Ravens Lock Up Ray Rice With 5-Year Contract

Rice remained optimistic throughout the offseason that a deal would get done. Ultimately he was proven right, even if negotiations came down to the wire. The fifth-year running back led the league with over 2,000 yards from scrimmage last season. He also earned his second career Pro Bowl selection.

For more on the Ravens and Ray Rice, check out SB Nation’s Ravens blog, Baltimore Beatdown.

That sparked the flurry of reporters honing in on Rice’s deal.

For more on the Ravens and Ray Rice, check out SB Nation’s Ravens blog,Baltimore Beatdown.

For more on the Ravens and Ray Rice’s situation, check out SB Nation’s Ravens blog, Baltimore Beatdown.

Brad Gagnon at Sports Radio Interviews brings us some comments Rice made during an interview with 790 The Zone in Atlanta. Rice was asked how he keeps his football training separate from contract negotiations during the offseason, in light of sitting out of minicamp.

Rice has expressed his desire to remain in a Ravens uniform as long as possible, but also wants the best possible deal before he signs.

Rice is currently under the franchise tag, which will pay him approximately $7.7 million. The Ravens have until July 15 to get a longterm deal done with him or else he will play the 2012 season under the franchise tag.

For more on the Ravens, visit SB Nation’s Baltimore Beatdown.

The Ravens could remove Rice’s franchise tag if they can get a new contract in place by July 15. Whether it comes before, during, or after the season, expect a deal to get done at some point. Rice has stated several times that he would like to remain a Raven.

For more analysis of Rice’s situation, be sure to check out Ravens blog Baltimore Beatdown.

Rice will play under the $7.7 million franchise tag tender, which is basically a one-year guaranteed contract. Rice, of course, wants to be paid on a long-term deal. Rumors say he’s eyeing a similar deal as the one Adrian Peterson got, which paid him a reported $36 million in guaranteed money.

Another team could step in and try to pry Rice away from the Ravens but signing a franchise tag player requires two first round picks and no one’s going to do that.

Even though Rice will be tagged, the Ravens still have until July 15 to work out a longterm deal to remove the franchise tag from the running back. Luckily for Rice, the Ravens had a good history of working out longterm deals after franchising a player prior to the start of the season.

For more analysis of Rice’s situation, be sure to check out Ravens blog Baltimore Beatdown.

For more analysis of Rice’s situation, be sure to check out Ravens blog Baltimore Beatdown.

If the Ravens decide to apply the franchise tag to Rice, he’ll be paid roughly $7.7 million guaranteed for 2012 under the franchise tender. Rice is coming off his best season in the NFL and his third consecutive season rushing for more than 1,000 yards. Rice finished up 2011 with 1,364 rushing yards with 12 rushing touchdowns and 704 receiving yards with three receiving touchdowns, all career bests. The running back out of Rutgers has been a vital piece of the Ravens’ success the past three seasons and is a priority for the Ravens to keep.

For more analysis of Rice’s situation, be sure to check out Ravens blog Baltimore Beatdown.