Ward, Cherry to IR

[Aaron Wilson]

By Aaron Wilson
Contributing writer
OWINGS MILLS -- The Ravens placed safety B.J. Ward (migraines) and wide receiver Matt Cherry (shoulder) on injured reserve Tuesday, ending their seasons.
The roster moves gets the Ravens down to 75 players, the league-mandated limit.
Meanwhile, safety Gerome Sapp (migraines) and offensive guard Brian Rimpf (hamstring) didn't practice.

[Losac]

Migraines contagious among the safeties?

[Aaron Wilson]

Sorry, I typed the wrong thing, it's an abdominal illness.

[ravensfan86]

Thanks for the info Aaron.

Migranes are an interesting issue. I recall Steve Frances having them chronically and not able to play basketball. I would think football would be even more of a problem. Even the best and world renowned physicians are not quite sure what triggers them nor how to effectively treat them.
Each person is different and what works for one may not work for another.

As hard as Ward hits, I wonder if it triggers the headaches.

[52decleetzu]

Kind of odd they would put him on IR for the whole year because of migranes.Do they know that the migranes are going to continue for 5 months and never go away???

[Ravenatic20]

Alright! Aaron Wilson posted here! Thanks for all you do, Aaron!

[highwater]

I am a little surprised that I haven't seen more people asking about this migraine problem. I know people who suffer from migraines from time to time, and have worked with neurologists that treated patients with migraines, but I don't recall patients like Ward who has been unavailable for weeks because of migraines. Of course I am not a clinician, I have just worked with them, but this seems odd to me. If Ward has been sufferring from migraines for three or four weeks, he has my sympathy.

[RavenFanatic2k6]

Preston wrote that Ward is in Billick's doghouse, knows he will get cut, and he is looking for an injury settlement, which explains the migraines, and that he got them soon after that practice where he and Billick had the spat.

Preston, so IDK if I believe it or not, but it makes sense.

[GreenWave52]

RF2K6 beat me to it. Aaron can you confirm or deny Preston's rumor? Thanks for posting btw.

[RavenFanatic2k6]

http://blogs.baltimoresun.com/sports_football_ravens/2006/08/taylor_ward_and.html

The "article" in question.

[Ravensarge]

RF2K6..Thanks for the article.never saw it before. Interesting!!

[RavenScallywag]

if he's on IR, doesn't that rule out the "injury settlement"?

This smells of a "Pashos' hand IR" scenario...

[B-more Ravor]

if he's on IR, doesn't that rule out the "injury settlement"?

I would certainly think so. After all, if they have placed him on IR, then he is entitled to his entire base salary, whereas an injury settlement is for something substantially less. So, what would Ward's motivation be to accept an injury settlement, and less money, once he has been put on IR (and entitled to his full salary)?!??

EDIT: Well, I guess he could accept the injury settlement if he felt he could catch on somewhere else and still play this season.

[DrUnk]

He probably got a migraine from listening to Billick bitch at him.:rolling:

[Aaron Wilson]

My understanding is that Ward was going to be cut anyway and had drawn Billick's ire repeatedly. This does guarantee his salary for the season in 17 game check increments. I doubt he will be back next season. It's really not a big deal. It also means Jamaine Winborne just made the team in all likelihood barring a major need or injury at another position arising in the next few days.

[StingerNLG]

I think Jermaine Winborne won his spot in the last 2 games making a couple of heads-up plays. If Aaron is right about BJ Ward and his attitude and drawing Billick's ire, then we don't need him here.

[GreenWave52]

Why bother to IR someone who you don't want on the team in the future? Seems like a waste of Steve B.'s money to me.

[Ravens0587]

This smells of a "Pashos' hand IR" scenario...

Exactly, they are grooming him to possibly start next year.

They just don't think he is ready, and don't wnat to waste a spot on him. Look for him to really fight for the spot next to Ed Reed next year.

[RavenScallywag]

according to Aaron's notes, I guess it's not that, but still, you wonder why they'd IR him rather than just straight out cutting him...

Good news about Jamaine Winborne though, that kid is AWESOME.

[BirdFan]

you wonder why they'd IR him rather than just straight out cutting him

You can't straight out cut an injured player. You either have to get him to agree to a settlement (and it takes two to tango) or you have to IR him.

[RavenFanatic2k6]

Exactly, they are grooming him to possibly start next year.

They just don't think he is ready, and don't wnat to waste a spot on him. Look for him to really fight for the spot next to Ed Reed next year.

I very much doubt that. Read Aaron's post and think about it, if he was going to get cut this year, with the open competition at S and the unproven players we have competing there, how is he going to make it next year when Landry will (likely) have a year's experience starting, Sapp will be more experienced, and we may draft or bring in another player.