Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs was due to make $7.8 million in 2014. The Ravens needed him to take less. And he has ended up with a little bit more.
Per a league source, Suggs will make $16 million fully guaranteed over the next two seasons, which averages (math is hard) to $8 million annually. He’ll average $7 million over the final three years (non-guaranteed) of his new contract.
The eight-figure guarantee comes as a time when veteran pass rushers on the wrong side of 30 are scrambling to find new homes at high prices. For example, Dwight Freeney received a $3.25 million signing bonus in 2013. Osi Umenyiora got $2.5 million. John Abraham received a $1 million signing bonus. Shaun Phillips received $1.4 million on a one-year deal.
Last year, the Ravens gave Elvis Dumervil $8.5 million fully guaranteed on a five-year deal, after a fax snafu caused the Broncos to cut him.
For the Ravens, who believe (we’re told) the 2011 NFL defensive player of the year has 30 sacks left in him, there will be no fax snafu or other complications as part of the deal that will give the team several million in much-needed cap space. Suggs will be a Raven for life, which he declared at Monday’s press conference announcing the new contract.
Which means that he’ll be in position to make a lot of money for not doing much work in and around Baltimore after his NFL career ends.