Ravens have spent $132.5 million in guaranteed money since Super Bowl
The Baltimore Ravens made Justin Tucker the highest-paid kicker on Friday, continuing an offseason when the team has opened up its wallet. [url=http://www.minnesotavikingsjerseyspop.com/]Minnesota Vikings Jerseys[/url]
Baltimore has spent $132.5 million in guaranteed money since the Super Bowl. That ranks as the fourth-most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. [url=http://www.newenglandpatriotsjerseyspop.com/]New England Patriots Jerseys[/url]
The spending spree addressed many of the Ravens' priorities this offseason. Baltimore extended its Super Bowl-winning quarterback, found a new left tackle, added a veteran leader in the secondary, brought in more speed at wide receiver and retained the NFL's second-most accurate kicker for the long term. [url=http://www.newenglandpatriotsjerseyspop.com/]Wholesale New England Patriots Jerseys[/url]
The Ravens began by signing Joe Flacco to a three-year extension that included a then-NFL record $40 million signing bonus (a total of $44 million guaranteed). This flattened out Flacco's cap numbers over the length of the deal and made it possible to keep him under this contract through the 2021 season, when he will be 36 years old.
Baltimore used the No. 6 overall pick on Ronnie Stanley and signed the left tackle to a deal worth $20 million guaranteed. The Ravens got a more reliable blocker for Flacco's blind side and allowed the team to part ways with disappointing Eugene Monroe.
Safety Eric Weddle was the team's top free-agent addition, joining the Ravens for $13 million guaranteed. Wide receiver Mike Wallace was the most expensive free agent on the offensive side of the ball at $4.5 million guaranteed.
On Friday, the Ravens gave $10.8 million guaranteed to Tucker -- an NFL record for kickers -- just before the deadline to sign franchise-tag players to long-term deals. It was $700,000 more than what any other kicker received.
In total, Baltimore spent $103 million guaranteed on eight players: Flacco, Stanley, Weddle, Tucker, cornerback Shareece Wright ($4.76 million), Wallace, linebacker Kamalei Correa ($3 million) and tight end Benjamin Watson ($3 million). [url=http://www.minnesotavikingsjerseyspop.com/]Wholesale Minnesota Vikings Jerseys[/url]
This is a big difference from last offseason, when the Ravens spent around $50 million in guaranteed money. Most of that was given to cornerback Jimmy Smith, who received $21 million on a four-year extension. No other Baltimore player got more than $6 million in guaranteed money, and the top three free-agent additions (safety Kendrick Lewis, quarterback Matt Schaub and cornerback Kyle Arrington) totaled $6.2 million in guaranteed money. [url=http://www.neworleanssaintsjerseyspop.com/]Wholesale New Orleans Saints Jerseys[/url]
The Ravens can only hope that the big bucks doled out the last five months will reap immediate dividends after a 5-11 season, their worst under coach John Harbaugh. [url=http://www.neworleanssaintsjerseyspop.com/]New Orleans Saints Jerseys[/url]