Will Salary Cap Increase Help Ravens Keep Top Free Agents?
Perhaps the Baltimore Ravens might be able to keep some of their top free agents after all.
Following the NFL's announcement that the salary cap would increase by a whopping $30 million, some teams looking for some cap relief received some major assistance.
Take Baltimore as an example.
Before the increase, the Ravens were expected to lose top Pro Bowl players on their roster like Patrick Queen, and Kevin Zeitler. To make room to even franchise tag defensive tackle Justin Madubuike would mean the organization would have to cut some of their higher-priced talents and restructure others.
Now, they'll at least have some flexibility.
The Ravens are set to have $16 million in cap space now according to Over The Cap. With defensive tackles slotted to make $22 million via the tag, they will need to open up $6 million to have enough to give a player like Madubuike the tag.
Should the Ravens look to clear up some money, they could look at contract restructures for quarterback Lamar Jackson, left tackle Ronnie Stanley, and defensive backs Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Williams. Should all four receive restructures, Baltimore could have over $40 million to operate with entering free agency - not the biggest number in the league, but certainly manageable to improve the roster.
There are other moves that the organization can make, but with plenty of free agents to decide upon, Baltimore will need to act quickly to stay in the thick of the AFC contender race.
It certainly helps that they'll be given more ammo in money to do so, though.
