Lewis: Future with Ravens 'nobody else's business'
January 30
Baltimore Sun
"Linebacker Ray Lewis will become an unrestricted free agent in 29 days unless the Ravens use the franchise tag or he strikes a new deal with the team.
TAMPA, FLA. - In his first comments to the Baltimore media this offseason, Ray Lewis yesterday was noncommittal about his chances of staying with the Ravens.
Lewis, 33, will become an unrestricted free agent in 29 days unless the Ravens use the franchise tag on him or the Pro Bowl linebacker strikes a new deal with the team. It would mark the first time in Lewis' 13-year career that the face of the Ravens' franchise reached free agency.
"What I'm thinking, nobody needs to know," said Lewis, who was at the Super Bowl promoting Xbox 360 and the Madden Bowl. "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."
Lewis' situation likely will go down as the biggest offseason story line in Ravens history. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti as well as former and current teammates have talked publicly about Lewis' future.
At his season-ending news conference, Bisciotti said he has been "hopeful forever" that the Ravens would sign Lewis to a new deal and didn't foresee using the franchise tag to keep him off the free-agent market.
Asked about the franchise tag, Lewis shrugged his shoulders.
"I just hope they do whatever is best for the organization," he said. "Take me out of it."
So, Lewis wouldn't mind the tag?
"It doesn't matter," he said. "It's whatever God has in his plans."
Players designated with the franchise tag are forced to accept a one-year contract at a salary based on the average of the NFL's five highest-paid players at that position.
Fellow linebacker Terrell Suggs recently said all three free-agent linebackers (Lewis, Suggs and Bart Scott) could stay together if they gave the Ravens "a home discount."
"What he really is talking about is a brotherhood," Lewis said."
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