The Baltimore Ravens have been fortunate to enjoy the consistently disruptive presence of defensive tackle Haloti Ngata for nine NFL seasons now.
Last year, the only time in his career he's appeared in less than 14 games - the result of an NFL-mandated suspension for the illegal use of Adderall - Ngata still managed to finish with 31 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
At 31, he's most likely entering the twilight phase of his NFL career and could be at something of a crossroads in his Baltimore tenure as he's slated to count $16 million against the salary cap for next season.
The future for Ngata is murky and it seems that with his high cap figure and declining production he could be cut if he isn't willing to restructure his deal, according to Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun.
"If they can get that done, it would free up money to land other free agents and retain their own. If they don't, well, the Ravens' 2006 first-round draft pick has to find another place this year where he can finish his career," writes Preston.
The team has approached Ngata "in the past couple of seasons" about restructuring his contract, according to Preston, but the big tackle has deferred to this point.
With Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan waiting impatiently in the wings, Ngata could be facing a situation wherein he doesn't have much leverage outside the locker room.
Inside, though, it's a different story.
"Losing Ngata could significantly affect the locker room," cautions Preston. "The Ravens didn't suffer much on the field when Ngata was suspended for those four games, but his absence turned into a rallying point for some teammates."
Ngata is close friends with outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and is a leader on the team. Forcing him to take a pay cut or take a hike would be a risky proposition for head coach John Harbaugh and GM Ozzie Newsome.
But with high picks recently invested in Williams and Jernigan and Ngata's salary no longer matching his on-field production, something will have to give.
