In an offseason that has seen both the Patriots and Jetsslap each other with tampering charges, the Detroit Lions are playing nice with the Baltimore Ravens.
After Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti on Wednesday issued a stream of freewheeling comments about defensive lineman Haloti Ngata -- now with the Lions after years in Baltimore -- Detroit brass downplayed the matter.
"The Ravens have reached out to us concerning the comments made yesterday by Steve Bisciotti regarding Haloti Ngata," the Lions wrote in a statement. "We appreciate both the Ravens' professionalism and the context in which Mr. Bisciotti's statements were made. We consider the matter to be a non-issue."
Bisciotti on Wednesday speculated that Ngata, the longtime Ravens star, might wind up back in Baltimore after playing out the final year of his contract in Detroit.
"I respect Haloti," Bisciotti said on a conference call, per The Baltimore Sun. "I had a wonderful conversation with him after he was traded (to the Lions). We are going to miss him, but I haven't heard anything about him getting an extension from Detroit. As far as I know, he could be a free agent a year from now, and we may be watching the second coming of Haloti Ngata."
Added Bisciotti: "I never give up hope that we couldn't get him back. ... Players like that are always welcome back. There were no hard feelings on either side. Haloti is a wonderful guy. I wish him the best, and maybe we'll see him again."
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