"Todd Heap felt comfortable in the Cardinals cap he wore to his introductory news conference Tuesday, although he never dreamed he would acquire it the way he did.

After playing 10 seasons in Baltimore, Heap figured he would end his career with the Ravens. Instead, the team released him last week, and after weighing offers from a few other teams, Heap signed a two-year deal worth about $6 million with the Cardinals.

Heap was all smiles Tuesday, just more than a week after Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome shocked him with the phone call telling him he was no longer going to be with the team.

"I was not expecting what was coming out his mouth," Heap said. "But, hey, I've been around this league for a long time. I've seen a lot of different things happen and that definitely wasn't one of the most crazy things I've seen."

Heap grew up in Mesa, went to Mountain View High, Arizona State and said he's been a Cardinals fan since the team moved to Arizona in 1988. So once the shock of leaving Baltimore wore off, Heap started looking toward home.

"In one respect I'm sad to see that era end," Heap said, "but I'm even more excited to see this one begin.

"When you get drafted, you make that your home. That's been my home for the last 10 years. But this is really home. This is where I grew up. This is where I've seen the Cardinals since Day 1. I've seen the ups and downs. I thought, what better way to finish my career than to take the Cardinals back to the top?"

Heap is 31 and he's been hampered by injuries in his career. Under Newsome, the Ravens have been one the NFL's more-successful teams, and they didn't get that way by letting too many good players leave."