THE RAVENS HAD no other choice than to make left tackle Jonathan Ogden the highest-paid offensive lineman in the National Football League yesterday.
After all, he is one of the league's best linemen, and possibly the best technician at his position. He is also the team's first draft pick after it moved to Baltimore nearly five years ago, and one of the cornerstones of the offense.
Ogden had all the leverage, and it was just his turn to hit the jackpot.
The Ravens plan to announce Ogden's deal today, a six-year extension worth $44 million that includes a $12 million signing bonus. During the next seven years, Ogden will make $48 million.
That's a better deal than the six-year, $30.5 million contract signed by Philadelphia offensive tackle Jon Runyan in the off-season and more than the $6.5 million average of the contract agreed to by Jacksonville Pro Bowl left tackle Tony Boselli last year.
There has been a debate as to who is better, Boselli or Ogden?
But it really doesn't matter. Would you take $1 million in cash or $1 million in gold?
"If you're close to that person in talent, than it only matters that you become the highest paid when it's your turn," said Ogden. "That's the way it works."
This won't be wasted money.
Despite the negative publicity surrounding Ravens players such as Ralph Staten, Ray Lewis, Larry Webster and Chris McAlister, Ogden's image is relatively squeaky clean. He is extremely active in the community, working for organizations such as the United Way, Urban League and the Pediatric Diabetes Center.
He comes from a good family. His father, Shirrel, is a Washington, D.C., investment banker. His mother, Cassandra, is the executive director of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO), a nonprofit organization that provides pre-law recruitment, counseling, placement assistance and training to increase the number of qualified minority students at law schools.
Ogden has his own smarts too, intelligent enough to hire an agent like Marvin Demoff who virtually handcuffed the Ravens into signing such a lucrative deal nearly four years ago.
As a rookie and the No. 4 overall pick in 1996, Ogden agreed to a seven-year, $15.4 million contract. But there was a unique clause that barred the team from putting a transition or franchise tag on Ogden, and allowed him to become a free agent after his fifth season.
