While the two sides continue to talk, the Ravens and left tackle Eugene Monroe remain “far apart” in negotiations on a new contract, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. According to Wilson, some progress has been made and both Monroe and the team would like to work something out, but as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com noted last week, there’s still a gap to bridge.
If the two sides haven’t reached a compromise by 3:00pm CT today, which looks like a long shot, the Ravens could turn to the franchise tag. Some teams are reluctant to tag offensive linemen because the franchise salary for the position is determined by the highest-paid left tackles, meaning it will be worth about $11.65MM in 2014. For someone like Monroe though, who actually plays that position, the one-year cost may represent a worthwhile investment. Having reached a long-term agreement with Dennis Pitta, the Ravens no longer need to use their franchise tag on their tight end, and Wilson hears from a source that the team has considered the possibility of tagging Monroe.
Whether or not the Ravens decide to franchise Monroe, the two sides will have another week to work out a long-term deal before the ex-Jaguar can officially hit the open market. If he does reach unrestricted free agency, Monroe figures to be one of the top tackles available, and should draw interest from the Dolphins and Cardinals, among other teams.