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[Monkeydad]

Speculation that Ray Rice might be cut.


It's ESPN, so take it however you want.

Baltimore Ravens face tough decisions with Ray Rice - ESPN

The Ravens are in a lose-lose situation with Rice.

In most instances, teams gain salary-cap room by cutting a player. But, the way Rice's contract is structured, the Ravens would lose $5.5 million in cap space by parting ways with Rice because of the pro-rated bonuses that would have to be absorbed. To put that in context, that $5.5 million is more than what the Ravens saved when they signed linebacker Terrell Suggs to an extension Monday.

The Ravens could designate Rice as a post-June 1 cut, which would create $4 million in cap space in 2014. The problem is, Rice would count $9.5 million in dead money in 2015, which is a large chunk for a player not on the roster. Anyway you look at it, the Ravens lose a significant amount of cap space if they decide to cut him.

They'd be foolish to cut Rice after one offense, though it IS a major offense in my eyes. But, if he does face a suspension, he's an expensive player to have on the shelf.

I've been telling Ravens fans I know that they're going to regret paying Flacco so much. He hit the jackpot timing-wise with his contract but it's going to hurt this team for years to come. Look at the Giants since they paid Eli, downward slide and they can't afford to even protect him or give him RBs any more. The same thing is happening to the Ravens, who have little cap room now and may face losing Arthur Jones, Jacoby Jones, Michael Oher, Dennis Pitta, Daryl Smith, Corey Graham...and possibly Ray Rice after unloading a lot of talent last season.