The "X" Factor

TRAINING CAMP DAY 15: Camp Breaks

2010-08-20T06:59:00.002-04:00

Washington to start Saturday, Carr's leg improving

The Baltimore Ravens’ hard luck at cornerback is beginning to change.

It’s a lot less dire situation than when the Ravens began training camp with cornerback Domonique Foxworth suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Fabian Washington is slated to start against the Washington Redskins and play roughly a quarter Saturday night at FedEx Field after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last season.

“Fabian’s held up out here in all the live, full-speed drills,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “When you don’t go full contact, it’s full speed for a corner and the things that he does. And Fabian has had no problems with that. A game is different, so we’ll be looking forward to that.”

Washington emphasized that he’s been gaining trust in the knee for the past few weeks.

He got injured last November.

“I’m doing it all, I’ve been testing it out pretty hard,” Washington said. “I feel confident about everything. I can’t wait to get out there. It’s been a long road back. To me, the whole thing is a relief to really be back. I might even be a little nervous when I get out there Saturday night.”

Chris Carr is optimistic about his chances of increasing his playing time after being limited to a few snaps last week against the Carolina Panthers due to a left hamstring injury before being replaced by Cary Williams.

Carr has been limited in practice this week.

“If I feel good enough to play a lot Saturday night, I will,” Carr said. “I felt pretty good. The last couple days, I came out here and practice a little bit and did some conditioning and during my exercises, my hamstring felt just as good as my right one does. That was a good sign, so I felt pretty confident being able to do everything.”

And Lardarius Webb is nearing the point where he’ll be activated from the physically unable to perform list, according to Harbaugh.

“He’s very close, he’s right there,” Harbaugh said. “That’s up to the doctors to make the decision about when he practices, but he’s right there and I know he wants to practice.”

The Ravens would like to have Webb activated by the third preseason game Aug. 28 against the Washington Redskins.

Webb said earlier this week that he doesn’t want to play during the preseason.
He tore his anterior cruciate ligament last December against the Chicago Bears.
Webb is training twice per day and appears fluid and strong during his running, cutting and jumping drills on the sidelines.

On the orders of team officials after speaking out days ago, Webb gave extremely short responses to questions about his knee.

“I’m just working on my confidence right now,” he said. “It’s coming along well. I was taught not to talk as much. I got in trouble for talking to y’all one time, and they said I said something. So, I have to keep everything short right now. So, that’s why you’re getting the short answers.

“Hopefully, I can be back as soon as possible. We’re being real and taking it easy on me. Everything is left up to coach Harbs. Any answers on when I’m going to come back, talk to John.”

UP AND DOWN: It’s been a rough camp for rookie wide receiver David Reed.

He’s been plagued by dropped passes.

His best play was Wednesday when he executed a leaping touchdown catch over cornerback Chris Hawkins in the back of the end zone.

Overall, though, it’s been a disappointing time.

“I talked to coach Cam [Cameron] and said, ‘I’m in a slump,’” Reed said. “He said, ‘In a slump, you never were.’ I thought about that as practice went on, and it’s true. I wasn’t in a slump. I was just getting myself down. I’m my biggest critic, and I have to get out there.”

Reed dropped a bomb from Marc Bulger that hit him right in the hands.

On Thursday, he caught a touchdown from Bulger.

The fifth-round draft pick from Utah has been spending a lot of time after practice catching passes on the JUGS machine.

“Just keep grinding and just get my confidence back and get my swagger back, I’m definitely getting better every day,” said Reed, who caught 81 passes for 1,188 yards last season. “I’m my biggest enemy, my biggest critic. I don’t drop too many passes. I’m getting it back.

“I’ve got to perform. I’ve got to find a way to help this team out and make this roster whether it’s all special teams or receiver.”

INJURY UPDATES: Wide receiver Mark Clayton didn’t practice due to an ankle injury, but predicted he’ll play Saturday.

“My ankle was a little sore,” he said. “Just chill, take some mental reps. I’ll play Saturday.”

Rookie tight end Ed Dickson didn’t practice due to a groin injury, which was described as a hip injury by Harbaugh.

“It was actually my groin,” said Dickson, adding that he’ll definitely play Saturday. “It’s all right. They just want to be cautious and make sure I’m ready to go. I’ll be good.

“It’s a long season. They just don’t want to have me out early, so they just take precaution. Coach Harbs told me, ‘Take it easy. If you’re hurting, go ahead and that right.’”

Not practicing: offensive tackle Oniel Cousins (head injury), tight end Davon Drew (hamstring), center David Hale (bruised tailbone), offensive tackle Jared Gaither (strained back, back spasms), offensive tackle Stefan Rodgers (shoulder), safety Marcus Paschal (right quadriceps) and offensive guard Daniel Sanders (shoulder).
Cousins isn’t expected to play Saturday due to a mild concussion, and Tony Moll has been taking work with the first-team offense.

The following players returned to practice: center Matt Birk (neck), linebacker Prescott Burgess (migraine), Carr, and linebacker Tavares Gooden (neck).

Still on the physically unable to perform list: safety Ed Reed (hip), running back Matt Lawrence (knee), linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps) and Webb.

GETTING THE CALL: When his phone didn’t ring and he remained out of work as NFL camps got underway after being cut by the Ravens this spring, undrafted rookie safety Brad Jones was about to give up on football and get a job.

He was scheduled for a job interview this week with Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati before the Ravens signed him last weekend.

“I was going to just go to work,” Jones said. “I was supposed to have that meeting. I told the guy I had to get back to Baltimore. He told me he understood and that they would love to have me at P&G one day.”

Jones said he’s beginning to get up to speed after being signed weeks into camp.
“I was still studying my playbook just in case and my legs are starting to come back,” Jones said. “I’m a little slugging some days. I’m pushing through.”

Jones said he has volunteered to play cross-train at cornerback, which he played in college at the University of Cincinnati.

“I have the ability to play nickel,” he said. “I’ve never taken a snap at corner here, but I wouldn’t be a liability.”

WHO’S STARTING?: Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain both said they don’t know who’s starting at inside linebacker Saturday.

“Those guys, they've been rotating and playing and competing all the way through camp, so this is a continuation of that," Harbaugh said. "I think the competition has been good, and they've all played well, so we'll just have to see how it shakes out."

QUICK HITS: Safety Ken Hamlin intercepted backup quarterback Marc Bulger and starter Joe Flacco. … Kicker Billy Cundiff had a tough day at practice, pushing one kick several yards wide left. He missed three of his five tries. Shayne Graham made four of his six kicks. … Orioles pitcher Jeremy Guthrie was at the morning practice, signing autographs for fans.

TRAINING CAMP DAY 14: Cousins goes down, injuries mount

2010-08-19T07:50:00.003-04:00

No structural damage, broken bones for Hale

The Baltimore Ravens' most injury-riddled position absorbed yet another blow when right offensive tackle Oniel Cousins was carted off the field with a headache.

Cousins returned to the team hotel Wednesday night after being evaluated for concussion symptoms.

Cousins has also been dealing with fatigue stemming from weight loss as well as the time he missed while recovering from offseason throat surgery. Cousins had a noncancerous cyst removed from his esophagus.

"He developed a headache, so that's where we're at," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "I don't know any more than that."

The Ravens are shorthanded along the offensive line with starting right tackle Jared Gaither out with a strained back and back spasms.

Plus, center Matt Birk is dealing with a neck injury and offensive tackle Stefan Rodgers and offensive guard Daniel Sanders are suffering from shoulder injuries. David Hale was carted off the field Monday with a bruised tailbone.

Reserve tackle Tony Moll took over for Cousins with the first-team offense.

"It definitely felt good for me to able to get in there because I still need to prove who I am, what I'm all about and that I deserve to be with the ones," Moll said. "Since I've been here, I haven't had much of a chance to get in there with the ones. That's what it takes to be able to be in there with the ones and gain the confidence of the coaches and the staff."

The NFL is taking extra precautions with head injuries this season, making it a major point of emphasis with baseline tests to ensure that neurological activity is normal before clearing a player medically.

Moll missed roughly two weeks with a concussion earlier this season.

"Anything with the head, they're doing so many things right now trying to figure out what's causing it and how to prevent it," Moll said. "It's a good thing that the NFL has taken such major precautions now."

Hale didn't suffer any structural damage to his back during a collision with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata where he landed on his tailbone.

Hale, who was carted off the field, didn't fracture any bones, a magnetic resonance imaging exam and X-rays revealed.

Hale is expected to be out for at least the next few days with the bruised tailbone.

GOODEN HAS A NECK INJURY: Inside linebacker Tavares Gooden was sidelined from practice Wednesday morning due to a neck injury.

Gooden got injured against the Carolina Panthers last week and was able to practice Tuesday with no restrictions on contact after wearing a red jersey Monday that signified he was off-limits to hitting.

Now, Gooden's not practicing at all as the Ravens are hoping that rest will cure what's ailing him.

"Tavares has got the neck thing from the game," Harbaugh said ."It just keeps tightening back up on him, so we just need to sit him down and settle him down. He's tried to go the last two days.

"Every time he's tried to go, it spasms back up, so we just need to settle him down for a couple days and try to get him out there on Saturday."

Gooden was under consideration to start Saturday night. That might be tough, though, unless he's able to practice today.

So, Baltimore might go with Dannell Ellerbe or Jameel McClain, who started against Carolina.

The Ravens want to evaluate all three candidates to start opposite All-Pro middle linebacker Ray Lewis.

"Yeah, that'd probably be part of it," Harbaugh said. "We also want to get Jameel some work at Sam [strongside linebacker] because he's a multiple guy, and in order to play the position, you've got to get some work there. So, we'll move those guys around for the next two weeks and we'll know where we're at."

McCLAIN SITS OUT: Pro Bowl fullback Le'Ron McClain sat out of practice due to a tight back.

He said he expects to return to practice as soon as today and play Saturday night.

"It's my back," he said. "It's a little tight. Coach [Harbaugh] told me to chill out. I'll come back ready for practice and then get ready for the Redskins."

CARR ON THE MEND: Cornerback Chris Carr is practicing on a limited basis due to a left hamstring injury, but could return to full-team drills as soon as today.

"Slowly, but surely," Carr said. "Last week playing in the game that first play, it kind of hurt a little bit. I kind of got a little overanxious. When you're out here, you don't want to feel like you're milking it. You want to play. I think my conditioning is getting better."

Carr said he's open to expanded playing time this week after watching Cary Williams take the majority of the work with the first-team defense last week against Carolina.

"Yeah, if they want me to, and if I feel good [today] in practice," he said. "It's all precarious because in a live situation, it's different in practice. So, we'll see."

INJURY UPDATE: Defensive tackle Brandon McKinney (knee) has returned to practice.

"I feel better," he said. "The swelling went down."

Stefan Rodgers indicated that he won't need surgery to repair his shoulder, which partially popped out of joint

"It's not bad," he said. "I'll be back real quick."

Not practicing: Gaither, Rodgers, Birk, Hale, Gooden, Sanders, tight end Davon Drew (hamstring), linebacker Prescott Burgess (migraine), McClain, safety Marcus Paschal (right quadriceps),

The following players are still on the physically unable to perform list: free safety Ed Reed (hip), linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps), cornerback Lardarius Webb (knee) and running back Matt Lawrence (knee).

SLIMMED-DOWN SUGGS: During practice, outside linebacker Jarret Johnson asked reporters if they're planning to write about outside linebacker Terrell Suggs having lost 20 pounds from last season when he tipped the scales at 283 pounds.

"Yes, he should have been moved to guard last year," Johnson said. "But this year he looks good."

Suggs broke into laughter when Johnson said that.

Suggs is on a better diet, cutting down on fried chicken and cookies to get in better shape.

QUICK HITS: Rookie defensive tackle Arthur Jones wrote on his Twitter account that he was fined $5,000 by the league office for an accidental block below the waist against Carolina. "You have to love the NFL," Jones wrote. ... Today marks the final training camp practices that are open to the public. Starting Monday, the Ravens shift practice back to their training complex in Owings Mills, which isn't open to the public. ... The Ravens rested several veterans ages 30-and-over, including Lewis, wide receiver Derrick Mason, tight end Todd Heap , nose guard Kelly Gregg and defensive end Trevor Pryce.

TRAINING CAMP DAY 14: Ed Reed makes progress

2010-08-18T03:24:00.002-04:00

Baltimore Ravens star free safety Ed Reed is making steady progress following hip surgery this offseason, and he has been traveling regularly to Atlanta to try to accelerate the healing process.

The organization remains hopeful that Reed will make it back for the opening game of the season against the New York Jets.

However, Reed has said he doesn't know if he'll be ready for the first game of the season or the first game of October, November or December.

The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year is still on the physically unable to perform list.

Reed has been attending practice except when he goes to Georgia.

If Reed isn't ready by the start of the season, then Tom Zbikowski is expected to start in his place.

NECK BOTHERING BIRK: Six- time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk hasn't practiced since last week due to a tight neck, a problem that affected him last season.
Birk's injury isn't regarded as serious.

"He's just got a little tightness in his neck," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Matt's going to be a guy that we're going to be very judicious with throughout training camp and even throughout the season.

"I don't think a lot of practice is what he needs, but he's up there. When you've played on the offensive line for that many years, you want to be smart with those guys with how many contact reps they take."

HALE TO UNDERGO MRI: Reserve offensive lineman David Hale has a bruised tailbone.
He's set to have a magnetic resonance imaging exam to determine if there are any broken bones in the next day or two.

Hale is still feeling the effects from his violent collision with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata Monday morning when he was carted off the field.

"He landed right on his tailbone, so it appears to be a bruised tailbone, which is extremely painful," Harbaugh said. "They haven't been able to get a CAT scan or MRI on it, to my knowledge, to make sure it's not fractured. Just landed straight on it with Haloti on top of him, so it's a little painful."

Medical officials are waiting for the pain and swelling to subside before they order imaging for Hale.

Hale is having trouble getting around.

Harbaugh said it's too soon to say whether the injury is going to force Hale out for the season.

"I really don't know," he said. "We haven't gotten the MRI on it yet. I wouldn't be writing that yet."

NO RUSH WITH WEBB: Injured cornerback Lardarius Webb made it clear Monday that he believes it would be too soon for him to play in the preseason after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against the Chicago Bears last December.

Basically, Harbaugh agrees with him.

Webb remains on the physically unable to perform list, but Harbaugh said that status could change soon.

"That's kind of been our position all the way through with all of our guys," Harbaugh said. "As you said, we might want to be cautious with it. We're going to be cautious with all these guys. The thing you don't want to do is have a setback. He's really doing well.

"I think he's progressing ahead of schedule from what I've been told. It won't be long before you see him off of PUP and out here practicing with the guys, but I think we are going to be cautious with it. If he can play in the preseason and we feel very comfortable that there's not going to be a setback, then we'll do it. If we think there is any possibility of a setback, a reasonable possibility of a setback, then we'll probably just save him."

GOODEN RUNS WITH THE STARTERS: Tavares Gooden worked with the first-team defense at inside linebacker next to All-Pro middle linebacker Ray Lewis.

He was out of the red jersey he wore Monday that signified he was off-limits to contact due to neck and back soreness.

Gooden and Dannell Ellerbe are competing with Jameel McClain, who started the preseason opener against the Washington Redskins.

Is Gooden going to start Saturday night against the Washington Redskins?

"It's not up to me, that's for the coaches to decide," Gooden said. "I'm good with [that]. Why not play all of us? You don't want to just burn out one guy.

"It helps out our team depth that all of us can play, and I'm talking about play well when we're in there. We're going to ball out. Everybody is just holding up our own."

Gooden made the point that all of the linebackers will complement Lewis, and he complimented general manager Ozzie Newsome for assembling the group.

"Everybody knows this is Ray's defense, and we're all pieces to the puzzle," Gooden said. "He's the master plan, and all of us fit around him to do that. Mr. Newsome does a great job. We've probably got the realest linebacker corps in the NFL."

The only topic Gooden was unwilling to discuss in detail was his health status.

"All the injury things, coach Harbaugh would like to address," Gooden said. "It was his decision to give me a red jersey. He wants to answer every question about injuries.

"I can't answer questions technically about injuries. You've got to talk to the man. You saw me practicing. I practiced both days. That's all I can tell you about the injury situation."

ANOTHER HEAYVWEIGHT FIGHT FOR COUSINS: Offensive tackle Oniel Cousins got in another practice scuffle, squaring off with outside linebacker Edgar Jones.

Conservatively, it's at least his third fight since camp started.

"They might be coming after me," Cousins said with a smile.

Cousins is running with the first-team offense at right tackle.

Does he fight to prove he's tough?

"In life in general, and in football, every day I come out here and I always feel like I have something to prove," Cousins said. "I wake up every day and appreciate every day of my life. I feel like I have something to prove every day. The chip is always on my shoulder."

During the fight, Jones ripped off Cousins' helmet. And Cousins responded with a right-hand punch.

"It's just a little something we got into," Cousins said. "It's part of practice. By the end of the day, we're friends again. It's hot out there, and sometimes you need that excitement."

PLAYING IT SAFE: The Ravens didn't have Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice carry the football or catch it out of the backfield against the Panthers.

"Ray's a competitor. He wants to play," Harbaugh said. "And we'll be smart with Ray. He'll play as much as he needs to in the next few games, but Ray is going to play a lot in the regular season, too."

Rice worked out of the Wildcat formation Tuesday, taking a direct snap from center Chris Chester. He also took a handoff from backup Willis McGahee following a direct snap.

"We do a lot of stuff, so teams have to prepare for that," Harbaugh said. "I'm sure the Jets will be lining up against that now ."

QUICK HITS: The following players didn't practice: offensive tackles Jared Gaither (strained back, back spasms) and Stefan Rodgers (shoulder), center-guard Daniel Sanders (shoulder), Birk, Hale and safety Marcus Paschal (right quadriceps). ... Reed, running back Matt Lawrence (knee), Webb and linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps) are still on the physically unable to perform list. ... The Ravens hosted several hundred military personnel at practice from several branches of the military. All of the players as well as Harbaugh signed autographs and posed for pictures. The coaches wore camouflage hats during the practice. "We're really proud of what all the personnel in the military all across the country and overseas have done for us," Harbaugh said. "To see the sacrifices their families make and some of the things they have to endure so that we can live the way we do and enjoy freedom and safety the way we do, I just can't thank them enough. This is a very small token of our appreciation from the Ravens and all the Ravens fans." ... Cornerback Cary Williams intercepted a pass that ricocheted off the hands of rookie wide receiver David Reed. ... Shayne Graham and Billy Cundiff both knocked in 51-yard field goals.

PROJECTING 53: A first take on the Ravens final 53 man roster

2010-08-18T03:10:00.003-04:00

Quarterbacks (2): Joe Flacco, Marc Bulger

Analysis: The Ravens have too much talent at other positions, players more worthy of a roster spot than a third string quarterback. Let’s not get too carried away and conclude that the team’s wildcat options disappear with Troy Smith’s departure. When were those options ever used in a plus way against a difficult opponent? Truth be told, a quarterback of Smith’s caliber can be found atop the scrap heap of quarterbacks anytime, anywhere, any day. Even Smith might be the one down the road (if needed) atop that heap. After all the former Heisman winner apparently attracts little interest around the league. Even the Browns opted for the mighty Seneca Wallace over Smith preferring instead to hold on to their sixth round pick.

Running Backs (4): Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, Jalen Parmele

Analysis: Curtis Steele needs some seasoning and Coach Wilbert Montgomery has been working with him to change up his pacing, to let plays develop and not always go at top end speed. Steele has explosiveness in short spaces and if he can make special teams contributions he has a shot. Matt Lawrence who was among the final 53 in ’09 has yet to take the practice field and looks like an injury settlement waiting to happen.

Tight Ends (3): Todd Heap, Ed Dickson, Dennis Pitta

Analysis: This may be the easiest position on the team to assemble. 2009 fifth round draft pick Davon Drew has no chance to make this squad and looks like a wasted pick than no one in the organization wants to take credit/blame for.

Wide Receivers (5): Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Donte Stallworth, Demetrius Williams

Analysis: Williams is among the five to make the final 53 based purely (at this time) on the number of reps he was given with the second team offensive unit v. the Panthers. This spot is still far too close to call. Williams’ primary threat looks like rookie David Reed with Justin Harper and Marcus Smith a distant 7 and 8.

Offensive Linemen (9): Jared Gaither, Ben Grubbs, Matt Birk, Marshal Yanda, Michael Oher, Chris Chester, Oniel Cousins, Tony Moll, David Hale

Analysis: Hale is far from a lock. No one has really stepped up for the ninth roster spot on the O-Line and it's not necessarily a given that 9 is the number. Stefan Rodgers has looked decent at times during camp but looked lost against Carolina. Joe Reitz has some upside (accept in his vertical leap) but might be a better practice squad option. Bryan Mattison is heady in the way you might expect from a coach’s son (Greg Mattison) but he lacks size and explosiveness. Ramon Harewood will not be released. He could end up on the final 53 man roster but he’s more likely to come up with a mysterious injury that will land him on IR in the same way that Tony Pashos did during his rookie season.

Defensive Linemen (7): Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg, Trevor Pryce, Cory Redding, Terrence Cody, Kelly Talavou, Lamar Divens

Analysis: Unless they can pull off a trade the Ravens will lose a quality defensive lineman who can be productive in a D-Line rotation. Talavou, Divens, Brandon McKinney and Art Jones are all very close. The Ravens could try to find a way to have 8 defensive linemen if they don’t make a trade or someone like Jones could also get the “Pashos treatment.”

Linebackers (10): Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Jarret Johnson, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Dannell Ellerbe, Tavares Gooden, Jameel McClain, Antwan Barnes, Paul Kruger, Prescott Burgess

Analysis: This position looks fairly set but the tenth slot boils down to Burgess and Jason Phillips. Burgess has been a plus contributor on special teams and plays the weak side position while Phillips is an inside backer where the team seems pretty set with Lewis, McClain, Ellerbe and Gooden. Phillips will need to really impress special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg. Ayanbadejo hasn't practiced yet and PUP is a possibility which could free up a spot for Phillips or a contributor at another position. Should Sergio Kindle make a remarkable recovery he could alter the make up of this unit. At this point Kindle looks to be a lock for the PUP List but word is that the Ravens view this as the most optimistic outlook for the former Longhorn. Kindle is still without a contract and will not get one until he is medically cleared to play football.

Secondary (10): Ed Reed, Dawan Landry, Tom Zbikowski, Haruki Nakamura, Fabian Washington, Lardarius Webb, Chris Carr, Ken Hamlin, Cary Williams, Travis Fisher

Analysis: Fisher at this time seems to be a safe choice given his experience and number of reps with the first unit throughout camp. If not for injury and Williams' lack of availability in weeks 1 & 2, Fisher would be in jeopardy. That said he is hardly safe. Prince Miller gained some fans with his play against Carolina but he lacks size and isn’t as physical as a similarly sized predecessor, Corey Ivy. The Ravens ask their nickel to blitz on occasion. It would be difficult to envision Miller bringing down Ben Roethlisberger. Chris Hawkins could step up and there’s always the chance the team could make a deal for another corner. KJ Gerard showed promise during OTA’s but he’s been mostly a spectator during camp, slowed by a hamstring injury. Nakamura’s productivity could threaten Hamlin’s spot on the team if Reed does not go on the PUP list. Doug Dutch is purely a warm body to eat up practice reps.

Special Teams (3): Billy Cundiff, Morgan Cox, Sam Koch

Analysis: The Ravens would love to have a kicker who can nail an occasional 50+ yarder and history suggests that Shayne Graham is more likely to provide that ability. But Graham has so far lacked Cundiff’s consistency and one has to wonder if Graham has a bit of a kicker’s hangover after his playoff struggles last season as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. Cox takes over for Matt Katula in what appears to be at least in part an fiscal decision.

TRAINING CAMP DAY 12: Ravens say goodbye to a good guy

2010-08-18T03:04:00.002-04:00

The Matt Katula era is over in Baltimore after five years, and rookie Morgan Cox is the Ravens' new long snapper.

The Ravens cut Katula on Saturday roughly two years after signing him to a five-year contract extension to make room for undrafted rookie defensive back Brad Jones.

Cox impressed the coaching staff tremendously during his audition Thursday night in a 17-12 win over the Carolina Panthers, convincing them it was time to make a change.

"Morgan Cox, he's been doing a real good job throughout the offseason and then throughout training camp," Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters Saturday "You never want to make a move until you know in a game. He did a nice job, and we feel comfortable that he can be our snapper. So, we're going with the younger guy."

Katula dealt with chronic tendinitis in his snapping elbow and forearm last season, causing some errant snaps.

Katula has continually insisted he's healthy, and Harbaugh indicated that wasn't an issue and wasn't the impetus behind this decision.

"No, he's fully healthy," Harbaugh said. "Matt's a very good snapper. There's no question he can do it in this league. There's a couple things I think he's still working on, he's cleaning up a little bit from last year.

"We had a younger guy that looked good, and that's sometimes the nature of the business. Talking to Matt, he understood and I'm very confident he'll be snapping for somebody this year."

Cox was signed by the Ravens after going undrafted at the University of Tennessee.

He was selected to play in the prestigious Senior Bowl.

"It's a great opportunity," Cox said. "The big thing I wanted to concentrate on in the game is getting the job done. I looked at it like I was the guy and it was my game and my position. I'm incredibly excited.

"I want to do the best for the team. I just want to snap it as good as I can. I want to stay anonymous in that light. You've got to perfect every time. My standard for myself is to be perfect every time."

TODAY'S PRACTICES CANCELLED: Harbaugh decided to give the players today off, cancelling both practice sessions.

The Ravens will reconvene for practice at McDaniel College at 8:45 a.m. on Monday.
"They were a little bit surprised," Harbaugh said. "They didn't say much. They didn't really respond. I think they were looking for the catch, they were ready for the ‘but.' The truth is, I don't think it's a reward. It's where we're at right now.
"It's a reward in the sense that they've earned it. We have worked really hard throughout training camp, coaches and players. I think the best thing for us is a little recovery time. I like where we're at right now as a football team. Really, the best thing for us is to give them the chance to get a jumpstart on their legs."
Wide receiver Mark Clayton, who caught a 30-yard touchdown against the Panthers, was surprised.

"I thought he was going to come back and say, ‘Ha ha, got you,'" Clayton said. "The whole room was just quiet: ‘Is he serious or is he playing' We're just grateful for it. I know we'll take advantage of it and rest up and come out Monday and give it everything we've got."

JONES SIGNED: The Ravens made it official with Jones, signing him one day after striking an agreement in principle.

A former University of Cincinnati cornerback and safety, Jones was signed this spring after participated in the Ravens' minicamp on a tryout basis.

He was cut at the end of the Ravens' organized team activity schedule.

Jones tried out for the Cleveland Browns this spring.

A 6-foot, 192-pounder, Jones flew under the radar during the draft process after not being invited to the NFL scouting combine.

JAWS' COMMENTS CLARIFIED: Days after ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski said that backup quarterback Marc Bulger seemed deflated and not into football anymore, Ravens team spokesman Kevin Byrne said he believes that the former NFL quarterback was referencing a conversation with Bulger from last season when he played for the 1-15 St. Louis Rams.

"I think Ron Jaworski was referring to a meeting when Marc was at St. Louis," Byrne said. "He was not referring to the production meeting here. I think that's what got misinterpreted because Jon Gruden gave a preface about Bulger getting beat up in St. Louis, and then he came back and said, ‘Yeah, in the production meeting.' He didn't clarify, but I did check with Ron."

Harbaugh said he hasn't noticed any signs of Bulger not being into the game.

"I haven't seen that, I don't know how you know if you can read a guy's mind," he said. "Marc has never said that. He didn't say that in that meeting from what Marc told me and I've seen nothing but an energetic, competitive guy who loves football out here. He's competitive, he's into everything we do. He was excited about the good throws in the game, he was disappointed with the bad plays. He's done a great job."

QUICK HIT: Harbaugh said it's too soon to declare a leader in the Ravens' kicking competition between Shayne Graham and Billy Cundiff.

Graham missed a 50-yard try against Carolina and hit a 32-yarder. Cundiff connected on two extra points and had two touchbacks.

"I think it's too early to say," Harbaugh said. "They've both done well. I think Shayne's kick in the game was a tough one. He wants to make that kick, but it was a tough kick."

TRAINING CAMP DAY 13: Cousins keeps Gaither's seat warm

2010-08-18T02:59:00.003-04:00

Oniel Cousins would be the Baltimore Ravens’ starting right offensive tackle if the regular season began today, according to offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

With Jared Gaither sidelined for as much as six weeks with a small tear in his back that’s causing him back spasms, the Ravens are prepared to go with Cousins on the right side instead of shifting right guard Marshal Yanda over to tackle again.

Cameron didn’t entirely rule out the idea of moving Yanda again, but it’s not his preference.

“Absolutely,” Cameron said when asked if Yanda at right tackle is a possibility. “But you can’t move guys around too much. I think Marshal Yanda can be as good a right guard as there is in the league. I believe that. To keep bouncing him around from guard to tackle, guard to tackle, really doesn’t help that.”

As long as Gaither is out, it’s likely to be Cousins’ job to lose. He ranks ahead of rookie Ramon Harewood as well as Joe Reitz and Tony Moll.

“That would be the logical choice because that’s the way we did it last year,” Cameron said. “We want competition all the way up until the final cut, and then it’ll be pretty obvious what direction we’ll go. But that would be the logical direction.”

Cousins was out for the first week of training camp after having a noncancerous cyst removed from his esophagus this offseason.

Cousins has nearly gotten back up to his playing weight of 320 pounds after getting down to 290 pounds due to the illness. He needs to continue to refine his pass-blocking techniques.

“He’s not 100 percent yet, but his effort is 100 percent,” Cameron said. “One thing I like about ‘Cous’ is you know exactly what you’re getting. He’s not one guy one day and another guy the next day. He shows up. He’s there every day. He’s where he’s supposed to be, he gives you his best effort.

“Sometimes, he doesn’t execute the play like he would like or we would like, but his effort is consistent. Pretty much, a play-caller can deal with a guy like that. To me, it’s easy to call plays when he’s in there because I know I’m going to get a great effort.”

WEBB DOESN’T WANT TO RUSH IT: Injured cornerback Lardarius Webb doesn't think it would be a good idea for him to play in any of the preseason games.

He remains on the physically unable to perform list after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last December.

"I’m hoping it’s not," Webb said when asked if playing in the preseason was a realistic expectation. "For what? I’m still, like, seven months, and we still have a lot of work to do. We have to make sure it’s right before I come back on.”

The Ravens would like to get Webb back for the season opener against the New York Jets on Sept. 13.

That might be a little soon even though Webb is making impressive progress and is able to run and cut.

“I’m feeling good, getting better any day," Webb said. "No time limit. Not for ya’ll. We’re coming. We don’t want everybody to know if I am coming back."

Webb said he's not in much pain at all.

“I think with an ACL, every time you work it, afterwards you might have a little soreness," Webb said. "But it’s always going to be soreness, it’s not the knee. It’s just soreness from work. But no, it feels great.

“I’m happy because I have put in everything I could possibly put in to it. Being here every day, working hard after practice, working it. I’m happy with where I am, because, hey, I’m pushing it as far as I can go.”

AYANBADEJO’S LEG STILL ISN’T READY: Pro Bowl special-teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo remains on the physically unable to perform list after tearing his quadriceps tendon last season.

And he's unsure if that status will change heading into the regular season.

"It's tough to say," Ayanbadejo said. "If I can get back in the preseason, I'd love to. But it's not really up to me. I've just got to keep doing my rehab, and see how it goes."

Ayanbadejo had a plasma injection in his quadriceps recently to enrich the injured area with amino acids to accelerate tissue healing and growth. The procedure was administered in Arizona.

On Thursday, he's expected to be cleared to resume running.

"I feel fine, just getting the strength back in my leg is the main issue," Ayanbadejo said. "It's coming back slowly, very slowly, but at least it's coming back."

INJURY UPDATE: Inside linebacker Tavares Gooden injured his neck and back against the Carolina Panthers last week and practiced Monday in a red jersey, meaning he’s off-limits to contact.

“Tavares has had a little bit of a bad back,” defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said. “He got hurt. He came out of the game. He got hit from the side and he twisted his neck, which carried on down into his back.”

Gooden recorded a sack against the Panthers.

Defensive tackle Brandon McKinney didn’t practice due to some swelling in his right knee.

“I’m just a little bit sore,” he said. “I’ll be back soon.”

Defensive tackle Lamar Divens’ left ankle was taped up after leaving practice with a trainer, but he wasn’t limping noticeably by the afternoon.

Tight end Davon Drew has aggravated a hamstring injury for the second time since camp started.“It’s the same thing, it’s nagging me again,” Drew said. “I kind of tweaked it Saturday. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’m taking it one day at a time.”

Also not practicing: Gaither (strained back), safety Marcus Paschal (right quadriceps), center Matt Birk (elbow), offensive guard Daniel Sanders (left shoulder).

Cornerback Travis Fisher returned to practice after sitting out Saturday.
The following players remain on the physically unable to perform list: safety Ed Reed (hip), Webb, Ayanbadejo and running back Matt Lawrence (knee).

QUICK HITS: Defensive end Paul Kruger put his bulked-up body to good use, dominating a one-on-one lineman drill. Up to 275 pounds after finishing last season at 255 pounds, Kruger beat Michael Oher, Joe Reitz, Ben Grubbs and Tony Moll for sacks. “I’ve always been pretty confident,” Kruger said. “I feel good at this weight and things are going well. Not being as big, I try to use my athletic ability to be productive. I’m going to work on that a lot. That’s going to be my main advantage.” …Special-teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg expressed confidence in rookie long snapper Morgan Cox, who has replaced Matt Katula. Cox handled all of the snapping duties last week against the Carolina Panthers. “That was a very positive experience,” Rosburg said. “He had one errant snap on a punt, but his field goal snaps were all right on target. He’s shown us that he can not only snap, but he can also protect. He’s got a long way to go, but he’s the right kind of player, he’s the right kind of young man and we have a lot of confidence in him going forward.” … Retired former Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden and wide receiver Qadry Ismail attended practice. .. Cameron wasn’t pleased with his play-calling in the second half against Carolina as the Ravens gained just 29 yards of total offense. “I flunked the second half, so everybody’s off the hook in the second half of that game,” Cameron said. “Give Cam Cameron an ‘F’ in the second half, and give anybody that played in the second half a passing grade. We’ll do a pass-fail in the second half. You’ve got to give your guys a chance. We don’t just call the same plays with one group that you call in another group and expect them to work."

TRAINING CAMP DAY 11: Grubbs joins the list of injured Ravens

2010-08-11T06:11:00.003-04:00

Offensive guard Ben Grubbs became the latest player to join the Baltimore Ravens' lengthy injury report, limping off the field Tuesday morning at McDaniel College.

Although the injury isn't regarded as serious, the veteran blocker could be among several players who will be held out of Thursday night's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers for precautionary reasons.

The injury wasn't disclosed, but Grubbs has a history of foot and ankle problems. If Grubbs is out, Chris Chester will start in his place at left guard.

"It's not major," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Whether he'll play Thursday night or not, we're going to be cautious with all that kind of stuff."

Meanwhile, offensive tackle Jared Gaither has all but been ruled out for the Carolina game.

Gaither, who's down to 311 pounds from a playing weight of 340 pounds last season, has been plagued by back spasms throughout training camp.

"I don't think he'll be able to play because he hasn't practiced enough," Harbaugh said. "I don't know if the injury is going to hold him out. It will be hard for him to play with the little bit of practice he's had."

Oniel Cousins is preparing to start in Gaither's place.

Cornerback Chris Carr has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury Saturday, but hasn't been ruled out.

He's not expected to play.

If Carr is out along with Fabian Washington, Travis Fisher will start at cornerback opposite Cary Williams. Undrafted rookie Prince Miller is slated for nickel back duty.

Carr hasn't practiced since getting injured Saturday, but has been getting healthier.

"He could play," Harbaugh said of Carr. "It's a matter of whether we decide to put him out there or not."

Washington, who had a torn anterior cruciate ligament last season, has been practicing since being activated from the physically unable to perform list earlier in training camp.

If it were up to Washington, he would play Thursday. He's expected to be a game-time decision.

"I still don't know, it's up to coach Harbaugh," Washington said. "If it's up to me, yeah. I'm not the smart one out of the two."

When asked if he would accept not being allowed to play, Washington replied, "I would understand that. He knows how I feel about this game."

Ultimately, the team will decide Thursday night before kickoff if it wants to hold him out.

"He's ready to go, it's just a matter of whether we want him to go," Harbaugh said. "I think we'll take him out in pregame and see how much work we get done and we'll decide. We're not going to push it."

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata returned to practice after suffering back spasms when he caught a helmet in his back Monday morning.

"I feel good," Ngata said. "So, I'm going to play."

GETTING READY: Cousins is preparing to start at right tackle after being sidelined earlier in camp on the non-football illness list following offseason throat surgery to remove a noncancerous cyst from his esophagus.

"I'm going to do my thing," Cousins said. "Every day is important for me to try to do my thing and take my game to the next level."

Cousins said he has regained most of the weight he lost while dealing with the illness.

Down to 290 pounds at one point from his former playing weight of 320 pounds, Cousins said he's back up to 315 pounds.

"I'm getting stronger," he said. "I'm putting my weight back on. I feel good."

The coaching staff has been impressed by Cousins' progress.

"I think what Oniel has done has been pretty amazing," Harbaugh said. "He's just made up so much ground in the last week that he's practiced. He looks good, so he should play quite a bit."

KICKERS TO ALTERNATE: Instead of their originally announced plan to have dueling kickers Shayne Graham and Billy Cundiff kick for one half apiece, the Ravens have called an audible.

Now, special-teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg has decided to have the kickers alternate on each field goal try.

"That's what coach Rosburg wants to do," Harbaugh said. "He feels like it'll keep both guys in the game for the whole game and give them a fair amount of reps. So, we're looking forward to that."

Harbaugh said he thought that they would alternate kickoffs, too.

Graham had a huge miss Tuesday where he sailed the football several yards wide left.

INJURY REPORT: Offensive tackle Tony Moll said he's still dealing with the effects of a concussion, including headaches.

"I'm trying to get rid of them," Moll said. "Concussions are something the NFL has been focusing on this year more than ever. They're taking it very seriously. I think it's a good thing. I'm almost there. It's definitely very frustrating and challenging. This isn't an issue I've had before."

In order to be cleared medically, Moll has to pass an NFL-mandated baseline test to examine his brain functions.

"They do a good job with that," Moll said. "When you come into a new system, they redo your baseline and it sets the standard for you. It's a good take when you do that test. It's a lot of memorization and quick reactions. Being able to stay up with the baseline shows your brain can handle the NFL asks you to do."

Cornerback K.J. Gerard didn't practice as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Safety Marcus Paschal is still sidelined with a right quadriceps issue.

"It's up to the coaches," Gerard said. "I'm feeling better every day. I'm ready to get out there and run again."

Reserve offensive lineman Daniel Sanders has an injured shoulder and didn't practice Tuesday.

"I'm doing a lot of rehab stuff since I popped my shoulder," he said. "It's not a dislocation, so I should be back in a few days. I'll take a little time and then I'll be back."

Rookie offensive tackle Ramon Harewood returned to practice after being out Monday. Both of his knees were still wrapped.

Wide receiver Demetrius Williams returned to practice after missing Monday with an undisclosed injury.

Still on the physically unable to perform list: safety Ed Reed (hip), linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps), cornerback Lardarius Webb (knee) and running back Matt Lawrence (knee).

QUICK HITS: Inside linebacker Jameel McClain, who's in the lead for the starting job next to middle linebacker Ray Lewis, said that he's always been ready to play in the NFL. "I knew I belonged the day I came out of my mother's womb," McClain said. "I was born to play this game. I'm born to go out there and hit somebody and play with a high intensity and a lot of rah-rah. So, it's not like I came here wide-eyed, like, ‘Man, I don't deserve this.' I understand that you've got to work for everything in life, so I'm my biggest critic and my biggest fan." ... McClain's hand is bandaged, but he said it's not a problem. "My hand is perfect," he said. "It's because I'm getting my shadow boxing on, that's all. The air hurts." ... A feisty defense recorded consecutive sacks with outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and strong safety Dawan Landry applying the heat. ... Justin Harper caught a long pass from Marc Bulger behind Williams.

TRAINING CAMP DAY 10: Gaither still "in limbo"

2010-08-10T07:44:00.002-04:00

Ngata dings back

WESTMINSTER -- The status of Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Jared Gaither hasn’t changed, meaning it’s bad news for the health-challenged lineman.

Gaither remains sidelined with back spasms after visiting back specialist Dr. John Carbone over the weekend. He hasn’t practiced since last week.

“Nothing new,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “It’s still in limbo.”

A few days ago, Harbaugh acknowledged that missing this much practice time is having a negative effect on Gaither’s prospects for playing time.

Gaither has experienced a drastic weight loss since the spring, dieting and exercising his way down to 311 pounds. He played last season at roughly 340 pounds and has admitted that he overdid the weight loss.

His blood work has come back negative.

Once he’s healthy, Gaither is expected to start at right tackle with Michael Oher listed as first on the depth chart at left tackle.

Do the Ravens have Gaither’s condition diagnosed?

“I think we know what it is, and it’s just a matter of working out those spasms and getting him out here,” Harbaugh said. “From what I’ve been told, it’s not serious. There’s one more thing they’re going to do to make sure it’s not serious.”

Meanwhile, offensive tackle Oniel Cousins is running with the first-team offense at right tackle and is expected to start Thursday night when the Ravens open the preseason against the Carolina Panthers at M&T Bank Stadium.

Cousins has been working his way back into form after undergoing throat surgery this offseason to remove a noncancerous cyst from his esophagus.

Harbaugh said there are some signs of rust with Cousins.

“Yeah, at times, but, at times, he looks like he hasn’t missed at all,” he said. “To me, he’s further along than I thought he would be, but he’s got a ways to go. We’ve got plenty of camp left, and he shouldn’t have a problem.”

NGATA HAS MINOR BACK ISSUE: Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata limped off the field with back spasms.

It’s regarded as a minor ailment.

“I think he caught a helmet or something in his back,” Harbaugh said. “He should be fine.”

Ngata underwent surgery this offseason to repair a torn pectoral muscle suffered during the Pro Bowl, but has made a complete recovery.

CARR SIDELINED: Cornerback Chris Carr is playing it safe when it comes to a hamstring injury incurred Saturday where he grabbed the back of his left leg.

He’d like to be back as soon as Thursday night, but he has to consider his long-term health.

“You want to be out there, you want to compete,” Carr said. “You feel guilty in the back of your mind, but you know the ultimate goal is to get ready for the first game, the New York Jets. I don’t want to do anything to cause me to miss a game.

“I’ve never missed a game before and I don’t plan on missing a game. It’s tough because I feel like I’ve been playing well. I’ve been in a groove. I just have to be smart about it.”

The Ravens need Carr to get healthy since Domonique Foxworth is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Lardarius Webb isn’t off the physically unable to perform list with his own surgically-repaired knee injury from last season and cornerback Prince Miller wasn’t at practice Monday after his girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl.

Carr said he feels like he’s healing quickly.

“Yeah, I feel like it is,” Carr said. “Not as fast as I would like. I don’t like seeing all my teammates out there when everybody’s down. It’s tough not being out there. You want to work on your skills and your technique, but I’ll be back out there soon enough. I don’t want to rush it, though. I want to be ready for the season.”

INJURY UPDATES: Offensive tackle David Hale was back on the field and able to practice after being out since late last week with a back injury.

“It was just stiffness in my back,” he said. “Backs are tricky. It’s nothing big. It was precautionary.”

Meanwhile, wide receiver Derrick Mason (bruised left knee) returned to practice as well as offensive tackle Stefan Rodgers (knee, ankle), linebacker Tavares Gooden (undisclosed) and cornerback K.J. Gerard (hamstring).

“I told you I’d be back soon,” said Gooden, who sat out Sunday’s practice.
Rookie offensive tackle Ramon Harewood didn’t practice and had both his knees wrapped up.

Also not practicing: Miller, offensive tackle Tony Moll (concussion) and safety Marcus Paschal (right quadriceps).

Still on the physically unable to perform list: Webb, safety Ed Reed (hip), running back Matt Lawrence (knee) and linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps).

PLAYING TIME: Harbaugh indicated that the starters will only play roughly one quarter against Carolina.

“It will be standard to what you see in the preseason,” he said. ‘The starters will play no more than a quarter, and just kind of work it from there.”

Meanwhile, the dueling kickers are expected to divide their work into one half apiece.

It’s unclear if Shayne Graham or Billy Cundiff will go first, but Graham has been with the first-team kicking group throughout camp.

“We’ll have a plan,” Harbaugh said. “We haven’t talked about it specifically, but my guess is we’ll have a first-half and a second-half plan and just alternate throughout the preseason.”

Cundiff connected on every one of his eight field goals Monday while Graham converted 10 of 11 kicks. His lone miss was from 51 yards.

QUICK HITS: Fabian Washington was in position to intercept a Marc Bulger pass intended for Donte’ Stallworth, but Stallworth tipped it to himself for an exciting catch. … Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs dominated the one-on-one drills and full-team drills with a series of sacks. Cousins struggled to slow him down. … Wide receiver Anquan Boldin hauled in a 50-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco over his shoulders. … The Ravens have extended their partnership with the Maryland Lottery for another year with team president Dick Cass and Maryland Lottery director Stephen Martino making the announcement Monday at practice. “We’re looking forward to a second year,” Cass said. “We’ve got a lot of prizes and are aiming to sell of the tickets again this year.” The $5 scratch-off tickets feature three $1 million prizes.

TRAINING CAMP DAY 9: Mason, Carr injuries not considered serious

2010-08-08T09:51:00.002-04:00

Gaither visits back specialist

BALTIMORE – Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason bruised his left knee and cornerback Chris Carr limped off with an apparent hamstring injury, but neither injury is regarded as serious.

Mason said he could have continued if it had been an actual game.

“I bruised my knee,” said Mason, who fell on his knee. “It wasn’t critical that I come back in. So, I just iced it down and that was about it. I’ll be fine. Ain’t no swelling in it, just hit it flat on the turf and came out. If it was a game, I’m pretty sure I could’ve went back in there.”

Mason predicted that he’ll return to practice as soon as today.

Carr grabbed his hamstring and went to the locker room and didn’t return.

His leg wasn’t wrapped up afterward. He’s not expected to be out for long.

Carr declined to discuss his injury, saying it’s up to coach John Harbaugh to give updates on his condition.

“No injury questions, I’m sorry,” Carr said.

Asked if he’ll be ready for the regular season, Carr replied, “Yes, I feel good. It’s been a good camp. I feel real confident right now. I’m fine.”

Harbaugh didn’t give any details on Carr’s status.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I don’t have a report on that yet.”

GAITHER SEES A BACK SPECIALIST: Offensive tackle Jared Gaither went to see a back specialist Saturday to determine the cause of his frequent back spasms.

Gaither has been sidelined periodically throughout training camp with the problem, which could stem from losing 29 pounds to get down to 311 pounds after playing last season at 340 pounds.

Harbaugh indicated that the ailment isn't serious, according to Dr. John Carbone.
“I had not heard the report on that yet other than to hear it’s not serious,” Harbaugh said. “It’s just something he’s got to fight through. It’s unfortunate because he’s competing for that spot, and you’ve got to stack practices.

“That’s what the competition is all about. But Jared’s a hard worker, and we’ve just got to get him on the field and get him going and he’ll be fine.”

Harbaugh said he had no questions about whether Gaither fits the team’s hard-nosed style.

“Yeah, he’s proven he plays like a Raven,” he said. “He’s played well here for a couple of years. I think it’s been tough. He’s getting these back spasms in his upper and middle back.”

BIG DAY FOR HAMLIN: Veteran safety Ken Hamlin intercepted two passes, picking off Marc Bulger and Troy Smith.

Hamlin is chasing Tom Zbikowski for the safety job with Ed Reed sidelined following offseason hip surgery.

“I’m not worried about positioning myself,” Hamlin said. “A lot of people got a lot better. That’s the thing about practice. You usually get better each day.”

Added Harbaugh: “Ken’s done a good job all the way through. I think the more comfortable he gets with the defense, the more you’re going to see his playmaking ability. He had a good day.”

INJURY REPORT: Besides Gaither, the following players didn’t practice: cornerbacks Fabian Washington (knee), K.J. Gerard (hamstring), safety Marcus Paschal (leg), center David Hale (undisclosed), offensive tackle Tony Moll (concussion) and offensive tackle Stefan Rodgers (knee, ankle).

Washington was rested for precautionary reasons.

As he predicted, running back Willis McGahee returned to practice after being held out Friday due to swelling in his left knee.

Still on the physically unable to perform list: Reed, linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps), running back Matt Lawrence (knee) and cornerback Lardarius Webb (knee).

HARBAUGH ON THE MOVE: Outside linebacker Antwan Barnes deflected a Bulger pass directly into the hands of his head coach.

Harbaugh ran upfield a bit and threw a joking stiff-arm at Barnes.

“I’ve got pretty good hands,” Harbaugh said. “Caught balls for my brother all those years. I can catch. You never know. The dream never dies, right?

QUICK HITS: Cornerback Cary Williams had the biggest hit of the day, upending rookie wide receiver David Reed. Wide receiver Justin Harper continues to make some big plays, catching a long pass from Bulger as he split Hamlin and rookie cornerback Chris Hawkins. … Dawan Landry picked off Joe Flacco to begin the practice. … Rookie nose guard bull-rushed offensive guard Bryan Mattison, steamrolling him to the ground during one-on-one drills. It was replayed a few times on the video screen. “It was just a matter of quickness and strength. They told me to work on one thing at a time. I just pushed the pocket and got a good get-off and everything went good from here on out.” Added Harbaugh: “I saw Bryan Mattison stand up on a bull rush a little bit later and just stone somebody, too. They should be showing that one, too, to be fair, right?”

TRAINING CAMP DAY 8: Birk, Mason return

2010-08-07T02:42:00.002-04:00

In a training camp where virtually all of the injury news has been bad, the Baltimore Ravens got two positive developments Friday.

Six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk was activated from the physically unable to perform list, practicing for the first time since undergoing offseason elbow surgery.

And veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason returned to practice after missing the previous two days with a sprained right ankle.

"Great to see Matt and Derrick back," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Derrick looked 100 percent, and Matt really looked 100 percent, too. I'm sure Matt will be a little sore because it was his first practice, but it was good to see him in there."
Birk had been itching to get back on the field ever since players arrived in Westminster last month.

Birk took the majority of the snaps. Chris Chester had been filling in for him.

"There's nothing like football shape, it's so hard to simulate," Birk said. "I was happy with what I was able to do from a pain standpoint. I tested it out, and it felt pretty good. I just had to jump in and try to get caught up as soon as I can.

"It felt pretty nice to put on the helmet and hit a gain. I definitely have got some catching up to do, but it was great to get up there. I'm sure I will be sore. That's part of it. You've got to get the body callused up and ready to handle the rigors of the season.

Mason was relieved to make a quick return after twisting his ankle Tuesday morning.
He was able to cut fluidly and caught a touchdown pass from Joe Flacco, beating Fabian Washington.

"I'm a little rusty," Mason said. "I've been out two days, and that's equal to about four or five practices. It took me a few minutes to get back to it. I'll be back to full-go Saturday.

"We didn't have any live period, so that was a good thing. The ankle held up strong, which is a good indication. Now, I'll continue to rehab it and make progress."

WALT HARRIS PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE: Veteran cornerback Walt Harris was placed on injured reserve due to a strained calf muscle, but he intends to play football this fall.

Harris' agent, Patrick Capra, told 24x7 that he has spoken with team officials and an injury settlement is a possibility. No settlement is imminent at this time, though.

"Walt fully intends to play football this season and would definitely be open to the idea of playing for the Ravens again," Capra said in a telephone interview. "There's no hard feelings on Walt's part. It's the business of the game.

"Walt needs a week or two to get over the calf injury and then he can hopefully look at other opportunities. The first thing is he needs to get healthy."

Harris, 35, was sidelined all of last season with the San Francisco 49ers with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

He didn't initially pass the Ravens' conditioning test and was placed on the non-football injury list.

Harris complained of a sore Achilles' tendon. Once he was activated, the former Pro Bowl selection missed several practices after incurring the calf problem.

The Ravens signed undrafted rookie cornerback Chris Hawkins to take Harris' roster spot.

"Walt was really disappointed that he wasn't able to get healthy in practice," coach John Harbaugh said. "That was the toughest thing. He feels like he's close. He's coming off the injury from last season.

"When I talked to him this morning, his goal is to go back and really get with trainers and get himself right where he feel like he can play this year. But he knows that he's not there right now."

Harbaugh didn't rule out the possibility of bringing back Harris once he's healthy. The Ravens signed Harris to an incentive-laden deal this summer after he initially declined a veteran minimum offer.

"We like Walt," Harbaugh said. "It would always be a possibility."

FIRST DAY FOR HAWKINS: Hawkins was excited to get back on the practice field after being cut last month by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Signed by the Ravens to a one-year deal after a previous tryout with the Detroit Lions, Hawkins recorded 119 career tackles, 19 pass deflections at LSU.

"It felt great to be back playing football," said Hawkins, a 6-foot, 187-pounder who was invited to the NFL scouting combine and carried late-round grades from most scouting services. "I was out, so it's exciting to have the opportunity to continue playing. The coaches said I'm a bit raw and young and I need to come out here ready to go. I haven't even gotten my playbook yet, so I'm learning on the run.

"I wasn't antsy. I was just hoping and praying that I could end up somewhere. It's hard wondering if you'll ever play again."

Hawkins indicated that the Ravens also tried out veteran defensive Keiwan Ratliff at the four-player tryout Thursday morning.

"Chris is a young guy looking for a shot," Harbaugh said. "Had a nice career at LSU, it looks like he's got some skills. He'd be a developmental guy right now. It gives us another guy to look at."

MCGAHEE HAS SWOLLEN KNEE: Former Pro Bowl running back Willis McGahee didn't practice because of swelling in his left knee.

"Willis has a little bit of swelling on the knee, not much," Harbaugh said. "I'd say it's precautionary, just to give it a little bit of rest."

McGahee indicated that the injury isn't serious and that the Ravens are just being careful.

"It's fine," McGahee said. "I'll be out there. I just needed a day off."

INJURY UPDATE: Not practicing: offensive tackles Jared Gaither (upper back spasms) and Tony Moll (concussion) and Stefan Rodgers (knee, ankle), center-guard David Hale (undisclosed), cornerback K.J. Gerard (hamstring) and McGahee.

The following players are still on the physically unable to perform list: free safety Ed Reed (hip), special-teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps), cornerback Lardarius Webb (knee) and running back Matt Lawrence( knee).

QUICK HITS: The Ravens will hold one practice today at M&T Bank Stadium, beginning at noon. The practice is free with a $5 parking fee and lots opening at 9 a.m. "Kids, tell your parents to bring you out," Harbaugh said. "It's free, it's free. Would love to have you out there." ... Inside linebacker Jameel McClain hosted a group of inner-city children from Philadelphia, his hometown. McClain was homeless at times as a teenager growing up in Philadelphia. ... Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs burst past Oniel Cousins for a sack. Suggs is much quicker now that he has lost 20 pounds after weighing in at 283 pounds last year. "He's going to be quicker and more explosive, especially on the pass-rush stuff," Harbaugh said. "We've seen that out here. I don't think he'll hurt his run-stopping ability at all. I think he feels strongly he wants to be down in that area, and he's doing it." ... Shayne Graham missed three of his six field goal attempts, missing kicks from 64, 51 and 48 yards. ... Rookie nose guard Terrence "Mount" Cody is enthused about playing in front of a big crowd. "I'm real excited," he said. "Alabama has some diehard fans. In the NFL, it's different. I'm looking forward to it." ... Cody, a second-round draft pick, has been doing extra conditioning after practice. "I'm getting into playing shape," he said. "It's pretty hot out here, but not as hot as what I'm used to down at Alabama."

TRAINING CAMP DAY 7: Harbaugh not a happy camper

2010-08-05T14:45:00.005-04:00

Mother Nature once again cooperated with the Ravens as a thin layer of clouds sheltered the fields of McDaniel College from the sun and the accompanying heat. The 30+ crowd had the day off but given the comfortable conditions they might be wishing that tomorrow was that down day when temps are supposed to get steamy again.

While on the subject of getting steamy, Harbaugh ripped his first team defensive line for their red zone generosity as RB Curtis Steele knifed his way through the teeth of the defensive front for two consecutive 6 yard runs.

“That’s our first team defensive line getting their [expletive] kicked by the second team offensive line!”

The wakeup call was heard as Steele’s next two carries went for -1 yard and a +1 yard.

Harbaugh frustrations seemed to carry over in the post practice presser. Perhaps the true source of his frustration was the play of Joe Flacco who for the second consecutive day could not find his rhythm. He threw three interceptions on the day, the first by Dawan Landry who pulled in a pass that was thrown too high for the outstretched Anquan Boldin. Boldin managed to get a hand on the ball and it caromed towards Landry.

Jared Gaither was a spectator for most of the practice. He is still experiencing some intermittent cramping in his back that one source said stems to the combination of dramatic weight loss and the usual loss of fluids during summer camp. The team is working with Gaither to get his weight closer to last year’s playing weight of 340.

Gaither’s absence moved Michael Oher over to the left side and at the right tackle spot the Ravens rotated Joe Reitz, Ramon Harewood and in small doses Oniel Cousins who has been moved to the active roster. Reitz, once referred to as a “poor man’s Joe Staley” is said to be improving but he has another year of practice squad eligibility and that appears to be his likely destination.

Mark Bulger slightly injured his finger during an exchange with center and watched most of the practice. It is not believed to be serious. Bulger continues to show accuracy with his throws, often placing them where only his receiver can make a play on the ball when covered tightly. Marcus Smith was the beneficiary of such accuracy today.

Fabian Washington is rounding into shape daily. Today he nearly had an interception in the end zone, abandoning is area along the left sideline while closing quickly on a ball thrown in line with the left hash mark. Earlier he stayed with Anquan Boldin stride for stride on a go route. Joe Flacco tried to take advantage of the size mismatch but Washington won the battle, effectively knocking down the pass.

Boldin arrived to Baltimore with the reputation of being a strong receiver who willingly supports the running game and one who can break tackles. His hands are underrated as is his ability to stretch the field. Boldin isn’t a deep threat because of his speed. It’s his strong hands, size and ball skills that enable him to pull down long throws despite being tightly covered.

For those waiting for Paul Kruger to step up, he made his first impactful play that I’ve witnessed during the seven days of camp. While lined up just to the outside shoulder of Michael Oher (playing left tackle) Kruger jab stepped to Oher’s left then shot the inside gap and sacked Flacco.

LIVE RED ZONE SCRIMMAGING

First Team Offense

1-10-18 Flacco sacked by Kruger, - 7 yards
2-17-25 Flacco to Clayton, 7 yards
3-10-18 Flacco to Clayton, 5 yards
4-05-13 Cundiff 31 yard field goal

Second Team Offense (Bulger sits out nursing finger injury)

1-10-19 Steele run, 6 yards
2-04-13 Steele run, 6 yards
1-G-07 Steele run, - 1 yard
2-G-08 Steele run, 1 yard
3-G-07 Smith run, 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN

Note: Ed Reed shouted, “Hey Troy, you got a red jersey.” (meaning that he shouldn’t run given there’s no contact with QB). Smith to Reed, “You got red shoes!” (he does)

First Team Offense

1-10-16 Arthur Jones jumps offsides
2-05-11 McGahee run, 5 yards
1-G-06 McGahee run, 3 yards
2-G-03 Flacco to Clayton, INTERCEPTED by Marcus Paschal

Second Team Offense

1-10-17 Parmele run, - 2 yards (Divens shoots gap makes tackle)
2-12-19 Divens tips Smith’s pass intended for Williams
3-12-19 Parmele run, 4 yards
4-09-15 Cundiff 32 yard field go NO GOOD

First Team Offense

1-10-14 Flacco to Clayton, TOUCHDOWN (Prince Miller on coverage)

OTHER NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

Oher had his right ankle taped a couple of times during practice. He walked off the field without any signs of a limp but did have his right shoe off…K.J. Gerard is still sidelined due to a hamstring issue. He’s missing a prime opportunity to show what he’s got…Meanwhile the Ravens hosted a few cornerbacks to take a look see. None of the hopefuls are household names…Derrick Mason was a spectator today and walked without any limp. His right ankle is still taped however. The bet here is that he’ll be back on the practice field no later than Sunday…Flacco’s third interception in the morning session was to Tom Zbikowski playing centerfield. Ed Dickson ran a go along the left hash mark and Flacco overshot his target while trying to drop it over the linebacker. The noticeably faster Zbikowski took it the other way, 80 yards for the score…Bob Ehrlich attended this morning’s practice. According to The Sun’s Jamison Hensley when asked where Governor O’Malley might be Ehrlich joked, “He’s at the Steelers’ camp.” John Harbaugh appreciated Ehrlich’s visit and after this visit and the visits from John Madden and Roger Goodell yesterday Harbaugh asked, “Who’s going to be here tomorrow?” Ravens Senior VP Kevin Byrne replied, “Governor O’Malley after he sees this.”…REMINDER: The Ravens will hold a practice open to the public for free on Saturday, August 7th at noon at M&T Bank Stadium. Parking lots for the event open at 9 a.m., and fans may park in Lots A, B, C, G, H and J. There is a $5 parking rate for automobiles, and oversized vehicles will be charged $25. Cold tailgating will be permitted in all lots – this is, NO GRILLS.

TRAINING CAMP DAY 6: Defense steps it up

2010-08-04T20:48:00.002-04:00

On a scale of one to ten, Joe Flacco’s performance on Tuesday would rate a 9. However, right from the start of practice on Wednesday at McDaniel College the defense seemed determined not to let his effectiveness reach such levels again.

The team set up as they have each day for red zone drills, and on this day it represented the first meaningful semi-live scrimmaging. On the very first play from the 20 Flacco dropped back to throw and was quickly sacked by Haloti Ngata who blew by Ben Grubbs. Ngata could not stop his momentum in time and sent Flacco tumbling.

On the next play Flacco hit Le’Ron McClain for a 5 yard gain but was again sacked on third down as Cory Redding and Terrell Suggs met up with the team’s signal caller in the offensive backfield. This early sequence would in many ways set the tone for No. 5. Soon thereafter Flacco was picked off in the end zone by Tom Zbikowski who rolled over in coverage to pick up Boldin running a go from the right slot.

Later during the session Flacco found Anquan Boldin with a mismatch during the two minute offense, covered by Dawan Landry. Boldin had 5 yards of separation on Landry but Flacco’s pass was underthrown. Boldin did manage to come back to the ball and wrestle it from Landry for a 35 yard completion. After a couple of short passes producing a first down, the offense looked a bit confused. With about 25 seconds left Flacco puzzlingly opted to take a knee. The sequence hardly looked professional but if there’s a defense of Flacco here, the scoreboard was behind him over his right shoulder. That said it looked as though the objective in these two minute drills was to get into field goal range while chewing up the clock.

Flacco later tried another deep ball to Mark Clayton (who ran with the 1’s in Mason’s absence) on two occasions; both times testing Chris Carr who returned to action and both times Carr had solid coverage. Both passes fell incomplete. Flacco did have some success (as did Marc Bulger) intentional throwing short of the coverage only to have their targets work back to the ball. On one such throw Boldin was working a post corner covered by Carr. Boldin had his hands on it but dropped it, perhaps the first semi-meaningful drop he’s had during camp.

Relatively speaking Marc Bulger ran one of the more effective 2 minute drills of the morning as the second team offense started at their own 30 with 1:19 on the clock. The sequence played out as follow:

1-10-30 (1:19) Bulger screen pass to McGahee, 8 yards (Note: Cameron often employs a screen to start his two minute offense)
2-02-38 Bulger to Reed, 7 yards, timeout
1-10-45 (o:50) Bulger to Williams, incomplete
2-10-45 Bulger to Dickson, 15 yards
1-10-40 Bulger dirts ball
2-10-40 Bulger to Dickson, 4 yards
3-06-36 (0:22) McGahee 4 yard run
4-02-32 Cundiff’s FGA from 50 yards – GOOD

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Fabian Washington took more snaps today as he prepares for the preseason opener. It would be a surprise to see him suit up for that game…KJ Gerard is missing an opportunity and was sidelined again today with an ailing hamstring…Cousins is still not practicing with the team as he recovers from a throat ailment but is involved on the sidelines with various exercises…Tony Moll is sidelined with a concussion...Tom Zbikowski had 1 interception but nearly corralled a second pick, this one a Bulger pass intended for Marcus Smith. Zbikowski closed quickly on the ball, indicative of his play thus far in camp. The third year safety is playing faster and looks leaner…Jameel McClain started the day with the 1’s and seemed to get more snaps with the first team than either Tavares Gooden or Dannell Ellerbe…If camp is any indication Ray Rice will be every bit as productive as he was in 2009. He seems more confident in the passing game and is an absolute mismatch against a linebacker which he proved again today while hauling in a long pass from Flacco down the right sideline...The play of Demetrius Williams along with Clayton was lauded by John Harbaugh. Williams still seems like a long-shot and has struggled on occasion getting in synch with Bulger Team is treating that cautiously…

NOTABLES AND QUOTABLES

When asked about the kicking battle between Shayne Graham and Billy Cundiff, Harbaugh admitted that it would be his preference to have that position decided already. He added though that this year’s battle is much better than last year’s because, “there’s a lot more going through the uprights.”

Matt Birk discussed how defenders are so much faster today than when he first entered the league and it effectively shrinks the field and makes it more difficult to make blocking calls at the line of scrimmage. Birk made light of his own observation with some self-deprecation: “Then again, maybe I’ve taken too many hits to the head and I’m just dumber.”

Practice ended with the reserve defense stopping the No. 2 offense on fourth and 1.

Photo by Kevin Moore.

TRAINING CAMP DAY 5: Flacco looks sharp

2010-08-03T21:58:00.002-04:00

This morning’s practice was conducted on the lower field closer to the parking lot and adjacent to the field closest to the grandstands. Representatives from the football coaching staffs of Maryland, Towson and Navy respectively, where in attendance today.

Early on there was little to get excited about as the team seemed to slow pace it through an extended version of warm-ups and positional drills. Shorter strides and heavy, lactic acid soaked legs seemed to be the norm.

Soon thereafter the offense practiced digging out from deep in their own territory with a mix of running plays featuring Le’Ron McClain.

McClain’s namesake Jameel was rewarded today and ran with the first team defense beside Ray Lewis. Heading into camp that job looked like it was Dannell Ellerbe’s to lose and while Ellerbe can’t be considered a camp failure, his limited snaps with the 1’s is a bit puzzling.

During the sequence of mostly Le’Ron McClain runs the defense had the upper hand. Arthur Jones knifed through the line and had this been live scrimmaging, he probably would have taken down McClain 3 yards deep in the end zone. On the very next play Antwan Barnes navigated his way into the backfield much to the delight of LB Coach Ted Monachino who lauded Barnes’ technique. Also during this part of the session, Paul Kruger and Joe Reitz engaged in a tussle that ended with a helmetless Reitz and a takedown of Kruger.

Cam Cameron then guided his offense through a walk thru session, installing plays and choreographing blocking assignments. This was followed by some red zone live scrimmaging.

The first team offense executed with precision as Joe Flacco connected on scoring strikes with Derrick Mason, Anquan Boldin and rookie Ed Dickson during what was his best day of Camp 2010. Ray Rice also added a 15 yard scamper for a score. The second team offense wasn’t as efficient. On their first play Jalen Parmele was dropped for a four yard loss then two plays later when facing a third and 10 from the defense’s 20, Marc Bulger was intercepted by Haruki Nakamura on a pass intended for David Reed.

Things did balance out a bit for the first team offense during one set of downs that began with a screen from Flacco to Rice. Ray Lewis exploded through the loosely organized blocking and dropped Rice for a four yard loss. Bulger corrected atoned for his earlier mistake with a 17 yard TD strike to Mark Clayton running a post from the right flanker position.

During the next set of downs, Flacco connected with Mason on a short out to the right. Mason showed youthful change of direction skills as Travis Fisher whiffed trying to tackle the crafty vet. As Mason tried to strike pay dirt, he was stripped of the football which was recovered by the defense and returned the other way. Mason dropped to his knees in pain and was soon thereafter helped off the field for what was later determined to be a mildly sprained right ankle.

OTHER NOTES & OBSERVATIONS

Newcomer Doug Dutch took just a few snaps and if his first practice is any indication, he won’t be around long. He’s simply another body in camp…Travis Fisher has been beaten like a drum throughout camp. He’s wearing Frank Walker’s old No. 41 and the truth be told old 41 is better…During a post practice interview Jared Gaither mentioned that he lost weight to help take pressure off an ailing foot. The foot he said is now 100% and he will be working with the coaching staff to get back to a more ideal playing weight. He would not disclose what that ideal weight is that he and the coaches agreed upon…Demetrius Williams has had a pretty decent camp but he did drop a slant today from Bulger who hit the former Duck in stride with room to run…Justin Harper has had a knack for finding open spaces in the past but has struggled with his hands. This camp, it’s a different story as Harper has been very sure handed. That said, he doesn’t seem to be getting as many snaps as David Reed…Dawan Landry is having a very solid camp and both he and Tom Zbikowski have been quick to the ball. They are both playing faster and at this point far ahead of Ken Hamlin…Todd Heap went down during practice. He may have taken a shot in the ribs or had the wind knocked out of him. He returned to practice shortly thereafter…Paul Kruger fans, there’s not much good news to report. The second year former Ute has been largely unnoticeable…Jarret Johnson had a forceful sack of Troy Smith exploding through the interior of the line…Terrell Suggs hurt his left wrist and seemed to be bothered by it for a few plays but eventually shook it off...On Wednesday Roger Goodell and John Madden will be in attendance at McDaniel College.

TRAINING CAMP: Day 4

2010-08-02T19:27:00.004-04:00

Ravens go vertical

The grind of training camp is taking hold of the Ravens as each player fights through soreness to get into football shape. Early on today, the soreness led to borderline lethargy and a rather uninspired effort for the suite holders, Ravens Radio partners and their guests who were in attendance today – one that was closed to the general public. Today was also Over 30 day; all players 30 and older were allowed to sit out with the exception of Todd Heap who has missed several practices due to an illness.

Towards the back end of practice, the offense found their mojo during 7 on 7 drills as the Ravens’ QB’s connected regularly down field – particularly to the tight ends.

Just as they had been on Saturday, the offense was successful again in the red zone. They ran six red zone plays alternating between the 20 yard line and the 15 mostly out of empty backfield formations. Three of the six plays went for scores as Flacco connected with Donte Stallworth on a skinny post and to Ray Rice who caught an out from the right slot. One on one in the open field Rice is extremely difficult to take down because of his sharp change of direction skills.

Anquan Boldin capped the red zone scoring with a 15 yard toss from Marc Bulger. Boldin was double covered on the play by Dannell Ellerbe and Ken Hamlin. Hamlin had inside containment while Ellerbe was just about stride for stride with Boldin as he ran the go from the left slot close to the left hash mark. Bulger placed the ball just beyond Ellerbe’s reach and to the outside shoulder to avoid the closing Hamlin.

Shortly after the red zone offense the Ravens lined up to practice their goal line offense from the 1. Live hitting marked these battles. The waggle with Flacco went nowhere while a Ray Rice run advanced the ball from the 3 to the 1. McGahee took it in from there behind Ben Grubbs. Jameel McClain and Edgar Jones competed ferociously, each making tackles. Jones was so amped up that he got into a shoving match with the mild mannered Todd Heap.

TWO MINUTE OFFENSE

First Team

1-10-25 (1:30) Flacco to Rice, 5 yards
2-05-30 Flacco to Boldin, 10 yards
1-10-40 Flacco to Rice, 8 yards
2-02-48 Flacco to Clayton, pass interference on Walt Harris
1-10-20 (0:14) Flacco to Boldin, 11 yards
1-G-09 Flacco throws ball through end zone
2-G-09 Flacco to Boldin, TOUCHDOWN, later called back for false start
3-G-14 (0:03) FG from 32 yards (Graham)

Second Team

1-10-25 Bulger to Parmele, 10 yards
1-10-35 Bulger pass batted at line of scrimmage, intercepted by Lamar Divens
Reset
1-10-45 Bulger to Williams, 6 yards
2-04-49 Bulger to Williams, incomplete, Bulger threw to a spot, Williams couldn’t get there
3-04-49 Bulger to Dickson, incomplete, dropped
4-04-49 Bulger to Williams, 5 yards
1-10-44 Bulger to Williams, 11 yards
1-10-33 FG 51 yards is good

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

With Ray Lewis out enjoying this 30+ day off, Ellerbe, Tavares Gooden and Jameel McClain rotated at the inside linebacker positions. Each shows promise but today belonged to Jameel McClain. Perhaps his sense of urgency is a tad greater. A solid special teams contributor the former Syracuse Orangeman made his presence felt, particularly as a blitzer but also in run support during the live scrimmaging slugfest. McClain hurried Flacco twice and sacked him on another occasion.

OTHER NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS

The enigmatic Jared Gaither was back in action and manning the left tackle position pretty much the entire practice. Chris Carr and Travis Fisher both sat out practice and that placed a bigger burden on the healthy CBs Prince Miller, Cary Williams, Marcus Paschal, Fabian Washington, Harris and K.J. Gerard. The burden proved too much later in practice as the team’s QBs feasted on a tired secondary. Eron Riley (over C. Williams ~ Beck), Dennis Pitta (Hamlin ~ Bulger), Justin Harper (Nakamura ~ Beck), Ed Dickson (Gooden ~ Beck), Todd Heap, (Landry ~ Flacco) and Rice (Ellerbe ~ Flacco) all scored on throws from 22+ yards out…Beck had his best day of camp and was rewarded with a trip down the BW Parkway to unseat Colt Brennan at QB for the Redskins…Troy Smith was erratic. During one three play sequence he threw into the teeth of a Cover 2 and was intercepted by Ken Hamlin while trying to connect with Eron Riley on a go down the right sideline. On the next play he tried to connect on an in route from right to left and threw the ball right into the bread basket of a rather surprised Antwan Barnes. He dropped it. On the following play Smith threw wildly to the left sideline, a fluttering ball that sailed well over everyone...Harbaugh complimented Tom Zbikowski saying that “he is playing fast.” He also added that it has been him who has been conservative with Fabian Washington’s return to the field. He refused to wear a red jersey today, signifying that he is off limits to contact…Harbaugh believes the moderate temperatures have helped to make the team’s practices more productive…Ray Rice made a point to say how impressed he is with the young tight ends, second by Todd Heap who said he would love to the “three” tight ends on the field at the same time. That’s code for “Davon Drew has no chance.” Drew did not practice today.

TRAINING CAMP: Day 3, Team in search of depth at corner

2010-08-02T05:51:00.004-04:00

Also add a pair of offensive linemen

The Baltimore Ravens are involved in an ongoing discussion with veteran free agent cornerback Frank Walker about a potential return to a banged-up secondary.

No deal is imminent, though.

Walker has been talking with other teams, including the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears. The Colts signed former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend on Sunday.

After losing Domonique Foxworth for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the Ravens are looking for a player that can provide solid backup snaps.

Although Walker, 28, was prone to penalties last season, usually pass interference or defensive holding, he's a fast, strong defensive back who excels on special teams. And Ravens coach John Harbaugh has made it a point to stick up for Walker.

"Sure, Frank would have a shot," Harbaugh said. "Frank knows our scheme. He's got some options, teams he's talking to right now. He's one guy of a lot of guys we're looking at.

Harbaugh also categorized Shawn Springs the same way.

"One guy of a lot of guys we're looking at," Harbaugh said.

Fred Smoot and Anthony Henry have also been mentioned as potential candidates to join the Ravens. The Ravens tried out Ken Lucas this spring before going with Walt Harris.

"Yeah, we're looking," Harbaugh said. "We look at every position, but I think that's a position of interest without a doubt. We're looking hard, and there are guys out there. We're studying the guys who are out there, and there are guys on rosters that we're looking at. Ozzie [Newsome] and his staff are looking at the whole gamut, and we're looking at those guys on tape as coaches."

WASHINGTON CLEARED: Fabian Washington is making steady progress.

The cornerback practiced for the first time without a red jersey Sunday afternoon, signifying that he's no longer off-limits to contact.

Washington tore his ACL last season and has made a fast recovery.

The first-team cornerbacks Sunday afternoon were Washington and Chris Carr with Travis Fisher playing the nickel.

INJURY UPDATE: Not practicing: free safety Ed Reed (hip), offensive tackles Jared Gaither (back spasms), Tony Moll (undisclosed), Oniel Cousins (throat) and Stefan Rodgers (knee, ankle), tight end Davon Drew (hamstring), cornerbacks Lardarius Webb (knee) and Walt Harris (Achilles' tendon), tight end Davon Drew (hamstring) and linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps) and running back Matt Lawrence (knee).
Moll declined to elaborate on why he's not practicing.

"I don't know what I can disclose, so I'm sorry," Moll said.

The injury isn't believed to be serious and Moll, a former Green Bay Packer, is expected to return soon.

ROSTER MOVES: Cornerback Domonique Foxworth was officially placed on injured reserve.
The Ravens signed undrafted rookie offensive tackle Devin Tyler and re-signed offensive guard Daniel Sanders. They released undrafted rookie wide receiver Rodelin Anthony.

Tyler played collegiately at Temple, starting 39 career games after moving from defensive end. He was named team captain and the offensive Most Valuable Player last season.

The 6-foot-7, 315-pounder attended Suitland High School in Forestville.

Tyler was signed after trying out along with two other linemen Sunday morning.

CLOSED PRACTICE: The morning practice today is closed to the general public.
The afternoon special-teams practice starts at 2 p.m. and is open.

QUICK HITS: Tight end Todd Heap was awarded a touchdown after getting both feet into the end zone. With Heap shoved out by linebacker Jameel McClain, one official said he was down at the one-yard line and another said he scored. Eventually, it was ruled an official score. "I was easily across the line," Heap said. "They're a little upset." ... Billy Cundiff connected on 8 of 9 field goals, including a long of 53 yards, while Shayne Graham was given the morning off. ... Linebacker Prescott Burgess picked off quarterback Joe Flacco. ... Reserve quarterback Troy Smith hit wide receiver Demetrius Williams for a touchdown pass during a red-zone drill. ... Backup quarterback Marc Bulger was sharp in the red zone with three touchdown passes. ... Donte' Stallworth had some fun with wide receiver Derrick Mason, saying, "It's still hard for me to believe that he's 56 years old." The two-time Pro Bowl selection is 36. ... NFL officials visited training camp to discuss points of emphasis for this season, including penalties for hitting a defenseless player.

Frank Walker could be in camp again soon

2010-08-02T05:48:00.001-04:00

WESTMINSTER - The Baltimore Ravens are involved in ongoing discussions with veteran free agent cornerback Frank Walker.

Walker has other offers. It's believed one of the teams is the Indianapolis Colts.

The Ravens need depth after losing Domonique Foxworth for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

The Ravens envision the player they sign as providing a solid backup, not a starting candidate.

Walker was prone to penalties last season, particularly pass interference and defensive holding.

Walker has always been a player that Ravens coach John Harbaugh respects for his toughness and ability to run and play on special teams.

"Sure, Frank would have a shot," Harbaugh said. "Frank knows our scheme. He's got some options, teams he's talking to right now. He's one guy of a lot of guys we're looking at."

Harbaugh said that Shawn Springs would fall into that category as well. Fred Smoot and Anthony Henry have also been mentioned as potential candidates.

Ravens Training Camp: Day 2

2010-07-31T19:13:00.003-04:00

After the team’s traditional warm-up drills in positional groupings, the Ravens first semi-live scrimmaging was conducted in the red zone opposite the McDaniel College gymnasium. The offense was quite productive while showcasing a diverse playbook.

First to hit paydirt was Willis McGahee who took a Marc Bulger screen pass 20 yards for the score. Folks this is a new Willis McGahee. He’s focused, determined, purposeful and in great shape. This could be his swan song as a Raven and he seems to be on a mission to showcase his talents for future suitors. In the meantime, the Ravens will benefit from having two No. 1 tailbacks.

Donte Stallworth caught a Bulger pass in the back of the end zone from 15 yards out running an in route from the right sideline. Bulger nicely repositioned the safety by looking to his left then delivering the strike just to the right of the right upright. This toss and catch was nearly identical to the connection shared by Bulger and Mark Clayton the day before.

Later during these drills Joe Flacco hit Ray Rice on a swing pass to the right with Michael Oher out in space leading the way with interference. It appeared as though Jameel McClain had the elusive back locked in his sights but Rice stopped on a dime, allowed McClain to filter pass then scampered into the end zone from 15 yards out.

On the following red zone play from about the 10 yard line, Flacco pumped faked a pass to Derrick Mason, quickly pulled it in and handed it to Rice who burrowed his way down to the goal line.

TWO MINUTE OFFENSE

While the offense enjoyed success in the red zone, the two minute drill was owned by the defense. The clock was set at 1:19 and the ball was placed on the offense’s 45 yard line.

First Team Offense

1-10-45 (1:19) Flacco screen to Rice, 7 yards
2-03-47 False start, O-Line
2-08-47 Flacco to Boldin, 8 yards
1-10-45 Flacco to Mason incomplete
2-10-45 (0:22) Flacco sacked by Jarret Johnson, - 5 yards
3-15-50 Flacco scrambles for 9 yards
4-06-41 (0:12) False start, Ben Grubbs, -5 yards
4-11-46 Flacco to Mason, incomplete

Second Team Offense

1-10-45 Bulger screen to McGahee, 2 yards
2-08-47 Bulger to Stallworth, incomplete (Note: WR coach Jim Hostler chastised Stallworth for what appeared to be a rather uninspired effort ~ “C’mon Donte!”)
3-08-47 (0:52) Bulger draws defense offsides
3-03-48 Bulger to Stallworth, 15 yards (Note: Ball was deflected by defender but Stallworth showed excellent concentration, snared the ball and scampered up the sideline and out of bounds.)
1-10-33 (0:39) Bulger to Stallworth, TOUCHDOWN (Note: Stallworth beat Prince Miller)

First Team Offense

1-10-45 Flacco to Boldin, incomplete (ball deflected at LOS)
2-10-45 Flacco to Mason, Touchdown, Reversed because Mason stepped out of bounds prior to catch
2-10-45 Flacco to Boldin, incomplete
3-10-45 Flacco sacked by Suggs
4-11-44 (0:26) Flacco sacked by Cody who looped to the outside from the tackle position
1-10-45 (0:30) Flacco to Mason, 7 yards, nullified by penalty for illegal formation
1-15-40 (0:19) Flacco sacked by Albert McClellan (UDFA); Flacco tosses ball in frustration

Third Team Offense

1-10-45 (0:50) Smith to Reed, incomplete (pass extremely short)
2-10-45 Smith to Reed, incomplete (Reed failed to properly read the safety blitz)
3-10-45 Smith to Pitta, 9 yards
4-01-44 Smith to Williams, 15 yards
1-10-29 Spike
2-10-29 (0:22) Smith to Parmele, 4 yards
3-06-25 Spike
4-06-25 Field goal attempt blocked by Ken Hamlin, returned for TD by Nakamura

OTHER NOTES & OBSERVATIONS: The kicking duel is a hotly contested one with Graham’s leg a tad stronger than Cundiff’s. Graham made 5 of his 6 kicks. He was accurate from 20, 30, 39, 44 and 51 yards, but knocked a 50-yarder wide left. Cundiff connected on 6 of 7 field goals during the first practice. He hit kicks from 20, 30, 39, 44, 46 and 51 yards with a 42-yarder blocked. Over the course of the first two days Graham has hit on 10 of 12 kicks while Cundiff is 11 of 12...During red zone drills John Harbaugh engaged the crowd of kids at the far end zone and started a chant of “Let’s Go Ravens!” When the chant subsided, one young girl started one of her own, “Let’s Go Harbaugh” and that brought a big smile to the coach’s face. He tried to defuse the chant and asked what happened to “Let’s Go Flacco” and he then grabbed Antwan Barnes by the shoulder pads and said, “What about this guy? He’s a real sleeper this year.”

During one on one drills pitting the wide receivers against the corners, Donte Stallworth blew the doors of Travis Fisher on a straight 9, a go pattern; Marcus Smith would soon thereafter be Walt Harris badly on a stop and go…Dannell Ellerbe lined up with the 1’s less than competitor Tavares Gooden but he did make the most of his opportunities. He stripped by Willis McGahee and Ray Rice causing fumbles, the later at the 2 yard line.

Joe Flacco was visibly frustrated with the offense’s inadequacies on Saturday. Despite being a bystander when Haruki Nakamura returned a blocked punt for a score, Flacco ran over towards the Nakamura without his helmet on as if to tackle the Ravens reserve safety.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Leading into camp, the top 3 receivers mentioned by the players and coaches were Boldin, Mason and Stallworth. But that hasn’t deterred Mark Clayton who is focused and determined. He more so than Stallworth is running with the 1’s in three receiver sets. That said, Stallworth was the star on Saturday hauling in two passes for scores and making an acrobatic catch on a deflected ball while maintaining field awareness, navigating a thin sideline for YAC. These are the battles that make teams better. Ironically, the first guy to greet and congratulate Stallworth after his 33 yard TD catch was none other than Clayton who gave his mate a body bump.

RAVENS TRAINING CAMP REPORT: 2010 season is under way

2010-07-31T07:39:00.004-04:00

The Ravens took the field in ideal conditions courtesy of Mother Nature and before the largest opening day crowd in the club’s history at McDaniel College. So much for the theorists who believed the crowds would subside because of the Ravens amended autograph signing policy that inhibits collectors.

The potentially perfect day was dampened by the absence of Domonique Foxworth who the day before in non-contact drills suffered a torn ACL and is now out for the season. As defensive coordinator Greg Mattison would later explain, it is clearly better for the club to deal with the unfortunate injury now instead of later in camp. Next man up! We’ll keep a keen eye on the competition there.

Previously here on The “X” Factor we presented 10 camp battles to hone in on. As a practice from this point forward, we’ll provide a cursory view of those battles. We’ll also focus on a single player during each practice and record our observations and then as has been our tradition we will detail other observations and key events such as the successes and failures during the two minute drill.

1. The primary secondary bouts: Little did we know that the thermostat on these battles would be dialed up immensely after the untimely damage to a valuable knee. At this point Chris Carr looks like the Next Man Up at Foxworth’s corner spot with Travis Fisher and Walt Harris in the mix. Carr had a pick 6 of a Marc Bulger pass on the very first play during the two minute drill. He jumped an in route while covering rookie David Reed…Prince Miller, KJ Gerard and Cary Williams practiced with the 2’s and 3’s. No standouts among this group on Day 1. Fisher was chastised by Ray Lewis at one point for providing too big of a cushion to Justin Harper who corralled an 11 yard strike from John Beck on a third and 10. On the very next play, Fisher was right up in the face of Derrick Mason at the line of scrimmage. When Ray Lewis talks…Walt Harris has good size and a wing span that belies his 5’11” frame. He plays bigger than his listed size.

At the safety position, so far the 1’s are Dawan Landry and Tom Zbikowski. The shot of the day was delivered by Landry after a short pass from Troy Smith to Willis McGahee. McGahee was visibly shaken and walked to the sidelines spitting blood. McGahee lost a fake tooth that he's had since high school but did continue to practice without incident. Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington were observers although Washington practiced during the afternoon session.

2. ILB next to Ray Lewis: As expected Dannell Ellerbe and Tavares Gooden took turns with the 1’s although Gooden seemed to get more snaps than the not-so-entrenched incumbent Ellerbe. Neither was much of a factor on Friday although gauging the mostly pass oriented defense made it difficult to determine who either supported the run.

3. 4, 5 or 6 Wide Receivers?: All of the receivers had a decent morning session. Boldin and Mason are the 1-2 punch with Stallworth and Clayton battling for the No. 3position. It’s difficult to determine which is ahead of the other at this point. They are clearly different receivers. Stallworth has superior straight ahead speed but his change of direction skills fall far short of Clayton’s. It could be that Cam Cameron alternates the pair depending upon the game situation. Clayton is solid in the slot. Stallworth can stretch defenses and when he’s inserted into the lineup, don’t be surprised to see Mason operating out of the slot…Mason is just flat out ageless. He appears to be no less effective today than the day he showed up in Baltimore…Justin Harper has shown much more consistency with his hands during OTA’s and again on Friday…Reed made an outstanding catch along the sidelines but was ruled to be slightly out of bounds after a 15 yard out from Troy Smith…Demetrius Williams looked smooth while Marcus Smith made a nice catch on a go route down the right sideline, hauling in a 40 yard pass from Beck while beating Prince Miller…UDFA Rodelin Anthony has great size and looked solid…Eron Riley was hardly noticeable.

4. Tight end: Todd Heap is sidelined with an illness that doesn’t appear to be very serious. He was on the field during warm-ups catching passes while sporting a baseball cap…Ed Dickson looked solid and was very instrumental during the two minute offense, hauling in three passes during the 75 yard scoring drive that ended with a six yard strike from Flacco to Boldin…Dennis Pitta had and up and down day. He made a nice play on a bubble screen, adeptly following his blockers to produce a nice gain. On the very next play he dropped a pass, looking for YAC before he tucked it in. And there was plenty of YAC there…Davon Drew was very stealth and looks at this point like a wasted 2009 draft pick.

5. Backup QB: Bulger is clearly the No. 2 guy, sporting No. 9. He has an extremely quick release from his ear. The mechanics while effective do appear to be slightly unorthodox. His ability to get the ball out gives his receivers an opportunity for YAC. His big miscue on the day was telegraphing a toss to Reed. Carr made him pay.

6. Depth in the backfield: Matt Lawrence is currently on PUP and has been a bystander. Jalen Parmele is ready, willing and capable and for the moment is the third tailback on the depth chart although an argument could be made that that designation belongs to Le’Ron McClain should a crisis situation arise whereby Ray Rice and McGahee are both unavailable…As mention previously, keep an eye on Curtis Steele during preseason games…Matt Lawrence is a PUP occupant and if he doesn’t hit the field soon, Steele could bypass him particularly if he contributes for Jerry Rosburg’s special teams units.

7. Defensive Tackle: Many options here and it would appear that a decent player will be cut by the Ravens despite their organizational affinity for DT’s who can contribute to the tackle rotation. Ngata and Cody are locks; Redding should see more snaps as an end but will also see action on the interior line in nickel and dime packages. Brandon McKinney, Kelly Talavou, Lamar Divens and Arthur Jones will provide for a great competition for limited spots. If 2010 was a capped season, this depth could force out Kelly Gregg. But since it isn’t a capped season, the fan favorite is probably safe.

8. Defensive End: Redding has been solid and his enthusiasm certainly fits the squad. Trevor Pryce picks his spots and like the cagey veteran that he is, he paces himself during camp while keeping an eye on the more important marathon ahead. Kruger hasn’t quite established himself as of yet.

9. Kick/Punt Returner: Parmele, D. Reed, Webb, Stallworth, Clayton, Carr? Who will emerge? TBD!

10. Kicker: No one is saying it, but this looks to be Graham’s job to lose. Cundiff is competing and chances are he’ll land somewhere in 2010. This race is hardly over but Graham’s track record of consistency (save the end of 2009) makes him the safer bet.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Marc Bulger

Bulger is an angular guy with obvious poise and a player who leverages the nuances of the game to his advantage. He has a quick release and throws accurately and on time. He may lock in on a receiver a tad too long under duress but that just might be a habit that he needs to shed, the collateral damage from playing being the sieve called the Rams offensive line. He has an unorthodox release point but it’s that release that enables him to get rid of the football and into the hands of receivers on the move. His release, timing and anticipation combine to give receivers a chance to add yards after the catch. Bulger hit Mark Clayton early in the morning practice with a 15 yard strike at the back of the end zone, splitting two defenders.

NOTE: It was mentioned at camp that Bulger includes the #10 when signing autographs. Is that simply habit from having worn the number in St. Louis for years or might that be a sign that he plans on taking back the number if and when Troy Smith moves on. Smith currently wears No. 10, Bulger No. 9

TWO MINUTE OFFENSE

The second team offense took the field first to square off with the defense lead by No. 52. The ball was set at the offense’s 25 and the clock at 1:59. Bulger dropped back, looked and locked on David Reed running about a slant from wide ride. Chris Carr jumped the route and returned it for a score.

With the turnover, the first team offense took the field and their efforts produced different results. Here is the sequencing of that drive:

1-10-25 ~ Flacco to Dickson, 5 yards
2-05-30 ~ Flacco to Mason, 14 yards
1-10-44 (1:19) ~ Flacco to Rice, 4 yards
2-06-48 ~ Flacco to Dickson, 2 yards
3-04-50 ~ Flacco to Mason, 12 yards
1-10-38 ~ Flacco to Clayton, incomplete, pass interference 24 yards
1-10-14 ~ Flacco to Dickson, 8 yards
2-02-06 (0:25) ~ Flacco to Boldin, TOUCHDOWN

OTHER NOTES & OBSERVATIONS ~ Gaither and Oher flip flopped at left tackle with Gaither seeing more time at LT…Travis Fisher ran with the first team defense opposite Chris Carr…Haruki Nakamura dropped an easy interception when John Beck gift wrapped one…Prescott Burgess stood up Pitta as he was crossing the middle of the field, arguably beyond 5 yards but close. Troy Smith’s pass his the rookie tight end in his face…Erin Riley had a nice reception of a Smith pass down to the one yard line over Prince Miller…Miller was frequently targeted. At corner, size matters. Miller is probably better suited for a nickel position covering smaller slot receivers.

10 Battles to Watch in Ravens Training Camp 2010

2010-07-29T14:35:00.000-04:00

Preseason power rankings, predictions, expectations, etc, etc…add it all up and it’s nothing more than something to talk about, something to read about, something to debate.

The offseason is loaded with this banal blathering and fans eat it up because there’s nothing on the field to observe, analyze or critique.

Does anyone really think that the NFL Network’s Jamie Dukes can forecast the 2010-11 season measurably better than Joe Blow at The Gridiron Bar & Grill? A monkey plucking ping pong balls from a lottery dispenser has nearly as good a chance of success as Dukes – perhaps better!

And really this isn’t meant to be a knock on Dukes but rather a knock on all of the predictions. They are about as useful as Mel Kiper predicting the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft TODAY!

More interesting than these predictions are the projected training camp battles that lie ahead for the Ravens. Let’s take a quick look at those that shape up to be the most interesting.

1. The primary secondary bouts: The 2009 emergence of Tom Zbikowski; the second half rally last season by Dawan Landry; the return of Haruki Nakamura; and the addition of Ken “Hammerin’” Hamlin make for an interesting battle for the starting slot next to a healthy Ed Reed…At corner, knock him if you want but Chris Carr came on strong late in ’09 (see playoff game v. New England). Mix him in along with newcomers Travis Fisher and Walt Harris along with oft forgotten Cary Williams and this promises to be a heated competition for the CB slot opposite Domonique Foxworth. Should they step up and should Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb return from injuries sooner than expected then the heat index really skyrockets on these bouts. Could the camp battles even push Foxworth down a notch on the depth chart?

2. ILB next to Ray Lewis: Give Dannell Ellerbe the edge for now but he will be pushed by Tavares Gooden. Gooden’s speed and athleticism are hard to ignore but he lacks durability and discipline. The wild card here is Jason Phillips who has been described as extremely hard nosed and possessing of speed greater than Ellerbe.

3. 4, 5 or 6 Wide Receivers?: Boldin-Mason-Stallworth is the most oft-mentioned trips package for Cam Cameron’s offense with Mark Clayton, Demetrius Williams, Justin Harper, David Reed and Marcus Smith battling for survival. It’s hard to envision a scenario given the depth of the team’s roster where Clayton and Williams both stick because neither contributes to special teams.

4. Tight end: Todd Heap is the obvious starter while Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta battle for snaps. 2009 5th round pick Davon Drew is a long shot. Something to keep in mind here… Tight end is normally a position that provides special teams contributions. None of the top three for the moment will give Jerry Rosburg’s unit much if anything at all. That means other positions will have to step up and in the end, that places more pressure on the wide receiver group to find other ways to contribute on Sundays.

5. Backup QB: Make no mistake about it, the job is Marc Bulger’s but can Troy Smith or John Beck justify a roster spot reserved for a third QB? The bet here is, “No!”

6. Depth in the backfield: Jalen Parmele showed the team in ’09 that he can be a capable kick returner and that gives him an edge over backfield competition from Matt Lawrence although the former back from U Mass was a noticeable player on special teams prior to his season ending knee injury last year. Keep an eye on UDFA Curtis Steele who at 6’0”, 190 has size and a burst.

7. Defensive Tackle: If OTA’s proved anything, Terrence Cody is an emerging force. The thought of him and Haloti Ngata side by side could have opposing interior offensive lines shaking in their cleats. Someone to keep an eye on – Arthur Jones. The coaches were impressed with this Syracuse underachiever during OTA’s. He and Cody could significantly eat into the snaps once reserved for Kelly Gregg. Gregg played well during the second half of ’09. His roster spot is probably secure but if this were a capped season, it might not be. Newcomer Cory Redding will also see plenty of time on the interior D-Line in nickel and dime packages.

8. Defensive End: Trevor Pryce took a pay cut to return for his 14th season and 5th with the Ravens. Will Paul Kruger push him for snaps? Off the roster?

9. Kick/Punt Returner: Parmele, D. Reed, Webb, Stallworth, Clayton, Carr? Who will emerge?

10. Kicker: Will it be incumbent Billy Cundiff or the offseason signee Shayne Graham? No matter how it shakes out, this battle will be about who wins it as opposed to the ’09 season when it was more about who loses the job, Steve Hauschka or Graham Gano.