If the Ravens decide to sign Shayne Graham as a challenger or successor to incumbent kicker Billy Cundiff, they at least have the parameters on the cost. Two other free-agent kickers, Jay Feely and Neil Rackers, recently signed two-year deals for better than $1.5 million.
Feeley signed a two-year contract with Arizona for a total of $3.5 million. He gets $1.5 million in 2010 and $2 million in 2011. Rackers signed a two-year contract worth $4.1 million with the Houston Texans, including a signing bonus for $350,000. And Rackers isn't even assured of a job. He has to beat out Kris Brown, who had a poor 2009 season for the Texans.
That's interesting in the context that after the season, coach John Harbaugh talked at length about re-signing Matt Stover, the veteran kicker he booted last season. Stover replaced injured Adam Vinatieri with the Colts in 2009 and went to the Super Bowl.
But the Ravens apparently aren't considering Stover for the position, even though his cost -- coupled with the presence of a kickoff man -- probably would be less than the going rate right now.
Meanwhile, the Ravens still have to sign Cundiff, who is a restricted free agent.