ExtremeRavens Posted Thursday at 12:30 PM Posted Thursday at 12:30 PM The opening of the NFL’s franchise tag window Tuesday came and went quietly for the Ravens, and it’s likely it will stay that way through the closing of it March 4. With left tackle Ronnie Stanley the team’s only free-agent-to-be who would warrant such consideration, tagging the nine-year veteran would keep him off the market but be cost-prohibitive at around $25 million. Still, general manager Eric DeCosta and company have a lot to address when it comes to the salary cap. According to Over The Cap, the Ravens are projected to have just over $12.9 million in cap space when the new league year opens on March 12, which is also when free agency officially begins. That ranks just 22nd in the league, and it does not include re-signings or tenders for restricted and exclusive rights free agents. There’s also this year’s draft class, which Baltimore’s decision-makers will get a closer look at next week in Indianapolis at the annual scouting combine. The Ravens are currently slated to have 11 draft picks this April — seven of their own, plus four compensatory selections — so there’s a lot to be done to eventually get compliant with what is projected to be a $279.5 million league salary cap for the 2025 season. That league total is up from the $255.4 million mark in 2024 but not quite to the level of the record 13.6% increase teams got from 2023 to last year, though every bit helps a Ravens organization that is perennially tight on space. What does it ultimately mean for Baltimore? Here’s a look at players who could be released, have their contract extended or reworked or be traded to create more cap room: Tight end Marks Andrews With Andrews entering the final year of his four-year, $56 million extension and with the fourth-highest cap hit on the roster at $16.9 million, the Ravens could clear $11 million in space by releasing or trading the veteran. Andrews’ 3.2 catches and 39.6 yards per game were his lowest marks since his rookie year and his crushing dropped 2-point conversion (and a costly fumble) against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs were low points. But his 11 receiving touchdowns were a career-high and led the team, he has long been quarterback Lamar Jackson’s security blanket and he’s still one of the best tight ends in the league. Baltimore isn’t going to release Andrews, who will turn 30 in September, and get nothing for him. Trading him also seems unlikely — though a second-day draft pick could perhaps be a compelling consideration. Complicating matters is that the Ravens’ other two tight ends, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, are eligible to be free agents after next season. That could make an extension for Andrews difficult as well. Kicker Justin Tucker The Ravens have not spoken about the allegations from several Baltimore-area massage therapists who have accused Tucker of sexual misconduct since making a statement at the end of January. Neither has the NFL, which said it is looking into the matter. What that means for Tucker’s future with the Ravens remains unclear, but if Baltimore were to move on from its longest-tenured player it could do so by releasing him once the new league year starts. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker’s future status with the team is in jeopardy after poor performance in 2024 and off-the-field allegations of misconduct. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Tucker, 35, is coming off easily the worst season of his career, having made 73.3% of his field goal attempts. The Ravens also said they still expected him to be their kicker next year, though that was before a trail of allegations emerged. Releasing Tucker on or after March 12 would save them just over $4 million in cap space and allow Baltimore to spread his $7.5 million in dead money over each of the next two years. Safety Marcus Williams Williams won’t be back. He was benched in mid-November and was inactive over the final five games of the regular season. He and the team also agreed on a reworked contract for the 28-year-old late in the season, freeing up just under $10 million in cap space, with another $2.1 million coming after June 1. That allows Williams to quickly move on to find a new home to try to rejuvenate his career. It also clears much-needed space for Baltimore, which will need to add a safety via the draft or free agency after Williams struggled mightily the past two years. Cornerback Arthur Maulet After Maulet played well in 2023, prompting the Ravens to re-sign him to a two-year, $4 million deal, he struggled to stay healthy in 2024. First, he underwent knee surgery in August. Then he was hampered by calf and knee injuries, all of which limited the veteran to appear in just three games. Though a solid performer when on the field, Maulet will also turn 32 in July, and releasing him would clear $2.25 million in cap space. The Ravens could also perhaps bring him back on a cheaper deal, which would save at least some cap space. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey returns an interception for a touchdown in a 2024 win over the Steelers. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Cornerback Marlon Humphrey After an injury-filled 2023, Humphrey rebounded with an All-Pro season in the slot. He’s also one of the highest-paid players on the team. With a cap charge of $25.38 million for 2025, only Jackson counts more against the team’s total. Humphrey will also turn 29 in July. With his current deal running through 2026, he could be in line for an extension or at least a restructure, both of which would lower his cap hit. Running back Derrick Henry Henry is entering the final year of the two-year deal he signed with the Ravens last offseason and is set to count $12.9 million against the cap next season. After recording 1,921 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns and averaging 5.9 yards per carry — the highest mark of Henry’s career — the 31-year-old showed he still has gas in the tank. Extending any back of that age with as many miles as Henry has (11,423 career yards on 2,355 carries) is a risk, but a logical one here. Doing so would also lower Henry’s cap hit and keep him in Baltimore for a couple more years, making it potentially possible for him to retire a Raven, which he has expressed interest in doing. Quarterback Lamar Jackson Jackson’s $43.7 million cap hit for 2025 ranks just 10th highest in the NFL, making it look like a bargain, especially compared with the restrictive deals of fellow quarterbacks Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns’ Deshaun Watson. Still, it’s easily the biggest hit on the Ravens’ roster and $18 million higher than Humphrey’s. It gets even bigger in 2026 and 2027 at $74.65 million for each year (which would rank behind only Prescott’s hit this year), so a restructure or extension would help now and in the immediate future. Jackson also famously doesn’t have an agent and DeCosta has spoken about how his last negotiation with the quarterback two years ago was one of the most difficult he’s endured. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
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