Are the Ravens Better Off Without Haloti Ngata?

Oct 26, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Haloti Ngata (92) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Haloti Ngata is one of the best players in Ravens franchise history, I’ll go ahead and get that out of the way.  He is also one of the most beloved players among fans, and until this week had one of the cleanest reputations.  Ngata appeared to be having a strong bounce back season after a down 2013 through 13 weeks after he was noticeably lighter and stronger following offseason activities.

And Ngata needed to bounce back to justify his salary of $8.5 million this season, and if he hoped to have a shot at returning in 2015. At the age of 30 and in what appeared to be a decline in performance, a second consecutive subpar year would have meant accepting either a cut in salary or an outright release.

Regardless of whether Haloti Ngata is being truthful about his drug use or not, the Ravens defense didn’t seem to miss a beat in their first game without him.

Instead, Haloti Ngata came back stronger than anyone could have imagined, ranking as Pro Football Focus’ eighth best 3-4 defensive tackle among 48 qualifiers.  Everyone attributed this bounce back to a commitment to an offseason training regimen that had Ngata in the best shape of his life.  Now many are skeptical of Ngata, and for good reason.

Ngata admitted to taking Adderall, a drug that is used to treat ADD but also used by many to boost energy and clarity.  He told the Ravens and the NFL that he took it to over the holidays to get a boost he needed to help deal with the grind of the season and his three small children at home.

Regardless of whether Haloti Ngata is being truthful about his drug use or not, the Ravens defense didn’t seem to miss a beat in their first game without him.  Lawrence Guy and Timmy Jernigan saw an uptick in snaps, both receiving a positive grade from Pro Football Focus.  The Ravens landed six sacks on Ryan Tannehill and limited the Dolphins to 63 yards rushing.

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It may seem silly to question whether or not a team should keep a player who is still playing at a high level, but Haloti Ngata carries a $16 million dollar cap number in 2015, the final year of his contract.  That is a number that is very cumbersome and will most definitely require some sort of action.  Extension talks last offseason went nowhere, however, so it remains to be seen if Ngata will be willing to take a cut while he is still among the best players in the NFL.

If he does hit the open market, Ngata will still be highly sought after, regardless of the stupid “mistake” he made.  But nine year veterans should know better, especially ones who play for a team that is fighting for a playoff bid and needs their best players and team leaders on the field.  The Ravens are right to be frustrated with Haloti Ngata, and the next three games will reveal whether or not they need him.  Right now, it seems like they don’t.