Ravens ship Haloti Ngata to Detroit Lions

The Baltimore Ravens didn't want to get rid of Haloti Ngata, but they've at least managed to get something for him.

Instead of cutting him, the Ravens will trade the All-Pro lineman to the Detroit Lions, per Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The team has since announced the trade.

It doesn't come as much of a surprise that Baltimore is parting with Ngata, as there was no way they could keep him at his current deal. The fact they were able to find a trade suitor in time did come as a mild surprise, but the Lions are the perfect fit.

After losing Ndamukong Suh to the Miami Dolphins, Detroit had a massive void on the interior of their defense needing to be filled, and they've done just that. Ngata isn't quite as good as Suh, but it's still not a big downgrade.

Also, Ngata is, by all indications, not as big of a headcase as Suh. He's not going to get suspended for stomping on someone.

Bengals fans should be glad to see Ngata out of the AFC North. Ngata has been the anchor of the Ravens' defensive line for the past nine seasons. The Ravens drafted him 12th overall in 2006 and he became an immediate starter en route to five Pro Bowls (2009 – 2013). By trading Ngata, the Ravens save $8.5 million in salary cap space.