Len Pasquarelli said Ravens didn't want to pay Thomas

[tailgater]

Correct. They would have franchised him but they didn't have the cap space.

They desparately wanted to keep him - and tried to talk him into taking a major hometown discount.

So yes, it is true that the Ravens did not have the cap space to keep AD

The Ravens are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to their defense, knowing if they did retain AT, they would have to deal with Lewis's b!tchin about his deal. He's been talking about wanting a new deal for close to 2yrs already. If they dared sign another LB for close to the same money, he'd be a problem.

 

[upstater1]

My only concern with this deal is it is coming because of Ozzie Newsome and that dude doesn't make many mistakes. But, even he can make one. Only time will tell for sure who was right and who was wrong.

Someone will have to explain to me how a cap-strapped team can "elect" not to pay one of their top players. I really don't understand the logic there.

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

Someone will have to explain to me how a cap-strapped team can "elect" not to pay one of their top players. I really don't understand the logic there.

the colts were pretty cap strapped until manning restructured and opened up about 8 million in cap space, so they could franchise freeney. so if they wanted to franchise him they could have they just need to move some money around, which all teams do when they need to.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

bobs my uncle likes to make suggestions for ne that will never come true, at least my guesses are logical? who is not guessing when it comes to speculating about what the team MIGHT do. unless you are BB or Pioli, are you either one of them?

The difference is you are definitive in your guesses .... as if you know for a fact that what you state is true. Like the Pats not having any interest in Moss and that the Ravens would have franchised Thomas and that the Ravens might like to sign Johnson when they already had.

Meanwhile I merely am leaving open the possibility of my guesses happening.

Big difference.

 

[patfanken]

This is ALL just spin, guys. When your cap situation FORCES you to lose good players, all you CAN do is "spin" it the best you can. I'm sure in Baltimore all their fans are saying the same thing. "AD's getting up there in age" "He's a great player....BUT has some limitations" "We have a great YOUNG replacement signed long term, ready to step in."

The Ravens do as well as anyone in the league in drafting and Free Agency. They do it DIFFERENTLY than the Pats, but you can't argue with their success. They are good....just not AS GOOD as the Pats. They simply ran into a cap situation that forced them to lose one of their better players. Their loss, our gain.

BTW- Its about time, we've too often been on the wrong side of these equations. Its nice to profit from SOMEONE ELSE'S cap issue.

Also. Pastabelly is the official rumor whore for ESPN - Teams use and abuse fat Lennie to spread rumors and spin their stories. Its pathetic. Usually you see Len "break" a story that's been on the message boards for 2 days

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

The difference is you are definitive in your guesses .... as if you know for a fact that what you state is true. Like the Pats not having any interest in Moss and that the Ravens would have franchised Thomas and that the Ravens might like to sign Johnson when they already had.

Meanwhile I merely am leaving open the possibility of my guesses happening.

Big difference.

how is this true i said the ravens MIGHT want to resign jj not knowing they already had. and i left the possibility open that had they wanted to franchise AD they could have IF they wanted to. but im just guessing maybe i personally offended you with my moss comments if so sorry, but im not the only one here who guesses dude:rocker:

 

[Rob0729]

If the Ravens had our cap situation, they would have probably given him a deal. The Ravens would have to cut players and lose others in the future to keep Thomas, that is why they didn't want to sign him. If he was 25, they probably would have made the cuts to keep him. But he is 29 and they felt his age made them decide it wasn't worth making the cuts to sign him.

 

[The Gr8est]

My only concern with this deal is it is coming because of Ozzie Newsome and that dude doesn't make many mistakes. But, even he can make one. Only time will tell for sure who was right and who was wrong.

Ozzie Newsome thought getting Kyle Boller was worth Eugene Wilson and Vince Wilfork.

 

[jbb9s]

If the Ravens had our cap situation, they would have probably given him a deal. The Ravens would have to cut players and lose others in the future to keep Thomas, that is why they didn't want to sign him. If he was 25, they probably would have made the cuts to keep him. But he is 29 and they felt his age made them decide it wasn't worth making the cuts to sign him.

Until the Ravens start losing games 30 - 27, their big money FA signings and re-signings should be going to offense.

 

[jbb9s]

Ozzie Newsome thought getting Kyle Boller was worth Eugene Wilson and Vince Wilfork.

Wilfork? I dont get it.

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

I think pretty soon they are going to have to get a hell of a lot younger on offense through the draft most likely

Mcnair is getting too old and ineffective

J.Lewis(if resigned), mason, ogden :yeahthat:

 

[The Gr8est]

Wilfork? I dont get it.

Those are the players the Pats drafted with the picks that Newsome traded for the Pats pick that became Boller (there was a small 2nd round trade up for Wilson, but that's basically what occurred.)

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

Ozzie Newsome thought getting Kyle Boller was worth Eugene Wilson and Vince Wilfork.

That one MUST be painful... still.

 

[signbabybrady]

That one MUST be painful... still.

Of course it hurts them...badly....but, look down he road a few years, how in the hell are we going to keep Warren / Wilfork / Seymour and so many other happy, I think that is in 2010??

By then of course, the question will be how are we are going to win #6 and will Tedy play yet another year or not.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

How's his quarterback situation coming along?

"I'm Kyle Boller, and I'm the best decision this organization has ever made."
:bricks:

PFnV

 

[52decleetzu]

If Newsome is so great what the hell happened to that SB winner that had one of the best defenses in history? They had to rebuild once because they couldn't structure their cap and are inching that way again. Maybe they shouldn't have given a gazillion dollars to that criminal that barks like a dog and hasn't been nearly as effective without two gargantuan DT's in front of him.

Didn't want to and couldn't are completely different things.

Our stud RB Jamal Lewis tore his ACL in traing camp that year,that is what happened.Our starting Rb was Terry Allen and we still made it out of the first round of the playoffs.

The reason why AD didnt get resigned is because Terrell Suggs,who is 24 years old is a FA after this year and will be extended before the season starts.Both players were pretty much equally as valuable to the defense,but one is 24 and the other is 29.

It wasnt that hard of a decision.

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

sam gash is the best player in the history of the ravens, not so much the patriots though :rocker:

 

[jefmblrd]

It comes down to the fact that in the salary cap era, teams just can't keep everyone. I'm sure BB would love to keep Graham, but teams can't break the bank consistently, that's how they get into major salary cap problems.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

did they not want to pay him or could they not afford to, if they want to stay competitive?

they probably could have franchised him but that would have handcuffed the team in the draft and in fa, i think it is more about not being able to afford him than it is not wanting to pay him

They couldn't afford to pay him, and they will have to sign Suggs next year, who will also command a nice contract, similar to AD. They are in a bad cap situation for this year.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

"I'm Kyle Boller, and I'm the best decision this organization has ever made."
:bricks:

PFnV

Hi Im Kyle Boller, I'm not an NFL quarterback, but I play one on TV.