The NFL had the Ravens and teams with a similar free-agent philosophy in mind when the league shifted a key date this year.
Instead of having the compensatory draft pick formula count against teams when they signed unrestricted free agents prior to June 1, the league moved the date up to Tuesday.
It was a move intended to motivate teams to sign unrestricted free agent veteran players shortly after the NFL draft. The Ravens have picked up only one veteran player whose contract expired this offseason: safety Kendrick Lewis, who signed a three-year, $5.