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Last week, we went over a long list of wide receivers the Ravens could add via the free agent market.
As of yesterday, a new name can be added to the discussion: former Browns receiver Donté Stallworth.
We all know Stallworth's situation by now; he was suspended for the 2009 season and spent 24 days in jail for killing a pedestrian while driving drunk on March 14 of last year.
Last Friday, Stallworth was reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, but yesterday, the Browns released him, cutting ties with a guy who only played one season with the team despite signing a seven-year, $35 million deal back in 2008.
Stallworth (6-foot, 200 pounds) was a first-round pick of the Saints back in 2002, and has played for four teams in his seven NFL seasons. His best year came in 2005 when he posted 70 receptions for 945 yards and seven touchdowns; since then his yardage and touchdown numbers have declined each of his last three seasons.
He obviously comes with his share of baggage, and the team that signs him would likely have to deal with some negative feedback from a portion of its fan base.
Stallworth's last full season was all the way back in 2007 (he missed five games in '08 with a quad injury), so it will be hard to gauge where he currently is physically.
Still, when healthy, Stallworth brings the threat of the big play and could be an intriguing option for a Ravens team that is in desperate need of an improvement in its vertical passing game.
Because he was released by the Browns, the Ravens could sign Stallworth without the limits of the Final Eight Plan getting in the way, and his recent legal situation will mean the 29-year-old wideout could be inked for a relatively inexpensive deal.
Stallworth will be determined to prove to his doubters that he can still play at the NFL level, and will be anxious to atone for what he calls a "tragic lapse in judgment".
I'll toss this one out to all of you: If you're Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, do you consider signing Stallworth despite all that he's gone through in the last year? Or would you choose not to go down that road?
Coming up a little later today, I'll have thoughts from owner Steve Bisciotti and head coach John Harbaugh on the concept of adding a player who has experienced off-the-field issues.
