Headlines January - March

Ravens retain Ryan, who hopes to again be a hot name for head-coaching vacancies after '08

The Ravens maintained some defensive continuity with the retention of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, who signed a new three-year contract with the club. Ryan was also named assistant head coach, a designation that likely would have gone to offensive coordinator Cam Cameron were Ryan not brought back into the fold, the way we hear it. Ryan, 45, is known for defensive schemes that are stout, creative and aggressive. The Ravens were sixth in total defense this past season despite finishing in the bottom of the league in yards per pass play allowed — the result of a secondary battered by injuries. While well-liked and respected by the Ravens’ defensive players, Ryan was not offered the team’s head-coaching job after Brian Billick was fired, and he likely will have to go elsewhere if he is to garner a head-coaching position. Ryan was thought to be one of the favorites for the Falcons’ head-coaching vacancy, but Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Smith got the job. For now, though, Ryan will remain in Baltimore.


Suggs to receive franchise tag from Ravens if long-term deal isn't reached

The news that OLB Terrell Suggs will receive the franchise tag from the Ravens if team and player can't come together on a long-term contract is not surprising. Suggs — the only Pro Bowl player the Ravens have drafted in the last five years who is still on the roster — would have likely drawn significant interest early in free agency, and Baltimore was not inclined to let one of the key cogs of its aggressive, versatile defense go. In addition to the news of a possible franchise tag, The Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday that Suggs, 25, likely wants a deal close to what Colts DE Dwight Freeney received (six years, $72 million, $30 million guaranteed), but the paper also indicated both sides didn't appear to be close. Should the Ravens give Suggs the franchise tag, we're told the team may have to restructure another contract or two. Suggs only had five sacks last season, but a mix of personnel men and coaches recently surveyed by PFW praised his pass-rush ability and counted him among the more feared players at his position.


Newsome: McNair's our starter at the moment

General manager Ozzie Newsome said Steve McNair is the favorite to win the starting QB job among the passers currently on the roster. McNair, 35, played in only six games last season because of injuries to his groin and left shoulder, but Newsome, speaking at the Scouting Combine, said the quarterback’s recovery from surgery on that non-throwing shoulder has gone well. “It’s still in February, and (if you) asked who would be our starting quarterback, you would have to say right now it would be Steve McNair,” Newsome said. “We have no one else.” It would not be a surprise if the Ravens added one or more quarterbacks in free agency or the draft, so this could be a QB depth chart in flux. But it’s clear the Ravens see Kyle Boller, who started eight games in place of an injured McNair last season, as a backup at best.


Harbaugh, Ravens on same page

One of the biggest challenges facing new head coach John Harbaugh is getting in sync with a proud veteran roster that has no shortage of vocal leaders. It’s a group accustomed to winning and accustomed to ex-head coach Brian Billick’s methods. But Harbaugh, speaking at the Scouting Combine, said the Ravens players he’s met with share the same goals he has. “I probably met with 75 percent of our roster, anywhere between an hour and three hours with different guys,” Harbaugh said. “(FS) Ed Reed was in the other day, we had a tremendous conversation. That's been the most fun because those guys are hungry. They want to put together a real good football team. They want to exhaust every resource to build a football team.”


Ravens could address front seven with No. 8 pick

The Ravens have been one of the NFL’s quietest teams at the outset of free agency, and with good reason: They are not blessed with much salary-cap space. Rarely are the Ravens major market players as is, preferring to build via the draft. With no big-ticket signings likely coming, the focus turns to Baltimore’s plans for the No. 8 overall pick. Quarterback and cornerback are the Ravens’ most pressing needs, but Baltimore is unlikely to reach simply to address those positions. If the Ravens simply stick to their draft board, they may find themselves in a situation similar to 2003, when a promising front-seven player falls to their spot. Outside linebacker wasn't the Ravens' biggest need in ’03, but the Ravens could not pass on Terrell Suggs, whom they had rated as one of the top prospects in the draft. Baltimore enters this draft with strong talent along the defensive line and at linebacker, but it will be no surprise if they address either of those positions with the No. 8 pick.


Ravens banking on Pryce to come back strong

DL Trevor Pryce was one of the major reasons why the 2006 Ravens defense finished first in yards allowed and earned a reputation for ferocious play. Lining up inside for the majority of his snaps, Pryce matched his career high of 13 sacks. For a team that already could generate significant pressure off the edges and via the blitz, Pryce was an altogether different weapon. But Pryce, 32, played in only five games last season because of a broken wrist and a torn pectoral muscle, and there was some speculation about his future with the club, given his age. However, we’re told the Ravens are counting on Pryce to be a major part of the defense next season. Pryce rekindled his career in Baltimore after the Ravens allowed him to primarily rush the passer, and it’s a role he has relished. He’ll play it for at least one more season in Baltimore.


Ravens want McNair to be in top shape

QB Steve McNair is likely to be the Week One starter for the Ravens. That said, we hear the team wants McNair, 35, to prepare for the season as if his job were on the line. To hear it from a source close to the club, the 6-2, 230-pound McNair's offseason conditioning is something of a concern to the Ravens, who want their No. 1 quarterback to be at peak fitness in training camp and during the regular season. McNair hasn't run for even 150 yards in a season since 2002, so McNair's ability to get out of the pocket isn't at issue. But McNair needs to be mobile enough within the pocket to sidestep the rush and avoid being hit. McNair lost a career-high seven fumbles in only six games last season.


Ravens preparing for life without OLT Ogden, but O-line isn't without potential

OLT Jonathan Ogden, long one of the best players at his position and likely to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is widely expected to retire, and the Ravens are prepared to go on without him. The good news for Baltimore is that the majority of the offensive linemen who started a season ago got considerable experience. Adam Terry is likely to step in for Ogden, with second-year OT Jared Gaither expected to be the primary backup for both Terry and ORT Marshal Yanda. Terry has flashed ability in the past; the key for him will be consistency. But if Terry and Yanda can hold up on the edges, the Ravens' offensive line could be a team strength. Opposing coaches and scouts like what they have seen from OLG Jason Brown and ORG Ben Grubbs. The latter is entering only his second NFL season and is a former first-round pick. C Chris Chester is also a player with some potential, boasting the athleticism that a majority of clubs value in that position.