Ravens GM Newsome On Ray Lewis

According to DeMarcus Ware, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is genuine in his desire to play for the Cowboys - he's been pointing at the star on Ware's helmet and begging for Jerry Jones' phone number.

Lewis doesn't hit the open market until Feb. 27, and the Ravens were expected to hold negotiations with his representatives here at the combine.

"Economics is always a part of it," Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said. "But I don't know what the other part of it would be. He has a very good relationship with coach (Jim) Harbaugh, you know his relationship with (Baltimore owner Steve Biscotti), and he and I have a very good relationship. And I think he realizes where our football team is at right now . . . and that we can contend in our division and in our conference to try to get him to another Super Bowl . . . and the other thing that I think Ray can appreciate is that front that we have in front of him allows him to make plays."

There's still reason to doubt the Cowboys will have enough free cap space to sign Lewis, especially if they're going to give Ware an extension. The finances have to work for Lewis, of course, but he sure sounds like he wants to play in Dallas.

"'I want to wear this star on my helmet, that's my dream . . . that's my dream,'" Ware said Lewis told him when Baltimore closed Texas Stadium in December. "When we got to the Pro Bowl, he did it again. He came at me every day."

-Josh Ellis