[matthew8]

Ridiculous. Terrible offseason so far.

[kmart6]

Well we've given ye something to make up for robbing Pagano:

Originally Posted by Adam Schefter

After visiting the Steelers this weekend, former Colts HC Jim Caldwell plans to join Ravens offensive staff, likely as QB coach.

[Paully D]

Just over 11 years ago:

[kmart6]

Originally Posted by ProFootballTalk

Speaking at a Wednesday press conference alongside G.M. Ozzie Newsome, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti adamantly confirmed that the team plans to keep quarterback Joe Flacco and free agent running back Ray Rice for the long term.

“Ray and Joe Flacco will be a part of this football team next year, period,” Bisciotti said.

Added Newsome, “We would like to have a deal done with Ray before before we have to put the (franchise) tag on him.”

The Ravens will be eligible to tag Rice beginning on February 20, but it sounds like they won’t do it immediately. The priority is to get Rice locked up long term.

Flacco’s future has been more of a question mark. The Ravens scaled back their offense in 2012, going more run-heavy down the stretch. Flacco has not yet led Baltimore to a Super Bowl, and he is entering a contract year.

“He’s trending up,” Bisciotti said of Flacco. “This is the sweet spot for him, years five through ten. … We’re just going to sit down and start grinding out contract terms. … I think he’s going to be extremely successful. I think he’s going to have rings.”

Have to say that bolded sentence is awful stupid....not many QB's lead their teams to a Superbowl...he was only a bloody dropped catch away this year!!

[mikemac1]

Ball so hard baby

Suggs becomes the third Raven to get DPOY, the others of course being Ray Lewis and Reed. And this is the fourth win, Lewis won it twice


And congrats to Matt Birk, Walter Payton Man of the year award
Birk does a lot of work on childhood literacy.
And shows the Ravens record of signing top quality free agents


Yeah I pulled the pics off the main site, I'm lazy like that
Just adding to the thread

[mikemac1]

Long post, we'll add it here for reference purposes so we can check against it over the next few months

PLAYERS UNDER CONTRACT:

The Ravens presently have the following 35 players under contract for 2012 (with base salaries indicated):

QBs (2): Joe Flacco ($6.76M), Tyrod Taylor ($465K)

RBs (3): Ricky Williams ($1.5M), Vonta Leach ($3M), Anthony Allen ($465K)

WRs (6): Anquan Boldin ($6M), Torrey Smith ($529K), Lee Evans ($3.375M), David Reed ($540K), Tandon Doss ($465K), LaQuan Williams ($465K)

TE (2): Ed Dickson ($540K), Dennis Pitta ($540K)

OL (5): Michael Oher ($865K), Bryant McKinnie ($2M), Marshall Yanda ($4.5M), Jah Reid ($465K), Ramon Harewood ($540K),

DL (6): Haloti Ngata ($2.9M), Terrence Cody ($540K), Paul Kruger ($615K), Arthur Jones ($540K), Pernell McPhee ($465K), Michael McAdoo ($465K)

LBs (2): Ray Lewis ($4.95M), Terrell Suggs ($4.9M)

CBs (4): Domonique Foxworth ($5.6M), Chris Carr ($2.5M), Jimmy Smith ($714K), Chykie Brown ($465K)

S (3): Ed Reed ($7.2M), Bernard Pollard ($1.55M), Emmanuel Cook ($540K)

ST (2): Billy Cundiff ($2.2M), Sam Koch ($1.6M)

These 35 players are under contract for a total Salary Cap commitment of $107.9M. (Link to Salary Cap Spreadsheet).

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS (EFAs):

These players must be tendered contracts of the league minimum, based on the player’s length of service in the league (either $540K or $465K). Once tendered, these players are fully under the team’s control and are not free to negotiate with other teams.

The Ravens have 7 players who are Exclusive Rights Free Agents (EFAs):

OG – Justin Boren

LB – Josh Bynes

LS – Morgan Cox

CB – Danny Gorrer

LB – Sergio Kindle

LB – Albert McClellan

LB – Chavis Williams

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (RFAs):

These are players whose contracts have expired and who have 3 years of accrued service time. The team must tender the player with an RFA offer. Once done, another team can sign the RFA to an RFA offer sheet, but the Ravens then have 7 days to match that offer sheet and retain the player under the terms of that offer sheet. If the Ravens were to choose not to match the offer sheet, then they would receive compensation based on which level of RFA tender was made to the player.

There are 3 RFA tenders (the new CBA did away with the “high” tender of 1st and 3rd round draft picks as compensation):

1st Round Tender: allows the team to receive the other team’s 1st round - $2.846M (est)

2nd Round Tender: allows the team to receive the other team’s 2nd round pick - $2M (est)

Low Tender: allows the team to receive a draft pick equal to the round in which the player was originally drafted or the Right of First Refusal (ROFR) for an undrafted player - $1.308M (est)

The Ravens have 4 players who are Restricted Free Agents (RFAs):

LB – Dannell Ellerbe

RB – Matt Lawrence

CB – Lardarius Webb

CB – Carey Williams

In the past, the Ravens have usually tendered all of their RFAs, but on occasion, the team has non-tendered some players and instead, offered them one-year veteran minimum contracts. The veteran minimum salary for those players would be $615K. This year, Matt Lawrence could be a candidate for such a deal, if he’s even retained at all.

With these 11 players are added to the team’s Salary Cap, it raises the team’s total Salary Cap commitment to just over $124.96M for the 46 player either under contract or tendered.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (UFAs):

The following 13 players are Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs) and will be free to sign with other teams if they haven’t re-signed with the Ravens before Free Agency begins on March 13th at 4:00 p.m.:

LB – Brendon Ayanbadejo

OC – Matt Birk

OG – Ben Grubbs

OC – Andre Gurode

LB – Jarret Johnson

LB – Edgar Jones

LB – Jameel McClain

DT – Brandon McKinney

S – Haruki Nakamura

DE – Corey Redding

RB – Ray Rice

TE – Kris Wilson

S – Tom Zbikowski

[Paully D]

Great stuff that Mike, cheers.

It was disappointing watching the Super Bowl last night knowing we missed a chance of being there.

Hopefully next season we can go one step further!

[Pudsy33]

Originally Posted by Paully D

Great stuff that Mike, cheers.

It was disappointing watching the Super Bowl last night knowing we missed a chance of being there.

Hopefully next season we can go one step further!

Or better yet, two steps

There are a few of those free agents its important we keep. Obviously rice, but i hope to see mc clain and webb back.

[kmart6]

Another $1.5mill of cap space...

Originally Posted by Adam Schefter

One of the great runs in the NFL has come to an end: Ravens running back Ricky Williams plans to retire.

[mikemac1]

Wonder if we can get Michael Bush
Raiders are deep at RB

Big tough back at 6 ft 1 and 245 lb, perfect compliment for Rice
Hits FA next month if Raiders don't get a deal done

[Paully D]

Originally Posted by mikemac1

Wonder if we can get Michael Bush
Raiders are deep at RB

Big tough back at 6 ft 1 and 245 lb, perfect compliment for Rice
Hits FA next month if Raiders don't get a deal done

Disappointed to see Williams go as he had a good season complimenting Rice. At the very least no one can say his career was boring anyway! Knowing him it wouldn't surprised me if he announced he was coming back in a few weeks

What's the story with Anthony Allen, Mike? Would he be able to step up as Rice's back up?

[Paully D]

Originally Posted by Pudsy33

Or better yet, two steps

There are a few of those free agents its important we keep. Obviously rice, but i hope to see mc clain and webb back.

Will Rice get the franchise tag placed on him? I'd imagine so, yeah?

[mikemac1]

Thinking about it Michael Bush will be too expensive, he had a great year and he'll get a deal somewhere

I'm excited with Anthony Allen
Very violent runner, he just bashes and drives through people. With his look and his running style, he reminds me a lot of Steven Jackson.

He was a seventh round pick and lots of these players get cut or put on the practice squad.
Ravens kept him on the roster for a reason and they like him a lot.
Unsure he'll match what Ricky did this season but he looks to have a bright future. Definitely worth a roster spot next season and will be given every chance in pre-season

Originally Posted by Paully D

Knowing him it wouldn't surprised me if he announced he was coming back in a few weeks

You never know
It's very possible he'll be back shortly after he changes his mind
There is a spot open for him anyway

[mikemac1]

Time to add some rescources

This is a good forum
http://ravens24x7.com/forum/forum.php
I post there and on the main official site under Irish Raven. Say hello if you see me.
There is a UK and Ireland section there too


Also is a UK and Ireland flock

This is the old site, nothing happens with it anymore, died about two years ago.
http://www.ukravens.co.uk/
In the past there used to be chat but that's all gone to facebook these days.


If ye use twitter you can follow this
https://twitter.com/ukravens
Don't read much into the UK part. They mean Ireland too

There is a facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/UKRavens#!/UKRavens
I'm not on facebook but I'll sign up some day

Anyways, if ye ever plan a trip to Baltimore these are places you can ask advice and for tips
And just some extra stuff to read through, no football until August

[Paully D]

Thanks for those links, Mike.

I'll look to get registered on the forum over the weekend to join in with the discussion. I've had a quick look in on it before and it seemed very good.

Definitely going to go to Baltimore within the next 3 years I'd say. Have been planning a trip over there before I even got into American Football. Have you ever been over?