Ravens Need to Lock Up Ngata, Sooner Rather Than Later

Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti is surprised that the team has not signed Pro Bowl Defensive Tackle Haloti Ngata to a contract extension, but he remains optimistic a long term deal will get done at some point. Reportedly, the Ravens have been in hard negotiations with Ngata the past two
weeks.

This is what Bisciotti had to say in a recent Baltimore Sun article concerning the negotiations:

“I don’t ask Oz [general manager Ozzie Newsome] if they are close or not,” Bisciotti said. “I just have a feeling that things are going to work out. I have no doubt in my mind that Haloti is going to be with us. We’re just trying to work out the details.”

With the team being just $2.8 million under the new salary cap, a long term deal could do wonders for a Ravens squad looking to add depth at a number of positions. If a long-term extension were to be reached it could gain the Ravens an additional $6 to $7 million in cap room since Ngata is currently on a franchise deal worth about $13 million.

In a quote from the Carroll County Times, Ngata had this to say regarding being the Ravens franchise player, while working on a long term deal:

“I don’t mind it,” Ngata said when asked about being the Ravens’ franchise player. “As long as I can get that long-term contract, that’s what I’m really trying to shoot for. Right now, I’m just basically trying to be out here and help the guys out. I leave all business to my agent. I don’t really worry about it. I just try to produce as much as I can.

Ngata is regarded as perhaps the leagues best defensive tackle. So in the end, what will it take to sign the five-year veteran to a long-term extension? One could guess a deal that rivals the Detroit Lions Ndamukong Suh. Before ever playing a down in the NFL, the Lions inked Suh to a five-year, $68 million contract that included $40 million in guaranteed money.

For now, we’ll just have to play the waiting game and see what happens. In the end, expect for the Ravens to shell out whatever it takes to keep Ngata in the purple and black. I see no possible way this plays out into the regular season and thereafter into the off-season.

Bottom line, Steve Bisciotti, Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh all know how valuable Haloti Ngata is to this team, one way or another the Ravens will make Haloti a very happy and rich man, it’s just a mater of when.