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Troy Smith to the 49ers, huh?
I hear they're considering implementing the "Patrick Willis Package" into their offense out in San Francisco.
Yesterday was a busy day in Ravens land. Those in the team's front office might have misinterpreted the meaning of Labor Day.
The signing of T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the trade of Mark Clayton gives the Ravens' wide receiving corps a new, and almost certainly, better look.
The Ravens had one wide receiver who posted over 35 catches and 500 receiving yards last year. Now they have three who put up over 70 catches and 900 yards in 2009.
Not too shabby.
But some might make the claim that there is one aspect of the passing attack which is now gone, at least with Donte' Stallworth sidelined with a broken foot.
Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason and Houshmandzadeh all are all possession receivers, guys that run primarily short to intermediate routes and don't excel at turning on the burners and beating defenders deep down the field.
That was where Clayton was at his best. He wasn't a big-play machine in his five years with the Ravens (I'm not breaking any news there), but the Oklahoma product always presented a deep threat and kept defenses honest.
But head coach John Harbaugh disagrees with the notion that the Ravens won't be able to stretch the field this season without Clayton on board.
"You know how you stretch the field? You run deep," Harbaugh said. "They've got to cover you - especially when you have guys running down the field that can catch the ball. So, you run deep and you throw it to them. If they don't cover them, they'll catch the ball and they'll score.
"So, I guess what I'm saying is I think it's a little overblown. You put good players on the field and they're threats."
The Ravens certainly have threats, no doubt about that.
And we should get to see all the healthy ones on the field next Monday. Harbaugh said yesterday that Houshmandzadeh will be ready to play in the much-anticipated regular season opener against the Jets.
