Unable to come to terms on a long-term deal, the Baltimore Ravens have placed the franchise tag on defensive tackle Justin Madubuike. The team announced the tag in the form of an announcement from general manager Eric DeCosta on Tuesday. Madubuike will make $22 million with the franchise tag next season. The two sides will still work on agreeing on a long-term deal in the meantime, per the announcement.
Madbuike has developed into an impact player for Baltimore since being drafted in the third round of the 2020 draft. It was a career year for Madbuike in 2023, registering 13 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 17 games. This resulted in being named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career, in addition to being a second-team All-Pro and finishing ninth for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
It is more than clear that Madubuike is essential to the Ravens’ defensive front moving forward. While the franchise tag will buy Baltimore some time, working on a new deal is an absolute must. The last thing anyone wants is to go through this process again next season. A multi-year contract can spread out the money owed to Madubuike and lessen his cap hit. This would also give Baltimore the ability to add complementary players on both sides of the ball. It all comes down to understanding how to capitalize on an open contention window, and the Ravens’ is wide open right now. Baltimore is a player or two away from making a Super Bowl run. But before that can happen, they need to get Madubuike’s new contract handled first.
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