Terrell Suggs

Ravens To Bring Terrell Suggs Back In 2017

Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs is under contract through 2018, but he’s due to carry a cap number of $6.95MM in each of the next two seasons. That’s a significant amount of money for a player who turns 35 next fall and has suffered two biceps tears in four years. Still, general manager Ozzie Newsome tells reporters that he’ll be back with the next in 2017. Terrell Suggs (vertical)

[RELATED: Ravens To Keep OC Marty Mornhinweg]

This year, Suggs played through his injury and missed only one regular season game. He finished the year with strong numbers: eight sacks, 33 total tackles, and three forced fumbles. However, he appears to have lost a step in his mid-30s and the advanced numbers indicate show that he’s not the elite-level force he once was. Suggs finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ No. 40 ranked edge defender out of 109 qualified players.

Despite all of that, the Ravens intend on keeping Suggs and he has already ruled out retirement. As the Ravens’ only top-90 ranked edge rusher in 2016 (per PFF), it makes sense for Baltimore to bring him back, even if he’s no longer playing like a Pro Bowler.

Terrell Suggs Won’t Retire This Offseason

Even after a tough loss for the Ravens on Sunday, linebacker Terrell Suggs does not want to hear any retirement talk. Suggs seemed insulted when asked about the prospect of walking away from the game, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. Terrell Suggs (vertical)

I don’t know what you heard — what the [f—] is wrong with him?– I was always planning to come back and doing this another year,” Suggs said.

Suggs, 35 in October, played through his second biceps tear in four years this season. Despite the injury, he has eight sacks, 33 total tackles, and three forced fumbles. The advanced stats aren’t as fond of him as you’d think, but he’s still rated as the 37th best edge defender in the NFL out of 110 qualified players by Pro Football Focus. Suggs may not be the player he once was, but he clearly has lots of football left in him.

Suggs is under contract through 2018 as a part of the multi-year extension he signed in 2014. He’ll carry a cap number of $6.95MM in each of the next two seasons.

Terrell Suggs Suffers Torn Biceps

Terrell Suggs will have a similar decision to make after sustaining a second biceps tear in four years. The Ravens’ 14th-year pass-rusher suffered a torn left biceps during his team’s loss to the Giants today, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.

Now 34, Suggs will need to decide whether to play through this malady or undergo surgery. When he sustained a right biceps tear in 2012, the former first-round pick opted to keep playing. He played in all four of Baltimore’s playoff games after sustaining the tear in December of that year and helped the Ravens claim their second Super Bowl championship.

The cornerstone Ravens linebacker wants to keep playing, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The six-time Pro Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro is coming off a 2015 season in which he played one game due to tearing his Achilles’ tendon in Week 1. He didn’t return until this preseason but has started all six games for the Ravens in 2016. Suggs also suffered an Achilles tear in 2012 before returning for that season’s second half.

Suggs has enjoyed a standout season from a pass-rushing perspective despite the myriad injuries in his rear-view mirror. He picked up his fifth sack of the season today and made five solo tackles (two for loss) in the Ravens’ 27-23 loss. The five sacks tie Suggs for sixth in the league. Each of the other eight players who have registered at least five sacks this season are at least three years younger than Suggs. Should he reach 10 sacks this season, it would mark the seventh time he will have hit double digits in a season.

Extra Points: Kaepernick, Gabbert, Kuhn

Let’s round up some news from around the league on our last Sunday before full training camp practices begin:

  • Current Vikings guard Alex Boone spent the first seven seasons of his professional career with the 49ers before signing with Minnesota this offseason, and he tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Blaine Gabbert will beat out Colin Kaepernick for San Francisco’s starting quarterback job. Boone said, “To be honest I think that Blaine did a great job last year, and from what I know of Blaine, I think he’s probably gonna take the reins. I mean I think he’s a good guy, he knows what he’s doing out there, and he just has the support of the group so I think that’s one of the things to look forward to.” Boone’s comments, of course, are in keeping with recent reports from the Bay Area.
  • Longtime Packers fullback and current free agent John Kuhn told Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller on SiriusXM NFL Radio several days ago that he is still waiting for an NFL team (preferably the Packers) to give him a call. A full-length piece from SiriusXM staff provides more details of that conversation, in which Kuhn explains why he expects to continue playing in 2016. Kuhn believes the variety of sub-packages that defenses deploy in today’s game create a need for two-back sets, and he added, “If not this week, if not next week, sometime in August, somebody’s going to have a need for somebody who’s willing to come in, work hard, do some of the dirty work that not everybody does anymore.”
  • The Ravens put six players on the PUP list Saturday, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports, including big names Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith, Sr., Elvis Dumervil, and Breshad Perriman. All of those players, of course, can return to practice when activated, but they would have to miss at least the first six weeks of the season if they remain on the PUP list when Week 1 rolls around. Conspicuously absent from that list is Joe Flacco, who can participate in the first full-team training camp practice on Thursday.
  • Kyle Meinke of MLive.com says the Lions‘ hottest training camp battle could be at wide receiver, where a host of veterans and unproven youngsters will compete for playing time behind Marvin Jones and Golden Tate.
  • Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times tweets that the Buccaneers have 12 receivers currently on the roster, 10 of whom are 25 or younger. Of that group, Auman expects five to make the 53-man roster (or six if the group includes the return specialist). In a separate tweet, Auman indicates that the Bucs will also carry four tight ends.

Extra Points: Baldwin, Ravens, Saints

Doug Baldwin had the best season of his career in 2015, finishing with 78 catches for 1,069 yards and 14 touchdowns (all career-highs). Despite the breakout season, the 27-year-old will be playing on only a $4MM base salary in 2016, the final year of his three-year, $13MM deal signed in 2014.

However, the wideout isn’t stressing an extension. In fact, he has faith in general manager John Schneider and the Seahawks front office to get a deal done in a timely manner. If it doesn’t? Baldwin’s still ready to perform.

“If I continue to work hard, if I continue to strive to get better and not focus on things money oriented, it’s eventually going to come,” he told ESPN.com’s Jim Trotter. “And even if it doesn’t, I’m fine with that, too, because at the end of the day, I’m controlling what I can control. That’s all God gave me, was the tools to control what I can control. If it doesn’t work out the way that I want it to work out, that to me is just God telling me that He has a better plan.”

Of course, Baldwin hinted that a deal could be coming soon.

“John pretty much told me that the offer was going to come after the draft,” he said. “Even if it doesn’t come, I’m not worried about it. Why not? Because there are other things I value in life. I don’t value worrying about that.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the league on this Monday evening…

  • The NFL will investigate the Ravens use of full pads at a recent rookie minicamp, reports ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. While one team official said they were unaware of the reports, they did note that rookies used pads for a “non-contact punt protection drill,” which would seemingly contradict the collective bargaining agreement. However, the team official said the organization believed those rookie minicamp rules did not apply to OTAs.
  • Ravens star Terrell Suggs‘ pre-trial conference for his March one-car accident in Arizona was held today, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Ravens outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith will now be represented by SportsTrust Advisors, according to Liz Mullen of SBJ (on Twitter).
  • Undrafted Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams is likely on his way to the CFL, as John Keim of ESPN.com writes. “I could be like a Warren Moon or Doug Flutie,” he said of former NFL quarterbacks who played in the CFL. “All I need is a chance. … If they can stop looking at my height and give me a chance they’d get a teammate with a lot of energy and a great leader.” Adams’ rights are owned by the B.C. Lions.
  • The Saints asked linebacker Chris Weatherd to participate in the team’s veteran’s minicamp in June, tweets Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. The Tennessee product participated in the organization’s rookie minicamp this past weekend.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: 49ers, Chiefs, Suggs, Pats

We learned in late February that 49ers offensive tackle Anthony Davis was set to apply for reinstatement after taking a hiatus from football last season. That still hasn’t happened yet, but Davis tweeted Friday that he’ll file for reinstatement “later this year.” Interestingly, Davis added that “[d]ealing with Trent is giving me a headache.” That’s likely a reference to 49ers general manager Trent Baalke. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Davis is trying to goad the Baalke-led Niners into releasing him. The 26-year-old is under 49ers control through 2019.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • The Chiefs announced a slew of changes to their coaching staff Friday, Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star reports. One of the moves was to promote Britt Reid, head coach Andy Reid‘s son, to defensive line coach. Britt Reid was the Chiefs’ assistant D-line coach last season and will take over for Tommy Brasher, whom the team shifted to special projects. The Chiefs also elevated Al Harris from assistant defensive backs coach to secondary coach. He’ll mostly work with cornerbacks, per Paylor. Further, assistant quarterbacks coach Corey Matthaei will add offensive line assistant to his title and assistant linebackers coach Mark DeLeone will take on a greater defensive role. The club also hired Joe Bleymaier (offensive quality control), Taylor Embree (defensive assistant), Mike Smith (assistant defensive line coach), and Devin Woodhouse and Ryan Reynolds (strength and conditioning).
  • Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs pleaded not guilty Friday to a pair of misdemeanor charges stemming from a one-car accident last month, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Suggs was arrested by Arizona police and charged with driving on a suspended license and failure to notify after striking a fixture. He could face up to six months in jail if found guilty, though Zrebiec notes that this type of violation is usually handled with fines. Some form of punishment from the league is also a possibility for Suggs.
  • One of Suggs’ ex-teammates, free agent receiver Tandon Doss, ran routes and caught passes at Indiana’s pro day on Friday and is hoping to sign with a team, Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com writes. Doss caught 26 passes in 29 games with Baltimore from 2012-13. He hasn’t suited up for a game since. Doss’ previous club, Jacksonville, cut him last summer.
  • In draft news, the Patriots observed two offensive linemen – tackle Clay DeBord and guard Aaron Neary – at Eastern Washington’s pro day, according to Phil Perry of CSNNE.com. Both figure to be Day 3 picks or undrafted free agents.

Extra Points: Cowboys, Brooks, J. Reed, Suggs

After parting ways with the Falcons in January, Lionel Vital – Atlanta’s former director of player personnel – is joining the Cowboys‘ front office. As first reported by Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link), Dallas is hiring Vital as a senior personnel executive. He’ll report to Cowboys assistant director of player personnel Will McClay, a source tells David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL:

  • All indications are that Ahmad Brooks‘ spot on the 49ers‘ roster remains safe for at least another season, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The Niners don’t have an in-house replacement lined up at Brooks’ position, and his $8MM cap hit isn’t exorbitant now that San Francisco is carrying a league-high $58MM+ in cap room, per OverTheCap.com.
  • Washington tight end Jordan Reed has completed his agent change, signing with Joel Segal for representation, per Mike Jones and Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post (Twitter link). Reed is extension-eligible, and based on the deals recently signed by Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz, he appears to be in good position to cash in.
  • Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs was charged with two misdemeanors related to a car accident earlier this month, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). TMZ first reported the news. Depending on how the case plays out, Suggs could eventually face NFL discipline.
  • The NFL formally announced the performance-based pay bonuses for 2015 this week, and Broncos center Matt Paradis received the most additional pay (nearly $392K). The PBP bonuses are primarily distributed to players whose playing time was significant and whose salaries were not. The figures don’t affect teams’ salary caps.

Extra Points: Manning, Vikings, Suggs, Jets

Peyton Manning‘s 2016 base salary of $19MM becomes fully guaranteed on March 9, and according to his agent, Manning knows that he needs to make a retirement decision before that date or risk being released by the Broncos. “There’s a time when the contract becomes guaranteed, so they’ll just have to make a move before then,” said Tom Condon on The Mighty 1090 in San Diego (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “He’s completely aware of the guarantee obligation from the club on a date certain, and he knows that there has to be some accommodation prior to that.”

Here’s a quick look at some news and notes from around the NFL:

  • The Vikings are expected to target several Bengals free agents, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, in large part due to head coach Mike Zimmer‘s familiarity with Cincinnati players — Zimmer was the Bengals’ defensive coordinator from 2008-13. According to Tomasson, Minnesota will look hard at safeties George Iloka and Reggie Nelson even after agreeing to re-sign Andrew Sendejo earlier today.
  • Ravens edge rusher Terrell Suggs was arrested in Arizona on Friday morning and charged with driving on a suspended license and leaving the scene of an accident, reports Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun. Both are seemingly minor offenses, but Zriebec notes that both can be tied to jail time in Arizona (though apparently the more common penalty is a fine). In a separate piece, Florio writes that the leaving the scene charge makes the situation appear more “ominous,” and he wonders if the league might look to impose discipline.
  • Pending further roster cuts, the Jets will enter the free agent period will less than $7MM to work with, leading Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News to observe that the club won’t be able to target high-priced free agents like it did in 2015. Affordable players like Ladarius Green or Alfred Morris might be more the Jets’ speed this year, opines Mehta.
  • This year’s receiver draft class is not expected to be special, leading Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link) to believe that clubs needing pass-catchers could overspend — and potentially, make mistakes — in free agency.
  • The Chiefs made a number of changes to their offensive staff following the departure of play-caller Doug Pederson, and head coach Andy Reid told reporters, including Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link), tonight that assistant quarterbacks coach Corey Matthaei will be helping out in coaching the team’s offensive line this season.

Ravens Rumors: Eagles, Harbaugh, Flacco

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh addressed reporters minutes ago in Baltimore. Here’s a look at the highlights:

  • The Eagles have not called the Ravens about Harbaugh, owner Steve Bisciotti said, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The Baltimore head coach was viewed as a long shot target for Philadelphia, but it appears the Eagles recognize Harbaugh isn’t leaving the Ravens.
  • Newsome is hopeful that team can reduce Joe Flacco‘s cap number in 2016 but he said the team has to have a plan of putting together a roster if Flacco’s cap number remains at $28.55MM, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes.
  • Linebacker Terrell Suggs is coming back in 2016, Newsome says (via Hensley). Suggs told him that he doesn’t want to leave game like he left Denver with Achilles injury. The former first-round pick has played his entire career in Baltimore, making six Pro Bowls and winning the defensive player of the year award. Prior to his 2015 injury, the 33-year-old missed only 11 games during his career, including eight in 2012 when he tore his right Achilles.
  • When discussing the cap situation further, Newsome explained that the team had dead money with Ray Rice last year and he indicated that tight end Dennis Pitta could call for more dead money in 2016, as Zrebiec tweets. Pitta is dead set on returning to the field next year, despite his constant hip problems. “I’m a football player and that’s what I’ve always wanted to do,” said Pitta back in November. “I have a sense of duty to my teammates, the team and to this organization. This organization has given me a lot over the last few years.” The tight end has played in only three games since receiving a five-year deal with $16MM guaranteed in February 2014. One has to wonder if he might be forced to retire at this point.
  • Newsome said trying to extend Justin Tucker is a priority and if it gets to the point where they have to, they will use franchise tag on him, Zrebiec tweets. Tucker, 26, has been a little shakier during the last two seasons than he was in his first two years, missing five field goal attempts in 2014 and seven in 2015. However, all but one of those misses came from 50+ yards, and he converted all 29 of his extra-point tries in 2015, so he’ll be in line for a nice raise from Baltimore.
  • Owner Steve Bisciotti said that team exec Eric DeCosta is still committed to the organization, Zrebiec tweets. “He’s got too much at stake here in his relationship with Ozzie [Newsome],” Bisciotti said. The owner added that DeCosta probably could have had 10 different GM jobs by now if he wanted them. Bisciotti said that he doesn’t see either exec going anywhere for “many years” (link).
  • Harbaugh said that the team is definitely looking to add a pass rusher, Zrebiec tweets.
  • When asked about his free agency approach, Newsome said, “I don’t think we’ll be as busy as some teams are in March. We never have” (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun). Newsome said that the Ravens will have money available if a free agent they like is out there (link).
  • Newsome said that he feels the team needs to add one more, if not two more, wide receivers early on in the draft or in free agency (Twitter link via Zrebiec).

North Notes: Ratliff, Lions, Levy, Ravens

Veteran defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff is currently a free agent, free to sign with any NFL team, but as details continue to trickle out about last week’s incident at Halas Hall, it appears increasingly unlikely that another team will give him a shot this season.

Ratliff showed up last Wednesday in no condition to practice, prompting the Bears to send him home. After the team made the decision to cut him, Ratliff returned to the club’s practice facility, saying at one point that “he felt like killing everybody in the building,” according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune, citing a report from Lake Forest Police.

Ratliff left Halas Hall and returned again later, at which time he reportedly said, “I am the devil” and that he “wished staff member’s children would die.” Although no charges were filed against Ratliff, the Bears did call local police, with team officials alerting police of their belief that the 34-year-old owns multiple firearms, according to Campbell.

As the Bears attempt to move on from last week’s incident, let’s check in on some other items from out of the NFL’s North divisions….

  • The idea that the Lions may consider parting with quarterback Matthew Stafford after this season is “comical,” GM Martin Mayhew told reporters today, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Mayhew also dismissed the possibility of a Calvin Johnson trade: “Both of those guys are very important to what we’re doing as a franchise, great people off the field, great teammates. And both of those guys have Hall of Fame potential. So to say that we should move those guys doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
  • DeAndre Levy, recovering from hip surgery, may not see the field again this season after playing just 17 regular season snaps. However, Mayhew doesn’t regret locking up the Lions linebacker to a long-term extension prior to the season, as Birkett writes. “He’s not the first guy to sign an extension and get hurt. That happens sometimes,” Mayhew said. “You hate when it happens, but certainly through no fault of his own. It’s a serious injury that he’s dealing with.”
  • It was a busy day for Mayhew, who also said that he expects the Lions to be buyers, not sellers, at next week’s trade deadline.
  • The Ravens‘ front office and coaching staff have received no phone calls and just one text message from Terrell Suggs since the veteran pass rusher tore his Achilles a month and a half ago, writes Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. GM Ozzie Newsome says he isn’t worried about the lack of communication with Suggs, who may be rehabbing on his own, adding that he expects the 33-year-old to return to the team next season.