cut the dead weight's and the not talented enough's...Mcnever again friday night Boller, Pittfall ,Winburn, Martian, Gasless, IV,record breaking Cody,...etc....if Ogden reties thats more in the kitty.
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I understand your point but you have to replace bodies with bodies and not many of those names give you much cap room.
-- Bill O.

Good afternoon Mr. Ordine,

On a personal note, I feel that it should be that way. We should not be like other teams that just try to win free agent battles. If Bisciotti truely wants to be able to compete over a long period of time, he understands that our draft success must continue and we must continue to maintain a larger portion of those draft picks. Ed Hartwell type situations are unfortunate, but we cannot be discouraged from the concept of continuity.

Suggs had an off year, but deserves the opportunity to show whether or not he can adjust to the possibility of more double teams in the future. Pryce is not getting younger and could see more injury. Unless we draft a big and fierce DE in the draft, Suggs may be the best outside pass rush on the front line(when he's put there). It is clear that Ngata and Gregg will be a force in the middle. Games are won up front and I believe Suggs's upside is good enough to give him a long term deal. Finally, I think we should make him a full time DE. It may be frustrating for him, because if I am not mistaken he was already asked to lose some weight. Nevertheless, I think that getting a longterm deal done without the tag should be the only option. We've used the tag quite enough in the past with McAlister and we don't need more cap pressure than what we already have. If we can't work out a deal, the only way I see using the cap is if we have a strong feeling that someone would give up the two first rounders for Suggs.
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Doug,
We all know that no one is giving up two first-rounders for Suggs. I agree that it is not usually a good idea to chase free agents but it would be nice to have some flexibility. There are teams in a lot worse shape.
-- Bill O.

for you to even suggest us signing another DONE quaterback is INSANE!!!!..........we have cornered the market on them!!.....just say no to DONAVAN........and yes to Cullen Finnerty-Drew Olsen-Colt Brennen.......Bill, don't write about that anymore please.......
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Steven,
I'm the one who said from the start that it made no sense for either team to entertain a McNabb trade, both here and in my column. I will say this, though, off the final month of last season, I wouldn't call McNabb done. The question is can he stay healthy.
-- Bill O.

Bill,

If Ogden and Flynn retire and the team cuts Rolle, Anderson, McNair, and Boller It will giving the team (after the cap hits) an additional $18,000,000 in cap space.
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Andrei,
Thanks for writing but I think you're oversimplifying. First of all, if you cut a guy you accelerate whatever signing bonus has been prorated. Just take Rolle as an example, his $30M deal reportedly includes an $11M signing bonus over six. But if you cut him right away, all that bonus money that was prorated over six years goes to the head of the class against the cap. Now figure how much of the McNair money would be accelerated. All of a sudden, all that cap room that you think you get from eliminating base salaries evaporates in a hurry. Plus, you have to replace a body with a body so unless you're filling your roster with unsigned free agents who are currently working for UPS, you use up whatever room you think you have quickly. The one point that you mention that would likely give them some significant room is Ogden retiring -- maybe $7.5M.
-- Bill O.

Well if we cut Mcnair that would certainly help our cap number. Ogden appears set for retirement, which would make our O-line worse but give us cap relief as well. Samari Rolle clearly isnt a #2 corner in this league anymore, but is getting paid starters money. Id like to keep Rolle, but try to get him to take a pay cut. Mcnabb is only the answer if we dont have to part ways with this years 1st round draft pick, which by all indications would have to happen. Is Mcnabb really worth the 8th pick at age 31? Id say no... we may never win a superbowl with Ray Lewis again, hes just too old and we arent ready yet, but we still have good young players. Our O-Line is very young and were great at the end of last year, Mcgahee is 26, Clayton is 25, heap is 27, Ngata is 24, Scott 27, and Reed 29. That is a good foundation of players. We need to make this years draft pick count and figure out what to do with our QB situation. Getting Mcnabb will only be a solution for one year like Mcnair was.
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Rich,
I mentioned some of the complications of cutting guys as it applies to the cap in a previous comment. Rolle looks like a significant accelerated cap hit if the previous reports on his deal are correct. They probably get nailed a little if they let McNair go, too. The best I can make out is that Ogden's money is all base salary so that would be a savings. But it's not as easy as just cutting a guy and all of a sudden, you have this cap room.
-- Bill O.

I'd rather have the flexibility of signing Suggs at my leisure (hopefuly to a only mildly ridiculous contract), than the flexibility to massively overspend on the new hot free agents. Many of them don't achieve the same level of success that they did with their original team (See Clements, Nate).

Bill - If a player is traded, his signing bonus proration is accelerated and the new team only takes on the player's annual salary. Bottom line is there are a lot of ways to finagle the cap. The Redskins are ALWAYS over the cap but always add players in free agency.
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Thanks for writing. I was responding to someone who seemed to feel that by cutting or trading current Ravens, you can rid yourself of the entire cap obligation. That is absolutely not the case and I think a lot of fans misunderstabd the cap rules. Where you correctly clarify is that in an instance where a team trades for a guy like McNabb, the new team ... like the Ravens ... doesn't get hit with the accelerated bonus number. So if what we think we know about McNabb's contract is true, the new team wouldn't get hit with the entire $9.6 mil cap number. But still, you'd need a good amount of cap room just to accommodate his base. Now in the case of the Redskins, they're well-known cap machinations keep coming back to haunt them. A reason some people believe Spagnuolo pulled out there was the cap situation.
-- Bill O.

What would it take to convince McNair to retire? Can we as fans do anything to convince him? Maybe stage a McNair's got to go parade?
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Has it worked with Pete Angelos.
-- Bill O.

There really is no clear answer to any of this. McNabb is not an answer. Though he'd be good, he's too valuable. And you can't just start cutting guys left and right for both monetary and team strength reason. People don't react well to many big names just dropping off the roster. Besides the fact that this has already been declared NOT a rebuilding year. When it comes to Suggs I say keep him. He's a good player that works well with the current group of guys. As you say, if you remove a body you have to fill it with a body. We're having enough problems filling the holes of the inadequate bodies, let's not create more problems by removing a working body.
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Bryan,
A voice of reason. Thanks.
-- Bill O.

Keeping Suggs is a good idea. Some players hate having the franchise tag put on them. I hope that is not the case with Suggs or we could have a un-happy camper for the whole year. Do you think Suggs is ok with the idea? I agree with the above comments that we need a replacement for Pryce. In the draft I would use the 1st pick on a cornerback and the 2nd on a pass rushing defensive end. I say give Troy a chance to prove himself this year and see what happens.
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Mike,
That's a good question about Suggs. Jamison Hensley tried reaching Gary Wichard, Suggs' agent. I have no idea how the player feels about it. You may recall that McAlister was sour on the idea. Up in Philadelphia, their tight end L.J. Smith was fine with it but he had a poor year because of injuries and should be happy for the big payday.
-- Bill O.

If Ogden retires that should open up a decent amount of cap room. Also, please do no bring McNair back. He can't help the team, and his cap number hurts the team. Getting McNabb would just turn into the same situation we have with McNair now a few years down the road. McNabb is too injury prone, and also can't take criticism.

WHO THE HELL WANTS MCNABB

Bill - How about if we keep all our draft picks and allow our new coach to get a good feel for the players and develop a system that everyone becomes seasoned in and then make a real strong super bowl push next year. We can go overboard on free agents, draft some more players, keep suggs and sign him to a big contract after we take the franchise tag off of him, and add another first rounder. Isn't that a better idea? After all everyone in the league should be playing a game of "arms race" b/c most likely pats/colts/jags/chargers will be huge favorites next season.
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Artin,
I think it's obvious that is exactly what the Ravens will do. The circumstances dictate it and that's what their inclination has generally been.
-- Bill O.

It'll prevent us from going after McNabb and you think that is a bad thing? I like the guy and he has more left in the tank than McNair but the guy cannot stay healthy and the Eagles are asking way too much for him. He would be a risk and he is not worth it.
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Marcus,
I have no idea why people think I'm disappointed that the Ravens are not in a position to go after McNabb. I think I've made it clear that it is in the Eagles' best interest to keep him and in the Ravens' best interest not to pay the price they would have to to get him.
-- Bill O.

Do you think the Ravens should buy a real QB from the Browns?
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Jerry,
Short answer ... no. I assume you're talking about Anderson or Quinn. Quinn is under contract so you have to trade for him. He was a first-rounder so imagine what you'd have to give up. Anderson is a FA but the Browns will sign him for sure so again you have to trade. He proved he was a 10-win guy so again think about what you would be required to part with. And I don't think Cleveland has any intention of letting either of those guys go, so it's moot.
-- Bill O.

tagging suggs is the rite choice. remember how bad our pass rush without pryce?? imagine how bad it would be about suggs. get a Qb in the draft or give troy smith a shot. donovan would be a quick fix answer like mcnab was. plus cut the unneeded players like anderson and all the crap players that have no shot anyway

Actually, it is the other way around.

The Ravens are in cap jail now so going after free agents were unlikely anyway. In fact, so is signing Suggs.

Therefore, it is the above that forced the Ravens to use the franchise tag on Suggs.

The draft is good for CBs if not OTs so I say they may trade down to grab DB, DE plus ... in the first two rounds. Whatever.
But what I would like to know is this, Oracle Bill : Where the info on Spagnuolo's view of the Skins cap 'situation' came from. Was your canoe that close ?
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Interesting question coming from a guy who CannotBeNamed. That has been the word.
-- Bill O.

Funny how Cleveland isn't willing to part with an obvious solid QB, yet we cut him. It just goes to show you that it was time for a regime change.
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That's a complicating issue ... how do you give up a fortune for a guy you basically gave away.
-- Bill O.

OLD PLAYERS=NO CAP ROOM=INJURIES
1. Tennessee 39 $40.85 million
2. San Diego 44 $33.03 million
3. Jacksonville 43 $32.69 million
4. Buffalo 49 $32.05 million
5. New Orleans 39 $31.69 million
6. Cincinnati 48 $31.45 million
7. San Francisco 48 $30.91 million
8. Cleveland42$30.31 million
9. Arizona 34 $30.27 million
10.N.Y. Jets 45 $27.72 million
11.Oakland 40 $25.98 million
12.Tampa Bay 48$25.90 million
13.Miami 48 $25.56 million
14.N.Y. Giants 49 $24.47 million
15.Detroit 42 $23.50 million
16.Houston 43 $22.91 million
17.Dallas 40 $20.61 million
18.Kansas City 44 $20.27 million
19.Chicago 52 $19.80 million
20.Pittsburgh 43 $18.61 million
21.Green Bay 48 $18.37 million
22.Philadelphia 49 $17.17 million
23.Denver 49 $16.77 million
24.Minnesota 49 $14.88 million
25.New England 41 $10.93 million
26.St. Louis 45 $9.61 million
27.Seattle 44 $9.55 million
28.Indianapolis 48 $8.49 million
29.Carolina 35 $6.05 million
30.Atlanta 52 $5.79 million*
31.Baltimore42 $5.00 million
32.Washington 45 -$20.72 million
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MC,
Many thanks.
-- Bill O.