The Baltimore Ravens and franchise player Terrell Suggs reached an unprecedented compromise yesterday, avoiding the need to arbitrate a grievance the outside linebacker had filed against the team.

Suggs had been seeking to be paid the defensive end franchise designation of $8.879 million after being tagged with the one-year, $8.065 million linebacker tag. Now, Suggs will be paid a one-year tender worth nearly $8.5 million as a new designation was created as a hybrid defensive end/linebacker, according to his agent, Gary Wichard.

The development was prompted by a suggestion from Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome in order to jumpstart stalled negotiations.

The NFL Players Assocation and the NFL Management Council are still working out the final details of the new designation.

As an unsigned franchise player, Suggs hasn't been required to attend offseason minicamps. Although Suggs attended coach John Harbaugh's first minicamp practice as a gesture of good will, he wasn't allowed to practice due to league regulations regarding unsigned players.

The former NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year filed a grievance March 5, claiming that he played over half of his snaps at defensive end last year. Suggs has 45 career sacks and is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who slumped to a career-low five sacks last season while notching a career-high 80 tackles.

The next step for Suggs will be trying to negotiate a long-term contract extension, which has been on the Ravens' agenda since last spring.

FLACCO CONTRACT: Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco is in no danger of being late for training camp as the Baltimore Ravens have already launched preliminary contract negotiations with the first-round draft pick.

Joe Linta, Flacco's agent, began discussions with team officials, including chief negotiator Pat Moriarty, on Monday at the Ravens' training complex. Drafted 18th overall, Flacco is expected to receive a five-year contract.

"It's not early as much as it is being prudent," Linta said in a telephone interview Tuesday night. "You try to find some common ground. The earlier you start, the easier it is to get things done. The feeling I got around the building is they all seem to be very excited about him."

The Ravens are scheduled to report to training camp July 21 in Westminster, and the plan is to have Flacco signed and in camp on time so he can compete for the starting job with Kyle Boller and Troy Smith.

Linta has had only one holdout ever. In 1995, tight end Kyle Brady missed the first few days of the New York Jets' training camp.

On July 23, 2006, another Linta client, Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, became the second first-round draft pick to agree to terms that. Drafted 13th overall, Wimbley signed a six-year contract with a maximum value of $23.7 million that included $9.3 million in guaranteed money.

Last season, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall was the 18th overall pick and signed a five-year contract worth $13.1 million with slightly over $8 million in guaranteed money.

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