Ravens/ AD Negotiating........

**PurpleRulz** · 01-03-2007, 03:09 PM

...but are "fairly far apart."

http://blogs.baltimoresun.com/sports...us_thomas.html

This begs the question. Since we are looking at a 2008 purge anyway, could Ozzie's mindset be to offer AD a backloaded deal (offer a big bonus) that we could just dispose of after that 2008 season? B-Ravor, you could provide some insight here on how such a scenario could work, but if we are looking at a salary cap purge after two seasons, and we approximate that AD may have two more seasons of high-level play left, then why not just go for broke?

We could re-do both Suggs and AD, and then after 2008, dump AD's contract.

Thoughts on how that could work.

(Sidenote: Listening to Marques Ogden this morning, again, the tenor seems that Ogden could retire after this season. That, and Adam Terry's effective play at LT, could free up alot of cap space).

**Ravenatic20** · 01-03-2007, 03:11 PM

I don't care how we do it, as long as we do it.

**B-more Ravor** · 01-03-2007, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by PurpleRulz

This begs the question. Since we are looking at a 2008 purge anyway, could Ozzie's mindset be to offer AD a backloaded deal (offer a big bonus) that we could just dispose of after that 2008 season? B-Ravor, you could provide some insight here on how such a scenario could work, but if we are looking at a salary cap purge after two seasons, and we approximate that AD may have two more seasons of high-level play left, then why not just go for broke?

We could re-do both Suggs and AD, and then after 2008, dump AD's contract.

Not likely because of the big bonus money that AD is going to command. If he signed a 6-year deal with a $12M bonus (just an example), then they would get hit with an $8M cap hit if he's released after 2008.

Fitting AD under the cap won't be a much of a problem this coming year - since the first year salary cap charge will likely to the lowest it will be over the course of the contract - but in 2008 and 2009, when they have other escalating contracts (after that, many of the big deals will be over or the pro-ration on some deals will have expired).

BTW, I am not of the opinion that there will be a big cap purge after 2008, mainly because at that point a lot of the older veterans - Ray, Ogden, Mason, Rolle, etc. - are likely to not be living up to their contracts anyway or are going to be retiring. The departures will be as much about natural attrition as it will be about clearly cap space. There certainly will be a lot of exits, but IMO it won't be like 2002 when core/key players were released.

(Sidenote: Listening to Marques Ogden this morning, again, the tenor seems that Ogden could retire after this season. That, and Adam Terry's effective play at LT, could free up alot of cap space).

Actually, Ogden's retirement after this year wouldn't help them for 2007 as much as it would for 2008-2009. His cap number for next year is set to be $8.791M. If he retires, he will count $8.042M, so the team would only save around $750K against the cap. But, it would totally wipe away his $10.2M and $10.7M cap numbers in 2008 and 2009. That would go a long way toward lessening any cap issues during those years. (A similar scenario would exist for Ray was well).

Note: I'm sure that Ogden's contract has some sort of recapture language in it that would allow the Ravens to seek the return of some of the bonus money given to him in 2004 and 2005 due to a premature retirement, but it remains to be seen if they would ever dream of pursuing that or not.

**ravensfan86** · 01-03-2007, 04:42 PM

I wonder why they are doing that now when we still are in playoffs mode unless they just want to get a sense of where his agent is dollar wise and if we can compete. I say we cant compete. He will walk especially now with Suggs escalater kicking in. To me that seals AD's fate as a Raven. Hopefully he will don a 49'ers jersey and not a AFCN jersey. We will have to hit the jackpot again in this draft. drafting 32 will not make that easy.

**PARavensJeff** · 01-03-2007, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by ravensfan86

I wonder why they are doing that now when we still are in playoffs mode unless they just want to get a sense of where his agent is dollar wise and if we can compete. I say we cant compete. He will walk especially now with Suggs escalater kicking in. To me that seals AD's fate as a Raven. Hopefully he will don a 49'ers jersey and not a AFCN jersey. We will have to hit the jackpot again in this draft. drafting 32 will not make that easy.

Well, as it stands today, we are projected at $5.7 M under the cap next year. Cleveland is currently projected at $33 M Under the cap, & Cincinnati is at $30 M under. The Squeelers are currently projected at $150,000 under the cap next year.

**deuce** · 01-03-2007, 05:17 PM

I hope we resign/extend AD. However if he leaves I cant imagine him going anywhere but San Fran. They have the most cap space, Mike Nolan, & Mike Singletary plus former Ravens Marques Douglas, Rodrick Green & Chad Williams.

Also found this in Len Pasquerellis column today:
"Nolan wants to transition full time to a 3-4 defense in 2007, if personnel allows the switch, and he might seek a coach from outside the organization with experience in that front."

Hello AD, welcome to Frisco.

**B-more Ravor** · 01-03-2007, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by PARavensJeff

Well, as it stands today, we are projected at $5.7 M under the cap next year.

And, that was likely calculated based on the numbers that existed at that time, without factoring the Suggs escalator in. So that $5.7M just became $700K.

**B-more Ravor** · 01-03-2007, 05:44 PM

BTW, I've put together the numbers on the ramifications of the retirement/release of some of the names that have been thrown around on the X's and O's board:

http://www.profootball24x7.com/forum...4338#post24338

**PurpleRulz** · 01-03-2007, 06:21 PM

Looking at the information I see the following happening:

1. Jamal will be restructured or released. That is 8M in cap room right there to re-sign Mughelli, Pashos, and Jarret Johnson.

2. With the emergence of Chester and Brown, I see us cutting Vincent. There is another 1.6M. That's a total of 9.6M if we cut both Jamal and Vincent.

3. I see us cutting Rolle, especially if we win the SB. With us keeping so many CBs, plus with the prospects of us drafting a CB this year, we could save another 3M.

4. Ogden's retirement is very likely to happen especially if we win the SB. I don't know if he would wait until June 1st to do that, but I believe there are three June 1st cuts that can be made before June 1st based on the new CBA. If Ogden retires right after the SB, however, I don't know if that rule would apply. If so, that is another 6M.

So, for moves there and we have 18.6M in cap space available in addition to what is already projected. We are not in that bad of shape.

**F Angelos** · 01-03-2007, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by PARavensJeff

Well, as it stands today, we are projected at $5.7 M under the cap next year. Cleveland is currently projected at $33 M Under the cap, & Cincinnati is at $30 M under. The Squeelers are currently projected at $150,000 under the cap next year.

We can save 9.6 mil by cutting Jamal and Keydrick. That could be used to sign Mughelli, Pashos and J Johnson. Look for T Sizz to get an extension and the best we could do with AD is franchise him. I don't see anyway we can give him a competetive deal to compete with SF,Cin,Cle, or NE.Edit,
Sorry Superbowler didn't see your post! We're thinking alike!

**B-more Ravor** · 01-03-2007, 07:12 PM

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's not forget that we have 4 RFs and 9 EFAs that need to be tendered. We will also need cap space to sign our draft picks. That is going to take a sizeable chunk of cap space.

We presently only have 38 players under contract for next year.

Short of re-doing a ton of contracts, I find it hard to believe that they will have enough cap space to do all of the above and also tag AD at $8M (est).