So why is Ngata putting himself through this?
"The next contract is never guaranteed," Ngata said. "There are so many things that can happen between now and then. I want to place myself in a good position when football is done. It helps kids in the community to finish school. It's great that I can be a role model that way, too."
Driven to succeed
Ngata's intensity has surprised some NFL observers. Just minutes after he was selected 12th overall by the Ravens in the 2006 draft, ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth questioned the lineman's effort, saying, "You're going to need a propane torch to light a fire under this guy."
But others never doubted him. One team official said New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick called Ozzie Newsome that weekend and told the Ravens' general manager that he secured the best player in the draft (Newsome would neither confirm nor deny this).
After three seasons of controlling the middle, Ngata has few critics now. He is running, shoving and hitting from the time the ball is snapped until the whistle is blown.
When he isn't on the field, Ngata is continuing to work. He likes to pick the brain of Birk, who went against two of the best linemen - Pat and Kevin Williams - in practice with the Minnesota Vikings.
Playing on the interior line, Ngata has to dissect plays quickly or get blindsided by a double team - which would be a 600-pound mistake.
"That's what the great ones do," Birk said. "They're always wanting to learn."
Although he doesn't get as much camera time as Ray Lewis or Joe Flacco, Ngata often is considered one of the most valuable players on the Ravens. His impact can be measured by the Ravens' run defense.
In 2005, the year before drafting Ngata, the Ravens ranked No. 9 against the run, giving up 99.4 yards per game. In three seasons with the hulking lineman, the Ravens finished second in 2006, second in 2007 and third in 2008. The most rushing yards given up in that span was 81.4 per game (2008).
"He's the most dominant defensive lineman we've had since Sam Adams," said Lewis, referring to the two-time Pro Bowl lineman who played on the team that won the January 2001 Super Bowl.
Pro Bowl-bound?
Where does Ngata stack up against the rest of the NFL's elite defensive linemen?
He is just as disruptive as Haynesworth. He is just as athletic as the Cleveland Browns' Shaun Rogers.
But Ngata has yet to be elected to a Pro Bowl, which Ravens guard Ben Grubbs calls "mind-boggling."
