Time To Lock Up Ngata?

[Jamal]

It seems like a lot of teams are taking advantage of the uncapped year, by signing players to extensions. Ngata is in his last year, and will command monster interest if he isn't locked up by next years FA. I think Ngata deserves to be one of the highest paid DE/DT in the NFL.

I'm pretty sure the Ravens are hard at work trying to come up with a contract both parties can agree upon.

What do you guys think?

[Ed_Reed20]

Haloti could very well be locked up before training camp.

[theFRANCHISE]

The Ravens have a history of rewarding their best players with a big contract before training camp or the start of the regular season. Ngata should be no exception.

[FlaccoFlicker]

Lets hope so would hate to see Ngata go

[FerrariFan87]

It makes sense to me that we'd try and front-load any new contract with Ngata, paying a large portion of it this year to make future years as Cap-friendly as possible... although Ozzie has mentioned numerous times that we're still operating as if there's a Cap in-place, but with a bit more wiggle room.

[JO_75]

[quote name='Jamal' date='06 May 2010 - 12:38 PM' timestamp='1273163916' post='405584']
[b]It seems like a lot of teams are taking advantage of the uncapped year,[/b] by signing players to extensions. Ngata is in his last year, and will command monster interest if he isn't locked up by next years FA. I think Ngata deserves to be one of the highest paid DE/DT in the NFL.

I'm pretty sure the Ravens are hard at work trying to come up with a contract both parties can agree upon.

What do you guys think?
[/quote]

Yeah I think this would be the best time to do so. Not sure how much he would command but if we can get a deal similar to what the Saints just gave Jahri Evans where he gets $19 Million this year and $25 Million over three years or whatever would work for Ngata then we will be set. We should use this time to lock up guys like McClain, Koch, Yanda, Ngata and Gaither. Front load the contracts on guys like Gaither and Ngata since they will command the most money and we'll be set. How much you think we would have to pay Ngata?

I'm thinking 7 years and $65-$70 Million and maybe $20 Million in the first year alone and $40 Million over the first 3-4 years. Let's lock up our guys long term now, we must keep our players together and not let anyone leave the nest.

[flynismo]

[quote name='FerrariFan87' date='06 May 2010 - 12:35 PM' timestamp='1273167301' post='405640']
It makes sense to me that we'd try and front-load any new contract with Ngata, paying a large portion of it this year to make future years as Cap-friendly as possible...[/quote]

Thats a great point.

Personally, I want Ngata now because he is coming off a slightly "down" year for him. Would hate to negotiate a deal next off season after he wins defensive POY. Right now is about all the leverage we'll ever have.

[Halden52]

I'd say the Ravens would be foolish to let this guy go. Look how we plays, he obviously loves the game and does his very best on every play every week. He's the kind of guy who will play through injury and will keep playing till he is physically incapable. I say keep this amazing athlete

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='Halden52' date='06 May 2010 - 09:39 PM' timestamp='1273196344' post='405994']
I'd say the Ravens would be foolish to let this guy go. Look how we plays, he obviously loves the game and does his very best on every play every week. He's the kind of guy who will play through injury and will keep playing till he is physically incapable. I say keep this amazing athlete
[/quote]

They aren't going to let him go. He's one of the biggest building blocks on the team.

[Ed_Reed_Pick_Six]

I have faith in Ozzie to lock up Ngata, he makes great decisions all the time, and for a no brainer like this, I'm sure he won't muck around too long.

[ravensconvert]

The entire premise of a 3-4 revolves around a solid NT. Ngata will be as much a face of this organization over the next decade as Ray or Ed.

[Ed_Reed_Pick_Six]

[quote name='ravensconvert' date='07 May 2010 - 11:45 PM' timestamp='1273229100' post='406153']
The entire premise of a 3-4 revolves around a solid NT. Ngata will be as much a face of this organization over the next decade as Ray or Ed.
[/quote]
Yes indeed, good post.

[Twoo]

[quote name='ravensconvert' date='07 May 2010 - 06:45 AM' timestamp='1273229100' post='406153']
The entire premise of a 3-4 revolves around a solid NT. Ngata will be as much a face of this organization over the next decade as Ray or Ed.
[/quote]

Though I agree, we'll be running a 3-4 / 4-3 hybrid much like we did last year. For passing situations on long 3rd downs we'll be running a 3-4, for 1st/2nd downs and goal line stands we'll mostly run a 4-3. One of the biggest reasons we drafted Cody was his ability to line up next to Ngata in a 4-3 and clog the line.

[Ed_Reed_Pick_Six]

Good luck rushing against our run defense this year, we have beasts on the interior line who are going to eat the space and be instrumental in stuffing the gaps again and again!

[Clutch Ravens]

Ngata is a cornerstone of our D and was a large part of our No 100 yard rushers streak, the guy will get paid.

I want to see a HB Dive in a goal line situation with Ngata in at RB and Cody in at FB, try stopping 700 pounds of brute force comin' right at'cha!

[Ed_Reed_Pick_Six]

[quote name='Give it to Clutch Clayton' date='08 May 2010 - 12:36 AM' timestamp='1273232166' post='406167']
Ngata is a cornerstone of our D and was a large part of our No 100 yard rushers streak, the guy will get paid.

I want to see a HB Dive in a goal line situation with Ngata in at RB and Cody in at FB, try stopping 700 pounds of brute force comin' right at'cha!
[/quote]
Lol, Haloti Ngata a viable fantasy option next season!!!

[Awesomo]

[quote name='Ed_Reed_Pick_Six' date='07 May 2010 - 01:39 PM' timestamp='1273232341' post='406171']
Lol, Haloti Ngata a viable fantasy option next season!!!
[/quote]
HAHA

[BloodRaven]

Not to take anything away from Gregg or Edwards but Ngata didn't have much help last season. Gregg is unmovable but can get tied up with one blocker and Edwards wasn't half the player Pryce was a few years ago.

All this new blood is really going to take some pressure off Ngata and allow him to not just draw blockers but showcase his talents and make more plays.

[berad]

I believe there are rules set in place by the NFL that essentially stop teams from front-loading contracts and working around the uncapped season.. I found these from a quick google search, the sites seem pretty credible and the information is consistent.

[url="http://www.patriots.com/news/index.cfm?ac=generalnewsdetail&pid=42064&pcid=41&rss=1"]LINK 1[/url]:

[quote]
If the salary in the first year of the contract is more than double the salary in the second year of the contract, the entire difference is prorated as signing bonus. So, if you make the first year $9 million and the second year $2 million, the $7 million difference would get prorated as signing bonus so you can't frontload a contract because the 50-percent down rule prevents that.
[/quote]

and also: [url="http://www.silverandbluereport.com/2010/02/mailbag-why-not-front-load-deals-in-the-uncapped/"]LINK 2[/url]

[quote]
But don’t forget, the 30 percent rule – keeping teams from increasing or decreasing any contract by more than 30 percent of the previous season, will prohibit teams from putting all of the contract into the 2010 season.
[/quote]

and: [url="http://www.pewterreport.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=266c5de6eaa8c9c97257c4cc84fe0719&topic=52816.msg1118513"]LINK 3[/url]

[quote]
No, this would be difficult to do. That is because, according to the CBA, any salary decrease of greater than 50% from one year to the next becomes signing bonus and thus is spread out over the life of the deal. For example, if the Patriots signed Vince Wilfork to a deal with a $20M salary in 2010 (uncapped) and a $4M salary in 2011 (capped), then that is a decrease of more than 50% ($10M), that $16M difference would become signing bonus and pro-rated over the life of the deal; if it was a four-year deal, then it would count as $4M/year, so the 2010 cap charge would reduce to $8M ($20M - $16M + $4M), and the 2011-2013 charges would increase by $4M.
[/quote]

So, there [b]are[/b] rules in place to help maintain a balance in the NFL. And just we've had to comply with the 'Final Eight' rules, we have to comply with these strict contract rules. Maybe Ngata gets signed this year because we don't have cap restriction, maybe he doesn't, but this year isn't the end-all-be-all, apparently.

[FerrariFan87]

[quote name='berad' date='07 May 2010 - 08:28 AM' timestamp='1273235319' post='406183']
[url="http://www.patriots.com/news/index.cfm?ac=generalnewsdetail&pid=42064&pcid=41&rss=1"]LINK 1[/url]s:



and also: [url="http://www.silverandbluereport.com/2010/02/mailbag-why-not-front-load-deals-in-the-uncapped/"]LINK 2[/url]



and: [url="http://www.pewterreport.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=266c5de6eaa8c9c97257c4cc84fe0719&topic=52816.msg1118513"]LINK 3[/url]



So, there [b]are[/b] rules in place to help maintain a balance in the NFL. And just we've had to comply with the 'Final Eight' rules, we have to comply with these strict contract rules. Maybe Ngata gets signed this year because we don't have cap restriction, maybe he doesn't, but this year isn't the end-all-be-all, apparently.
[/quote]

Thanks for that... I'm glad that there are some sort of parameters in place to keep teams from going insane this season, money-spending wise. I still think we need to take advantage of not having a cap this season and lock up Ngata and Gaither; although Ngata has priority in my mind.

[Twoo]

[quote name='FerrariFan87' date='07 May 2010 - 08:35 AM' timestamp='1273235756' post='406184']
Thanks for that... I'm glad that there are some sort of parameters in place to keep teams from going insane this season, money-spending wise. I still think we need to take advantage of not having a cap this season and lock up Ngata and Gaither; although Ngata has priority in my mind.
[/quote]

I thought the uncapped year would have been bad for the NFL... truth be told, I had no idea the NFL has so many rules in place incase of an uncapped season. The final 8 and final 4 rules, front loading rules, dumping contract rules, signing free agents rules... it's kind of neat.

NFL realized uncapped years ruined the MLB and they didn't want the competitiveness to go away in the NFL.

[Ed_Reed_Pick_Six]

[quote name='Twoo' date='08 May 2010 - 01:44 AM' timestamp='1273236258' post='406188']
I thought the uncapped year would have been bad for the NFL... truth be told, I had no idea the NFL has so many rules in place incase of an uncapped season. The final 8 and final 4 rules, front loading rules, dumping contract rules, signing free agents rules... it's kind of neat.

[b]NFL realized uncapped years ruined the MLB and they didn't want the competitiveness to go away in the NFL.[/b]
[/quote]
Tell me about it, what a joke!

[berad]

Ngata definitely trumps Gaither in terms of getting a new deal. I would like to see both remain as Ravens, though. Ngata is an amazing, dominant lineman and, say what you will, but Jared Gaither is one of the best left tackles in the NFL.

[Jamal]

Imagine what kind of player Ngata could become if he improves his pass rush, which he is constantly trying to improve on.

Hes already almost impossible to run on, and with Cody, Ngata can become a much better pass rusher.

With the threat of getting to the QB, Ngata can become the most complete d-lineman in the NFL.

[XxSizzleXx]

Lets hope the contract is not Albert Haynesworthesque, I'd like to see something like 7year 70million would be a great deal for us and him.

[MiselisM]

The Ravens have made it known of wanting to be a raven for life. Dont see an issue with him at all.

[JO_75]

Here's some good news and bad news regarding Ngata. The Bad news is that he tore Pectoral Muscle in the Pro Bowl trying NOT to hurt someone. The Good news is the final paragraph in the article:

[quote]Ngata reportedly has full range of motion already and is trying to regain his strength. [b]The team is believed to be interested in giving him a long-term contract this offseason.[/b][/quote]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/05/09/ngata-tore-pectoral-muscle-in-pro-bowl-trying-to-hurt-somebody-else/


I'm all for getting a long term contract with Ngata worked out now and front loading the deal so it won't hurt us when the cap comes back next year.

[MiselisM]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/05/09/ngata-tore-pectoral-muscle-in-pro-bowl-trying-to-hurt-somebody-else/
[quote]
Who says players don't play hard in the Pro Bowl?

Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata tore his pectoral muscle in the league's All Star game because he was so fired up at an NFC player.

"It sucks," Ngata said. "I was actually trying to hurt somebody else and I hurt myself."

Hate when that happens. Ngata told the assembled media Sunday that he was roughly 6-8 weeks away from returning to action, which means he'll probably miss all of pre-training camp work.

Ngata reportedly has full range of motion already and is trying to regain his strength. The team is believed to be interested in giving him a long-term contract this offseason.

Now we just want to know who he was trying to hurt.[/quote]


Sucks we wont see Ngata for about two more months. Hopefully he'll be ready to go by the preseason.

[berad]

[quote name='JO_75' date='09 May 2010 - 02:16 PM' timestamp='1273429019' post='407477']
Here's some good news and bad news regarding Ngata. The Bad news is that he tore Pectoral Muscle in the Pro Bowl trying NOT to hurt someone. The Good news is the final paragraph in the article:



http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/05/09/ngata-tore-pectoral-muscle-in-pro-bowl-trying-to-hurt-somebody-else/


I'm all for getting a long term contract with Ngata worked out now and front loading the deal so it won't hurt us when the cap comes back next year.
[/quote]

Ngata was actually quoted as saying he was[i] "trying NOT to hurt someone else"[/i]. PFT needs to stop being so shoddy...

I edited your original post, btw