Will Baltimore Ravens tender Tyler Huntley?

The Baltimore Ravens will have an interesting decision to make at the quarterback position, and I mean beyond Lamar Jackson. Tyler Huntley just so happens to be a free agent as well, although he is a bit of a different situation.

Since Huntley was a UDFA he will now be a restricted-free agent. This means that the Baltimore Ravens can place a tender on Huntley which would make it harder to see him leave the team this offseason.

Per the NFL, the team can place the following tenders on him, a first-round tender, second-round tender, original-round tender, or a right of first refusal.

The least likely option at this point is the right of first refusal. It would only cost the Baltimore Ravens to slap the $2.6M tag on Huntley, but it would be the most likely to see him go. Teams would have to beat that price tag, but also offer Huntley a deal that the Ravens would refuse. The Ravens would get a chance to match any offer given to Huntley, and if the team does match, then Huntley cannot renegotiate, he has to take what the Ravens accepted.

Still, this allows teams to structure payments and make it hard for the team to match and they may risk losing him.

The first-round tender is $6M. It will ensure that Huntley is a Baltimore Ravens player next season because a team would have to trade a first-round pick to sign Tyler Huntley. Nobody is doing that, and the Ravens may not have to go to that length to keep him.

The next two options are the most likely. First, the original round tender, which is $2.7. This Is not much more than the right of first refusal, but if gives the Ravens some compensation. The team gets back the round in which the player was drafted, so the Ravens would only get a seventh-round pick. Still, everything about the right of first refusal tender is included, so the team should pay the extra $100K to ensure they get something back just in case Huntley does leave.

Still, the most likely option is the second-round tender. This is $4M. If the Ravens are being honest with themselves, they probably would have to pay $4M to keep Huntley next season anyways, and that is a fair deal for a backup. So, not only will a team have to offer $5M or more, but they would have to trade a second-round pick for Huntley.

For the Ravens, they can spend about $1.3M more in cap space, and ensure getting a second-rounder back instead of a seventh-rounder back. Seems like a smart investment, especially when you consider that most backups get signed for around $5M anyways.

Do not be surprised when the Baltimore Ravens give Tyler Huntley the second-round tender. They may not work out a long-term deal, but it makes the most economic sense, and it ensures the team gets something of value back if they do lose him.