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Should The Baltimore Ravens Cut Dennis Pitta?

By Connor Brooks

Dec 4, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta (88) catches pass for a touchdown from quarterback Joe Flacco (not pictured) in front of Miami Dolphins free safety Bacarri Rambo (30) and linebacker Spencer Paysinger (42) during the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta (88) catches pass for a touchdown from quarterback Joe Flacco (not pictured) in front of Miami Dolphins free safety Bacarri Rambo (30) and linebacker Spencer Paysinger (42) during the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Ravens signed Dennis Pitta to a big contract, now they must evaluate if he is worth the money being paid to him moving forward.

The Baltimore Ravens have many decisions to make on veterans with pending salaries. One of those players is Dennis Pitta. Pitta is a tight end that has been with the Ravens since he was drafted in 2010 out of BYU. He has been very productive in the years he has played with the Ravens, and earned a 5 year, $32 million contract before the 2014 season.

However, the problem is his availability, not productivity. When on the field, he has always been really good and reliable, but he missed the entire 2014 and 2015 seasons with hip injuries. He was very fortunate to come back from them and when he did he led the team in receptions and had 729 yards.

Even with that production, he is a candidate to get cut this offseason. He has a $7.7 million salary and the Ravens can save $3.3 million by cutting him. The front office must decide how big of an asset he is and if he is replaceable.

Why They Should Keep Him:

Chemistry. Joe Flacco loves Dennis Pitta, both on and off the field. They are roommates together, and Pitta is also Flacco’s safety blanket. He usually has a sure pair of hands and Joe doesn’t hesitate to throw it to him.

Also, the Ravens would incur more dead money ($4.4 million) than they would save ($3.3 million) if they released him. Pitta has been pretty good when he is available. It wouldn’t be crazy to keep him due to his production and the money they would take by cutting him.

Why They Should Cut Him:

The Ravens should cut him because of the money they can save. Even though they will have a good amount of dead cap money, they still save a significant amount. The Ravens need every penny they can get this offseason and staying status quo won’t fix the team.

The Ravens also have a lot of tight ends on the roster. Crockett Gillmore can be great, and Nick Boyle and Darren Waller have also developed nicely. As good as Pitta was, he wasn’t a true weapon for this team. He only averaged 8.5 yards per reception, and he only scored 2 touchdowns (both in the same game).

Cutting Pitta would be very helpful to the team and would help the roster get more youthful. Also, it would take away Flacco’s check down that he uses constantly. That can be good because it will force Joe to look downfield and take more shots, something he didn’t do a lot this past season.

Decision: Cut Him.

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