KANSAS City, Mo. — Kansas City ChiefsAnd Baltimore RavensPass rushers were given the unrestricted free agent tender Melvin Ingram IIIAnd Justin HoustonThe Monday equivalent is.
Rarely is the UFA tender used. It was last used in the New York Giants2020. The signings of either player would count towards the NFL’s compensatory formula if they were made before July 22nd or the first day training camp.
The NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement states that if they do not sign before the deadline, the teams will retain exclusive negotiating rights over the players at 110% of their 2021 salary.
Ingram would pay $4,400,000 and Houston $1,182,500.
Ingram, 33 years old, was traded to the Chiefs last season in a midseason deal. Pittsburgh Steelers. In nine games, he had one sack and in six with the Steelers, he had one. In the Chiefs’ playoff games, he also had two sacks.
Houston, 33 years old, had 4.5 tackles in 15 games in 2021 his first season with Ravens. In the two previous seasons, his sack production has declined.
Houston, a four-time Pro Bowler, performed better than his sack statistics suggest. He finished with 17 quarterback hits which led Baltimore. He became the 39th NFL player to surpass 100 career sacks last year. His 102 sacks rank fourth in league history since he joined the NFL in 2011.
The Chiefs finished 29th in the NFL last season in sacks. They kept their starting defensive end Frank ClarkThis year, the team restructured their contract and selected George Kartlaftis, a Purdue defensive player, as one of their two first round picks in recent NFL draft.
Baltimore’s most pressing need is pass rush, but the team hasn’t signed anyone in free agency. Za’Darius SmithRavens refused to sign an agreement. Ravens drafted an outside linebacker David OjaboMichigan, but he may miss his rookie season because of an Achilles injury.
Baltimore’s standard rush, four or more rushers, had 21 sacks last year. This was 26th overall in the league. Two of the Ravens’ most important returning outside linebackers are — Odafe Oweh(shoulder) Tyus Bowser(Achilles). – had offseason operations.
Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer, contributed to this report.