[IE]

The Baltimore Ravens have placed the franchise tag on running back Ray Rice, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent this month.

Rice's rookie contract was about to expire and the franchise designation will pay the former Rutgers star roughly $7.7 million in 2012, although the two sides can still work toward a long-term deal.

"As we have in the past, placing the franchise designation on a player allows us to keep negotiating on a long-term contract," said Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome in a statement. "Our goal is to keep Ray Rice a Raven. We've done this with other outstanding players through our history, including Haloti Ngata a year ago."

Rice led the NFL in yards from scrimmage last year with 2,068 and ran for a career-high 1,364 yards with 12 touchdowns. He also caught 76 passes for 704 yards with three more scores, earning a Pro Bowl nod for the second time.

The 25-year-old has been a 1,000-yard runner in each of the last three years and has 4,377 rushing yards with 24 touchdowns in his four-year career.

Baltimore also released wide receiver Lee Evans and cornerback Chris Carr.

Evans, acquired from Buffalo last year for a fourth-round pick, appeared in just nine games and started two because of injuries. He had just four receptions for 74 yards.

The 30-year-old veteran spent his first seven seasons with the Bills and twice was a 1,000-yard receiver.

Carr, who signed a four-year deal in July, was also limited to just nine games because of injury.

Newsome said the club won't rule out re-signing both players.

[IE]

Bears assigned the franchise tag to RB Matt Forte.


The Forte tag caps off a day chock full of them. Players franchised so far: WR DeSean Jackson, DE Calais Campbell, RBs Forte and Ray Rice, DBs Brent Grimes, Dashon Goldson, and Tyvon Branch, TE Fred Davis, and Ks Mike Nugent and Phil Dawson.

Long-term contract talks between the Bears and Forte seemingly never got serious after Chicago hired new GM Phil Emery on January 28. Don't look for the Bears to prioritize locking up Forte anytime soon.

[IE]

Here’s the complete rundown of which players were hit with the franchise tag prior to Monday’s 4:00pm eastern deadline. Take note that of the 21 tags applied, five were used on kickers. Yep, nobody loves a good field goal more than NFL general mangers.

Key players NOT tagged: Mario Williams (OLB, Houston Texans), Matt Flynn (QB, Green Bay Packers), Vincent Jackson (WR, San Diego Chargers), Carl Nicks (G, New Orleans Saints), Brandon Lloyd (WR, St. Louis Rams), Cortland Finnegan (CB, Tennessee Titans), Marques Colston (WR, New Orleans Saints).

Arizona Cardinals: Calais Campbell, defensive end
Atlanta Falcons: Brent Grimes, cornerback
Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice, running back
Buffalo Bills: Not used
Carolina Panthers: Not used
Chicago Bears: Matt Forte, running back
Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Nugent, kicker
Cleveland Browns: Phil Dawson, kicker
Dallas Cowboys: Anthony Spencer, linebacker
Denver Broncos: Matt Prater, kicker
Detroit Lions: Cliff Avril, defensive end
Green Bay Packers: Not used
Houston Texans: Not used
Indianapolis Colts: Robert Mathis, defensive end
Jacksonville Jaguars: Josh Scobee, kicker
Kansas City Chiefs: Dwayne Bowe, wide receiver
Miami Dolphins: Not used
Minnesota Vikings: Not used
New England Patriots: Wes Welker, wide receiver
New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees, quarterback
New York Giants: Steve Weatherford, punter
New York Jets: Not used
Oakland Raiders: Tyvon Branch, safety
Philadelphia Eagles: DeSean Jackson, wide receiver
Pittsburgh Steelers: Not used
San Diego Chargers: Not used
San Francisco 49ers: Dashon Goldson, safety
Seattle Seahawks: Not used
St. Louis Rams: Not used
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Connor Barth, kicker
Tennessee Titans: Michael Griffin, safety
Washington Redskins: Fred Davis, tight end

[Old School]

Forte still will not get what he is worth..

[Old School]

Originally Posted by IE2002

Bears assigned the franchise tag to RB Matt Forte.


The Forte tag caps off a day chock full of them. Players franchised so far: WR DeSean Jackson, DE Calais Campbell, RBs Forte and Ray Rice, DBs Brent Grimes, Dashon Goldson, and Tyvon Branch, TE Fred Davis, and Ks Mike Nugent and Phil Dawson.

Long-term contract talks between the Bears and Forte seemingly never got serious after Chicago hired new GM Phil Emery on January 28. Don't look for the Bears to prioritize locking up Forte anytime soon.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...lGjvo_qqJDubYF
Matt Forte’s #twitterrant puts him on the wrong side of the equation

By Doug Farrar





By Doug Farrar | Shutdown Corner – Fri, Mar 23, 2012 12:37 PM EDT





Matt Forte is not a happy camper. (Getty Images)Since he came into the NFL in 2008, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte has been one of the NFL's most productive and versatile players. Not only has he rushed for 4,233 yards and 21 touchdowns on 1,014 carries, he's also caught 223 passes for 1,985 yards and eight touchdowns in an offense that has often asked him to be the Bears' most reliable (and sometime only legitimate) receiver.

However, Forte and the Bears have been playing contract footsie for quite some time, and the team's Thursday signing of former Oakland Raiders power back Michael Bush to a four-year, apparently didn't help the situation. In lieu of a long-term deal with Forte, the Bears slapped the franchise tag on him, guaranteeing the Tulane alum $7.74 million in the 2012 season. But between Bush's new deal -- which could net up to $14 million -- and the franchise designation -- Forte feels very out of place. After the Bush deal was made public, Forte turned to his Twitter account to make his feelings known.

There's only so many times a man that has done everything he's been asked to do can be disrespected! Guess the GOOD GUYS do finish last...

for the record I'm not mad at the signing of another running back. This is 4th time that's happened. I embrace competition as well as help

But as for not taking care of ur own and undervaluing a player under his market value is another story! #twitterrant"

"I can understand where the guy's coming from," Bush said. "Everything they've asked for, he's done. It's one of those things where you want to be rewarded for your success. I understand, but that has nothing to do with me. It'll be great working with him."

.................................


BEARS ...payup you stiffs

[Mr. Poon]

Originally Posted by Old School

Forte still will not get what he is worth..

agreed, but it is proven that signing RB's to long-term deals is a losing proposition. They break down as easy as any position. Their best years are often before you sign them to a long-term deal. Sounds mean but if you look at the business side of it, very few RB's are woth re-upping for. Let them play out their initial contract, franchise them for a year or two maybe and then look in the draft for another. As a non-Bears fan in Chicago, it's amazing all the people that call in to sports radio shows claiming the Bears are terrible for not taking care of Forte. These same 'fans' will be calling in 2-3 years if he is re-signed to a long-term deal and not producing, blaming the bears for signing a bad contract and how he should be cut and the Bears get someone younger at the RB position.

[Old School]

28	Peterson, Adrian	RB						$10,720,000

SHOW ME THE MONEY..


same olde Bears..

living off the folklore of one season

[Old School]

Rice will play it out as well.

Ravens gotta invest in a SUPERSTAR QB at some point or continue to be second-fiddle.


it is good business to rent a runningback..


but Forte has been a Lamborghini in a Chevy parking lot for too long.