Special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg indicated that Jacoby Jones, who had a rough day catching the football at wide receiver Wednesday, is a candidate to return kickoffs and punts. Jones didn’t return kickoffs last season for the Houston Texans. "He’s really fast," Rosburg said. "I knew that before, but I’d never seen it quite up close as I have. I did know he was fast, what I didn’t know is how hard of a worker he is and what a good teammate he is. We have a guy now that’s … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — The Baltimore Ravens made it official, signing rookie kicker Justin Tucker to the roster following a successful tryout. Tucker auditioned for the Ravens at a rookie minicamp, but wasn’t at the organized team activity last week before being invited back and signing his contract Tuesday heading into the start of the defending AFC North champions’ second organized team activity. The Ravens cut wide receiver and kick returner Philip Livas to create a roster spot for Tucker. Livas was on the Ravens’ practice squad last season. The former … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — The inventory for Sergio Kindle involves a catastrophic fall, a fractured skull, permanent hearing damage in his left ear, no tackles or sacks and a conviction for driving under the influence. That isn’t the career track the Baltimore Ravens or Kindle envisioned when the former University of Texas star outside linebacker was drafted in the second round two years ago. Kindle is still trying to get his bearings in the NFL after a head injury suffered when he fell down two flights of stairs prior to his … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Terrence Cody charged off the line of scrimmage, penetrating the backfield with a powerful bull rush and an unusually quick first step for a lineman his size. The Baltimore Ravens’ beefy nose guard is still massive at a listed 6-foot-4, 349 pounds, but the former second-round draft pick from Alabama has made a few improvements. Although "Mount Cody" remains a hefty presence inside, he has restructured his bulk and lost a considerable amount of body fat since his rookie campaign two years ago. He’s noticeably leaner now. … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Anquan Boldin bolted into his pattern, freezing the secondary with a textbook jab step before breaking into the clear to haul in another pass. The Baltimore Ravens’ veteran wide receiver had a lot of eyes on him as he completed a routine route, particularly a corps of young receivers that look to him for guidance and providing an example on how to play the position. As the oldest receiver on the roster, it’s a natural role for Boldin. And Boldin, 31, broke into laughter when asked why … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Surrounded by a phalanx of cameras with bright lights shining in his face, Billy Cundiff didn’t blink. Undaunted by a horrific errant field goal in an AFC championship game loss to the New England Patriots that cost the Baltimore Ravens a potential trip to the Super Bowl, Cundiff was emphatic in delivering a message. The former Pro Bowl kicker insists that his confidence hasn’t been shaken by flubbing a 32-yarder in the final minute of a bitter 23-20 defeat at Gillette Stadium that would have sent the … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Sliding to his left quickly, Bryant McKinnie beat Paul Kruger to the punch and prevented him from pressuring quarterback Joe Flacco. It was a practiced, fluid motion that the massive Baltimore Ravens’ left offensive tackle performed with relative ease during an organized team activity. As a regular participant in the Ravens’ offseason conditioning program, McKinnie appears lighter on his feet and in his body. "I’m glad I’m here so I can go through this now instead of what happened last year," McKinnie said. "Last year, I felt … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS ~  The Ravens fully expect star free safety Ed Reed to play football this fall, according to coach John Harbaugh. Reed indicated last week in a radio interview that he wasn’t 100 percent committed for this season and had contemplated retirement, later backtracking from those remarks. "Ed is a guy that I really trust and really care about," Harbaugh said. "I believe in him. There’s been no indication that he’s not going to play this year as far as I’m concerned. "I don’t worry about Ed. Ed’s a … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS  ~  The majority of the team attended the voluntary workout, including quarterback Joe Flacco, fullback Vonta Leach, wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith and cornerback Lardarius Webb. Among those not attending: unsigned franchise running back Ray Rice, who’s not planning to go to practices or workouts until he gets a new contract, middle linebacker Ray Lewis, Reed, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who’s recuperating from Achilles tendon surgery, center Matt Birk and Cal-Poly rookie cornerback Asa Jackson. Under NFL rules, Jackson isn’t allowed to … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — LaQuan Williams emerged as the biggest surprise from the Baltimore Ravens’ undrafted rookie class last summer. The former University of Maryland wide receiver beat the odds to make the active roster, forging a role on special teams and as a reserve on offense. Now, Williams is facing a new challenge: making the team again. The Ravens have been stacking the roster this offseason with new wide receivers, signing former Houston Texans return man Jacoby Jones to a two-year, $7 million contract and drafting towering University of Miami … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — The Baltimore Ravens have promoted director of player personnel Eric DeCosta to assistant general manager. DeCosta was retained with a lucrative contract earlier this year that designates him as the Ravens’ general manager in waiting. DeCosta, 41, was director of player personnel for the past three years after previous stints as a director of college scouting and an area scout. During his time as scouting director, the Ravens drafted the following Pro Bowl selections: linebacker Terrell Suggs, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, offensive guard Marshal Yanda, fullback Le’Ron … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Baltimore Ravens star free safety Ed Reed indicated once again that he’s not completely committed to playing this fall, a recurring theme for the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Reed has acknowledged contemplating retirement in the past, and did so again during a Sirius NFL radio interview. Hours later, though, 24×7 was provided a quote from Reed where he said he planned to continue to play football. "It’s not about retirement, it’s about my focus in the offseason, health, family and football," said Reed, who … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Retired Baltimore Ravens All-Pro offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden has been selected for induction to the College Football Hall of Fame. Ogden was a consensus All-American at UCLA who was selected by the Ravens fourth overall in 1996 with the first draft pick in franchise history. The induction ceremony is in September. At UCLA, Ogden won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman as he started all four years for the Bruins. He’s already in the UCLA Hall of Fame. A nine-time All-Pro, Ogden is eligible for … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Newly-minted Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and kick returner Jacoby Jones’ two-year, $7 million maximum value contract includes a $1.8 million signing bonus. His base salaries are $700,000 this year and $3 million in 2013 with corresponding salary-cap figures of $1.6 million and $4.9 million. He’s due a $1 million roster bonus next year. Jones’ contract includes an escalator clause next year. Including Jones’ deal, the Ravens are now $1.12 million under the NFL salary-cap limit. The Ravens used 100 percent of their rookie salary pool of $4.318 … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Kelechi Osemele fired off the line of scrimmage, engulfing a much smaller defensive lineman with a powerful hand punch. Gino Gradkowski snapped the football without incident to quarterback John Brantley before adeptly getting upfield to wall off a linebacker. During a rookie minicamp that concluded Sunday, it appeared to be a smooth initiation to the NFL for both of the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie offensive linemen. Internally, though, it was hardly simple as both draft picks’ heads were swimming as they attempted to cram a lot of knowledge … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — Barreling past the line of scrimmage with a quick first step, Courtney Upshaw powerfully shoved aside a blocker and tagged quarterback John Brantley for a sack. And the former Alabama consensus All-American darted into the backfield regularly on Sunday, manhandling rookie offensive linemen. Virtually everything the Baltimore Ravens’ prize outside linebacker did during his first taste of the NFL at a rookie minicamp, especially moving forward, looked aggressive, decisive and athletic. And Upshaw has already learned one lesson while making his bid to take over injured Pro … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS — The Baltimore Ravens aren’t giving up on a potential return this season for Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs after he suffered a partially torn Achilles tendon during the final day of the NFL draft. Now that the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year has had the damage repaired during a surgical procedure by noted North Carolina orthopedist Dr. Robert Anderson and since been examined by the Ravens’ medical staff, the defending AFC North champions agree with Suggs’ assessment that he could return in four to … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS – Rookie wide receiver Tommy Streeter has been working out with Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis ever since being drafted in the sixth round by Baltimore. When Lewis reached out to the fellow University of Miami football alum during the draft, Streeter was overjoyed. "I basically told him that I was ready to make that next step and ready to train," Streeter said. "He took it upon himself to extend that invitation. He stays probably 40 minutes away from me in Miami. He just invited me to come … Continue reading →

OWINGS MILLS – The football fell shy of its mark, a 60-yard boot from rookie kicker Justin Tucker with another try from that distance sailing wide right. All of his four field goal attempts from inside 50 yards were accurate, though. The former University of Texas standout connected on a 55-yard field goal during the first day of a rookie minicamp, leaving a good impression overall on Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh after trying out for the past three days. "He gets really good lift on the ball, very accurate," … Continue reading →