The Ravens will find out today what is rhetoric and what is reality in regard to Ray Lewis.
The longtime face of the franchise was allowed to begin speaking to other teams at midnight last night, becoming the highest-profile free agent in the team's 13-year history.
Does Dallas owner Jerry Jones truly covet Lewis' leadership for a dysfunctional Cowboys team? How interested is Rex Ryan in making Lewis his defensive centerpiece in his first season as New York Jets head coach? Could the Denver Broncos and Mike Nolan sneak into the picture?
Or will Lewis find out his best option is to remain with the Ravens?
While the Ravens have continued to express interest in Lewis, the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has talked about playing for the Cowboys and the Jets.
According to Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware, Lewis said it's his "dream" to play for the Cowboys.
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome acknowledged that he has heard all of Lewis' banter but said it won't affect the talks between the two sides. It is believed the Ravens have offered Lewis a three-year deal that averages $8 million a season.
"As long as we continue to be involved in negotiations, that's all I can control," Newsome said.
This could be a busy start to free agency for the Ravens. Besides Lewis, the Ravens have two other players (linebacker Bart Scott and center Jason Brown) among the top 10 free agents available.
But most of the attention has centered on Lewis, a free agent for the first time in his 13-year career.
While making his 10th Pro Bowl, Lewis proved he could continue to play at a high level. Still, it will be interesting to see whether teams are willing to offer a big contract to a linebacker who turns 34 by the start of the regular season.
Here are some possible destinations for Lewis:
Cowboys
On paper, this seems to be a good fit. The Cowboys need a leader to rein in some personalities, and they need another big-name star to fill the seats of their new stadium.
But unless Jones is playing some games, it doesn't seem Dallas will show much interest.
"It would surprise me to see a big splash" in free agency, Jones told reporters at last weekend's NFL combine.
Jets
The Jets are unloading players at a brisk rate, opening up millions in salary-cap room. It seems logical Ryan would want to reunite with Lewis, who was the cog in Ryan's creative defenses.
