Ravens, TE Pitta agree

Dennis Pitta came back late last season to play four games after offseason hip surgery. (USATSI)

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One of the biggest problems with the Ravens offense last year was the lack of a big third-down target in the passing game. With Dennis Pitta headed to free agency it threatened to be an issue in 2014 as well. But the Ravens fixed that on Friday, locking down the tight end to a five-year contract, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports.

La Canfora hears that the deal should average around $6.5 million per year.

On Thursday league sources told La Canfora that the two sides were "making progress" on a new deal in advance of the franchise-tag deadline on Monday.

Many people believed Pitta was on the verge of a breakout year in 2013 after catching 61 passes for 669 yards and seven touchdowns in 2012. But Pitta suffered a hip injury in July and appeared lost for the season.

The tight end managed to return early, though, and was activated in early December. Pitta played in four games total, catching 20 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown. That would've put him on pace for a better season than 2012 if he had been healthy for 16 games.

Baltimore's obviously banking on that being the case going forward with Pitta, having invested heavily in him for the immediate future.

Joe Flacco's a huge winner here. After a mammoth postseason that helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII, Flacco struggled badly in 2013, primarily because he lost his top possession targets in Anquan Boldin (traded to the 49ers) and Pitta (injury).

The Ravens can now turn their attention to locking up tackle Eugene Monroe, acquired midseason from the Jaguars in a trade.

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Chiefs intend to reduce RB Jamaal Charles' workload



Jamaal Charles had a marvelous season. He gained more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, averaged five yards per carry and scored a league-high 19 touchdowns. He led the Chiefs in rushing yards, receiving yards and receptions. He finished second in the MVP voting and led many of you to fantasy championships.What's possibly even more amazing is how Charles' body was able to handle everything the Chiefs demanded. Charles touched the ball 329 times and remained relatively healthy for the entire season despite weighing about 200 pounds. Actually, Charles has remained unbroken in the last two seasons as he took on 649 combined touches. That much work on a small frame usually spells disaster in the NFL, and head coach Andy Reid recognizes that. According to ESPN.com's Adam Teicher on Thursday, Reid indicated that he intends to use Charles a little less and backup runing back Knile Davis a little more in 2014."Knile was a rookie and he was learning every week and getting better every week," Reid said. "As the season went on we were able to give him the ball a little bit more. Coming into this season, we'll be able to mix it up a little bit better than what we did early in the season last year."



Charles rested in Week 17 and exited the Chiefs' playoff game during the first quarter due to a concussion. In those two games, Davis carried the ball 45 times for 148 yards and three touchdowns. He added nine receptions for 38 yards and another score. Davis is close to 230 pounds and ran a 4.37-40 at the 2013 Combine, which is just freaky. He broke a leg in that playoff game but should be ready for OTAs.Kansas City's offense will still be centered around the ground game, and Charles will still be their horse. So he won't touch the ball 330 times again; how do you feel about 290? He'll be just fine. Davis' late-season burst makes him a must-own handcuff.