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Haloti Ngata has done a lot of great things as a member of the Ravens. He's been a dominant force inside that helped free up space for the inside linebackers to work. He's displayed plenty of power to be able to get to quarterbacks himself, as well as clog up holes to prevent running backs from running through.
His on-field performance warranted him a five-year, $61 million contract back in 2011. The NFL is always in for the short-term — hence the old acronym Not For Long — and therefore, decisions have to be made in the 2015 offseason.
Ngata's cap hit for the upcoming season is a staggering $16 million. The Ravens have a lot of places they need to upgrade at, including cornerback, safety, wide receiver and tight end. On the defensive line, assuming Kapron Lewis-Moore can finally play a season and that Brent Urban will be 100 percent or 2015, depth isn't a concern. As a rookie, Timmy Jernigan more than held his own and appears to be a promising young lineman for the future.
It would appear the option of keeping Ngata where he's at contract-wise won't be on the table. You'd have to think the Ravens are considering all of their options and will meet with Ngata's representation about how to re-work his contract.
Ngata, 31, still has some good years in front of him, especially with how the rest of the front seven is built at the moment. To keep his playing career going, he may want to seriously consider a restructured deal.