<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>In a question and answer session with fans, team president Dick Cass estimated the Ravens' window of opportunity to win a Super Bowl is two years. Although the Ravens have always adhered to league rules by being under the salary cap, they have gone $10 million above it the past three seasons in terms of bonuses to sign players. According to Cass, the overspending won't catch up to the Ravens until 2008, when cap issues likely will force them to rebuild again. "When you go over the cap for three years like we have, we probably can only go one more year," Cass said. "Unless we restructure contracts, we won't be in a situation in '08 that we were in '02 - but it will be tight." In 2002, the Ravens had to gut their roster of 11 starters because they were $20 million over the cap.. The Ravens have since restocked the team by exceeding the cap by $10 million in bonuses in 2004 and 2005. This year, the Ravens are projected to go over the cap by $15 million to $18 million. That's the price to pay when a team adds valuable veterans such as receiver Derrick Mason and cornerback Samari Rolle and extends the contracts of tight end Todd Heap and offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden.</div> So it seems the Ravens future is basically fighting for third in the AFC North. But I wouldn't be surprised to see players like Samari Rolle become cap casualties and the fact that they are going to be at the age of 30+. But if the Ravens continue finding talent in the draft, they would be back into the competition around 2010 or 2011, but that is a really long time. And if they add McNair, that makes it a worse situation because he is going to make alot of money and by the end of 2008, they would either cut him and hope Boller (if he is re-signed) is ready to start again, or find someone else. So basically, this is the time for rookies and young players to show what they have to actually have a chance to start in the 2009-10 season. In other news, it's a shame Joey Porter had to tell us that he wasn't going to say anything to the president. I was actually on his side when he was planning to tell Bush about what he thinks he is doing.
The Ravens' front office really needs to hire someone who's better at cap management. There's no reason that the salary cap rules should force the Ravens to rebuild every five years. Someone's obviously doing something wrong.
I agree w/ PA that a better capologist is needed. Ozzie Newsome is quite the guru when it comes personnel evaluation & drafting. I reallly like Billick but am afraid this may be his last year in Baltimore. If the 'phins start a trend of only having an OC for a season then I wouldn't mind Billick succeeding Mularkey.
