What Now? Where Ravens Go Following Justin Madubuike Franchise Tag
The decision to franchise tag Justin Madubuike might have been an easy one for the Baltimore Ravens, but what happens now becomes more complex.
The near $22 million tag heading the defensive tackle's way is how the Ravens will keep the 13-sack Pro Bowler in Baltimore for 2024. Now comes the hard part.
Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike (92).
USA Today
With the tag now used up, Baltimore is expected to lose other great players like linebacker Patrick Queen, offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler, and many others. The Ravens could still lock up any of their pending free agents by the time they hit the open market on Monday, but the likelihood of that happening - with other roster decisions to make - is slim.
Madubuike, coming off a highly productive season at just 25 years old, was the obvious choice to receive the tag over others. There's no denying that.
Locking him up to a long-term deal, though, will be more of a challenge. The Texas A&M product will be looking to receive a contract worthy of a defensive tackle recording 10+ sacks in a single season.
That will leave Baltimore with the difficult position of either creating more cap casualties or looking to restructure some of their current deals.
There are ways for the Ravens to improve on their current salary cap situation (which is currently five million over the threshold). Reworking current contracts to players like quarterback Lamar Jackson, linebacker Roquan Smith, and others could increase Baltimore's space to over $30 million. A long-term extension for Madubuike would also decrease his $22 million salary hit for 2024 - creating even more space.
Baltimore may want to try and find strong value in free agency without overspending on important positions, but for a team that is trying to move past their AFC Title game loss, it's more important to make sure one of their best defensive players is locked up for the long-term.
Madubuike's contract negotiation is just one of many questions the Ravens still have to answer.
