Ravens-Ray Lewis contract chatter

March 31, 2008: Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti tells The Baltimore Sun the franchise is in an "open dialogue" with Ray Lewis about his contract situation. "If he becomes a free agent next year, I think the Ravens would probably outbid other teams," Bisciotti said. "We know Ray's value more than the other teams. We know the leadership he brings to the team. We know the commitment and the effort he gives to winning."

November 2008: In the week leading up to the Nov. 30 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Lewis tells The Sun he hopes the Ravens don't use the franchise tag on him. ""If the season ends and I'm a totally free agent, for the first time in my life I will be totally free," Lewis said. "You know what that feels like for a man? It's one thing to deal with a contract. It's one thing to deal with life without a contract. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel to make my own decision."

Jan. 21, 2009: Bisciotti tells the media he isn't planning on using the franchise tag to keep Lewis in Baltimore for the 2009 season. "Ray is not going to settle for something that he thinks is way below" his market value, Bisciotti said. "If he wants to go out there and maximize his money and somebody is desperate for that kind of leadership, then there may be a big gap. And I'm not going to say to Oz [general manager Ozzie Newsome]: Go do it under any circumstances."

Jan. 25, 2009: Linebacker Terrell Suggs suggests to Sirius NFL Radio that he, Lewis and Bart Scott give the Ravens a discount so all three free agents can return to Baltimore. "We've already seen one of our other brothers [linebacker Adalius Thomas] walk," Suggs said. "We really don't want to see too many more of us walk away from the city of Baltimore. Hopefully we all can stay, definitely, on a home discount."

Jan. 28, 2009: Former Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe tells The Sun he advised Lewis to re-sign with the team. "I told Ray: 'Consider returning. You're like [John] Elway in Denver and [Dan] Marino in Miami. They should erect a statue of you next to Johnny Unitas. That's the kind of impact you've had in Baltimore. That should mean something to you.'"

Jan. 29, 2009: Lewis is noncommittal about his return to Baltimore in his first comments to the media since the Ravens' 23-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC championship game. "What I'm thinking, nobody needs to know," Lewis said. "I've given my prayers to God. It's between me and him. It's nobody else's business. That's between me and God."

Feb. 4, 2009: Lewis tells the NFL Network that he won't offer the Ravens a hometown discount for his services. "I don't play less," Lewis said. "If you don't play less, you don't take less. That's just life."

Feb. 8, 2009: Ravens coach John Harbaugh tells USA Today he's optimistic about the team's chances to re-sign Ray Lewis. "Steve [Bisciotti, team owner] said he thinks we'll be willing to pay more than anybody else," Harbaugh said. "I know Ray has to take a look around. But I'm definitely convinced that Ray wants to finish his career a Baltimore Raven. And there's no question the Baltimore Ravens definitely want Ray."

(baltimoresun.com)