With no deal in place for Justin Tucker, the Ravens have found another way to keep their reliable kicker in Baltimore.
The team slapped Tucker with the franchise tag last week, and the Ravens announced Friday that Tucker officially signed the tender.
It comes as no surprise after Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome outlined this exact course of action during this week's NFL Scouting Combine, saying: "We've had some discussions, but we will franchise Justin if we do not get a deal done. Even if we do franchise him, we will continue to work to negotiate to try and get a deal done."
The $4.5-million tag figure works out well for both sides. Tucker earns good scratch for his position, while Baltimore keeps one of the game's top kickers from roaming elsewhere. Entering his fifth season, Tucker nailed every one of his 29 PATs this season while six of his seven field-goal misses were from 50-plus yards.
