Ravens Tag T. Suggs

The Baltimore Ravens placed their franchise player tag on Terrell Suggs.

The move gives the Ravens the right to retain Suggs, who had been eligible for unrestricted free agency later this month, by matching any contract offer he might receive from another team. It also gives the Ravens the right to receive two first-round draft picks from the club that signs Suggs if the Ravens allow him to depart.

Ravens officials said they will continue to try to negotiate a longterm contract with Suggs. If the talks fail to produce a longterm deal and he remains the team's franchise player, he would have a salary next season of $8.065 million, the average of the five highest-paid linebackers in the league.

"He is one of our best players, and our success with re-signing our best players is very good," Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome said in a written statement released by the team.

It's possible that Suggs will contest his designation as a linebacker if he retains the franchise player tag. He also plays defensive end and could contend that he should receive the franchise player salary for a defensive end, which is $8.879 million.

Suggs has 45 sacks in five seasons with the Ravens.

Suggs is the fifth player league-wide to receive the franchise player tag this offseason, following Philadelphia Eagles tight end L.J. Smith, Arizona Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby, Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Stacy Andrews and Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen. The deadline for NFL teams to use the tag is Thursday.

By Mark Maske |  February 19, 2008; 1:39 PM ET  | Category:  Ravens
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