Month: August 2025

Micah Parsons Trade Fallout: Financials, Cowboys, Packers

When the Micah Parsons trade from Dallas to Green Bay was reported, we had a good number of details concerning the new contract Parsons would sign with the Packers. To reiterate, we listed it as a four-year, $188MM deal with $136MM in total guarantees ($120MM guaranteed at signing). Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, $44MM of those guarantees will be in the form of his signing bonus.

Pelissero continued his breakdown of the deal. Base salaries for the next two years of $1.17MM in 2025 and $2.39MM in 2026 are fully guaranteed, while the base salary of 2027 ($3.11MM) is guaranteed for injury. Option bonuses in 2026 ($38MM) and 2027 ($34.44MM) are fully guaranteed at signing, as well. Any remaining guarantees (approximately $12.89MM) would be partially guaranteed from his 2028 base salary of $40.55MM. In 2029, the final year of the deal, Parsons would have a base salary of $43.55MM and a $1MM 90-man bonus.

Parsons will also receive per game active roster bonuses of $11,764 which could total and additional $200K in each season. Every year from 2027-29 offers $250K Pro Bowl and All-Pro escalators, and 2029 holds additional $250K incentives for making the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst expressed how he “really likes” Parsons’ salary cap numbers for the next three years, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, and it makes sense that he drew the line at three. Those cap hits are $9.97MM in 2025, $19.24MM in 2026, and $26.85MM in 2027. Once you jump into Year 4, though, Parsons’ cap hit goes to $64.29MM in 2028 and $68.29MM in 2029.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter points out that Parsons will be subject to Wisconsin’s state income tax on games played in Green Bay, whereas Texas has no state income tax, so that portion was not withheld for Cowboys home games. Schefter’s crude calculation removing 7.65 percent from Parsons’ annual value may be a bit understated; regardless, it still leaves Parsons with more money after taxes than the deal Dallas had offered to him.

Here are a few more fallout items coming out of the monumental trade from two days ago:

  • On the Cowboys’ side of things, this week’s trade freed up $19MM of 2025 cap space. Now with an estimated $42MM in free salary cap space, Dallas is second in the NFL in that regard, behind only the Patriots ($52MM), according to Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac.
  • The Cowboys may end up using that cap space, too. Pelissero quoted team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones saying, “Nothing says we can’t use some of those picks right now to go get somebody right now.” The team has four first-round picks in the next two years, but if both teams remain playoff contenders, how much value does the draft capital hold? It may make more sense to bring in some immediate contributors by trading the first-rounders and absorbing their extra cap hits with the team’s ample cap space.
  • Pelissero also noted, in an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, that this move is out of character for the Packers. He notes that, for decades, Green Bay has been reportedly close to deals for players like wide receiver Randy Moss or tight end Tony Gonzalez, but the deals have always fallen just short as the Packers balk at giving up more compensation than they’re comfortable with. He also notes that they haven’t traded a first-round pick (let alone two first-round picks) since they acquired quarterback Brett Favre in 1992. The reason they’re willing to do so now? We’ve seen recent Super Bowl champions be extremely active in the trade market. The Eagles, Chiefs, and, most notably, the Rams have all made ambitious win-now moves when they felt they were closest to contention. While there’s certainly an art to building a team through the draft and developing a culture and roster, once you get to a certain point, one or two big moves for impact players could be the factor that wins a Super Bowl, and a player like Parsons is definitely of that caliber.

Panthers To Re-Sign Hunter Renfrow, Place Jalen Coker On IR

The Panthers are swapping out receivers on their 53-man roster on Saturday by re-signing veteran Hunter Renfrow and placing Jalen Coker on injured reserve, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz and Joe Person of The Athletic.

Renfrow, 29, sat out the 2024 season as he dealt with a case of ulcerative colitis. He signed with the Panthers in April and spent training camp with the team before being released during final roster cuts. They wanted to keep him in the building, but as a vested veteran, Renfrow was free to sign with any team. Multiple were interested, per Schultz, but Coker’s IR placement allowed the Panthers to give the veteran wideout a spot on the active roster.

Coker pulled his quad chasing a deep ball during a 1-on-1 drill in a fully-padded practice on Thursday and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks, according to Person. The injury happened one day after the Panthers traded Adam Thielen, their primary slot receiver for the last two years, to the Vikings.

Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said on Thursday (via Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer) that Coker would “step into the slot” after Thielen’s departure. Morgan also said that he had enough confidence in the team’s trio of young receivers – Coker, Xavier Legette, and Tetairoa McMillan – to trade Thielen.

We have guys that we’re really excited about,” explained Morgan, “and that definitely made me feel more comfortable pulling the trigger and trading [Thielen].”

Renfrow’s “peaks and dips” in the preseason were the reason the Panthers cut him this week, according to head coach Dave Canales (via Person). However, his experience in the slot – where he’s played 72.8% of his career snaps, per PFF (subscription required) could give him a role right away.

The 2019 fifth-round pick leveraged interest from other teams and the Panthers’ need at the psoition into a stronger deal than the $1.3MM deal he signed in April. Renfrow’s new contract is worth $2.25MM ($2MM guaranteed), according to Person. It includes a signing bonus as well as incentives that can bring his compensation to $3MM, per Kaye.

The Panthers may also give sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. after he led the team in slot snaps during the preseason (via PFF) and made the 53-man roster. Coker, meanwhile, will spend at least four weeks on the IR as he rehabs his quad and looks to regain his role in the slot upon his return.

Ikem Ekwonu Underwent Appendectomy, Considered ‘Day To Day’

Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu had an emergency appendectomy last Sunday, according to an announcement by head coach Dave Canales (via team writer Darin Gantt).

Ekwonu was experiencing stomach pain and a consultation with team doctors led to surgery. Any procedure this close to the season will naturally put a player’s Week 1 status under question.

Canales said that Ekwonu would be “day-to-day, all the way up until the game,” a September 7 visit to Jacksonville.

Recovery from an appendectomy can vary, per Gantt: “Then-Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was back on the field eight days after a procedure in 2022, while Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari missed three games after his during that same season.”

Ekwonu, 24, is entering his fourth NFl season after the Panthers made him the No. 6 overall pick in 2022. He immediately took over as Carolina’s left tackle and started 46 games in a row to open his NFL career. He then missed two games with an ankle issue in 2024, but recovered to finish the season. The North Carolina State product has grown in each year and the Panthers picked up his fifth-year option in April. Like many members of his draft class, Ekwonu is angling for a long-term extension from his team.

If Ekwonu misses time in the regular season, the Panthers have two primary candidates to replace him on the blind side. Brady Christensen, a 2021 third-round pick, is listed as the backup left tackle on the team’s depth chart. He replaced Ekwonu during his brief absence last year. Veteran Yosh Nijman is another option. He started three games at right tackle in Carolina last year and 22 at left tackle in his previous three seasons in Green Bay.

Micah Parsons Attempted To Restart Cowboys Extension Talks Prior To Trade

One week before the start of the regular season, the Cowboys and Packers completed a landscape-altering trade. Micah Parsons will play out his second contract in Green Bay after talks with Dallas did not produce a deal.

Further details on the process which ultimately resulted in Parsons landing a record-breaking investment for non-quarterbacks have emerged. The four-time Pro Bowler and his camp spent a lengthy period without negotiations taking place, with owner Jerry Jones attempting to stick to the terms spoke about during the spring. Agent David Mulugheta was not present for that conversation, something which proved to be a central talking point in this saga.

In the aftermath of the trade, Parsons told NFL Network’s Jane Slater he and his camp went to the team in a bid to reengage on contract talks once reports emerged about a trade being possible in recent days. The two-time All-Pro said Dallas’ response was for him to commit to playing on his fifth-year option or to “leave.” During Thursday’s press conference, Jones confirmed (via colleague Mike Garafolo) that was the team’s stance leading up to the trade being finalized.

“We do have players that come in, and we totally respect it, that say, ‘I don’t feel comfortable talking about my contract. I’d like you to go through my agent,'” COO Stephen Jones said during the presser (via Garafolo). “And we do that respectfully. I mean, you’re not required to come in and negotiate the contract yourself. All the ones we’ve done like that are those who request to come in and visit with Jerry or myself. That’s the only ones we’ve done that way.”

Among Jerry Jones’ many comments on the situation was the claim he offered to make Parsons the top earner for non-quarterbacks during the unofficial spring contract talks. A report from yesterday indicated the deal discussed was five years in length and averaged $40.5MM per season. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe confirms (subscription required) those were indeed the terms presented by Dallas. In the end, Parsons landed $47MM on average – along with massive guarantee figures – on a four-year Packers extension. Term length is often a point of contention regarding Cowboys contract talks, with the team preferring longer pacts.

As the Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb deals indicated last offseason, though, Jones and Co. have been willing to compromise with four-year accords. That did not prove to be the case with Parsons. As a result, the 26-year-old is on the move just before Week 1. The deteriorating relationship between team and player in this case included a trade request being issued on August 1, something which is commonplace during extension talks. Jerry and Stephen Jones added during the press conference (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport) they never felt as if Parsons genuinely wanted to leave, though.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes the length of Dallas’ offer appears to have been an issue. He adds the Penn State product’s behavior shifted over the course of the summer as this situation played out; Parsons attended walkthroughs and team meetings but did not take part in on-field drills during training camp. His decision to lay on medical table during Dallas’ final preseason contest became a talking point (and was immediately followed by a meeting with head coach Brian Schottenheimer). Jerry Jones noted that episode did not impact the decision to move forward with a trade.

“We’ve certainly got a new coaching staff and a third of all the players are new,” Jones said (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) when reflecting on the Parsons trade and the Cowboys’ 2025 prospects. “And obviously there is freshness, we’ll use the word new on that basis. We have the highest-paid player in the NFL at quarterback and we made that commitment last year and we’re proud we made it. It had everything to do with this decision. It gives us every opportunity with Dak Prescott, Lamb and the base that we got to win now.”

Observers are skeptical about Dallas’ defense improving in the short term without Parsons in the fold, although the inclusion of defensive tackle Kenny Clark in the package sent from Green Bay will help the Cowboys’ run defense. The fate of the two first-round picks Dallas also received will be key in telling the final story of this trade. For now, all parties are positioned to move forward after a last-minute effort to work out a Cowboys extension was shut down.

Cowboys Limited Micah Parsons Trade Conversations To Teams With DT Depth; No Talks Occurred Pre-Draft

One of this century’s most significant NFL transactions occurred Thursday, when the Cowboys shockingly traded Micah Parsons to the Packers for two first-round picks and 10th-year defensive tackle Kenny Clark. After a monthslong saga that brought a host of rumors (and Jerry Jones confirming them in his rather pivotal Michael Irvin interview) no trade would happen, Parsons has since arrived in Green Bay and is now tied to a record-smashing defender contract.

While the topic of a trade came up multiple times during this process — including an early-February report indicating internal dialogue transpired on a deal — no real waves surfaced regarding a swap until this week. Parsons’ camp had attempted to reengage with Jones, who had waged an interesting crusade against the defensive end’s agent (David Mulugheta) during this saga, this week but was told he would either play on his fifth-year option number or be traded.

Parsons has barely a week to prepare for the Packers’ opener. It does not sound like the four-time Pro Bowler will be a full-time participant — after a de facto hold-in — according to Brian Gutekunst (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky). Parsons attended Cowboys minicamp and training camp but did not practice, using a back injury as cover during training camp. That was never viewed as a major issue, the Thursday trade haul confirming the Packers’ minimal concerns here.

Jones’ stance of Clark replacing Parsons on the 2025 being a net gain is a tough sell, as the 2026 and ’27 first-rounders are the lead assets here — for a Cowboys team that has drafted eight All-Pros in Round 1 since 2010. But the longtime owner did say the team’s interest in adding a D-tackle impacted the team’s search.

The 37th-year owner indicated (via NFL.com’s Jane Slater) the Cowboys only discussed trades with teams who carried sufficient DT depth and would be willing to meet Parsons’ contractual demands. The latter component goes without saying in a trade like this, but it is interesting the Cowboys made the DT position a central part of this deal.

This included “several” conversations with the Packers, per Jones (via TMJ4’s Ashley Washburn) in recent days. While the Cowboys would presumably have a much better chance to justify Jones’ comments about potential post-Parsons improvement in 2025 had they unloaded the superstar EDGE before the draft, the owner/GM said (via Slater) the team did begin considering it in the spring. Though, the 82-year-old Cowboys honcho added the team did not discuss Parsons with other clubs pre-draft.

Jones (via Slater) cited the Cowboys’ D-end depth as a reason they felt OK making this seismic move. Dallas used a second-round pick on a defensive end for the third time in four years, adding Donovan Ezeiruaku a year after selecting Marshawn Kneeland. Sam Williams is also a former second-rounder, but the 2022 draftee is coming off an ACL tear.

Dallas also reunited with Dante Fowler, who registered a Washington-best 10.5 sacks last season. That said, ESPN.com’s Bill Barnwell relayed a telling stat about Parsons’ value to the team. From 2021-24, Dallas led the league in defensive EPA per play with Parsons on the field. In 1,039 snaps without Parsons in that span, the Cowboys’ defense ranked 31st in that metric.

Jones (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) cited run defense as a key need. The Cowboys, who have not invested much at linebacker in recent years, ranked 29th in run defense last season and 22nd in 2022. In their 2021 and ’23 playoff years, the team ranked 16th.

A 2016 first-round pick, Clark was a nine-year Packers starter en route to two extensions. He earned Pro Bowl nods in 2019, 2021 and 2023, being regarded as one of the NFL’s better DTs. Pro Football Focus ranked Clark 53rd among interior D-linemen last season — a career-worst finish — but ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric slotted him 18th among DTs in 2023.

Clark, 30 in October, also underwent offseason foot surgery to address an issue that hampered him in 2024. Clark joins the recently re-signed Osa Odighizuwa (four years, $80MM) as high-priced DTs in Dallas, which took on Clark’s three-year, $64MM extension that runs through 2027.

Although Gutekunst said Friday (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) he only believed a legitimate shot at landing Parsons existed a couple days ago, the Packers had the framework of a trade by Wednesday (via Demovsky) were both among the first teams to reach out and appealed to Parsons. Green Bay reminding Parsons of Penn State, where he attended college, increased his interest, per the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. The $47MM-per-year windfall — $6MM north (in AAV) from T.J. Watt‘s previous non-QB record and $6.5MM higher than Dallas had offered — didn’t hurt, either.

Jones said (via Garafolo) the intra-NFC component of this trade did not matter to him, indicating he would only have avoided trading within the NFC East. Parsons, 26, will return to Dallas as a Packer in Week 4. While we might learn some dissenting opinions down the road, depending on how this trade goes, Jones said (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) the front office and coaching staff were “unanimous” this was the right trade to make.

Clark was “shocked” by the trade; he joins some Cowboys in reacting that way. Brian Schottenheimer said (via WFAA’s Ed Werder) he talked to between 12 and 14 players, including Dak Prescott and Trevon Diggs, about the move at it was completed. Schottenheimer had said he was confident Parsons would suit up for the Cowboys in Week 1, but days after he spoke with the disgruntled player about his actions during the Cowboys’ preseason finale, the new HC will oversee a lower-profile pass-rushing group. Schottenheimer added Friday this trade was “not an overnight thing.”

This is not something we came about; it wasn’t something where it was like an overnight thing,” Schottenheimer said. “We had talked about it, and at the end of the day, I think when you look at a football team, when you can potentially add up to four or five players and things like that, it gives you the ability to do some things.”

It certainly seems like the Cowboys pivoted, as their aim had been to extend Parsons in 2025 for a while. They prioritized Prescott and CeeDee Lamb deals in their 2024 contract years, giving them top-end contracts — Prescott’s a still-unapproached $60MM-per-year accord — just before last season. This Parsons zag naturally prompted Jones to bring up the seminal Herschel Walker trade, which ignited the Cowboys’ rebuild into a three-Super Bowl run between 1992-95.

In Jones and Jimmy Johnson‘s first year at the helm, the Cowboys received a staggering haul for the then-superstar running back in October 1989, landing three first-round picks, three second-rounders, a third and a sixth between the 1990 and ’92 drafts. The Parsons haul does not compare to the Walker swap, which would be an impossible deal to pull off today.

These extension talks breaking down led to the Cowboys betting they can improve based on the two additional first-round picks — and whatever Clark can provide in his early 30s — they collected from the Packers. Early proclamations for the Green Bay side as the trade winner have emerged, but Dallas has two first-round choices to make before the judges’ scorecards are turned in on this momentous swap down the road.

Patriots To Release S Jabrill Peppers

The Patriots are releasing veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Peppers, 29, was set to enter his fourth season in New England before he was cut. As a vested veteran, he is not subject to waivers and is free to sign with any team (or their practice squad) right away.

The eight-year veteran was acquired by Bill Belichick in the legendary coach’s second-to-last season in New England. Peppers had a rotational third safety role in 2022 before emerging as a full-time starter the following year. He signed a three-year extension before the 2024 season, but missed eight games due to a suspension and three more to a hamstring injury.

The suspension stemmed from an arrest and subsequent charges for domestic violence and drug possession and cast doubt on Peppers’ future. In January, he was acquitted of the former and admitted to the latter without penalty. Given that he was suspended after the initial arrest but before legal proceedings played out, the league opted not to punish Peppers again.

With his legal issues behind him, it seemed like Peppers would return to a starting role in New England, but new head coach Mike Vrabel had other ideas. While the off-field issues were no longer a concern for the Patriots, per Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal, Peppers saw a role reduction in training camp and appeared in the team’s third preseason game, two signals that his spot wasn’t safe. With trade rumors swirling around Kyle Dugger, who had started at safety for the last four years, it seemed like Peppers was more likely to stick around. However, with no trade partner materializing for Dugger, he stayed on the 53-man roster with Peppers hitting free agency and looking for a new team.

Peppers was of the team’s remaining holdovers from the Belichick years. He was also one of six team captains under Jerod Mayo in 2024; the other five had been sent packing by May, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. His release is a confirmation of Vrabel’s desire to move on from the Patriots’ teams that struggled over the past few seasons and establish a new era of football in New England.

The Patriots defense will move forward with six-year veteran Jaylinn Hawkins and fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson as their starting safeties. Hawkins took over a starting role in Peppers’ absence last year, while Woodson has impressed since arriving in New England in the spring. Brenden Schooler and Dell Pettus will provide depth, but this does feel like a position that could use some veteran reinforcement before the regular season.

Peppers’ contract had $4.32MM in guaranteed salary for this season, per Volin. His deal also included offset language, so the Patriots’ dead cap charge will be reduced by whatever Peppers signs for elsewhere (if that happens). He will most likely receive a veteran minimum salary of $1.255MM, so the extra savings would be minimal.

Free Agent DT Isaiah Buggs Receives 10-Week Suspension

The road to a desired NFL return for free agent defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs just got a bit rougher. Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Buggs has received a suspension from the NFL that will last the first 10 weeks of the season.

A former JuCo and Alabama grad, Buggs was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. He got a chance to start six games in his third year with the team but was cut near the end of the season. He signed the following summer with the Lions and started 13 of 17 game appearances for Detroit, recording career highs in tackles (46), sacks (1.0), and quarterback hits (10). The Lions signed him to a two-year, $6.2MM extension, as a result, but he was released before the end of the 2023 season.

The Chiefs brought him on for defensive line depth for a postseason run, and though he didn’t appear in any games, he won a Super Bowl ring with Kansas City and signed a reserve/futures deal to remain with the team. That summer saw Buggs turn himself in after two arrest warrants were issued for him citing a charge for misdemeanor animal cruelty.

Two weeks later, Buggs was arrested a second time on charges of domestic violence and burglary after he unlawfully entered the apartment of his child’s mother with the “intent to commit a crime” and dragged her down the stairs. Kansas City quickly parted ways with Buggs, and he’s been working to return to the NFL ever since. Most recently, he spent time in the UFL this spring, playing for the San Antonio Brahmas.

It seemed unlikely to begin with that Buggs would receive another chance in the NFL, despite having the charge for animal cruelty dismissed and the charges for domestic violence and burglary reduced to a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge. The 10-week ban levied by the league today will make a return that much more unlikely for Buggs.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/29/25

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Free Agent

Manoa will be suspended for the first two weeks of the season, if he lands with an NFL squad. While details of the suspension have not been disclosed, it may be linked to an incident that led to him being kicked out of Allegiant Stadium in the spring after some alleged property damage.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/29/25

NFL teams continue adjusting their practice squads as we close in on the regular season:

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: S Jordan Colbert

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Anderson cleared waivers after being cut and can now be assigned to the 49ers’ practice squad. The reason San Francisco can add two while only dropping one from a full practice squad is because Zierer is from Munich, Germany, qualifying him to be a part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. While practice squads are capped at 16 players, teams can keep a 17th player if they are a part of the IPPP.

Ravens Not Done With Extension Talks; Lamar Jackson, Others On Deck

The Ravens have been busy throughout the offseason getting ahead of future contract decisions by extending key players. While Pro Bowl left tackle Ronnie Stanley was in danger of testing the free agent market when he signed his new deal, other players the team extended this offseason — All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, wide receiver Rashod Bateman, and most recently, All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton — all had one or two years left on their contracts when they signed. Even with all they’ve done so far, the team sees work to be done, and it may begin with their MVP.

All Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson is about to enter the third year of a five-year, $260MM contract. At one point a deal that made Jackson the highest-paid player in NFL history, the contract’s annual average value ($52MM) currently ranks 10th in the league and is beginning to be encroached upon by non-quarterbacks; Micah Parsons‘ new deal is worth $46.5MM per year, which is good for the 12th-highest such average in the NFL. It was reported in March that the Ravens were looking to put together a new deal for their star passer, and by June, talks were already underway.

According to general manager Eric DeCosta, Baltimore isn’t resting on its laurels as extension conversations with Jackson have been “ongoing.” DeCosta declined to go into detail on the situation, confirming with reporters that discussions with his quarterback would remain private.

“I like to work kind of in the dark, quietly, and try to get as much done as we can,” DeCosta told the media (via Ravens staff writer Clifton Brown). “We’ve got a lot of different things going on. We’ve got a lot of really good players; we’ve got players that deserve to be paid well, and we’re trying to keep those guys. Knowing that, as I’ve said 1,000 times, you can’t keep everybody.”

There are plenty of players for Baltimore to target with new contracts. The focus, so far, has been on players with time remaining on their current deals, but center Tyler Linderbaum, defensive tackle Travis Jones, fullback Patrick Ricard, edge rushers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, and all three tight ends — Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Charlie Kolar — are set to play on contract years.

DeCosta is certainly correct, they can’t keep everybody, but they definitely can’t keep everybody if they allow Jackson to play on a contract that holds a $74.5MM cap hit in 2026, nearly a quarter of the team’s salary cap space for that season. We’ve already discussed in detail how an extension for Jackson may look and how the Bills may have given them the formula for success. Regardless of the details, figuring out what Jackson’s financial future looks like should factor in to how many pending free agents the Ravens can afford to try to retain.