Ravens Insider: Signing future free agents like Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams is tougher than ever

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Ravens owner recognizes the challenge of keeping nose tackle Brandon Williams off the open market.

 

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This is a good article that explains why it is do difficult to sign very good players before they play out the last year of their contract.

 

 

 

The issue, as Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti acknowledged last week, is that both sides have to be motivated to get a deal done, and convincing players to eschew free agency is getting harder and harder. The annual rise in the salary cap and as a result, free agent contracts, are convincing arguments for many players, especially ones who are just a year away from hitting the open market, to not sign contract extensions with their current teams.

“I would love to, but the agents know that the prices are going up,” Bisciotti said when asked whether the team is interested in extending the contracts of Williams and fellow 2017 free agent Rick Wagner this offseason. “So the agents are advising these guys, ‘Don’t sign a contract now, get to free agency.’ ”