The Ravens and LB Terrell Suggs avoided a grievance by essentially creating a new position, reports the Baltimore Sun. The sides reached an agreement on a one-year franchise tag tender worth close to $8.5 million, which will pay him as a hybrid defensive end-linebacker. It is believed that the NFL Players Association and the NFL management council are finalizing details to sign off on the compromise. The Ravens used the franchise tag on Suggs on Feb. 19, keeping him off the free-agent market with a one-year tender worth $8.065 million (the average of the five highest-paid linebackers in the NFL). But Suggs filed a grievance March 5, saying he should receive the one-year tag of $8.879 million for defensive ends because he played more than half his snaps at that position. (Updated 05/14/2008).
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/17/08).
Fantasy Analysis
In five NFL seasons, Suggs has recorded 45 sacks and has earned two Pro Bowl selections (2004 and 2006). Last season, he had a career-low five sacks but had a career-best 80 tackles. He surprised the team by showing up at new coach John Harbaugh's first minicamp in April. The next step is to see whether the Ravens can sign Suggs to an extension, keeping him with the team beyond this season. Go into the season with Suggs as a solid No. 2 Fantasy option in IDP leagues. (Updated 05/14/2008).
DE-OLB Terrell Suggs should soon have his franchise tender -- somewhere between the lower total for linebackers and the higher one-year mark for defensive ends -- set. The next order of business for the Ravens is to lock Suggs up with a long-term deal, and GM Ozzie Newsome is intent on keeping him with the team beyond this season. "He is one of our best players, and our success with re-signing our best players is very good," Newsome said earlier this year. "We've done this with players like Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis, Todd Heap, Ed Reed and Chris McAlister -- and that was after we franchised Chris." Asked if Suggs is open to an extension with the Ravens, agent Gary Wichard said, "Absolutely." 05/15/2008
The Ravens have reached a compromise with franchise player Suggs, his agent said. Suggs has 45 career sacks and is a two-time Pro Bowl selection, but he slumped to a career-low five sacks last season while notching a career-high 80 tackles. 05/14/2008
Advice
Suggs filed a grievance against the team in March after the Ravens tagged him with the one-year, $8.065 million linebacker tag. He was seeking to be paid the defensive end franchise designation of $8,879,000. Now, Suggs will be paid a one-year tender worth nearly $8.5 million as a hybrid defensive end/linebacker.
The Ravens and LB Terrell Suggs avoided a grievance by essentially creating a new position, reports the Baltimore Sun. The sides reached an agreement on a one-year franchise tag tender worth close to $8.5 million, which will pay him as a hybrid defensive end-linebacker. It is believed that the NFL Players Association and the NFL management council are finalizing details to sign off on the compromise. The Ravens used the franchise tag on Suggs on Feb. 19, keeping him off the free-agent market with a one-year tender worth $8.065 million (the average of the five highest-paid linebackers in the NFL). But Suggs filed a grievance March 5, saying he should receive the one-year tag of $8.879 million for defensive ends because he played more than half his snaps at that position. (Updated 05/14/2008).
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/17/08).
Fantasy Analysis
In five NFL seasons, Suggs has recorded 45 sacks and has earned two Pro Bowl selections (2004 and 2006). Last season, he had a career-low five sacks but had a career-best 80 tackles. He surprised the team by showing up at new coach John Harbaugh's first minicamp in April. The next step is to see whether the Ravens can sign Suggs to an extension, keeping him with the team beyond this season. Go into the season with Suggs as a solid No. 2 Fantasy option in IDP leagues. (Updated 05/14/2008).
