With just a few hours remaining on the league-imposed deadline for franchise tags to be locked, Baltimore signed DT Haloti Ngata to a five-year extension, keeping him in Baltimore through 2015.

If he had not signed an extension, he would have played for the franchise tag amount of just slightly less than $12.5 million this season.  

Ngata, arguably the most athletic defensive tackle in the league, has become the defensive centerpiece for the Ravens since he was taken in the first round of the 2006 draft. 

Steelers fans have to think part of the reason they invested their first round pick in C Maurkice Pouncey in 2010 is because of Ngata. Versatile, quick and enormous, Ngata is a force in the middle of the Ravens defensive line.  

Pouncey joined Ngata in being named to the AFC Pro Bowl last season, the second such nomination for Ngata, and it won't likely be his last. It's likely to be a fierce battle between those two for years to come.