensation, $1.2 million)

LB Prescott Burgess: Low (sixth round, $1.1 million)

OL Tony Moll: Low (fifth round, $1.1 million)

TE Edgar Jones: No tender (could be re-signed for veteran minimum)

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2010/03/restricted_freeagent_recap.html

 

Just waiting for the official word from the Ravens.

Edited March 3, 2010 by vmax

[ravensfanatic77]

Sounds like I hit the nail on the head on my previous post regarding Gaither deserving no more than a 1st round tender ONLY. He really isn't that great of a LT at this point, sure he has potential...but it doesn't hurt to see what other teams think. We can either match their offers or get a 1st rounder in compensation. Oher is going to be a much better OT than Gaither.

[thundercleetz]

Sounds like I hit the nail on the head on my previous post regarding Gaither deserving no more than a 1st round tender ONLY. He really isn't that great of a LT at this point, sure he has potential...but it doesn't hurt to see what other teams think. We can either match their offers or get a 1st rounder in compensation. Oher is going to be a much better OT than Gaither.

 

I actually disagree with you on this one. A guy over on the Scout board breaks down film on every game and has a scoring system for offensive linemen based upon different factors (pancakes, pulling blocks, reach blocks, yards per play to side, sacks allowed, QB hits), Gaither was by far our best offensive lineman and one of the top tackles. The problem with Gaither is his toughness. He gets hurt way too much for a guy who is only 23-years old and is even younger in football years.

[yagersports]

I'd rather keep the tackles we've got! How long have we been waiting to have to tackles to shore up our line?!?!?!?! If Leon Searcy worked out, we may have had a different result with the Grbac experiment. Instead we had constant pressure on the QB. Boller and McNair had to deal with the same crap!!! I do not see how getting a first round pick is proper compensation for a team that is looking to win NOW. Please notice my key word "NOW". We have two very good tackles, if Oher is better, so be it, switch the two of them. But I see no reason to either of these guys go, especially since we now have a franchise QB! Honestly...the short memory of some people. We can protect our QB, let's keep it that way. I know issuing the tender doesn't mean he's out of here, but IMHO, keep the guy off the market. We've finally got two offensive tackles that do a great job of run blocking and protecting the QB, let's keep it that way.

 

Also remember, just getting the first round pick does not guarantee we get another tackle as good as Gaither. I do see the risk vs reward scenario, and do understand the logic of the getting a 1st round pick for the guy. However, sometimes......if it's not broke, don't fix it.

[vmax]

The key here is the Ravens can match the offer.

Gaither gets to see his market value so the market price is set and then the Ravens sign him long term at a fair price. Everybody's happy, O line solidified and grown men weep...

[SpearSrai]

The reason we didn't have good offensive linemen was more because we were using our first rounders on other positions. When we draft linemen in the first round, they work out. And rookie offensive tackles have historically been able to come in and produce right away, so if a team is willing to give up a top 20 pick for Gaither (which I doubt) then good for them, and then we could decide what pick to use on his replacement.

[thundercleetz]

From ESPN Insider:

 

Final Eight Plan won't stop Jerry?

 

The most unique free agency period in recent memory begins on Friday, with an uncapped year in 2010 tempered by a possible lockout in 2011, and a few big-name unrestricted free agents coupled with a long list of restricted ones. One team that we'd expect to be major players in any free agent market is the Dallas Cowboys, but will the Final Eight Plan prevent such spending this offseason?

 

Probably not. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News notes that since the 'Boys are in the "second tier" of the teams restricted by the plan, they'll have one slot to sign a guy at up to $5.807 million, and will be allowed to sign as many free agents as they desire at $3.672 million or less. Then, if they lose one of their own more high-priced players, they can replace him with a player at an equal value.

 

One player to keep an eye on in Cowboys land is Jared Gaither, who was granted just a first round restricted tender by the Ravens. So if the Cowboys offer a contract (within the bounds described above) that the Ravens don't match, they'll only surrender their first round pick, No. 27 overall. Given their need for improvement on the line, this might be a solid investment.

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/features/rumors

 

I hope a team makes an offer for Gaither. That way we either match it and sign him to a long-term deal or get a first round pick, becuase the alternative is losing him next year in free agency and getting nothing.

[colincac]

I've read that the Colts also are very interested in Gaither, and they will have to follow the same rules as Dallas. We of course would match that offer at 5.3 million, so I wouldn't have a problem keeping Gaither at that price point or even working out a trade where we receive more then a 1st rounder if a team really wants him,.

[ForceEight]

I'd very much like to sign and keep Gaither. I don't want a first round pick from either of those teams.

[yagersports]

I'd very much like to sign and keep Gaither. I don't want a first round pick from either of those teams.

 

I agree, even having a higher first round pick does not mean we'll be guaranteed a replacement. Sign our proven talent now. Hopefully as someone mentioned earlier, we'll use this as a means of gauging the market and sign him once other teams make offers. We could end up paying alot more for a guy drafted high on the board and he would be unproven. Sign the man, keep Flacco protected and Rice runnin.

[yagersports]

I'd very much like to sign and keep Gaither. I don't want a first round pick from either of those teams.

 

I agree, even having a higher first round pick does not mean we'll be guaranteed a replacement. Sign our proven talent now. Hopefully as someone mentioned earlier, we'll use this as a means of gauging the market and sign him once other teams make offers. We could end up paying alot more for a guy drafted high on the board and he would be unproven. Sign the man, keep Flacco protected and Rice runnin.

[yagersports]

I'd very much like to sign and keep Gaither. I don't want a first round pick from either of those teams.

 

I agree, even having a higher first round pick does not mean we'll be guaranteed a replacement. Sign our proven talent now. Hopefully as someone mentioned earlier, we'll use this as a means of gauging the market and sign him once other teams make offers. We could end up paying alot more for a guy drafted high on the board and he would be unproven. Sign the man, keep Flacco protected and Rice runnin.

[thundercleetz]

The good thing is that the Cowboys can only offer Gaither a contract with $5.3 million in the first year, and increasing only 10% in every year after that. We would most definitely match that offer, I do not even think Gaither would sign that type of deal unless the contract was mostly guaranteed. And the Colts could not sign Gaither until they lost a free agent, which means they could really only sign him to whatever another team signs Gary Brackett for. This first round tender definitely gives us all the leverage.

[ForceEight]

The good thing is that the Cowboys can only offer Gaither a contract with $5.3 million in the first year, and increasing only 10% in every year after that. We would most definitely match that offer, I do not even think Gaither would sign that type of deal unless the contract was mostly guaranteed. And the Colts could not sign Gaither until they lost a free agent, which means they could really only sign him to whatever another team signs Gary Brackett for. This first round tender definitely gives us all the leverage.

That's not true, Cleet. They can offer him a contract of at least $5.3 million, and there's no limit on increases each year thereafter. The divisional round losers of the Final Eight can offer one UFA a contract of the $5.3 million with no growth limits, and can offer as many UFAs $3.8 million or less in the first year, with a growth limit thereafter.

 

Also, the "losing a UFA to sign another one" rule also applies to us.

[geo]

That's not true, Cleet. They can offer him a contract of at least $5.3 million, and there's no limit on increases each year thereafter. The divisional round losers of the Final Eight can offer one UFA a contract of the $5.3 million with no growth limits, and can offer as many UFAs $3.8 million or less in the first year, with a growth limit thereafter.

 

Also, the "losing a UFA to sign another one" rule also applies to us.

 

Gaither is a RFA, not UFA. Find this;

 

Do the Colts have any restriction regarding who they can sign to an offer sheet among RFA's? They are the team I'd fear taking Gaither for a 1, which would be 31st overall and a big upgrade over Johnson. Green Bay and NO might also be risks, but the Colts might be happy simply to bid the Ravens up on Gaither if they don't get him.

 

No, the Final 8 rules do not apply to the signing of RFAs to offer sheets. None of those teams need to lose a UFA before signing an RFA to an offer sheet.

[ForceEight]

Gaither is a RFA, not UFA. Find this;

 

Do the Colts have any restriction regarding who they can sign to an offer sheet among RFA's? They are the team I'd fear taking Gaither for a 1, which would be 31st overall and a big upgrade over Johnson. Green Bay and NO might also be risks, but the Colts might be happy simply to bid the Ravens up on Gaither if they don't get him.

 

No, the Final 8 rules do not apply to the signing of RFAs to offer sheets. None of those teams need to lose a UFA before signing an RFA to an offer sheet.

That's true. What he said had me thinking that Gaither was a UFA.

 

The correct answer is that the Cowboys can offer him whatever they want, and he can take it.

[REEDPIXOFF]

Troy Smith got a low tender(5th round). Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!

[SpearSrai]

Troy Smith got a low tender(5th round). Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!

 

So basically we'll get back the same pick we used on him, only earlier in the round.