In the same season where the Ravens added a new center in Matt Birk, they might have found new backup at that position.

During the offseason, David Hale is making the switch from a tackle in college to a center in the NFL. Hale, a fourth-round pick in 2008, has been working with the second-team offense in minicamps.

“He’s been attached to Birk the entire offseason,” coach John Harbaugh said recently.

Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron seems to prefer more upright centers. Birk is 6 feet 4, and Hale is 6-6.

Last season, Jason Brown started at center for the Ravens, and Chris Chester and Marshal Yanda both took snaps at center during training camp.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The Ravens signed two offensive linemen: Lou Saucedo and Stefan Rodgers.

Saucedo, a guard from Montana State, worked out for the Chicago Bears earlier this month but wasn't signed.

Rodgers, a three-year veteran out of Lambuth, was released earlier this month by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has also been a member of the Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets.

The Ravens have been thin at offensive line recently because Willie Anderson retired and Adam Terry (knee) and Oniel Cousins (chest) have been limited with injuries.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Banged-up wide receiver Demetrius Williams made two of the more impressive plays during this week's passing camp.

He caught a pass on a crossing route Tuesday against man coverage and outran the secondary. Then, on Wednesday, he made a one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone.

Williams has been bothered by an ankle injury the past two seaons and hasn't looked at full strength for most of this offseason.

"I didn’t see him coming back from plays looking like he was favoring [his injury] as much," coach John Harbaugh said. "It looks to me like he’s putting that out of his mind a little bit and just playing. The thing has been close to 100 percent as far as when he runs. So, we’re starting to see some of his speed come back."

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (25)
        

In addition to signing undrafted center-guard Robby Felix, the Ravens worked out two other offensive linemen Wednesday: Lou Saucedo and Stefan Rodgers.

Saucedo, a guard from Montana State, worked out for the Chicago Bears earlier this month but wasn't signed.

Rodgers, a three-year veteran out of Lambuth, was released earlier this month by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has also been a member of the Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Ravens coach John Harbaugh will be among those who will be watching Matt Wieters' first major league game. Wieters, the Orioles' high-profile first-round pick, will be making his debut for the Orioles on Friday at Camden Yards.

"I'm jacked about him," Harbaugh said Wednesday.

Harbaugh will be attending Orioles games on Friday and Sunday.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 1:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

The Ravens signed undrafted rookie center Robby Felix, who suffered a stroke just six months ago.

Felix had started 46 straight games for UTEP before a stroke on Nov. 16 cut short his college career. He spent the next couple of months trying to make a comeback and participated in the NFL combine in February.

But Felix didn’t get drafted last month. He now joins the Ravens, becoming only the third rookie offensive lineman (first-round pick Michael Oher and undrafted center Greg Ryan) on the team.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 12:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

Duane Starks, who played cornerback for the Ravens from 1998 to 2001, officially announced his retirement last week. Even though he was never an impact player after leaving the Ravens, Starks was key to the team's Super Bowl championship in January 2001.

Starks’ decision made me think about how the Ravens’ first-round picks stack up against one another (based on their career with the Ravens):

1. Ray Lewis (1996): Could go down as one of the best defensive players in NFL history.

2. Jonathan Ogden (1996): Will be remembered as the most dominant offensive tackle of his generation.

3. Ed Reed (2002): He’s currently the best ball hawk in the game.

4. Jamal Lewis (2000): Carried the Ravens offense for the final two months of the 2000 regular season and for all of 2003.

5. Chris McAlister (1999): Could have been better if he was more committed but still among the best cornerbacks from 2000 to 2006.

6. Terrell Suggs (2003): Has already forged himself as the most feared pass rusher in team history.

7. Peter Boulware (1997): Was the first dominant pass rusher in team history.

8. Todd Heap (2001): The Ravens’ all-time leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

9. Haloti Ngata (2006): No one is criticizing the Ravens’ decision to pick Ngata with the 12th overall pick anymore.

10. Duane Starks (1998): He had his bad games (remember Jimmy Smith?), but Starks’ strong play was pivotal in the Ravens’ championship run (remember his interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl?).

11. Joe Flacco (2008): Sure, fans will say this is too low. But Flacco’s one solid season can’t push him into the top 10 already. It’ll be interesting to debate where on the list he’ll end his career.

12. Ben Grubbs (2007): Should be a 10-year starter on the offensive line but he may never reach Pro Bowl level.

13. Mark Clayton (2005): The Ravens envisioned him as a No. 1 receiver. He has been an average No. 2 wideout for his career.

14. Kyle Boller (2003): Inconsistency and injuries derailed his career. Boller left the Ravens with the most passing yards in team history (7,846 yards) and the most wins by a starting quarterback (20-22 record).

15. Travis Taylor (2000): He never lived up to expectations as a top-10 pick. In his five-year run with the Ravens, he averaged 40 catches and three touchdowns per season.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 12:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (31)
        

Ravens coach John Harbaugh revealed an interesting statistic about the team's first minicamp, saying backup quarterbacks Troy Smith and John Beck both had higher completion percentages than Joe Flacco.

"So, that’s competition right there," Harbaugh said. "It’s a little challenge to Joe. Now, they threw more interceptions, too, so that’s a plus on Joe’s side. But they’re all pushing one another and they’re playing well."

Harbaugh seemed pleased by the progress of Smith, who is entering his third season in the NFL.

"Troy’s throwing the ball very well," he said. "He’s come a long way the last year as a passer. He’s an NFL-caliber passer."

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)
        

Ravens coach John Harbaugh didn't want to place any label on recently signed Kelley Washington, but he indicated that Washington could fit the role as the third wide receiver and a core special teams player.

The Ravens see some upside in Washington, who has played just 54 games in six seasons.

"One good thing about him is he doesn’t have a lot of wear and tear on his body," Harbaugh said. "He’s kind of a young 29."

Harbaugh then added, "We have some high hopes for Kelley and that’s why he signed him."

Washington would have to beat out Demetrius Williams for the Ravens' third receiver spot.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
        

A week since their only mandatory minicamp ended, the Ravens conducted one of their most well-attended voluntary camps in recent memory.

Players who normally skip these practices -- linebacker Ray Lewis and running back Willis McGahee -- both were out on the field Tuesday. The only starters missing were linebacker Terrell Suggs (franchise tag) and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who is in school trying to finish his degree.

"It’s exciting that guys want to be here but it’s not surprising," coach John Harbaugh said. "Our players love football. We kind of expect everybody here every day. But our guys want to be here because they love football."

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 2:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)
        

In case you missed it, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was selected by Sports Illustrated as the fifth-best owner in the NFL in a recent study conducted by the magazine.

SI praised Bisciotti's management style and his decision to replace coach Brian Billick with John Harbaugh.

As much as Art Modell was reviled in Cleveland, Bisciotti has become beloved in Baltimore as the local kid who made good and has turned the Ravens into one of best-managed franchises in the NFL. He showed guts in firing Super Bowl-winning coach Brian Billick and his entire staff following the disappointing '07 season and replacing him with hard-nosed John Harbaugh.

The factors the magazine considered were the team's success or failure on the field, the willingness to spend money to improve the team, stability and capabilities of the front office and management, amenities at the team's venue, and the club's culture and interactivity with fans.

SI also named the Orioles' Peter Angelos as the worst owner in baseball in its MLB rankings.

The Rooney family, which heads the Pittsburgh Steelers, was picked as the top NFL ownership group by the magazine.

So what do you think? Does Bisciotti deserve to be ranked among the best owners in the NFL? Does being in Baltimore, with Angelos, contribute to the perception that he's done a good job managing the Ravens?

Posted by baltimoresun.com at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (36)
        

The Ravens haven't signed any of the wide receivers who came for tryouts last weekend, but they could add one by the start of next week's passing camp.

According to a league source, the team has contacted receiver Kelley Washington, but the sides haven't reached an agreement. Washington outperformed the other receivers trying out (Jerry Porter and Tab Perry).

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 3:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

• Most of the veterans didn’t participate in the final day of the mandatory minicamp because of coach John Harbaugh’s 30-plus club (he gives players over the age of 30 every third day off). But Harbaugh did point out that new center Matt Birk, 32, practiced. “He was 29 today,” Harbaugh said of Birk.

• Starting left guard Ben Grubbs didn’t practice during the minicamp because he had ankle surgery this offseason. “He’s ahead of schedule,” Harbaugh said.

• Other injuries of note -- Starting left tackle Jared Gaither wasn’t on the field Sunday because of migraines. Tight end L.J. Smith sat out because of a groin injury. And cornerback Lardarius Webb, a third-round pick, didn’t practice Sunday because he tweaked his left hamstring.

• The quarterbacks performed an unusual individual drill. After having the ball flipped to them, each quarterback tossed the ball left-handed. Most of the throws -- which were intended to go 10 yards -- were way off the mark. Harbaugh said he was unaware of the drill. “You never know,” he speculated with a smile. “Maybe they’ll have to throw with their left hand.”

• Even though Sunday marked the final day of mandatory camp, Harbaugh expects a strong showing for the other offseason camps, which will run through mid-June. “We want everybody here every day,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what we’re pushing for. Guys will have issues where they won’t be able to be here every day, but I know all the guys will make every effort to be here every day.”

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Paul Kruger, the Ravens' second-round pick, had a rough start to his Ravens career.

The linebacker-defensive end out of Utah took an overnight flight and arrived in Baltimore at 6 a.m Friday. He missed the first major defensive meeting, and coordinator Greg Mattison tried to get him up to speed during a noon meeting.

"He couldn’t keep his head up," Mattison said. "The poor guy was [nodding off], and I’m asking him every question -- ‘OK, what about this?’ -- and he’s giving me the answer."

Kruger had a better showing Saturday, the second day of the Ravens' full-team minicamp.

"He came out and had gotten his sleep," Mattison said. "I am really excited about him. He’s a Raven that plays with a high motor."

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Here's what caught my eye and ears during the second day of the Ravens' full-team minicamp:

• Le'Ron McClain has gone back to being primarily a fullback. McClain says all the right things in interviews -- "I’ll do whatever to help the team" -- but I hear that he is unhappy with the prospect of reduced carries.

• Kelley Washington still looks the best out of all the tryout receivers. Still, I'm not sure if he has done enough to warrant getting signed. But it helps that he can be a factor on special teams.

• Antwan Barnes, who is still limited with a chest injury, worked with the starters in place of outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (absent because of the franchise tag). On Friday, undrafted rookie William VanDeSteeg filled in for Suggs.

• Rudy Gay, who plays for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies and graduated from Spalding, made a visit to Ravens headquarters. Looking for height at the wide receiver position, the Ravens probably could have used him at practice.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 2:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

Ray Lewis said that new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison is so old school that “he’s like your granddad.”

Added Lewis: “Greg has been in the game for longer than when most of us were born. So just understanding that part of it gives him great credibility, really makes him who he is.”

Lewis is right about this point. Mattison is in his 38th year of coaching. The oldest Raven on defense is Lewis, who turned 34 in May.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Terrell Suggs was the only absence for the Ravens' mandatory minicamp because the outside linebacker isn't required to attend. He hasn't signed his franchise tender, which means he isn't officially under contract.

Like last year, Suggs chose to skip the offseason workouts because he didn't want to risk injury while working under a one-year deal.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he hasn't talked to Suggs about his contract situation, but the coaching staff has spoken to him about football.

"He wants to come back, you can bet on that," Harbaugh said Friday. "He would like to be here and practice. That’s for sure."

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 2:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

The Ravens' wide receiver tryouts have already been narrowed down to three players: Jerry Porter, Kelley Washington and Tab Perry. D.J. Hackett, who was invited by the Ravens, did not show Friday .

The other three receivers mainly worked with the second and third teams. Porter appeared sluggish and a little slower than the other receivers. Washington seemed more active and made one nice catch low to the ground. Perry was nonexistent.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 1:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

This is how the first-team defense lined up for the first minicamp practice Friday:

RDT: Trevor Pryce
RDT: Kelly Gregg
LDT: Haloti Ngata
ROLB: William VanDeSteeg (Terrell Suggs did not attend because of the franchise tag)
RILB: Tavares Gooden
LILB: Ray Lewis
ROLB: Jarret Johnson
LCB: Domonique Foxworth
SS: Dawan Landry
FS: Ed Reed
RCB: Derrick Martin (Fabian Washington, Frank Walker and Chris Carr were sidelined with injuries)

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 1:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

This is how the first-team offense lined up for the first minicamp practice Friday:

WRs: Marcus Smith and Marcus Maxwell (Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton were sidelined with injuries)
LT: Jared Gaither
LG: Tre Stallings (Ben Grubbs was sidelined with an injury)
C: Matt Birk
RG: Chris Chester
RT: Michael Oher (Willie Anderson has a knee injury)
TE: Quinn Sypniewski (Todd Heap and L.J. Smith were sidelined)
QB: Joe Flacco
FB: Le'Ron McClain
RB: Ray Rice (Willis McGahee was sidelined with ankle injury)

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 1:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

The Ravens announced the signings of 12 undrafted rookies: quarterback Drew Willy (Buffalo); kicker Graham Gano (Florida State); linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (Georgia); linebacker-defensive ends William VanDeSteeg (Minnesota) and Luis Vasquez (Arizona State); fullback Jason Cook (Mississippi); wide receivers Eron Riley (Duke) and Isaiah Williams (Maryland); center Greg Ryan (Western Kentucky); defensive lineman Will Johnson (Michigan); and cornerbacks David Jones (Kentucky) and K.J. Gerard (Northern Arizona).

Punter Dave Brytus (Pittsburgh) was orginally on the list but he is no longer with the team.

The early favorites to make the team are Ellerbe and VanDeSteeg. Gano will compete against Steve Hauschka at kicker.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin was again in the news Friday before the Ravens took the field for their first mandatory minicamp.

On agent Drew Rosenhaus' Twitter page, he wrote, "I still believe Anquan will be traded before training camp. I hope to work together with the Cardinals to resolve this situation by then."

The Ravens, who had talked to the Arizona Cardinals about Boldin, are currently holding tryouts at receiver with Jerry Porter, Kelley Washington, D.J. Hackett and Tab Perry.

But it seems like this Boldin story won't ever get resolved.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (21)
        

In the spirit of the upcoming Preakness, here are the odds on the Ravens signing the veteran wide receivers:

Jerry Porter (4-to-1): It was only last offseason when the Jacksonville Jaguars gave him $10 million guaranteed, so Porter has intriguing talent. If he's motivated and healthy (he had a hamstring surgery in July 2008 and was placed on injured reserve in December with a groin injury), he should look the best of all the receivers in the tryout.

Kelley Washington (7-to-1): He might not make as much of an impact at receiver as D.J. Hackett, but he is favored over him because of his special teams ability. The Ravens could use a tall backup receiver who can contribute on the coverage and return teams.

D.J. Hackett (8-to-1): He's the dark horse to have the best tryout. Hackett has great hands, good size and above-average speed. The knock on him is he's an injury risk.

Tab Perry (15-to-1): The Ravens actually talked to him last year during free agency before he signed with the Miami Dolphins. He's a quality special teams performer but he really wouldn't add much to the Ravens' group of receivers.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (27)
        

Starting right guard Marshal Yanda will be limited in the Ravens’ minicamp this weekend and likely will be placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp.

Yanda had surgery in October to repair the medial and posterior collateral ligaments in his right knee and then underwent surgery for his torn anterior cruciate ligament in December.

Until Yanda is ready, the Ravens are expected to go with Chris Chester at right guard.

The Ravens’ cornerback group will also have a number of players limited because of injury: Fabian Washington (shoulder surgery), Samari Rolle (groin), Chris Carr (shoulder surgery), Frank Walker (shoulder surgery) and Derrick Martin (shoulder). Some could wear red jerseys to help them avoid any contact.

Wide receiver Derrick Mason (shoulder surgery) won’t participate in minicamp as a precautionary measure. The Ravens are interested in how much receiver Demetrius Williams (ankle) can handle.

Others who could be limited are: running back Willis McGahee, who recently had a procedure to clean out his knee; tight end Todd Heap (back); receiver Mark Clayton (unknown) and linebacker Antwan Barnes (chest).

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)
        

Kelley Washington, who has played for the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots, will have a tryout with the Ravens at this weekend's minicamp.

Washington, who is 6 feet 3, 215 pounds, reportedly has an offer from the Washington Redskins.

A 2003 third-round pick by the Bengals, Washington has a total of 20 catches the past three seasons. His best season came in 2004 when he had 31 catches (for a 23.6-yard average) and three touchdowns.

Washington, 29, played four seasons for the Bengals before joining the Patriots last season. He had one catch for three yards in New England.

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
        

With the Ravens having a competition for the backup quarterback job between Troy Smith and John Beck, here’s what I consider to be the top-three seasons for Ravens quarterbacks who began the season at No. 2:

1. Trent Dilfer (2000): This is a no-brainer. The free-agent addition took over for the struggling Tony Banks midway through the season. After losing his first start, Dilfer won his next 11 including the Super Bowl triumph over the New York Giants. His statistics were never stellar -- his regular-season quarterback rating was 76.6 -- but his impact was far from mediocre.

2. Randall Cunningham (2001): He played so well that fans clamored for him to replace Elvis Grbac. Cunningham won both of his starts in filling in for the injured Grbac, leading a fourth-quarter comeback against Jacksonville and becoming the first visiting quarterback to win at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field. While he didn’t have his signature speed, Cunningham finished with a better completion percentage (60.7) and rating (81.3) than Grbac.

3. Kyle Boller (2006): Yes, Boller. Even though Steve McNair was the key to that season, it was the embattled first-round pick who pushed the Ravens into the playoffs. In the 14th game of the season, Boller had to replace an injured McNair six plays into the game and later broke a 17-17 tie with Cleveland by throwing a 77-yard touchdown pass to Demetrius Williams. That win clinched a postseason berth and capped a season in which Boller recorded a 104.0 quarterback rating (in five games).

So, do you agree or disagree?

Posted by Jamison Hensley at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (29)