Suggs deadline dangerously close
About two and a half weeks ago, linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs said that he was "getting close" to agreeing on a long-term contract with the Ravens.
Despite that claim, we're still waiting.
And time is running out for a deal to get done.
GM Ozzie Newsome has until 4 p.m. this Wednesday to lock Suggs up long-term, and if the two sides can't reach an agreement, Sizzle will play under the franchise tag for the second straight season.
If that is indeed how things work out, the Ravens will lose the right to talk about an extension with the three-time Pro Bowler until after the 2009 season.
Suggs' franchise tender would pay him $10.2 million this year. Baltimore could choose to slap the tag on the 26-year-old when he becomes a free agent again in 2010, but if they do so, they would have to pay him the average of the league' top five salaries regardless of position.
That number could approach $20 million.
This could be the Ravens' last chance to lock Sizzle up long-term. They would likely be reluctant to use the tag on him again next season and take on the monster cap hit, and you've got to imagine if the charismatic pass-rusher has a chance to test the free agent waters, he'd like to do so.
Stay tuned. These next 48 hours will be big.
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Categories (click for archive)Dan Kolko | Ravens News |
Suggs continues proving my point...he is not worth the money his agent wants, and all this bartering back and forth is bad for the organization. There is word now from SEVERAL sources that say we have offered him a contract in excess of Jared Allen, and if that is in fact true, it is absurd Suggs hasn't signed yet. I say pay him this year's tender, and say "bye bye" next season. We have some guys waiting in the wings who want to actually be here that can step up.
Josh--
Suggs is a pass rushing beast. we might have some decent young guys behind him but there is no one on the roster who can attack the QB like him. We need him here and I really hope Ozzie gets a deal done
Tim:
I am not saying I don't want a deal to get done. I am saying that I am sick and tired of the mixed messages we have been getting for more than two years now. I recognize that Suggs is a good pass rusher and you can't put a premium on having a young specialist who attacks the QB, but my opinion is he isn't worth the money his agent has been haggling over. If Suggs had any real influence and really, truly wanted a deal to get done, it would have been signed a long time ago.
Tim,
I would not be so quick to call Suggs a "pass rushing beast." After finishing 7th in the league in sacks in 2003 with 12.5, Suggs had one more double-digit sack year (10.5 in '04) and never again finished in the top 10 for sacks in the league. I know Suggs is a great all-around player but I feel that giving him Jared Allen or Dwight Freeney money is a mistake. I do think that his 8.0 sacks a year can be replaced by some of the young guys waiting for their shot. This is where Suggs has finished in the league each of his six years in sacks:
'03: 7th, 12.5 sacks
'04: 13th, 10.5 sacks
'05: 24th, 8.0 sacks
'06: 19th, 9.5 sacks
'07: Not in the top 40, 5.0 sacks
'08: 17th, 8.0 sacks
Holgash:
Thank you for helping to prove my point.
Dan,
Do you know if we were one of the 18 teams at Kentucky DE Jarmon's workout? With all this Suggs nonsense going on, I really wouldn't mind seeing us take a flier on him.
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Josh,
Haven't heard one way or another. The front office would have to be pretty sure about him to make a play on him though; if the bid they submit is the winner, they would need to sacrifice a 2010 pick in whatever round they view him.
-Dan
"That number could approach $20 million." Definitely not worth that. Looks like Sizzle wants to test FA while he's still young enough to con someone into giving him a monster contract. At least he'll have a lot of motivation to have a great year this year.
Holhash
and do you realize they have two guys blocking him, in 07 i believe he was hurt.. he opens up for other guys on the line too so lets not forget them facts. sometimes numbers can lie, hes a big impact young player. and if the ravens wont pay him the money, another team will be more then happy to
Thanks, Holgash, for helping to prove my point...
Dan,
With all of this Suggs nonsense, do you know if the Ravens were one of the 18 teams present at the workout for that DE out of Kentucky, Jarmon? I wouldn't mind seeing us take a flyer on him in the upcoming supplemental draft.
Josh (the one that asked if I realized that Suggs usually has two guys blocking him),
I do realize that Suggs has two guys blocking him most of the time, which excuses him for a season or two where his sacks may drop off but the truly elite pass rushers (which is the type of money he wants), learn how to beat the double-team and finish in the top of the league in sacks. He was not hurt in '07, he has played in every single game of his career (he almost didn't play in the AFC championship game). '07 was a bad year for the team all around but that doesn't excuse his poor numbers, if he were truly elite he would have brought the team up. All I'm trying to say is that while I think Suggs is a very good player, I don't think he's worth elite money for an outside linebacker.