Baltimore Ravens 5 Burning Free Agency Questions
Oct 20, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass under pressure from Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Haloti Ngata (92) during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
What’s next for Haloti Ngata?
As it stands, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata will account for more on the 2015 cap than any over Baltimore Ravens player ($16 million). Something has to give.
The Ravens have $4.7M in cap space right now, and face tough decisions on CB Ladarius Webb and Haloti Ngata.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) March 4, 2015
Could Ngata be released? Will the Ravens look to trade the nine-year veteran to recoup some value? It’s possible, but there’s also the chance that teams will be expecting his release and hold out before making an offer.
Alternatively, the Ravens could offer him a long-term contract, allowing them to push out money onto future caps. At 31-years-old, however, they might be reluctant to do so.
Really interested to see what the Ravens decide to do with Haloti Ngata. If he gets to the market, he will get BIG money!
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) March 7, 2015
In his nine years with the Ravens, Ngata has registered 445 tackles, 25.5 sacks, 30 pass defenses and five interceptions, according to ESPN Stats.
According to Over The Cap, cutting Ngata would free up $8.5 million in cap space–they would pay $7.5 million in dead money.
If he departs, they would prefer to trade him and receive something in return. With the Ravens barely under the cap, however, they may just be relieved to save some money.
Next: Newsome to get creative?