<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Ravens have had a discussion with the agents for Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed but have failed to reach common ground to produce a new multiyear contract for one of the NFL's best defensive players.Reed has one year remaining on a contract that will pay him $2.15 million this season. Most teams prefer to have their star players under contract before they begin their final season, much as the Ravens did last year with Todd Heap, who became the highest-paid tight end in the game.The sticking point with Reed is that the Ravens want to make him one of the highest-paid safeties, but he wants to be compensated as one of the league's top defensive players. The difference is millions of dollars.For example, Denver safety John Lynch, still one of the best in the game, will make $2.9 million in 2006, while Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis is expected to make $5.5 million. Top safeties like Roy Williams and Brian Dawkins have the same problem as Reed because teams have devalued the position.A nickel back makes as much as the No. 2 safety on most rosters. There is little doubt about Reed's impact. He is the Ravens' best defensive player and one of their surest tacklers. He can change the course of a game on special teams by returning punts or blocking them.With Reed in the lineup, the middle of the field is taken away from most offenses. But under the scenario proposed by the Ravens, Reed would still make less than Lewis, cornerback Chris McAlister and offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden.Reed, though, has little leverage.The Ravens could designate him the franchise player after the 2006 season, which would force him to make millions less than the asking price of a star defensive player."Over the years, we've been able to come to contract agreements with our players that have been fair for the organization and fair for the players," said general manager Ozzie Newsome. "We would like to engage in more conversations with Ed's representatives."Associates and friends close to Lewis have said that he doesn't want to play in Baltimore for the 2006 season, but Newsome said the linebacker hasn't informed the team of any such intention.Newsome, though, did admit that Lewis had a recent meeting with team owner Steve Bisciotti in Florida, and said Lewis asked to be traded before the start of the 2005 season. Lewis, a seven-time Pro Bowl performer, went into a self-imposed isolation from the team last season after the Ravens declined to restructure his contract, which still has three years left.He no longer wanted to be the face of the team, and it has become clear to everyone, except Newsome, that Lewis wants out. League sources have said the Ravens were sending out "feelers" in a possible trade for Lewis, but they haven't gotten more than a second- round draft pick in exchange (note to Ravens: Take it and run).A team source said Lewis discussed his contract situation with Bisciotti, among other things."I was not informed that the issue of the contract came up as a part of that meeting," Newsome said. "Through the years, a number of players have approached me about being traded. That's not unusual. Ray is under contract, and we gave him that contract to retire as a Raven."The Ravens had interest in re-hiring two former employees, but Phil Savage remained the general manager in Cleveland and Donnie Henderson became the defensive coordinator in Detroit. They would have been great additions for the Ravens.Henderson was recently fired as the defensive coordinator of the New York Jets, and the Ravens approached him about becoming an assistant again. But Henderson, who also was interviewed for the New Orleans head coaching vacancy, stayed on the market for only a short time before joining the Lions. Henderson had a fiery and competitive style but also had a strong rapport with his players. It remains to be seen if Dennis Thurman, the Ravens' secondary coach, can bring discipline to a unit that severely lacked it a season ago.Savage, the Ravens' former player personnel director, remained in Cleveland after winning a power struggle with Browns president John Collins late in the season. Savage has emerged as a big player in the sweepstakes for Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who might become a head coach in the NFL in 2007.The two remain close friends from their days with the Browns before they moved to Baltimore. If Savage had rejoined the staff in Baltimore, the move might have influenced Ferentz to come here if Brian Billick fails this season. If Browns coach Romeo Crennel continues to falter, look for Savage to try to entice Ferentz to Cleveland.http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/footbal...sports-football</div>Reed deserves a long term contract, and while he does do more than any strong safety in the NFL, I don't think he is going to get much more than John Lynch. Teams already have a pay scale in place for positions, and are not going to break that, even for a player of Reed's caliber. Its a shame he isn't a cornerback, otherwise, he'd be getting boatloads of money for what he does.
[quote name='Uptown' post='30632' date='Feb 13 2006, 09:30 PM'] So very true.An impact safety is just as valueable as a top cornerback and yet they will get paid almost one third of the cash. Hopefully he will get something fair like maybe just over 3 million a year or so.
Reed deserves it. He has shown that he can be solid when healthy. This is going to be his defence and he should be paid accordingly.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Uptown @ Feb 13 2006, 10:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The two remain close friends from their days with the Browns before they moved to Baltimore. If Savage had rejoined the staff in Baltimore, the move might have influenced Ferentz to come here if Brian Billick fails this season. If Browns coach Romeo Crennel continues to falter, look for Savage to try to entice Ferentz to Cleveland.</div>So if Crennel fails then the Browns should get another college coach? That would be a stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid move.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?...n_john#20060214Ray Lewis trade not in the worksposted: Tuesday, February 14, 2006Forget about a Ray Lewis trade. Even though the Ravens' linebacker is getting word back to the team that he wants a new contract, general manager Ozzie Newsome has a firm stance -- he's not trading him and expects him to be with the team at the start of the regular season.Lewis has wanted a new contract for the past couple of years. Already one of the highest-paid linebackers, Lewis wants one more big contract, but the Ravens aren't willing to do anything this year. The Ravens believe Lewis is still a dominating player as they witnessed in his first six starts last season.Late start to free agency? Moving the start of free agency back a week or two is an option as long as the NFLPA gets an agreement in principle before March 3. That only makes sense. The start of the 2006 business year is March 3. If there is no collective bargaining extension before then, the league and the union have to accept the rules as if there is an uncapped year in 2007.With all incentives counting in 2006 and more dead cap money from players being released, each team will have $2.5 million or $5 million less to spend on free agents. With a new deal, the $92 million cap could jump to around $100 million. It benefits the union to move back the start of free agency as long as it is guaranteed a deal.There is some optimism a CBA extension could get done. Talks between the union and the league heated up Monday. Conference calls between owners also heated up Monday and Tuesday. This is what Paul Tagliabue calls the 11th hour, so something has to get done in the next 10 days. The process is complex with a lot of issues. There are two topics in which more movement needs to happen -- improved revenue sharing between the high-revenue teams and the low-revenue teams and the players' percentage of the total revenues. The number is negotiable.Here is how paralyzed things are without a CBA extension. Several teams, including the Panthers and Colts, set aside huge roster bonuses for players that conditionally would turn into signing bonuses in order to create cap room. Those deals are held up until a ruling is made as to whether they fit the 30 percent rule. The Deion Sanders 30-percent rule limits the amount of increased compensation players are allowed to receive during the uncapped season. If the rulings go against the teams that have those huge roster bonuses, they might not clear as much cap room as they expected.Set free: The Saints probably won't franchise or transition defensive end Darren Howard or center LeCharles Bentley, making them available in the free-agent market. Howard was the Saints' franchise player in 2005, but he fell out of favor as the season progressed. Bentley is one of the league's best centers, but the franchise tag for offensive linemen is $6.98 million. The Saints are reluctant to pay a center as much as a tackle, so Bentley might be leaving without draft compensation.Off the Couch: Former Browns quarterback Tim Couch is expected to work out for the Texans this week. Couch already has worked out for the Dolphins. The Seahawks are interested. Couch missed last season as he recovered from a shoulder surgery.Duckett available? Add another running back to the already crowded list of available backs. The Falcons might be willing to part with T.J. Duckett in a trade. It might be hard for the Falcons to get a good value. Shaun Alexander, Edgerrin James, DeShaun Foster, Jamal Lewis and Michael Bennett are available in free agency.</div>I don't know what's going to happen with Ray Lewis anymore.
It's a soap opera haha. One day he won't be with us, the next day he is. This is professional sports for ya. Should be interesting to see what happens.
Also, today on The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio, Chris Mortensen reported that he did talk to Ray Lewis in Hawaii as he was working for the NFL Network, and that Ray said he doesn't want to be traded, doesn't expect to be traded, and will honor his contract if he does not recieve an extension.
