Ozzie needs to sign Suggs to a long term deal.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 02-28-2009, 07:12 PM

Really, what is the holdup at this point.

I hate that we have taken up $19 million of cap space over the past 2 years.

And the longer you wait, the more you will have to wind up paying...we saw it with CMac and Jason Brown...you aren't going to get him to a cheaper deal next year, so if you don't want to pay him, trade him for some picks and get that cap space back.

If he isn't signed to an extension by the July 15th deadline, they need to prepare for playing without him next year.

This is rediculous.

**purplepoe** · 02-28-2009, 07:17 PM

No doubt about it.

Tagging him last year ate up almost all their space and there weren't able to possibly go to Brown with an extension.

Now he's tagged again and eating up even more space which takes away the teams flexibility to sign other FAs.

Almost 20 million for 2 years when the signing bonus being talked about last year was only a bit more than that. The only legit reason I see him not being signed this offseason is if he's asking for more than Freeney/Allen money.

But yes, it's frustrating on many different levels.

PP

**4G63** · 02-28-2009, 07:38 PM

Our front office does wonderful things but when they screw up its plainly obvious. This is one of those screw ups.....

**Jeremiah W** · 02-28-2009, 07:39 PM

If they get a deal done before giving him the 10.2 this year it wont matter. I think they are waiting to see how much the contracts of Harrison, Ware or Merriman are, and maybe how good, Barnes, McClain, Jones and JJ look rushing the Qb in camp while Sizz is working out by himself.

Giving him a long term deal right now is not going to bring his cap number down much if it is for the type of money he is loking for.

**52decleetzu** · 02-28-2009, 07:40 PM

Gotta trade him,simple as that.

There is a philosophical difference on both sides about what he is to be paid as,an OLB where he plays or a DE like he wants to be graded as.

The Ravens dont seem to be willing to adjust their positon much,and Suggs apparently wont either.....and we got a stalemate.The thing is once again the Ravens arent gonna overpay for a 8 sack a year guy who wants 15 sack a year money....and rightfully so.

If thats the case you got to move on and see what interest there is out there,because both sides appear to have dug their heels in and things dont appear to be moving in a positive direction afer 2 whole years now.

**Jeremiah W** · 02-28-2009, 07:58 PM

His stats do not tell the entire story. He is clearly a key kog on the best D in the NFL since he arrived. As a rookie when all he did was rush the Qb he got there a lot. Last year there were a lot of times the protection slid to him and he dropped into coverage and someone else forced a turnover. By the Miami game, his coverage in the flats, and ability to stop the run behind the line, more than made up for his average sack numbers.

I was thinking a trade made sense, but now I just can not justify it. He could still be getting better, never misses games and can and does play about 4 different positions. Freeney is not even worth Freeney money. They have to keep the Sizzles and it costs what it does. They made him the franchise player becuase they think of him as the future of the franchise I hope.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 02-28-2009, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Jeremiah W

I think they are waiting to see how much the contracts of Harrison, Ware or Merriman are, and maybe how good, Barnes, McClain, Jones and JJ look rushing the Qb in camp while Sizz is working out by himself.

Giving him a long term deal right now is not going to bring his cap number down much if it is for the type of money he is loking for.

That's the thing, waiting for other guys is just going to push the price up higher.

And a long term deal would brign his cap number down a lot. Probably $5-6 million or so.

These large deals don't hit the cap at an average per year.

What they do is give out the large bonus, and then start out the base salaries at teh minimum the first year and increase it every year after.

So say we give him a 6 year, $62 million contract with $30 million garunteed (with a $25 million bonus). People report it as a contract averaging 10.3 million dollars. But in reality, that first year his base salary will be the minimum, or close to it...probably at this point around $600k. So his cap number his first year will be the average of his bonus per the year of his contract...$4.2 million plus the min base salary...which would put him at a cap number under $5 million for year 1. In year 2, his base salary goes up to $2 million...so $2 million plus $4.2 million puts his cap number at $6.2 million...and so on and so on.

Of course, the base salary goes up some every year, but contracts these days at those amounts usually have some type of rediculous cap number in year 5 or 6...called phony years. The Haynesworth contract for example is really a 4 year $48 million contract because his cap number jumps to an enormous $21 million forcing the REdskins to either restructure...resulting in another huge bonus for Haynesworth, or cut him.

That's how 95% of these contracts are done...which is why the Redskins could afford those 3 huge deals while having $9 million of cap space.

**Jeremiah W** · 02-28-2009, 08:18 PM

I heard the 30% rule in the CBA uncapped situation makes it tougher to structure deals like they used to.

I posted a link to an article about the Steelers and Harrison trying to work out an extension. I think that is the deal the Ravens are hoping to see, because I doubt the Steelers set the market. Merriman also coming off injury, taking a little less money extension could also help the Ravens, and there is no Mario Williams at the top of the draft to push the market this year either. Ware getting mega bucks from JJ is the only one likley to mess it up, but he has so many more sacks than Suggs his deal should be the top of the market by a decent margin.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 02-28-2009, 08:28 PM

It makes it a little tougher, but it still applies in general.

As for Harrison, he is going to get PAID...whether it is from the Steelers or in UFA. So is Merriman...do you really think he or anybody is taking anything less than the most they can get? Unless they play in New England, players don't do that.

All it takes is one player getting mega bucks and that pushes the market up. The Haynesworth deal had to have royally pissed of Ozzie because we'll be looking at a deal close to that when Hgata comes up for UFA. Trust me, Suggs agent will be looking at Ware's deal as well when it gets done...that's what agents do because some team will pay it.

**ravenjoer** · 03-01-2009, 12:41 AM

Giving him a big contract extension is a mistake!!! Is he a good Raven yes but a NO. He wants Freeney or Allen $$$ and his numbers are not equal to theres and also Sizzle has never had more than 12 sacks in a season which he did his rookie year as a NON starter. 2 years ago when Pryce was hurt he did nothing and for him to be out pricing himself is crazy when Ngata is due a extension in the next year or so. Trade him to Arizona and get Boldin and re due his contract which still will not be 10.2 million per year which will allow us to have more cap room and address needs!!! Trust in Ozzie here fans Ozzie built us in from 1996-2009.

**RustonRifle** · 03-01-2009, 08:50 AM

Giving Suggs a Freeney like contract would be a huge mistake. He's a piece to the puzzle not a defender that gives O-coordinators a fit when they try to gameplan. I'd love to see the Ravens trade him for a quality return.

**torontofan22** · 03-01-2009, 12:53 PM

Yeah, his numbers are not there (in terms of sacks), but he does a lot of things that don't show up on the stat sheet. He's young and still expanding his game, he is not a product of the system, he needs to be paid and given an extension.