Give the jilted Marvin Lewis credit for this quick recovery: Left at the altar by the Tampa Bay Bucs on Friday morning, Lewis could land on his feet by Saturday evening.

Whether it's in Washington or Baltimore remains the question.

ESPN.com learned Friday that the Washington Redskins intended to hire Lewis as their defensive coordinator, making him the league's highest-paid assistant.

The contract could pay Lewis, 43, as much as $800,000 per year, topping the three-year, $2 million contract that Wade Phillips signed with the Atlanta Falcons last week as the club's defensive coordinator. Lewis had been the NFL's highest-paid assistant before Phillips signed his deal.

"Let's just say there is a very, very strong possibility of Marvin going to the Redskins," agent Ray Anderson told ESPN.com on Friday night. "Obviously, this has been a trying day for him, so he has to think long and hard about this opportunity, but we should know something quickly."

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported on its Web site Saturday that Lewis backed out of a scheduled meeting with Redskins coach Steve Spurrier, informing the team he might remain with the Ravens after receiving a new contract offer to stay in Baltimore.

"Everybody who's not under contract is still available," Spurrier told the Post. "We're moving ahead. I potentially have some people who could come in here, but nothing is final one way or the other."

ESPN.com reported Saturday that Lewis did talk by phone with the Redskins but remained undecided. His agent said a decision likely would come Sunday.

The Baltimore Ravens earlier this week granted the Redskins permission to talk to Lewis but considered it a moot point at the time, since it was assumed he would become head coach of the Buccaneers. Also his contract had expired and the Ravens were prepared to quickly initiate talks on an extension. In the long run, it appears, Baltimore officials and Lewis agreed that a change of scenery might be best.

Sources said that Lewis is chagrined by the fact the Ravens' salary cap problems for 2002 will force the team to dismantle its defensive unit. Vice president of personnel Ozzie Newsome has reiterated some dramatic belt-tightening is in order, and ESPN.com has learned the Ravens might have to release their three remaining starters on the defensive line to deal with a suffocating cap overage of about $20.5 million.

With the Redskins defense, Lewis would inherit a unit that is a mix of young and old players, but one that statistically finished No. 10 in the league in 2001.

Under the stewardship of Lewis, the Baltimore defense set a record in 2000 for the fewest points allowed in a 16-game season. Lewis broke into the league in 1992 with the Pittsburgh Steelers then moved to the Ravens in 1996.

If Lewis does depart, the Ravens will promote receivers coach Mike Nolan to defensive coordinator.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. The Washington Post contributed to this report.