Insider: Ravens Could Release Justin Tucker in March

If the Baltimore Ravens do decide to move on from Justin Tucker after this week's allegations, they may wait to do so.

Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker (9) celebrates a 54 yard filed goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

If there were any doubts about Justin Tucker's future with the Baltimore Ravens, then they've only grown over the past few days.

After the worst season of his career, in which he made just 73.3 percent of his field goal attempts, Tucker is now at the center of controversy after several Baltimore-area massage therapists accused him of inappropriate secual behaivor. Six therapists came forward in an initial report by The Baltimore Banner on Thursday, with three more coming forward in a follow-up report on Saturday morning. Tucker has denied any wrongdoing.

It's a sudden and dramatic fall from grace for the most-accurate kicker in NFL history, and it could spell the end for his time in Baltimore.

As of Sunday, the Ravens have only said they "will continue to monitor the situation." Nothing definitive, but understandable considering the circumstances.

The Ravens have a big decision on their hands now, but they may choose to wait if they can. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio believes a potential release might not come until Spring.

"If they decide to move on, the Ravens might wait until the start of the new league year in March," Florio wrote. "That’s when he can be released in a way that divides the cap charge over two seasons.

"Without a post-June 1 designation, releasing Tucker would trigger a cap charge of $7.5175 million for 2025. By waiting to activate the CBA rule that allows a team to sever ties while spreading the dead money over two years, the Ravens would take a $2.8725 million charge in 2025 and a $4.645 million charge in 2026. Cutting him would also wipe out a non-guaranteed $4.2 million salary for 2025."

It would be the financially savvy move to release Tucker with a post-June 1 designation, which can only be used after the new league year, but they may be forced to act sooner. If more allegations come to light, or if new evidence emerges that makes the existing allegations even worse, they may have no choice but to release him and eat the dead cap hit.

For what it's worth, the Ravens opted not to release Ray Rice when he was indicted for aggravated assault in 2014, with the NFL only handing him a two-game suspension. Only after TMZ released a video of the incident did the Ravens opt to release him.

Not a fun situation to be in whatsoever, but the Ravens may have to make a decision at some point this offseason.

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