Our friends at WNST in Baltimore report that the Ravens are close to reaching an agreement on a five-year contract extension with linebacker Ray Lewis.
Lewis, whose deal was due to expire at the end of the season, will reportedly receive guaranteed money in the amount of $16 million.
As an unnamed team official told Drew Forrester, on whose show we appear every Friday during the football season: “Ray’s going to be in Baltimore next year and for a while after that. . . it’s been discussed and reviewed and nothing has changed in our mind. Ray is going to be here and he’s going to finish his career in purple. We know the numbers, financially, and we’re going to make them work.”
Said another team employee: “Ray’s value to us is much higher than it would be with any other team in the league.”
Monday was the deadline for counting any 2008 salary increases against the 2008 salary cap number. But as pointed out recently on the NFLPA web site, teams and players may continue to work out contracts that take advantage of any remaining 2008 cap room. The only glitch is that any actual base salary increases for the current year must be prorated like a signing bonus.
Several years ago, Lewis was openly clamoring for a new contract. The team held firm in its refusal to re-do the deal.
Under his current deal, Lewis is receiving a base salary of $6.5 million.
Lewis is an original Raven, drafted in the first round of the team's first draft in Baltimore. Also selected in that same round was left tackle Jonathan Ogden, who retired after the 2007 season. Both undoubtedly will land in Canton.
Ray puts butts in seats so I can see the deal working for both parties. I dont know about 3-4-5 years from now, but the next 2 make sense.
Let's hope it is heavily back-weighted. His value is diminishing as a player, but as an on-field motivator it has never been higher. Every player interviewed after the Clev game credited Ray with firing them up after they went down by 14 points. Without him on the sidelines and on the field, taking on a leadership role, that game goes down as a loss. I don't like his antics, thumping his chest after making a tackle 7 yards downfield, but the guys on the team view him as their unquestioned leader. That is his primary value now, although he is having a great season on the field too. On field just pales in comparison to his role as leader.
Cue the "he's making a killing" comment in 3...2...1
So much for your "ray lewis to Dallas" theory in 2010, huh Florio.
good news is that Ray will retire a Raven....good for the team and player.
There is no way he plays another 5 years.
lewis still is #2 to Ogden as far as Mr. Raven, in my opinion. Jonathan was class, grace and showed intelligence you don't often see from a football player. lewis is a self promoter(if you've ever been to one of his autograph signings, you'll know what I mean). he is a great player, but is classless.
Ya, he's a real classy guy. Talk about getting away with murder, it might not have been him but he sure as hell helped whoever did it by not cooperating.
Lewis proved his worth when he threw Billick under the bus last season after Billick basically put all of the media light on himself, not Lewis, intensionally, during super bowl 35. Lewis is not only classless, he's pretty darn stupid, too.
"Oh, let's not argue about who killed who." (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) Murder aside and the fact that I hate the Ravens since they're in Pittsburgh's division, I like the way Ray Ray plays the game and fires his guys up. I also like the fact that he still can't wipe that smile off Hines Ward's face.
Man what a draft. Ray and big Jonathan Ogden? That's enough talent for 3 drafts. Ozzie Newsome was a good player, but he's a HOF general manager.
Poor Squealer fans - Gentle Ben keeps taking hits this season with a subpar OLine and we'll be feeding him soup thru a straw the the home for retards.
I love it when the Ray Lewis haters come out. You all can't stand the fact that he's the best MLB that has ever played the game. You also can't stand that everybody knows he didn't murder anybody, he just didn't want to sell out his friends. That was a big mistake, but the funny thing is that not being a "rat" is looked at in a positive light by most people........until that person makes them jealous!
Oh, and you really can't overrate the best player at his position. That's not possible.
Lewis didn't kill anyone.
Everyone here would have done the same as Lewis that night.
...which is not 'ratting' their friend out.
I... see.... hypocrites.
ogden didnt need 2 roadgraders in front of him to do his bidding.
when a guy is on the downside of his career, it isnt time for a 5 year contract.