Ravens Franchise Suggs as LB, He Argues For Defensive End Designation

The Baltimore Ravens have placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Terrell Suggs as a linebacker, guaranteeing him a one year salary of $8.065 million for 2008. Suggs has since said that he wants to stay with the Ravens, but disagrees with the designation, and feels he should be categorized as a defensive end, which would guarantee him a one year salary of $8.879 million ($814K more).

ESPN's John Clayton reports that Suggs and his agent may challenge the position designation to the NFL's arbiter, as Suggs contends that he can prove he played more than 50% of the defensive snaps at end, simply by watching the game film. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome didn't seem very worried, and said "based on the CBA [collective bargaining agreement], and based on what we've been told by management council, we are within our rights to franchise him as an outside linebacker." Suggs was listed on the roster as an outside linebacker for all 16 games last year, and plays both as a down lineman and an upright linebacker in Baltimore's hybrid 3-4 defense.

Both parties have said they want to get a deal done, but Suggs has said he wants to be paid like Dwight Freeney, who last year hauled in a record 6-year $72 million contract from the Colts with $30 million guaranteed. That might be much more than the Ravens are willing to pay, especially if the Ravens view him more as a hybrid linebacker who can also play down at defensive end, because linebackers are traditionally paid less than defensive ends. An interesting wrinkle to these contract negotiations is that both Freeney and Suggs are represented by the same agent, Gary Wichard of Pro-Tect Management. It would not be the least bit surprising if the Ravens are unable to work out a long term deal, and end up franchising Suggs for a second time next year, before ultimately letting him go.

Baltimore selected Suggs with the 10th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2003 NFL Draft, and quickly snapped him up after he slid out of the top 5 where he was initially pegged to be drafted, due to an allegedly slow 4.8 second time in the 40 yard dash at the combine. As a junior at Arizona State in 2002, Suggs amassed 73 tackles (including 31 1/2 for a loss) and a NCAA record 24 sacks, and was named the PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Year, and winner of the Ted Hendricks Award (top college defensive end), the Lombardi Award (best college football lineman or linebacker), and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player in college football). Since joining the Ravens, Suggs has averaged 60.0 tackles per year and 9.0 sacks per year (45 in 5 years), en route to winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2003 and being named to the Pro Bowl in 2004 and 2006.