Baltimore Ravens Trade Rumors

Ricky Williams' retirement casts Ravens' running back situation into uncertainty
February 8
Baltimore Sun
 
"The long, circuitous ride that is Ricky Williams' football career again swerved abruptly Tuesday when the Ravens' enigmatic reserve running back announced that he was retiring from the NFL. Since early last week, Williams, who reached the 10,000-yard career rushing plateau in 2011, his only season in Baltimore, had been mulling the decision to walk away from the NFL (again) to explore other interests and focus on his foundation. The 34-year-old acknowledged he could change his mind. "The NFL has been an amazing page in this chapter of my life," he said in statements released by both the Ravens and the University of Texas. "I pray that all successive adventures offer me the same potential"
Ricky Williams tells the Ravens that he is retiring
February 7
Baltimore Sun
 
"Running back Ricky Williams has told Ravens officials that he is retiring, according to sources. But the team is leaving the door open for the 34-year-old to return in 2012 should he change his mind, which is a possibility. Williams, who was entering the final year of a two-year deal, rushed for 444 yards and two touchdowns on 108 carries in 2011. He went over the 10,000-yard rushing mark for his career in the final game of the regular season. Williams also had a great relationship serving as a mentor to Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice. Last month, Williams told The Baltimore Sun that he planned on playing out his contract with the Ravens."
Former first-round pick Ricky Williams retiring from football
February 7
NFL.com
 
"Running back Ricky Williams has informed Baltimore Ravens officials he is retiring, according to a league source. He completes a distinguished career and was a very effective change-of-pace power runner for Baltimore in 2011. Williams carried the ball 108 times for 444 yards and two touchdowns this season, his first with the Ravens. He finished his career with 2,431 carries for 10,009 yards and 66 touchdowns after playing for the Dolphins and Saints over 11 seasons."
Ravens hope to lock up Flacco, Rice
February 2
Carroll County Times
 
"Wearing a blue sport coat, loafers and his trademark tan, Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has rediscovered his smile after a devastating AFC championship game loss to the New England Patriots. That doesn't mean the Anne Arundel County businessman isn't still feeling the hurt of a crushing defeat where wide receiver Lee Evans dropped a potential touchdown pass in the final minute and kicker Billy Cundiff flubbed a chip shot field goal in the final seconds. "No, I'm not over it," Bisciotti said Wednesday during a state of the team press conference at team headquarters. "The more you get into 2012, the more you realize the pain is going away. I don't think any of us are over it, but we"
Report: Caldwell to join Ravens as quarterbacks coach
January 30
Baltimore Sun
 
"The Ravens, who last week retained offensive coordinator Cam Cameron but said they would be looking to hire a quarterbacks coach, apparently have found their man, according to an espn.com report. Former Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell will be joining the Ravens' coaching staff, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Caldwell was fired after a 2-14 season in which Colts owner Jim Irsay made sweeping front-office and coaching staff changes. The Pittsburgh Steelers, looking for an offensive coordinator, interviewed Caldwell over the weekend, according to multiple reports."
Plenty of reasons to bring back Cam Cameron
January 27
Baltimore Sun
 columnist Kevin Cowherd
"So now Ravens Nation waits with bated breath to see if Cam Cameron stays or gets the ax, this being the hot topic now that Chuck Pagano has flown the coop to be the head coach for the Indianapolis Colts. What a crazy week it's been for Cameron. Word from inside the Castle on Monday was that Cam was telling people he was a goner, that he was more or less a Dead Coach Walking down in Mobile, Ala., where he was helping John Harbaugh evaluate talent at the Senior Bowl. Now we hear he's been calling his assistant coaches and giving them their marching orders for the coming weeks, which doesn't exactly sound like a guy about to clear out his office. Personally, I don't understand why Cameron is"
Ravens keeping quiet about coaching staff changes
January 27
Baltimore Sun
 
"On a day where Chuck Pagano was introduced as the new head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, the Ravens remained mum on the status of their own coaching staff. However, all indications are that linebackers coach Dean Pees remains the clear front-runner to succeed Pagano as the Ravens' defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will stay in his current position. A definitive announcement could be made before owner Steve Bisciotti and the organization's top decision makers hold their annual State of the Ravens address next week. Pees and Cameron both spent part of the week with coach John Harbaugh at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala, which is significant considering several"
Pagano is out but Cameron may return for another season
January 26
Baltimore Sun
 
"As the Ravens said goodbye to one coach Wednesday, they appeared ready to promote one from within and possibly retain a controversial one for the 2012 season. The Indianapolis Colts hired Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to become their new head coach Wednesday morning, and the front runner to replace Pagano is linebackers coach Dean Pees. Meanwhile, according to a league source, Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron called the offensive assistants Wednesday morning and gave them instructions for the upcoming weeks, a sign that he will return next season. Neither Cameron nor Ravens head coach John Harbaugh returned phone calls Wednesday night, but the source was confident that"
Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano named new Colts head coach
January 26
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indianapolis Colts have settled on Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano as their next head coach, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Pagano, 51, was the Ravens defensive coordinator in 2011 after serving as defensive backs coach the previous three seasons. This will be his first head coaching position at any level. He replaces Jim Caldwell, who was fired Jan. 17. Pagano emerged from a long list of prospects that included New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr., Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel, Montreal Alouettes coach Marc Trestman and San Francisco 49ers special teams"
Report: Ravens defensive coordinator Pagano will interview with Colts
January 24
Baltimore Sun
 
"ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday night that the Indianapolis Colts will interview Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano for their vacant head coaching job on Tuesday. In Pagano's first season as defensive coordinator, the Ravens finished third in the NFL in scoring defense and third in yards allowed. The Ravens were fourth in rushing defense and second in pass defense. And in Sunday's AFC championship game loss to the New England Patriots, the Ravens forced Patriots quarterback Tom Brady into two interceptions. Brady had a 57.6 passer rating. Pagano, who was promoted from secondary coach to defensive coordinator when Greg Mattison left for Michigan after the 2010 season, is a fiery"
Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis vows to return for next season
January 23
Baltimore Sun
 
"It took Ray Lewis a long time to put his suit on after the AFC championship was over on Sunday. He got dressed in silence, he made sure his tie was straight and his jacket wasn't wrinkled. Then, he stood in the eye of a small media storm, smiled into the cameras, and put to bed questions about his future. "Is this my last game as a Raven? Absolutely not," Lewis said. "Let me answer that question before somebody asks it." Lewis wanted to quash any talk of retirement right away, especially since the topic has been a popular one in recent weeks and months. The 16th year of his NFL career hasn't been a particularly smooth ride. He missed four games in the middle of the season with a toe"
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome says he has no plans to retire
January 22
Baltimore Sun
 
"Despite numerous rumors, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome says he has no plans to retire regardless if the Ravens win the Super Bowl. There has been speculation that Eric DeCosta, the team's director of player personnel, would replace Newsome if he retired. But Newsome was very adamant Saturday, saying he is staying with the Ravens, and he expressed no timetable for when he would leave."
Reed and Flacco exchange words (playfully) at practice
January 20
Baltimore Sun
 
"With the media assembled -- their cameras rolling and notepads being scribbled upon -- beside the primary entrance inside the Ravens' indoor practice facility, quarterback Joe Flacco and Pro Bowl free safety Ed Reed walked out together for the start of Thursday afternoon's practice. Flacco and his backup, Tyrod Taylor, turned left. Reed and veteran linebacker Jarret Johnson veered to the right. When Flacco and Reed got about the length of a first down apart, Flacco turned and uttered two words to the teammate who publicly criticized his offense this week. "[Bleep] you," the quarterback said playfully. "[Bleep] me?" Reed responded. "[Bleep] you.""
X-rays negative on Ravens' Reed
January 16
ESPN.com
 
"Ravens safety Ed Reed has a severely sprained ankle but X-rays were negative and no MRI is scheduled at this point, according to the team. Reed had to be helped off the field after hurting himself on a jump ball in the end zone at the end of Baltimore's divisional round playoff win over the Texans. Reed said he rolled his ankle while leaping for a Hail Mary pass in the final seconds. He needed to have his arms draped over two trainers to get off the field. But Reed was able to walk on his own as soon as the game ended, going to midfield to chat with Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson."
Flacco not thinking contract although playoff run could make Ravens' decision easier
January 15
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco caused quite a stir in early April when he told my former colleague, Jamison Hensley, that he felt it was time for the team to extend his rookie contract, which expires after next season. "I think I've established myself," Flacco said at the time. "If you're not confident with who I am, I'm not sure what [difference] a year is going to make." To his credit, Flacco hasn't said much about his contract since and his focus has been on leading the Ravens on a Super Bowl run. It will start tomorrow when the Ravens play host to the Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium."
DeCosta turns down Bears' overture
January 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"Finding a general manager is proving a little more complicated for the Bears than finding an offensive coordinator was. The only known candidate the Bears have attempted to interview, Ravens personnel director Eric DeCosta, informed the Bears on Friday he is staying in Baltimore. The Colts and Rams also were pursuing DeCosta for their vacant general manager openings. The Bears also were known to have a strong interest in Reggie McKenzie, who left the Packers to become the Raiders general manager late Thursday. So the Bears are back to the drawing board, continuing to research a large pool of candidates that is believed to include Packers director of college scouting John Dorsey, Eagles"
Bears ask to interview Ravens exec
January 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Bears' general manager search intensified Thursday as the team honed in on its leading candidates. At the front of the line is Ravens personnel director Eric DeCosta. The Bears asked the Ravens on Thursday for permission to interview him, a source told the Tribune. He is the only candidate the Bears are believed to have asked for permission to interview. By league rules, the Ravens cannot deny the Bears permission to interview DeCosta because the Bears would be offering him a clear promotion with complete personnel control. But the Ravens can delay the Bears from talking with him because they are in the playoffs."
Boldin set to return, spark offense
January 3
Baltimore Sun
 
"The Ravens finished the regular season by winning two games despite inconsistent gains from their passing attack. That problem could be remedied by the return of Anquan Boldin. The team's top wide receiver over the past two seasons is set to return this week from knee surgery in anticipation of the club's opening playoff contest AFC Divisional round Jan. 15, and Boldin said he has no qualms about the health of his knee. "I feel good," Boldin said in the locker room under Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati after the Ravens' 24-16 win against the Bengals Sunday evening. "I worked with the trainers, rehabbed it, pushed it, and now I feel good.""
Boldin will miss rest of regular season with knee injury
December 23
Baltimore Sun
 
"If the Ravens are going to win the AFC North and clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs, they'll have to do it without veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Boldin, who leads the team in receiving yards and is second to running back Ray Rice in receptions, had surgery Thursday to repair a "slight" meniscus tear in his knee and he'll miss at least the final two games of the regular season. "It flapped up on him, I think it was Tuesday night after the walk-through," said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. "He's going to have to get it repaired. It's a two-week thing. It's two weeks and he'll be back for the playoffs, whatever round we happen to play in. It will be a little bit tighter if we have"
Former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick intrigued by Miami Dolphins position
December 16
Miami Herald
 
"Brian Billick, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens a decade ago, said Thursday he would potentially have interest in the Dolphins coaching job if approached. Billick is on the Dolphins' radar, according to several sources. But Billick said he has not yet been contacted. Meanwhile, the Dolphins' initial calls in their search to replace Tony Sparano were expected to be made to representatives for former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Titans coach Jeff Fisher, according to a person briefed on the situation."
Lewis noncommittal about Sunday but believes he'll return this season
December 14
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ray Lewis' face lit up when he gingerly walked into the Port Covington Wal-Mart on Tuesday, seconds after his entrance ignited a high-pitched roar from more than 200 kids who showed up for his annual holiday charity gift-giving event. The Ravens' All-Pro middle linebacker slapped hands, posed for a few pictures, then got behind a microphone and told the group of children it was their love and support that has helped him stay positive and allowed him to maintain perspective during a frustrating stretch of the season during which he has missed four games with a foot injury. "Your faces are the ones that keep me going," Lewis said, "even when I'm going through what I'm going through. I've"
Ray Rice says he hopes to re-sign with the Ravens
December 9
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens running back Ray Rice is playing out the final year of his rookie contract, and he is making a compelling argument for a lucrative new deal. Rice is tied for fourth in the NFL with nine rushing touchdowns. He is fourth in total yards per game and seventh in rushing yards after his 204-yard outburst in Sunday evening's 24-10 win over the Cleveland Browns. Rice will have no shortage of suitors if he hits the open market -- the franchise tag could be in play, though -- but the fourth-year back told the NFL Network on Wednesday that he "definitely" thinks he will remain in Baltimore after the 2011 season. "Our organization is a first-class organization," Rice said. "They've always did a"
Ray Rice says he hopes to re-sign with the Ravens
December 8
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens running back Ray Rice is playing out the final year of his rookie contract, and he is making a compelling argument for a lucrative new deal. Rice is tied for fourth in the NFL with nine rushing touchdowns. He is fourth in total yards per game and seventh in rushing yards after his 204-yard outburst in Sunday evening's 24-10 win over the Cleveland Browns. Rice will have no shortage of suitors if he hits the open market -- the franchise tag could be in play, though -- but the fourth-year back told the NFL Network on Wednesday that he "definitely" thinks he will remain in Baltimore after the 2011 season."
Ravens cautioning LB Lewis not to come back too soon
December 4
NFL.com
 
"Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis continues to be urged to rest his injured toe until at least Week 15, according to team sources. Lewis will play again this season and there are no concerns in that regard, but doctors have urged him to sit for at least two more weeks. Lewis, who has missed the past two weeks with the injury, has been pragmatic about the injury to this point, and the Ravens hope that continues."
Ray Lewis: 'I want to play Thursday, and I'm making some progress'
November 22
Carroll County Times
 
"Baltimore Ravens All-Pro middle linebacker Ray Lewis issued a statement regarding his uncertain status for Thursday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers. Lewis was limited Monday due to the toe injury that sidelined him against the Cincinnati Bengals. He's expected to attempt to play Thursday despite the injury: "I apologize for not being available as I normally am on a day like today, but I am taking every opportunity to get treatment on my foot to prepare to play on Thursday," Lewis said in the statement. "Anytime you see your team on the field, you always want to be out there with them. As the leader of your team, it doesn't sit well with me to be on the sidelines."
Rumors fly that the season could be over for Ray Lewis
November 20
Pro Football Talk
 
"Since the stories regarding the status of Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and his injured foot currently already are all over the place (he won't play Sunday, he may play Sunday, he'll miss only one game if he misses any, he'll miss at least two games), let's add to the growing orchestra of out-of-sync accounts of the future Hall of Famer's status. There's a rumor making the rounds that Ray got bad news during his visit to a South Florida specialist, and that Lewis could miss the rest of the season."
NFL Network's Glazer reports internal criticism of Cameron
November 19
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has not endeared himself to many fans with his curious play-calling this season. According to one analyst, that dissatisfaction is being shared by people within the Ravens organization. The NFL Network's Jay Glazer painted Cameron as a stubborn leader who is unwilling to make in-game adjustments despite input from his coaching colleagues and players. "He's been driving people there crazy," Glazer said during the network's "Thursday Night Kickoff" show. "He comes into an offensive game plan, he has his game plan set and he really doesn't veer from it. I know players, coaches, they've said to him, 'Hey, on the field, this is open, they've shut this"
Ray Lewis has now missed two consecutive practices with foot injury
November 18
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis missed a second consecutive practice leading into Sunday's showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals. Lewis is dealing with a foot injury. The severity of the injury is unclear, but no Ravens have expressed concern that Lewis could miss Sunday's important AFC North game. Defensive tackle Art Jones (concussion) and running back Anthony Allen (thigh) also did not participate in practice for a second consecutive day."
Ravens confirm Lewis did not practice Wednesday
November 17
Baltimore Sun
 
"The Ravens, who are preparing for the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday, confirmed in Wednesday's injury report that inside linebacker Ray Lewis did indeed miss practice. Lewis, who was not reported to have suffered an injury in Sunday's 22-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, was described as dealing with a foot injury. It's unclear how this injury will impact Lewis' availability. Lewis has not missed a start since Dec. 30, 2007."
Ravens place Burgess on season-ending IR
November 2
Baltimore Sun
 
"The Ravens placed linebacker and special teams performer Prescott Burgess on season-ending injured reserve, the team announced today. Burgess tore an abdominal muscle in Sunday's 30-27 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, according to his agent Tom Kleine. Burgess, who has primarily been playing on special teams, saw action Sunday with the regular defense when middle linebacker Ray Lewis exited the game four four plays in the first quarter with a shoulder stinger."
Ravens beat Cardinals for biggest comeback in franchise history
October 31
Baltimore Sun
 
"There were a few veterans who stood up and spoke, but after getting booed off the field at halftime, the Ravens' players mostly sat in silence as the shock washed over them. For the Ravens, there was really no alternative, not after trailing a one-win team by three scores on their home field, not after their offense played in the same woeful manner for the first 30 minutes that it did six days earlier in Jacksonville, Fla., and not after hearing it from their fans who rightfully expected better. "What are you going to say after a half like that?" linebacker Jarret Johnson said."
Cameron doesn't feel he's on hot seat
October 29
Baltimore Sun
 
"The Ravens' offensive debacle in Monday night's 12-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars has – in the eyes of the public and media – shifted the spotlight of scrutiny on offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Fairly or unfairly, the offense's struggles over the last three years have been pinned to Cameron, who was fired after one year as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins after the 2007 campaign. Team owner Steve Bisciotti endorsed coach John Harbaugh's decision to retain Cameron after last season, but the offense's dismal display against the Jaguars has revived criticism of Cameron. Cameron said he hasn't felt ostracized walking down the halls of the Ravens' training facility in Owings Mills"
Ravens don't have good enough tackles to rely on passing game
October 26
Baltimore Sun
 
"The Ravens put a lot of time and effort into upgrading their passing game during the offseason by changing personnel and scheme, but one upgrade they didn't make continues to hurt them. The Ravens haven't improved their play at offensive tackle, and until they do, they'll struggle passing the football. In fact, the Ravens are where they were in head coach John Harbaugh's rookie year, when they lost to Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game."
Harbaugh refutes any hint that Rice was benched
October 26
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ray Rice set several season lows in the Ravens' 12-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars Monday night, rushing just eight times for 28 yards and amassing just 63 total yards from scrimmage. Coach John Harbaugh was asked during his weekly briefing about an inference during the ESPN telecast of the game that Rice and running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery had become involved in some sort of exchange and that Rice had been benched. Not true, according to Harbaugh."
Achy knee forces Foxworth to IR for rest of season
September 29
Baltimore Sun
 
"Cornerback Domonique Foxworth was placed on injured reserve, ending his season and leaving the Ravens with five healthy cornerbacks. Foxworth tore his ACL just before training camp last year, and the veteran admitted several times this season that he didn't yet feel completely comfortable with the surgically-repaired knee and his play had suffered as a result. After struggling in the Ravens' Week Two loss to the Tennessee Titans, Foxworth was inactive last Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. He said after the game that his knee still "hurt like hell," and he wasn't surprised to be inactive. Get the Baltimore Football app for iPhone and Android "That was a conversation we've been having for"
Kindle not discouraged by inactivity
September 29
Baltimore Sun
 
"Sergio Kindle said he's not discouraged by the Ravens' decision to deactivate him for the first three games of the season. The outside linebacker said he is taking the inactivity in stride, chalking it up to part of the maturation process for a young player in the NFL. "That's what I'm guessing," he said Wednesday. "The coach is going to do what's best for the team at this point. When they feel that I'm prepared enough to get out there on the field and contribute, I'm pretty sure that I'll be out there. So it's just a waiting process for me. I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm frustrated. Of course, you want to be on the field, but frustration? Nah, that wouldn't be it.""
Ravens, Haloti Ngata agree to five-year deal
September 21
Baltimore Sun
 
"With little more than an hour remaining before the deadline to accomplish one of their top priorities, the Ravens on Tuesday reached agreement on a five-year, $61 million deal with Haloti Ngata, ensuring that one of the game's most dominant interior linemen will be a fixture on their defense for the foreseeable future. Ngata's deal runs through 2015 and includes $40 million over the first two years that is essentially guaranteed. The pact makes Ngata one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the NFL and shares some similarities with the five-year, $68 million ($40 million guaranteed) contract Ndamukong Suh got after the Detroit Lions picked the defensive tackle second overall in 2010."
Ravens agree to deal with Ngata
September 20
Baltimore Sun
 
"Nearing a deadline to accomplish one of their stated priorities, the Ravens today reached agreement on a five-year deal with Haloti Ngata, ensuring that one of the game's most dominant interior lineman will be a fixture on their defense for the foreseeable future. Terms of the deal are unknown at this point, but the pact expected to make Ngata one of the highest paid defensive lineman in the NFL. Ngata's agent, Mike McCartney, announced the deal being official on his Twitter account. The deal was also confirmed by a Ravens official. If the Ravens hadn't reached a deal with the mammoth defensive tackle by Tuesday, Ngata, 27, would have played the rest of the season under the franchise tag,"
Ravens may sit Evans, Foxworth until they are healthy
September 20
Baltimore Sun
 
"John Harbaugh said Monday that it's clear the lingering injuries to Lee Evans and Domonique Foxworth are affecting their ability to make plays, and the Ravens are going to have to make a decision about whether or not it would be better to shut them down until they are healthy rather than continue to send them out there. Evans has been nursing a sore ankle for nearly a month, and it has limited his practice time. In the Ravens' 26-13 loss to the Titans, he looked like he was having trouble finishig his routes, and he was unable to come back to the ball on a play where quarterback Joe Flacco threw an interception. "I think it's affecting him," Harbaugh said of Evans. "There is no doubt"
Deals by Tuesday deadline unlikely
September 18
ESPN.com
 
"The three franchised players without long-term deals -- Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, San Diego Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson and Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Paul Soliai -- are not expected to sign long-term extensions by Tuesday's deadline, according to sources. If teams don't sign their franchised players to long-term extensions by Tuesday they have to wait until the offseason."
Grubbs doubtful, Carr and J. Smith out vs. Titans
September 17
Baltimore Sun
 
"The Ravens released the final injury report of the week, and starting left guard Ben Grubbs is listed as doubtful for Sunday's contest at the Tennessee Titans. Grubbs has been bothered by a toe injury that has shelved him for the entire week of practices, but both he and coach John Harbaugh maintained some hope that he would be available. If Grubbs -- who has made 67 consecutive starts at left guard since the beginning of the 2008 season -- cannot play, Andre Gurode will slide in at left guard. Gurode, a five-time Pro Bowler at center, made 38 starts at guard in his first three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys."
Lee Evans' speed opened crossing routes for other receivers
September 13
Baltimore Sun
 
"Lee Evans did not catch a pass despite being targeted four times by quarterback Joe Flacco in the Ravens' 35-7 thumping of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, but that doesn't mean that the wide receiver was ineffective. Coach John Harbaugh said Evans' speed forced the Pittsburgh defense to monitor him closely, which carved out opportunities for his teammates on underneath and intermediate routes."
Rookie corner Smith could miss several games
September 13
Baltimore Sun
 
"Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith has officially been diagnosed with a high left ankle sprain and will be out a "few weeks," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Monday. Smith, the organization's first-round pick out of Colorado, got hurt while covering a kickoff in the first quarter of the team's 35-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. X-rays taken on his ankle were negative, but Smith is still expected to be sidelined for an extended period. "Jimmy is the one guy that had an injury that was something a little more serious," said Harbaugh, who said that Smith got caught up in a pile while covering the kick. "He's in a boot, he's on crutches, he had an MRI. He does have a high ankle"
Phillips only player missing from practice
September 9
Baltimore Sun
 
"A day after fielding a full squad for Wednesday's practice, the Ravens opened Thursday's session with just one player absent. Inside linebacker Jason Phillips was not present during the portion of practice open to the media."
McClellan not content with just making active roster
September 6
Baltimore Sun
 
"After spending last season on the Ravens' practice squad, Albert McClellan achieved his primary objective on Saturday when the team elected to keep him on the 53-man active roster. But the outside linebacker said that accomplishment doesn't satisfy him completely. "I made it here, but I want to keep getting better so that I can stay here," he said after Monday's practice at the team's training facility in Owings Mills. "I want to contribute to the team. I want to take my role and do the best that I can." McClellan was an undrafted free agent out of Marshall last season, but he ranked second on the team with 13 tackles in the preseason."
Evans returns, says his injured left ankle is improved
September 6
Baltimore Sun
 
"Lee Evans returned to practice Monday, and the starting wide receiver said that his injured left ankle is much improved. "I was able to run and move and cut, made a few plays," he said. "So it was good to just get out there and run around." Since the Ravens acquired him in a trade with the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 13, Evans led the team in the preseason with 128 receiving yards on six catches, and he caught a touchdown in a 34-31 win against the Washington Redskins on Aug. 25."
Taylor vows to suit up Sunday
September 6
Baltimore Sun
 
"Four days after suffering a bruised left shoulder that knocked him out of the Ravens' preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons, rookie quarterback Tyrod Taylor returned to practice Monday, and the team's sixth-round pick vowed to be available for Sunday's season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. "Oh yeah, I'll be available on Sunday," he said. "I think the way that I practiced today, it didn't slow me down, and it didn't stop me from doing anything. I'm going to continue to go out there and learn each and every day and be the backup. I'll be ready for Sunday.""
Berry confident he has a future in NFL
September 3
Baltimore Sun
 
"It may not be a stretch to assert that the odds of rookie running back Damien Berry making the Ravens' 53-man roster are long. But if there's no room with the Ravens, Berry, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Miami, said he thinks he can play in the NFL. "I've thought about it because this is a great team, and I would love to be here," he said after Friday's practice at the team's training facility in Owings Mills. "At the end of the day, it's a job. It's something you've got to do, and if you can't do it here, you can always go somewhere else to do it. The journey doesn't just stop here.""
Ravens have difficult decisions to make as they finalize the roster
September 3
Baltimore Sun
 
"Preliminaries behind them and last-minute roster surgery ahead, the Ravens settled in for the long haul Friday, content they had made the most of this strange preseason. "I feel like we have gotten as much done as we could," coach John Harbaugh said less than 24 hours after bringing down the curtain on a 3-1 preseason in Atlanta. "I feel like we are as far along as we could have possibly been." In the span of 22 days in August, the Ravens picked up a Pro Bowl fullback (Vonta Leach), a bone-jarring safety (Bernard Pollard), a speed receiver (Lee Evans) and a dominant left tackle (Bryant McKinnie). They may not be done. The free agent market will be flooded with new players when teams cut"