Just like the Steelers, the Ravens are shaking things up this off-season. Although not at running back. The Ravens franchised their star running back Ray Rice. As has come up with talks of franchising Peyton Hillis, the tag looks like it could cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $7.7 million to tag a running back. Of course, the Ravens have really just used the tag to buy time in negotiating a long-term deal and you have to assume they won’t have any problem guaranteeing him some amount north of $7.7 million on a multi-year deal.
Good for the Ravens and bad for the Browns. Rice ran for 204 yards against the Browns this past December, although they were able to “limit” him to just 87 yards in the second meeting. For his career, Rice has gone for nearly 100 yards per contest, racking up 775 in eight meetings.
The Ravens also cut Lee Evans after one unspectacular season with the team. Evans will probably forever be remembered as a Raven for getting stripped of what almost certainly should have been a touchdown before Billy Cundiff shanked a chip shot enabling the Patriots to advance.
Finally, Chris Carr appears to be a cap casualty a year after signing a 4-year deal with the Ravens worth $15.2 million. Carr will count $1.25 million against the salary cap (the cost of his signing bonus) as the Ravens will opt not to pay him the $2.5 million he would have been due.
Browns fans might not have seen the last of Carr or Evans though. Ozzie Newsome stated that “this does not close the door on them” returning to the team.
[Related: NFL Free Agency: The Browns and the cost of franchising]
