In 2016 NFL free agency, who signs kicker Justin Tucker?
During the 2015 season, kicker Justin Tucker was one of the few bright spots of the Baltimore Ravens squad. After losing many players to free agency and retirement over the last few years, the Ravens were further decimated by injury to innumerable key players.
This year, Tucker, who went undrafted in 2012, completed 82.5 percent of his field goal attempts. From 40-49 yards, he made 90.9 percent. He also made all of his extra point attempts even though the NFL lengthened the spot of the PAT try.
Vitals
Age: 26
Notable stat: 2012 Super Bowl champ
Pro Bowls: 1 (2013)
All-Pro Teams: 0
Contract comparison
Kicker is not the most glamorous position, but since PATs are less of a sure-thing, teams must have a rock-solid kicker on their squad.
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham, who was injured during the 2015 season, signed a five-year, $12,575,000 contract with the team in 2014. Â Blair Walsh of the Vikings recently signed a $13 million deal, an average of $3.25 million per year with $3.75 million guaranteed.
Tucker will probably want to be paid a similar amount to the top kickers in the league if he reaches a long-term deal with the Ravens. Stephen Gostkowski of the New England Patriots has a contract worth $17.2 million, an average of $4.3 million per year. If the Ravens and Tucker reach a deal, expect a five year deal worth around $20 million, including bonuses. His average salary will likely be less than Gostkowski, but not by much.
Estimate: 5 years/$21 million/$11 million guaranteed
Will he stay?
The Ravens either need to franchise tag Tucker or work out a long-term deal. In other words, he needs to be a team priority. According to the Baltimore Sun, Tucker is the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history. After finishing with only five victories during the 2015 season, the team needs to retain Tucker, one of the more reliable forces on the field.
If he leaves…
There is always a group of teams looking to add a reliable kicker with good range. The Ravens might lose him to one of the division rivals in the AFC North, including the Cleveland Browns. Another team that could swoop in would be the Arizona Cardinals, who could be looking to upgrade at the position.