Past Raven News Articles
Past Raven News Articles
April 9, 1997
Ravens may Invest in Savings Plan for Draft
-By Ken Rosenthal of the Baltimore Sun
Incompetent? Who called them incompetent?
On Monday, the Ravens finally introduced a free agent with all
of his limbs intact. And on draft day, they're certain to upgrade
their defense even more.
Don't be a doubting Thomas.
Forget about Broderick Thomas.
The Ravens can't possibly screw this up, unless they draft
Brock Marion's nephew out of Injury State.
They've got the No. 4 pick, OK?
They've got the No. 4 pick, and they'll either use it to draft a
premier player or trade down to a position where they still
could land a quality linebacker.
The latter remains the more likely scenario, but vice president
of player personnel Ozzie Newsome said yesterday that he
still might keep the pick and take Florida State defensive end
Peter Boulware.
"If we don't get the deal we want, we'll stay there and pick,"
Newsome said. "We're not going to accept any type of trade."
But could the Ravens find a spot for
Boulware when they've already got Michael McCrary and
Rob Burnett at defensive end?
"We'd get him on the field," Newsome said.
It wouldn't be so difficult. Boulware could be insurance for
Burnett as a third-down pass rusher or outside linebacker --
just as last year's No. 1, Jonathan Ogden, played out of
position before replacing Tony Jones.
Burnett is coming off major knee surgery, and the Dolphins'
Jimmy Johnson apparently covets Boulware. Given J. J.'s eye
for talent, that might be the best reason of all for the Ravens to
take an end who recently ran an astonishing 4.52 40-yard
dash.
Still, Art Modell doesn't sound enthusiastic.
"We're going to a 4-3 defense, and he's a 3-4 linebacker," the
owner said yesterday. "That's why when we signed McCrary,
it sort of nullified the Boulware option."
Perhaps Modell is trying to mask the Ravens' intentions, giving
the appearance they would trade down to increase the
demand for the No. 4 pick. But the way things look,
Boulware is indeed a questionable fit.
The only way the Ravens can afford the No. 4 pick is if they
compromise their depth at other positions -- a pointless
strategy when they've got a chance to increase their depth by
trading down.
The idea would be to stay in the Top 10, select Virginia's
James Farrior or Alabama's Dwayne Rudd and perhaps use
the additional second-round pick on another linebacker.
The Ravens could then use their savings to sign two free
agents from a group that includes defensive tackle Tony
Siragusa, safety Robert Blackmon and linebacker Mike
Caldwell. Now, they've got cap room for only one.
Put it all together, trading down could net the Ravens two
extra players, plus a natural outside linebacker (Farrior or
Rudd) instead of a converted one (Boulware).
The only way you pass up that deal is if Boulware is the next
Lawrence Taylor. And if he is, Bill Parcells will draft him No.
1 for the New York Jets.
Parcells, obviously, holds the key to the draft. USC defensive
tackle Darrell Russell is his most logical choice. But Parcells,
too, is talking about trading down, perhaps even twice.
His plan could be to convince the Seattle Seahawks that he
would take Ohio State cornerback Shawn Springs, trade
down for their No. 3 selection and then use it on either Russell
or as the bait for another deal.
It probably wouldn't work -- does anyone seriously believe
Parcells would take a corner at No. 1? -- but the Jets, like the
Ravens, are a team with major cap problems, a team that
covets less expensive second-round picks.
The Ravens already have two -- their own at No. 34, plus
Denver's at No. 58. Trading down could get them a third, and
Newsome said it's possible, given the interest in Springs and
Texas corner Bryant Westbrook.
"The two corners are what people want," Newsome said. "If
they don't get one of those corners, they may have to take a
lesser corner later in the draft. That's where the value of the
fourth pick is right now."
Then again, if the corners are so good, why don't the Ravens
just take one of them? For one thing, they don't believe
Springs or Westbrook will be as dominant as Deion Sanders.
What's more, they want to use the players they have.
"We feel like we've got Antonio [Langham], we've got Donny
[Brady] and DeRon [Jenkins] -- we've got some young
corners," Newsome said. "We don't know if they can cover or
not. We didn't get to the passer last year.
"It's hard for us to judge those guys. They all have talent and
ability. We'd like to give them a chance. We have a lot of
respect for Westbrook and Springs. They would come in and
upgrade us. [But] we still wouldn't be getting to the
quarterback."
Added Modell: "It would be nice to have Springs or
Westbrook, but our needs are not at the corner. Our needs
are pass rush. I can cover Jerry Rice if you give me a pass
rush."
Well, McCrary automatically improves the pass rush -- he had
13 1/2 sacks in the final eight games for Seattle last season.
And Farrior or Rudd could make a Ray Lewis-type impact at
outside linebacker.
Of the two, Modell said that Farrior "may have a little edge" --
Rudd, a third-year junior at Alabama, probably could not
make as strong a contribution immediately.
The secondary still would be suspect, but you win with the
front seven, and speed at linebacker is critical in a division
where the quarterbacks include Mark Brunell, Jeff Blake,
Steve McNair and possibly Kordell Stewart.
The Ravens got better on Monday.
They'll get even better on draft day.
Incompetent? Who called them incompetent?
By golly, they're on a roll.
Originally Published on April 9, 1997
March 19, 1997
Ravens win 1 with Marion, may lose two Four-year deal set, but hopes of signing Teague,
Thomas dim; Defense is bolstered; New Newsom talks with Raiders expected
-By Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun
The Ravens have agreed to a four-year contract with Dallas
Cowboys free-agent safety Brock Marion, said Ozzie
Newsome, the team's vice president of player personnel, last
night. Terms of the deal were not available, but Marion made a base
salary of $226,000 and received a $135,000 signing bonus
last season. He has been considered one of the best young
safeties in the free-agent market.
Marion, 26, started 10 games for the Cowboys last year
before a fractured left scapula sidelined him for the rest of the
season. He finished with 77 tackles and led the Cowboys with
six interceptions in 1995.
The Ravens were interested in Marion and fellow Dallas
free-agent safety George Teague, but Teague appears to be
headed to the Miami Dolphins. The Ravens also seem to have
lost out on another Dallas player. Linebacker Broderick
Thomas, after hearing a personal plea from owner Jerry Jones
yesterday, seems headed back to Dallas.
In another late development, Newsome was expected to again
have talks last night with the Oakland Raiders about the
Raiders possibly trading up to the Ravens' No. 4 overall
position, according to a league official.
The Ravens were involved in intense negotiations with both
Teague and Marion yesterday, but Marion, 5 feet 11, 193
pounds, was the player the Ravens preferred. But they didn't
know if he was affordable.
Marionis considered the better tackler of the two, and plays more
within a team scheme. Teague is considered more of a
big-play type, but likes to free-lance, which sometimes allows
big plays.
"Obviously, Brock Marion will give us leadership because he
has started two years for the Super Bowl champions," said
Newsome, whose team was one of seven interested in
Marion. "He is a talented, young player and this was a
cap-friendly deal. This is not a big [cap] setback, so we can
still be active in the free-agent market."
The Ravens were in a four-team race for Teague along with
the Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins. Teague
is expected to make his decision this morning after the
Dolphins make another proposal in the wake of defensive end
Daniel Stubbs agreeing to terms yesterday.
"They told us they were not going to accept our offer, so I
would think he is going to go with Miami," said Newsome.
The turn of events with Marion and Teague probably means
the Ravens will try to re-sign safety Stevon Moore instead of
bidding for the return of safety Eric Turner. Moore will
probably have to take considerably less than the $1.7 million
he made last season. Turner was expected to make $3.9
million this season, but the Ravens cut him nearly three weeks
ago.
"I'm not crazy about bringing back players with sharply
reduced contracts," said Ravens owner Art Modell, in
reference to Turner.
Thomas was almost a Ravens player, but his deal with the
team may have come apart after an early morning phone call
from Jones. If Thomas stays with the Cowboys, it would mean
the Ravens have lost one of the players they have coveted
most during the offseason.
The team spent the previous four days giving Thomas the
red-carpet treatment. Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis
even took him to dinner Monday night.
If Thomas signs with the Cowboys, the Ravens still don't have
a bona fide top pass rusher at outside linebacker.
"Jerry Jones got Dallas back in it," said Thomas from his hotel
room here yesterday afternoon. "They had put their money on
the table since Day 1, but they knew Baltimore had an interest
in me and we were getting close to a deal.
"Now we have two teams at the table and the best-case
scenario wins," said Thomas. "I have no place to go, so I'm
going to wait here for the seven digits to come up on the
phone to see which team wants me and where I'm headed."
The Raiders are apparently willing to trade their No. 10 slot in
the first round to the Ravens and also surrender their ninth
pick in the second round.
A league source said Oakland would then swap positions with
the Jets, who have the No. 1 pick, while also offering Pro
Bowl defensive lineman Chester McGlockton to New York.
Seattle also has an interest in moving up from its No. 11
position in the first round to the Ravens' No. 4 spot, but
probably won't make a proposal until it gets closer to the April
19-20 draft.
Newsome was expected to talk with Raiders senior assistant
Bruce Allen last night.
Originally Published on 3/19/97
March 5, 1997
Baltimore/Washington Rivalry Renewed? Or is Jack Kent Cooke Afraid of Losing?
-By Ivan Penn and Vito Stellino of the Baltimore Sun
As state lawmakers paused from their daily business yesterday to
honor the Ravens, team owner Art Modell seized the moment to
lobby for an initiative -- an annual preseason game against the
Washington Redskins.
Standing on the floor of the state Senate, Modell solicited the help
of President Thomas V. Mike Miller -- a Prince George's County
Democrat and Redskins fan -- in negotiating a yearly Ravens vs.
Redskins exhibition.
"I feel the same way you do about the Redskins, Mr. President,"
Modell said. "We want to have an annual Governor's Cup game
on alternate sites. I know you're the one who can arrange that."
Modell was in Annapolis with Ravens coach Ted Marchibroda,
quarterback Vinny Testaverde and linebacker Ray Lewis -- all of
whom were honored yesterday with Senate and House of
Delegates resolutions.
The Ravens' proposed challenge would likely highlight the
long-standing divide between Baltimore and Washington. It also
would give the franchises a chance for bragging rights as the
area's best football team and a likely boost in their preseason
revenue.
The problem is that Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke isn't
interested. Mike McCall, a Redskins spokesman, said Cooke
doesn't want to play an exhibition against one team every year.
"We want to provide our fans with a variety of opponents, so
they can see different teams," McCall said.
Sources close to the club say they believe that Cooke won't
schedule the Ravens during the preseason because he doesn't
want to give more recognition to a Baltimore team.
That's where Miller would come in -- only he's not willing to.
Miller said he supports the idea of the annual competition but
doesn't believe the General Assembly should help cut the deal.
"That's for the owners to negotiate between themselves," Miller
said.
Under the current schedule format, the teams will play once every
three years in the regular season.
The teams will play this fall in the regular season and can't play
again before the year 2000 because teams from opposing
conferences can't meet more than once every three years. But if
either team wins its division in 1999 and the other finishes fifth,
they won't play in 2000 and would go at least six years without
playing each other.
In other Raven News today:
The Ravens have revealed new uniforms for the 1997 season. The will
be wearing white home pants this year with their dark jerseys. Just when
I was getting used to the black. Also, they have changed their numbering
style away from the rounded numbers of the innagural season to more
block-style, shadowed numbers.
October 30, 1996
The Ravens Acquire Some Defensive Help
The Ravens cut veteran wide receiver
Calvin Williams and veteran tight end Harold Bishop to make room for the
new players. Cornerback Dorian Brew, who was the Dolphins third-round
pick in 1996, was cut by the Dolphins during the preseason. Linebacker
Sedric Clark was acquired from the Saints developmental roster. If both
players pass physicals they should be available and may play on Sunday. The
Ravens also added two players to the practice squad bringing back offensive
lineman Spencer Folau and linebacker Dexter Daniels who are both rookies.
Harold Bishop's role as third tight end should be filled by the return of Frank
Hartley whose comeback from arthroscopic knee surgery is nearly complete
the Sun reported. Hartley is expected to practice this week and be activated
for Sunday's game. To accomplish these moves the Ravens freed up $260,000
by the cuts and needed more defensive players due to the plethora of injuries.
The Sun quoted Coach Marchibroda saying "it's hard to let guys like Calvin
Williams go. He's been a good receiver for a lot of years in this league, and
he's a good person. We feel Floyd [Turner] is quicker inside. He's healthy and
he's played well the last two games. But it's not so much a Floyd vs. Calvin
thing. The salary cap is a bigger factor in the game today." Of Bishop,
Marchibroda said, "we weren't going to go with four tight ends, and we think
Frank [Hartley] is ready to play now. I had high hopes for him [Bishop] early
on. He was given opportunities. But he never took that next step" the Sun
quoted.
October 29, 1996
Ravens Still Hurting From Injuries
The Ravens are still walking wounded as Steve Everitt will miss at least two
more games due to his torn pectoral muscle. Jonathan Ogden reinjured his
sprained knee in the 4th quarter Sunday but is expected to practice this week.
Right tackle Orlando Brown is having a bone scan on his right foot done and
his status will be decided after the results are made available. Defensive end
Anthony Pleasant is having an MRI done on his right ankle which he
reinjured in the Rams game.
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