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Ravens Offseason: 5 Facts Fans Need To Know

By Chris Schisler

Jan 3, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh looks on from the sidelines in the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The bengals won 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh looks on from the sidelines in the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The bengals won 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Ravens are in a tough spot this offseason. After finishing the 2015 with a disappointing 5-11 record the Ravens want to improve their roster. Yet the Ravens literally have almost no money to spend this offseason. Here are 5 facts about the Ravens offseason that you need to know. Here’s a hint they all relate to the lack of cap space.

The Ravens Really Only Have $2 Million in Cap Space

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It is almost a foregone conclusion that the Ravens will use their franchise tag on Justin Tucker. Tagging the kicker will cut $4.5 into their $6.5 million of cap space. So even before rearranging contracts, and roster cuts the Ravens have the wiggle room that a strait jacket provides. The Ravens can do things to create cap space, but they can only do so much.

There Will Be No Big Name Free Agents Coming to Baltimore

Let’s face it. The Ravens aren’t bringing in Von Miller. They’re not signing Josh Norman. It remains doubtful that the Ravens will be able to retain the services of Kelechi Osemele. This does’t mean that the Ravens will make no moves. Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta will come up with a plan (if they have not already) to make solid under the radar signings. The NFL Draft is the best way the Ravens can improve the roster. They have to hit in the draft because they cannot afford star players from other teams.

Dead Money Is Not the Answer

The one thing the Ravens don’t want to do is hack away at the roster blindly. It is tempting to save a little money by cutting LaDarius Webb. That being said the Ravens would save a little cap space now but put dead money over their heads later. Eugene Monroe and Dennis Pitta are also in this situation. It makes no sense to cut the three players and pay them their guaranteed money to do nothing. On a side note can Pitta just retire already and make the Ravens situation a little more simplistic? Every action has a cause and effect. The Ravens can’t let the problems of today hurt them tomorrow.

The Ravens Must Restructure Contracts That Hurt Team

Oct 26, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) reacts as he leaves the field following the game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Ravens 26-18. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 26, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) reacts as he leaves the field following the game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Ravens 26-18. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

First of all, Joe Flacco’s $28.5 million cap hit is way too high. Secondly Ladarius Webb isn’t worth the money the Ravens owe him. These are two contracts the Ravens can change for the better. The answer with Webb is simple. He signed his lucrative six-year extension in 2012 when he was a much different player. When he earned that $50 million contract, he was an able player. Now the Ravens are moving him to safety (partly because he can’t be the same cornerback he used to be). The Ravens can’t cut him fiscally but they cannot pay him what they’re paying him. It makes sense for both parties for a pay cut to happen.

Flacco’s contract is a little bit more complicated. Restructuring the contract is hard to do. The contract was set up to give Flacco his market value but to delay the lump sum payments until 2016. Well it is time for the Ravens to pay up and they really don’t want to. Flacco has no motivation to restructure the deal so he will make less money this upcoming season. What the Ravens should do (and eventually will have no choice but to do) is extend Flacco’s contract. The guaranteed money is coming to Flacco one way or another. If the Ravens can extend the contract they can continue to delay the gigantic cap hit.

Newsome and the Ravens are not fond of this idea. They prefer to restructure contracts rather to extend them. When you extend a contract you’re pushing a huge payment off for a later date. When you restructure a contract you’re changing how the money is given to the player for the duration of the contract. The Ravens don’t want to have this problem in a couple years, though they really should look around the league. When you have a Super Bowl winning quarterback extending his contract is just part of the routine.

The End of the World is Not Coming

Ravens fans are going to have a hard time watching their team be very inactive in NFL free agency. They are going to be very unhappy if (and probably when) Osemele gets signed by another team. It is important to understand that the end of the world is not on its way. Remember the teams that spend the most on free agents, rarely win the Super Bowl because of it.

Look at the Miami Dolphins. They keep signing big fish in the free agent market yet their waters have seen very little success and they fired their head coach in the middle of the 2015 season. The point is that free agency can often be the most over hyped week of the year. No team wins the Super Bowl or earns a playoff seed in March.

Next: Ravens Draft: Don't Sleep On Noah Spence

The Ravens biggest problem this past season was injuries. They have talent. They need a few key pieces. They need depth. But the Ravens probably won’t be bad next season. 2015 was the perfect storm of horrors. The sun will come up in 2016 for the Ravens and the team will have a chance to shine.

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