REISTERSTOWN – Ravens unrestricted free agent cornerback Chris Carr said he would like to return to Baltimore provided that he’s going to have a starting role.
Carr’s two-year, $5 million contract expired after last season where he established himself as a reliable starter every game when Domonique Foxworth tore his anterior cruciate ligament and missed the entire year.
"I always tell people this is the funnest time I’ve had playing football by far," Carr said today at Ed Reed’s football camp at Franklin High. "You can tell by the fun I have in the locker room on Fridays. We make it to the playoffs every single year and we’re one or two plays away. Yeah, I want to play here, but I also want to have a big role.
"If they see me having a big role, then I’m going to want to come back here. If not, then no because I feel like every year of my career I’ve gotten better and I’m only going to get better. I don’t want to be pigeonholed as a backup because I’m not a backup. I’m better than a lot of corners in this league. If they want me to play a big role, then, yes, I definitely want to come back, but if they don’t and another team wants me to play a big role then I’ll probably go someplace else."
So, does he expect to return?
"It’s really hard to say because you don’t know what they’re thinking exactly," Carr said. "I always told people the Ravens would have been stupid not to draft two corners during the draft because they’re not sure how free agency is going to go and you have three corners who are unrestricted you have to get corners because you might not be able to sign them during free agency."
Carr, Fabian Washington and Josh Wilson are all unrestricted free agents and the Ravens drafted Jimmy Smith in the first round and Chykie Brown in the fifth round.
"So, I’m not sure what their mindset is after that and I’m not sure what their mindset is going into free agency now," Carr said. "It’s really one of those things where it’s really up in the air because most years people say there’s not supposed to be any talking, but players know what teams are going to be interested in them.
"This year, it hasn’t been like that because of the lockout teams didn’t want to tamper or break any rules so there’s been no talking. So, I have no clue what teams are interested and I have no clue what the Ravens are thinking about right now."
Carr said the Ravens could want him to have a major role even after drafting Smith.
"To me, it’s evident that I was just as good or better than everybody that we had and they know that I know everything," Carr said. "I’m versatile. They know how well I jelled with everybody and how well I communicated with Ed Reed. They know I helped out a lot. I can’t imagine them thinking that I can’t do it. My confidence is sky-high. I’m not really worried about it. It’s a waiting game. If I don’t come back, it’s been great."
Carr said it’s incorrect to think that he would play safety.
"Some reporter asked me about that and then everybody on the radio asked me about that, but no coach ever asked me to play safety," Carr said. "The question was if you play for the Ravens would you be willing to play safety and I said, ‘If I sign with the Ravens I would be willing to do anything they wanted me to do.’
