Terrell Suggs has filed a grievance against the Ravens, saying he should be designated as a defensive end instead of a linebacker.
The Ravens used the franchise tag on Suggs on Feb. 19, keeping him off the free-agent market with a one-year tender worth $8.065 million (the average of the five highest-paid linebackers in the NFL).
But Suggs wants the one-year tag of $8.879 million for defensive ends -$814,000 more than what linebackers receive.
The arbitration hearing has not been scheduled.
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said talks regarding a long-term deal for Suggs have been temporarily stopped.
"When [the grievance] is resolved, we'll get back to the table," Newsome said on the team's Web site.
Suggs contends he should be considered a defensive end because more than half of the snaps he played came as a pass-rushing end. But the Ravens argue that Suggs plays linebacker in the team's base defense and has always been listed as a linebacker on the Pro Bowl ballot.
Suggs' agent, Gary Wichard, did not return phone calls.
jamison.hensley@baltsun.com
