Rangers’ plan: First to full-capacity
The Rangers are on track to become the first team in Major League Baseball or any major U.S.-based sports league to have a full-capacity crowd since the coronavirus pandemic started altering the sports landscape a year ago. On the same day Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s order took effect allowing businesses in the state to operate at 100% capacity, Rangers CEO Neil Leibman said Wednesday that the team hopes to be at that for the April 5 opener against the Blue Jays. “We’re very confident we won’t be a super-spreader event,” Leibman said. The pandemic could still alter the team’s intent to host a capacity crowd at the 40,518-seat Globe Life Field. Local officials are still able to impose “mitigation strategies,” such as reduced capacity, if virus hospitalizations exceed 15% of all hospital capacity in their region over certain periods. The Rangers will require fans to wear masks for games, unless they’re actively eating and drinking at their seats, as was the case for the postseason major league games played at their $1.2 billion stadium in Arlington, Texas, in October. MLB allowed about 28% capacity at the retractable-roof stadium for the NLCS and World Series that were played there exclusively.
The Ravens have placed a tender on restricted-free-agent running back Gus Edwards, the team announced Wednesday.
The level of Edwards’ tender was not disclosed, but it’s expected to be a secondround tender, which would be worth $3.4 million in 2021.
The one-year offer would allow the Ravens to match any offer sheet Edwards signs with another team. If they choose not to, the Ravens would receive a secondround draft pick as compensation.
DeCosta had pledged Tuesday to retain Edwards, one of the NFL’s most efficient running backs. He’s one of only two players in league history to start their career with three straight seasons of 700-plus rushing yards and at least 5 yards per carry, along with Cleveland Browns All-Pro running back Nick Chubb.
“Gus is going to be on the team, one way or the other,” DeCosta said. “We’re going to certainly tender him if we don’t get a long-term deal done, but he is a Raven. He played his butt off this year, and he had a good season for us.”
Edwards is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2022, when the salary cap is expected to increase dramatically from the $182.5 million mark it fell to this year.
The Ravens also placed tenders on exclusive-rights free agents Trystan Colon-Castillo and inside linebacker Kristian Welch. Colon-Castillo started two games at center last season and held his own, while Welch, a fellow undrafted rookie, appeared in 10 games and contributed at inside linebacker and on special teams.
Inside linebacker and special teams standout Chris Board did not receive a tender — the cheapest the Ravens could offer is worth $2.1 million — meaning he’s set to reach free agency next week. Board played in 16 games last season, starting two, and had 31 tackles (two for loss), 2 sacks and a forced fumble. He also finished behind only defensive back Jordan Richards in special teams snaps (331).
Wide receiver Antoine Wesley and Khalil Dorsey, both exclusive-rights free agents, also did not receive a tender, nor did punter Johnny Townsend, a restricted free agent.