What's a uniform number worth? Ravens' Earl Thomas landed a bargain

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens knew what they were getting when they signed Earl Thomas in free agency.

Thomas is an All-Pro safety, a feared ball hawk and a defensive back with swagger. He apparently also is a tough negotiator.

Thomas' first deal was hammered out before he put on a Ravens uniform, which will feature his preferred No. 29 as a result of some creative talks.

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey had won that number for his first two seasons in the NFL and initially asked for $100,000 from Thomas in a text exchange, according to the team's website. Thomas quickly shot that down and came up with an amicable solution.

Earl Thomas had to do a little negotiating to continue wearing…