(Updated: 5:40 p.m.)
Entering the offseason with six restricted free agents, the Ravens have retained the rights to all of them through different channels.
Tight ends Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson and defensive lineman Arthur Jones were each tendered contracts as Pitta and Jones received second-round designations while Dickson was awarded an original-round tender on Monday. Pitta and Jones are each in line to make $2.02 million this season while Dickson’s tender is worth $1.323 million for the 2013 season.
Restricted free agents who ultimately sign and play for their one-year tender are eligible to become unrestricted free agents after the 2013 season. It’s also possible that general manager Ozzie Newsome could explore a long-term contract for Pitta as the Ravens ultimately did with cornerback Lardarius Webb last offseason, but the tender prevents him from hitting the open market in the sense of an unrestricted free agent.
A second-round designation allows another team to negotiate with and sign a player to an offer sheet, but it provides seven days for the original team to match the offer. If that team elects not to match, it receives a second-round pick from the other team as compensation for losing the player.
The original-round tender provides compensation equal to the round in which the player was drafted as a rookie. In Dickson’s case, the Ravens would receive another team’s third-round draft choice if they elected not to match a signed offer sheet.
Wide receiver David Reed was non-tendered but signed a two-year contract to remain with the Ravens. According to The Sun, the deal reportedly has a maximum value of almost $2.5 million but will be a lower cap number than the $1.323 million for the original-round tender, the lowest amount you can tender a restricted free agent.
Long snapper Morgan Cox was also non-tendered and agreed to a two-year deal.
Offensive lineman Ramon Harewood was the last of the six restricted free agents to be addressed as the Ravens reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the 2010 sixth-round pick.
Teams had until 3:59 p.m. on Tuesday to tender contracts to restricted free agents or they would become unrestricted free agents for the start of the new league year.
