Although it has been presumed that Terrell Suggs would play this season under the franchise tag, the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker said Friday that he is nearing a long-term deal with the Ravens.

The deadline to reach a new contract with franchise players is July 15. If no deal is struck, Suggs will play his second straight season under the tag, earning $10.2 million this year.

“I feel like we’re getting close,” Suggs told the team’s Web site. “Negotiations are going on with the Ravens. Fans can be optimistic that I’ll be [at training camp].”

It is believed that the Ravens have offered Suggs a contract that would make him among the highest-paid defensive players in the league. But there have been indications that Suggs is still leaning toward testing the free-agent market in March.

Because he has yet to sign his contract, he missed all of the offseason minicamps without any discipline from the team. He also would likely miss training camp like he did last year.

Suggs, 26, is considered one of the rising defensive stars in the NFL. He led the Ravens with eight sacks and finished third on the team with a career-best 102 tackles.

There has been speculation that Suggs is looking for a contract similar to the one given in 2007 to the Indianapolis Colts’ Dwight Freeney, whose six-year, $72 million deal made him the highest paid defender in league history at the time.

“I just hope we can get it done in time for training camp,” Suggs said.

When the Ravens used the tag on Suggs in February, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said, “You have to look at it as an opportunity for us to enter into a long-term deal.”

Suggs couldn't be reached for comment.