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You can't learn a ton by watching minicamp practices because of the lack of contact during the sessions. Once training camp begins and players strap on full pads for contact drills, you can pick up a lot more about how a player is performing and where the team stands as a whole. But one thing that's evident when watching minicamps is the enthusiasm of the
I mentioned recently that cornerbacks Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb are both making progress in their rehab from season-ending knee injuries suffered last year. Head coach John Harbaugh has said that both corners are ahead of schedule, and Dr. James Andrews confirmed as much during examinations with Washington and Webb last week. Well, those two aren't alone; one other defensive back is also healing quicker
Ever wanted to watch Ray Lewis make a tackle on a 1,234-inch TV screen? Well, you're in luck. The Ravens have installed two new high-definition RavensVision screens at M&T Bank Stadium, each of which measures 24 feet high and 100 feet wide. Those dimensions would equal, you guessed it, a 1,234-inch screen. "We tested RavensVision earlier this week, and the picture quality is spectacular," Ravens'
Last offseason, Ray Rice dedicated himself to the Ravens' offseason workout program and added 5-10 pounds of muscle to his frame. The added weight and strength helped the second-year running back become one of the tougher backs in the league to bring down, and kept him in good shape throughout the Ravens' playoff run. This year, Rice says he's comfortable with where he's at physically
Ray Rice is by no means a proven veteran, having only played two years in the NFL. But after getting his wisdom teeth taken out last Friday, Rice could have easily pulled a veteran move and opted to take a couple days off from the Ravens' voluntary minicamps this week. The team's trainers, coaches, and Rice's teammates probably wouldn't have thought twice if the running
The Ravens and linebacker Jameel McClain reached an agreement on an exclusive rights free agent contract today, the team announced. I'm sure you've all been losing sleep anticipating that news. Demetrius Williams needed to leave yesterday's practice after getting tangled up with cornerback Domonique Foxworth on a fade route. Both players went airborne for the ball, and they fell awkwardly. Williams landed on his face
Terrence Cody's pro career didn't get off to the best of starts. The mammoth defensive tackle injured his hip early on in minicamps, and made a rookie mistake by opting not to report the injury to team trainers. Wanting to stay on the field and practice with his new team, Cody tried to fight through the pain, only to see the hip flare up even
Jared Gaither remains unable to practice because of a cortisone shot in his foot, but Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said today that the offensive tackle was at team headquarters and is still getting his work in. Harbaugh didn't give an exact timetable for Gaither's return, but said that the team expects him back at practice sometime soon. "Basically, he got the shot. You've got
After missing last week's passing camp, quarterback Troy Smith and wide receiver Mark Clayton both returned to practice today. Smith, who recently had his tonsils removed, said today that he's feeling better but still isn't 100 percent recovered from the procedure. "It was tough but well worth it," he said. "Everything is getting back in order. It's still trying times when I bark out signals
Later today, we'll find out if New York/New Jersey has, in fact, earned the right to host the 2014 Super Bowl. While the majority of teams are expected to vote for the NY/NJ Super Bowl, the New York Daily News reported that the Ravens will vote against having the Super Bowl in the new Meadowlands Stadium. The newspaper provided a quote from Ravens owner Steve
Two seasons ago, Le'Ron McClain was the Ravens' leading rusher, getting 232 carries for 902 yards and 10 touchdowns. Last year, he got only 46 carries and returned to his role as primarily a blocking fullback. Over the last few days, in an effort to earn more touches this upcoming season, McClain has taken to Twitter, launching a campaign he calls "McClain 4 RB". The
We're back at The Castle in Owings Mills for another Ravens minicamp, and yet again, the rain has hit the Baltimore area. As was the case last week, we will likely be outside again today. Rain won't slow a John Harbaugh practice down, that's for sure. It's another passing camp today, and if Troy Smith is still absent because of his recent tonsil removal, Joe
For months, Ravens fans have been wondering why the team hasn't made a move to add another proven cornerback. We might now be seeing why GM Ozzie Newsome didn't feel the need to pull the trigger on a trade this offseason or reach for a corner in last month's draft. Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb, two cornerbacks who are coming off torn ACLs they sustained
Ask about rookie wide receiver David Reed around Ravens headquarters these days and you'll almost surely get a response along these lines: "The guy's got great hands." Reed, a fifth-round pick in last month's draft, has spent the last few weeks of minicamps wowing coaches and teammates with his pass catching ability, despite the fact that he's getting tossed into a new offense and is
Michael McCrary was a dominant pass rusher for most of his 10-year NFL career. The two-time Pro Bowl defensive end had 71 career sacks (including 48.5 in a four-year span from 1996-1999), and was one of the driving forces in the Ravens' Super Bowl season in 2000. Now, McCrary is thinking about bringing his pass rushing knowledge to the coaching ranks. McCrary has been attending
Billy Cundiff has heard the rumors. How could he not? He's heard the talk all offseason about how the Ravens are planning on adding another veteran kicker to compete with him in training camp, how a proven guy like Shayne Graham might be joining him in Owings Mills sometime shortly. But Cundiff doesn't listen to the talk. As far as he's concerned, he's the Ravens'
In the "it's news, but it's not really news" department: the Ravens announced that wide receiver Mark Clayton, cornerback Fabian Washington and punter Sam Koch all made things official today, signing their restricted free agent tenders. This guarantees that all three will be with the Ravens this season. Washington was given a first-round tender by the Ravens, which Clayton and Koch both received second-round tenders.
Dannell Ellerbe was the only undrafted free agent to make the Ravens' 53-man roster last season. He was inactive the first three games of the season, worked his way onto the field on defense and special teams by Week 4, and got the start at the Jack linebacker position for the Ravens' last five games of the year (including two postseason contests). In the Ravens'
Despite the rainy conditions, the Ravens practiced outdoors today, which meant for a little slipping and sliding for some players and a wet notebook for me. I'll flip open that notebook, however, and pass along some thoughts from today's session: - Head coach John Harbaugh said that cornerback Lardarius Webb is "ahead of schedule significantly" in his rehab from a torn ACL. Webb spent the
Two years ago, Troy Smith missed out on an opportunity to earn the Ravens' starting quarterback job because he came down with a severe case of tonsillitis. Today, Smith missed the Ravens' passing camp because of yet another tonsil issue. Smith recently had his tonsils removed, which head coach John Harbaugh says will keep the Ravens' backup quarterback sidelined for about two weeks. "It's something
Jared Gaither was a no-show at Ravens minicamp today, and head coach John Harbaugh says the offensive tackle's absence is due to bruising on the bottom of his foot. The bruising was revealed during Gaither's visit to foot specialist Dr. Bob Anderson last week. Harbaugh says that the injury is "nothing major" and he expects Gaither back sometime soon. "They've worked on some orthodics, he
Today is another open media day at Ravens minicamp, so I'll be spending the morning and afternoon out in Owings Mills soaking in this lovely weather. We're in the middle of a passing camp, but that doesn't mean that just quarterbacks and wide receivers will be participating in practices this week; the running backs and offensive linemen will also be on hand, and a good
The Ravens added two players to their defensive backfield today, signing cornerback Travis Fisher and safety Brad Jones. Fisher is an eight-year veteran who was a second-round draft pick of the Rams back in 2002. He impressed the coaches during a tryout at last week's minicamp. Here's a piece I wrote last week on the 5-10, 198 pound corner. Jones is an undrafted rookie out
If you missed ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition last night, you'll want to catch it online. And you'll want to bring some tissues. Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher and his adoptive family, the Tuohy's, were a part of the show, and they assisted the Extreme Makeover crew in building a new home for the Williams family of Pine Mountain Valley, Ga. The father, Jeremy Williams,
The Ravens' selection of Terrence Cody in last month's draft wasn't a sexy pick. (Hold your jokes, please.) Drafting a run-stuffing, block-eating defensive tackle generally won't get fans all that fired up. But there is one guy who loved GM Ozzie Newsome's selection of Cody with the 57th overall pick - Ray Lewis. "My mindset definitely changed when we drafted Cody," Lewis said at last
A rookie's first NFL minicamp is usually a pretty stressful experience. He's getting a new playbook thrown at him, the coaches are yelling out new terminology, he's playing alongside guys that he's grown up looking up to...oh yeah, and he's fighting for a job which could pay him a decent amount of money. Mike McLaughlin is going through that whole process right now, except he's
The Ravens had a handful of players at last weekend's minicamp on a tryout basis. Mixed in among the undrafted free agents and young players looking for their first break was an eight-year veteran who was a second-round pick back in 2002. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Travis Fisher. The 5-10, 189 pound cornerback performed well last weekend, and earned himself a second tryout with the
Last summer was an interesting one for Terrell Suggs. The Ravens linebacker entered the 2009 offseason battling a shoulder injury which he suffered during the playoffs. He was tagged as the Ravens' franchise player for the second straight season, which meant that he wasn't required to attend the team's offseason workouts. Instead, he opted to work out with his own personal trainer in Arizona. Then,
Brendon Ayanbadejo would probably be considered one of the tougher guys on the Ravens' roster. That's why it's a little concerning when the Ravens' linebacker/special teams ace says that he's still in a good bit of pain seven months after suffering a torn quadriceps in his left leg. Despite the pain, however, Ayanbadejo still expects to return for training camp in a couple months. "I
There's not a ton that you can learn from the opening minicamp of the offseason. The practices are non-contact, drills aren't always done at full-speed, and the rookies haven't had time to get a firm grasp of the new system they'll be working in. Despite all that, you can definitely pick up on some trends by watching a few days of practice in a row.
I've got plenty more notes to pass along from this weekend's minicamp, but first, I have a couple off-field updates for you. The first involves linebacker Ray Lewis, who will have a section of Baltimore City's North Avenue renamed "Ray Lewis Way". The renaming will take place tomorrow at 1 p.m. on the corner of North Ave. and Broadway. Lewis will be on hand to
Jared Gaither missed the second straight day of minicamps today, and head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that Gaither's absence is due to a foot injury that has carried over from last year. Gaither will undergo an MRI on the foot, Harbaugh said, and the 6-9, 340 pound tackle will also see a specialist this week. Harbaugh denied that Gaither's absence was related to trade
Many felt that Haloti Ngata's first Pro Bowl appearance last season was a year or two overdue and he had been snubbed in previous seasons. Well, based on how the NFL's all-star game went for Ngata last year, the Ravens' defensive tackle might have been better off sitting at home during the 2007 and 2008 Pro Bowls. Ngata suffered a torn left pectoral muscle during
A couple reporters approached Matt Katula in the locker room after practice yesterday and asked the Ravens' long snapper if we could have a couple minutes of his time. "Am I the story? Am I really the story?" Katula jokingly asked. Well, when a long snapper finishes a season like Katula did last year, he will garner a little more media attention than the average
It's not easy changing teams in the NFL. You've got new teammates to meet, a new system to learn, and new coaches to get used to. But there's one part about Donte' Stallworth's transition onto the Ravens' roster that he says is a positive. "It's good to not have to play these guys again," Stallworth said with a smile. Stallworth is currently trying to acclimate
After today's minicamp, Ramon Harewood stood in the locker room with what looked like 12 pounds of tape around his injured right knee. He had suffered what initially looked like a serious knee injury just an hour or so earlier, and yet he talked with reporters for nearly 10 minutes with a smile on his face, discussing his health and interesting back-story. Reporters have taken
Jared Gaither wasn't at practice today, but his absence didn't have anything to do with a possible trade or any backlash from his abrupt move to right tackle. Gaither spent the morning and early afternoon in the training room, receiving treatment for an injury. The specific injury that Gaither is nursing is unknown. He wasn't available to the media after practice, and offensive coordinator Cam
On just his second day of minicamps since being drafted, sixth-round offensive lineman Ramon Harewood had to be carted off the field with what looked like was a right leg injury. Harewood was down on the field for a few minutes getting attended to by team trainers. Then they helped lift the 6-4, 340 pound lineman to his feet and onto the cart. Harewood is
A day after moving to right tackle with Michael Oher taking over at his old left tackle spot, Jared Gaither is nowhere to be found today. Gaither has not been on the practice fields at all today. Oher is still at left tackle with the first team offensive line and Oniel Cousins is getting the reps at right tackle. Gaither was surprisingly positive yesterday after
Yesterday, I passed along Jared Gaither's thoughts on being moved from left tackle to right tackle, with Michael Oher taking his spot on the blind side. Gaither seemed resigned to the fact that if he stays with the Ravens this year, he'll now be their starting right tackle. Asked for his take on the move, Oher didn't want to speculate on whether it was a
Anquan Boldin's first Ravens minicamp did not feature any spectacular one-handed grabs, any backflips over defenders or any leisurely strolls over bodies of water. Despite reports to the contrary, Boldin's not Superman. Or at least he's not Superman all the time. The seventh-year wide receiver did open the OTAs with a nice grab on an underthrown Joe Flacco pass, coming back to the ball and
Fabian Washington wanted to be out on the field today with his teammates as they had their first minicamp of the offseason. Instead, the cornerback was stuck on the sidelines wearing a baseball hat and not a helmet. Washington is still recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered in November of last year. He will likely be out for another couple months, but expects
Ed Reed was not on hand today for the Ravens' first minicamp of the season, but head coach John Harbaugh says the team expects Reed back for at least part of training camp, which will begin in late-July. "We'll have to see how it progresses," Harbaugh said. "What we try to do with Ed is push it as long we could from a rehab perspective.
The first minicamp of the 2010 season brought a big potential roster switch, with Michael Oher moving from right tackle to left tackle and Jared Gaither taking his reps at Oher's old spot. Asked about the move after practice, Gaither seemed willing to acknowledge that the move is more than just a one-day thing. "It's a task that I'll have to overcome, and it's something
Today's minicamp has yet to end, but I wanted to duck inside for a minute to pass along word that Michael Oher has gotten every rep at left tackle so far today, with Jared Gaither moving to the right tackle spot. Oher, last year's first-round pick, started five games at left tackle last season when Gaither went out with neck and foot injuries, but was
It might seem like the 2009 season just ended (at least it does to me), but the Ravens will kick off the 2010 campaign today with their first team minicamp. This morning marks the beginning of a three-day, mandatory session which will include both the veterans and the rookies. There is no hitting allowed (so says the NFL), but the Ravens will use these sessions
Going into the draft, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he was hoping to add two cornerbacks to the roster. The Ravens didn't add a corner through the draft itself, but they've added a couple rookie free agents to compete for roster spots this offseason. Shortly after the draft, the team signed Georgia cornerback Prince Miller. More recently, they agreed to an undrafted free agent
The next time you show up at M&T Bank Stadium, you'll notice the place will have a fresh look in a couple of areas. The major improvement will be on the field; it will, in fact, be the field itself. The Ravens are in the process of installing a new field surface, which is called "Momentum 51" and is produced by Shaw Sportexe. The change
It doesn't appear Ed Reed will participate in this weekend's mandatory team minicamp, but his likely absence isn't a reason for Ravens fans to worry. If anything, it's actually a positive sign. Reed underwent a "procedure" in his hip area this offseason, according to multiple reports. The six-time Pro Bowl safety missed four games late last season because of a lingering hip injury, and the
Last year, the Ravens went practically the entire season with Le'Ron McClain as the only fullback on the roster. For a while this offseason, it appeared that he would have company in the form of Edgar Jones. Now, it looks like McClain will enter minicamps as the Ravens' lone fullback yet again. Jones, who played tight end last year, will move back to the defensive
The Cincinnati Bengals have been known to take a chance or two on a player with previous off-field issues. (That might be the understatement of the year.) Well, they're apparently continuing that trend today. According to ProFootballTalk.com, the Bengals will sign cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones. Pacman has been in the headlines quite a bit over the last few years; he was suspended for the entire
Believe it or not, Ravens minicamps begin in just three short days. Friday morning will mark the first mandatory team minicamp of the offseason, with the team hitting the field at 10:30 a.m. All the new rookies will be on hand, from the Ravens' first pick in the 2010 Draft, Sergio Kindle, to the undrafted free agents that were signed shortly after the draft. The
Ray Rice might be one of the shorter running backs in the NFL, but his size doesn't stop him from running through would-be tacklers. Need a reminder? Check out these two clips here and here. Having watched Rice over the last two seasons, we all know that the 5-8, 210 pound back has the ability to avoid defenders, even when it seems like he's wrapped
In case you're interested, the Ravens rank seventh in ESPN.com's offseason edition of Power Rankings and fifth in FoxSports.com's version. Is that too high? Is it too low? If you ask me, I'll ignore those two options and just say it's too early. We're in May; I feel like the rankings and projections can hold off for a good three or four months. I will
