Ravens' Justin Tucker vows not to re-sign if long-term deal isn't reached

ByAdam Schefter ESPN logo
Friday, July 15, 2016

Ravens franchise kicker Justin Tucker has grown frustrated enough with negotiations that he is vowing not to re-sign with Baltimore after this season if the two sides do not have a long-term deal in place by Friday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.

"Justin's disillusioned with the process right now and the Ravens' position with him on his contract," Tucker's agent, Rob Roche, said Thursday. "If we don't get a long-term deal done by Friday, Justin will not entertain offers from [the] Ravens after the season."

There was hope of progress recently. However, that hope dissipated Thursday, when the Ravens provided Tucker with an offer that actually paid him less than their prior offers and less than Mason Crosby of the Packers.

The franchise tag for kickers this season is $4.5 million, which Tucker would be playing for if the two sides are unable to get a long-term deal done by Friday. But based on how events go between now and Friday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, it could turn out to be the last year Tucker is contractually tied to Baltimore. The Ravens could keep Tucker in 2017 if they sign him again. A second tag would roughly cost the Ravens $5.4 million.

Tucker, the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history, received the Ravens' franchise tag Feb. 26 and signed it March 4.

Baltimore has a history of using the tag to extend negotiations. Before Tucker, the past four players (cornerback Chris McAlister in 2003, linebacker Terrell Suggs in '08, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata in '11, running back Ray Rice in '12) tagged by Baltimore signed long-term deals after receiving the tag.

Tucker, 26, has converted 87.8 percent of his career field goals, which ranks second to only Dallas' Dan Bailey (90.6 percent) in NFL history. Tucker's 130 field goals and 529 points since entering the NFL in 2012 are second only to the Patriots' Stephen Gostkowski (135 field goals, 618 points) in that span. However, Tucker is coming off the roughest season of his four-year career, converting a personal-low 82.5 percent of his field goals.

He had a decisive kick in overtime or with no time remaining in regulation in three of the Ravens' five wins last season. He also connected on 12 of his last 13 field goals (92.3 percent), and his touchback percentage on kickoffs (85.1 percent) was second in the NFL.

Tucker, who went undrafted, never received a signing bonus as a rookie and made minimums in 2012 ($390,000), '13 ($480,000) and '14 ($570,000). He was a restricted free agent last season who got a second-round tender at $2.356 million.

ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley contributed to this report.