I don't see Raji mentioning "contract talks are ongoing" or "I'm confident we'll come to an agreement." The nice sentiments he expressed might just be a solicitation for an offer not yet forthcoming as anything else.
If this plays out as a typical scenario, it comes down to the $$$ TT thinks he's worth vs. the $$$$ that Raji's agent convinces him he's worth.
It's kind of a betwixt and between.
If he plays again at the 2011-2012 level, is he really worthy of the money he'll likely be looking for? We've played him off and on at DE, quite a bit in a few games, the last couple of years, without much in the way of lasting impressions, Pickett has been more than his match at NT against the run, Raji hasn't been effective as a pass rusher inside in nickel yielding some snaps to the rookies last year, and now we spent a #1 on a particular DE that fits with the "new" thinking we need more length at the position. Somehow paying Raji top $ because Pickett is aging and in his contract year is not terribly compelling.
TT wasn't sniffing around McClendon for nothing. Unfortunately, he's at the top of the Steelers' depth chart and not in our rotation for 2014. Trying to secure Plan B is never auspicious as regards Plan A's prospects.
On the other hand, if Raji has a big contract year, piling up flash plays we last saw with any regularity in 2010, then he might deserve the big $, but those $ might be beyond the reach of TT's frugal philosophy, as suggested in the second to last paragraph of the OP link, even if the Flacco comparison is a bit silly.
If Jones works out as hoped and Pickett looks like he has one more year's worth of tread on the tires (at would be a sharply reduced salary), more cards get stacked against a re-signing.