Report: Ravens Trying To Reduce NT Haloti Ngata’s Cap Figure

Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Ravens are exploring ways to reduce NT Haloti Ngata‘s $16 million cap figure for the 2014 season.

However, Wilson adds that “nothing came of” the Ravens discussions with Ngata.

This comes shortly after they worked out an extension with OLB Terrell Suggs and freed up close to $4 million in the process.

Baltimore GM Ozzie Newsome told reporters earlier this morning that they have been discussing extensions with “several” players, so it makes sense that they would continue to look for more cap relief as they prepare to lock up impending free agents like TE Dennis Pitta, DE Arthur Jones, LT Eugene Monroe and ILB Daryl Smith.

The Ravens should have close to $12 million in available cap space to work with as of right now. However, a simple restructure of Ngata’s current deal could free up a little over $3 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com’s Salary Calculator, but we’ll have to see if they even try to revisit talks in the coming weeks.

Ngata just turned 30, but has consistently been one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league for a number of years now. Although he started showing some signs of decline in 2013 as he produced a career low 1.5 sacks for the Ravens defense. Pro Football Focus still had him rated as the No. 18 interior defensive lineman this past season.

He has two years remaining on his five-year, $61 million contract that included $37.1 million guaranteed.