This time, Marvin Lewis is back with the Baltimore Ravens on his own terms.

According to published reports in the Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and Washington Times, Lewis -- less than 24 hours after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers backed out of hiring him as head coach -- turned down a big-money offer from the Washington Redskins to become their defensive coordinator and agreed in principle to a new deal with the Ravens.

"I'm tired of putting my family through this," Lewis told The Sun. "(Ravens owner) Art Modell, (senior vice president of football operations) Ozzie Newsome, right straight down the line through the organization have been loyal to me. I'm at peace with this decision."

According to a league source, the Redskins were ready to hand out an NFL-record deal for an assistant, offering an annual base salary of $850,000 plus an additional $500,000 in incentives. They wanted Lewis to make the visit to Washington so badly that they planned to fly him in by helicopter from his home.

But Lewis, the Ravens' only defensive coordinator in their six-year history, decided to stay put.

Newsome told the Post on Saturday night that he had spoken to Lewis earlier in the day and felt that Lewis had committed to staying.

"I talked to him at 11 a.m. and he said, 'I'm still a Raven,' " Newsome said. "He has a very clear mind as to what he wants to do."

According to the Sun, it is believed that the Ravens will sign him early next week to a two-year package (base salary and incentives) that one source described as "significantly less" than the Redskins' offer. But the source added that his agreement with the Ravens could reach $800,000 with incentives, making him the NFL's highest-paid assistant.

"He didn't want to go for the big bucks and forgo some of the values that we have here," Modell told the newspaper. "I impressed upon him that we're still a viable launching pad for a head coaching job."

According to the Post, the Redskins will continue their search for a defensive boss with a list of candidates that may be headed by New York Jets defensive backs coach Bill Bradley. The Redskins have received permission from the Jets to interview Bradley and hire him if they choose.

"We're moving ahead. I potentially have some people who could come in here" for interviews, Spurrier told the Post earlier Saturday from Redskins Park.

The Redskins have been denied permission to interview two other defensive coordinators, the Jets' Ted Cottrell and the Miami Dolphins' Jim Bates. Spurrier spoke to Kurt Schottenheimer about remaining the Redskins' defensive coordinator, but he opted to become the Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator.

Snyder was trying to assemble a "Dream Team" coaching staff by combining Lewis' defensive expertise with new head coach Steve Spurrier, who doubles as offensive coordinator.

After Lewis decided not to meet with the Redskins on Saturday morning, Washington officials repeatedly called him in an attempt to restart negotiations.

"Everyone looks at it that if I teamed with Steve Spurrier, they would put people in the seats," Lewis told the Sun. "But I'm familiar with this organization, and theirs is unknown."

By re-signing Lewis, the Ravens retained a stabilizing force in their period of transition.

According to the Sun, their coaching staff will have four changes this season that will be announced Monday. The team intends to promote defensive assistant Mike Smith to linebackers coach, expand the role of defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson and hire special teams coach Gary Zauner and quarterbacks coach David Shaw.

As far as personnel, the defense could lose as many as six starters.

In addition to defensive tackle Tony Siragusa retiring, the Ravens will ask safety Rod Woodson, defensive tackle Sam Adams and defensive ends Rob Burnett and Michael McCrary to take pay cuts -- because of high salary-cap numbers -- or be released. Plus, the team will likely lose outside linebacker Jamie Sharper in the expansion draft and cornerback Duane Starks in free agency.

"We will be undergoing a lot of restructuring as far as the coaching staff and the playing level," Modell told the Sun. "Marvin will be an important thread of continuity."