Ozzie Newsome will continue to build team through draft despite free agent losses Being a champion has its rewards — and some major pitfalls.
The Baltimore Ravens couldn't keep everybody. Ozzie Newsome knew that all along. That's life in the NFL. The crafty general manager tried his best to plan for it.
Yet when the news came down Tuesday that inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe had struck a five-year, $35 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, it was, as Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson might say, like a punch in the stomach.
Ellerbe is the one who got away, even with other significant departures projected. The Ravens really wanted to keep Ellerbe to solidify the middle of a defense that lost its emotional coach-on-the-field, Ray Lewis, to retirement and still might not retain wily free safety Ed Reed.
ELLERBE HEADS SOUTH: Dolphins land LB with five-year, $35M deal
KRUGER'S SACK OF MONEY: Browns give pass rusher $40.5M
You can't blame Ellerbe for taking the money and sprinting, especially in this not-so-guaranteed environment of the NFL. When he signed with the Ravens in 2009 as an undrafted free agent from Georgia, he got a $2,000 signing bonus.
Who knows whether Ellerbe will be in the NFL long enough to get another contract, and if so, whether he'll be able to dictate the terms.
These are the type of guys you hate to lose if you run an NFL franchise. You've coached 'em up, developed them. And when they blossom into stars, some other team — often a rebuilding franchise that is in that predicament because it can't pick and develop them as well — gets the benefit. If it works out.
Nonetheless, that's the NFL system. The player blossomed and earned the right to cash in while he's hot. Ellerbe was gone about an hour after outside linebacker Paul Kruger — who started seven games in four years — signed a five-year, $40.5 million deal with the Cleveland Browns.
This news came after the Ravens traded sure-handed Anquan Boldin to the San Francisco 49ers when he refused to cut his $6 million salary.
Trading Boldin, a complete player who is also one of the NFL's best blocking receivers, was undoubtedly a tough decision driven by the big picture of building for the long haul. In a statement released by the team, Newsome called the move unpleasant.
That's a word people use when they really don't want to do something. It fits when considering the intangibles that "Q," as they call him, brought to a locker room that has already lost tremendous leaders in Lewis and retired center Matt Birk.
Now what? One of the remaining linebackers, Jameel McClain, put it this way to USA TODAY Sports: "They let Q go, so nothing surprises me anymore."
PHOTOS: Top 50 NFL free agents 
50. Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets
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49. Sam Baker, OT. SIGNED: Atlanta Falcons. (Old team: Falcons.)
Dave Martin, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
48. Donald Thomas, G. SIGNED: Indianapolis Colts. (Old team: New England Patriots.)
Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
47. Brent Grimes, CB, Atlanta Falcons
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46. Dustin Keller, TE, New York Jets
Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
45. Brandon Gibson, WR, St. Louis Rams
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44. Martellus Bennett, TE. SIGNED: Chicago Bears. (Old team: New York Giants)
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43. Gosder Cherilus, OT. SIGNED: Indianapolis Colts. (Old team: Detroit Lions)
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42. Glover Quin, S, Houston Texans
Mark L. Baer, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
41. Mike DeVito, DE. SIGNED: Kansas City Chiefs, three years, $12.6M (Old team: New York Jets.)
Andy Lyons, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
40. James Harrison, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers.
Vincent Pugliese, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
39. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
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38. Danny Amendola, WR, St. Louis Rams
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37. Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, New York Giants
Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
36. Dwight Freeney, DE, Indianapolis Colts
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35. Brandon Moore, G, New York Jets
Debby Wong, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
34. Eric Winston, OT, Kansas City Chiefs
John Rieger, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
33. Sean Smith, CB, Miami Dolphins
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
32. Osi Umenyiora, DE, New York Giants
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31. Israel Idonije, DE, Chicago Bears
Matt Kartozian, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
30. Louis Vasquez, G. SIGNED: Denver Broncos, four years, $23.5M. (Old team: San Diego Chargers)
Kathy Willens, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
29. Phil Dawson, K, Cleveland Browns
Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
28. Jared Cook, TE. SIGNED: St. Louis Rams. (Old team: Tennessee Titans.)
Don McPeak, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
27. Reggie Bush, RB, Miami Dolphins
Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
26. John Abraham, DE, Atlanta Falcons
Bob Leverone, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
25. Philip Wheeler, OLB. SIGNED: Miami Dolphins, five years, $26M. (Old team: Oakland Raiders.)
Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
24. Chris Houston, CB, Detroit Lions
Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
23. Ed Reed, FS, Baltimore Ravens James Lang, US Presswire
