Eric DeCosta spoke with us on GAMETIME Sunday. Of the rookies, one that stands out for DeCosta is P.J. Daniels whose patch catching skills were even more impressive in OTA’s than originally thought. Chris Chester is another high ceiling player and the Ravens Director of College Scouting had this to say about the o-line’s most recent addition: "He’s going to look so good out there athletically that, at some point, we’re going to have to find a way to get him on the field. If we can coach him up – I think we can – this guy’s potential long term is as good as anybody’s in the draft.”
Chester’s athleticism could lend itself to some interesting possibilities down around the goal line where he can line up as an H-back, fullback or even as a tackle eligible receiver.
Last week The Sun’s John Eisenberg bluntly recommended to fans to “Curb the Enthusiasm” over the arrival of Steve McNair. “The fans are excited, as evidenced by the ovation that greeted McNair when he threw out the first pitch at an Orioles game last week. It would be nice to see the Ravens control the fever, scale back and just play ball instead of talking big, as most winning teams do.” Maybe it’s time to break out the old “P” word ban, eh coach?
Many have speculated as to whether Brian Billick will tighten the reins a bit in the upcoming training camp which as of this writing is just 37 days away. The camp was originally set to begin on July 30 but Billick moved that up 3 days to July 27. This move coupled with Billick’s decision to force his team to run gassers at the non-mandatory minicamp last week has some believing that some changes will be implemented during the Ravens’ summer at McDaniel College. No one asked me but if they did ask what suggested changes I would make if I stood in Billick’s shoes, in a New York minute I’d take away the veteran privilege of leaving campus after practice.
Forcing a team to stay together should help to galvanize it and it might eliminate the cliques that divided the locker room in the past. While it’s difficult to compare professionals to high school athletes, I can’t help but think of Remember the Titans, a movie based on a true story in which a Virginia high school team overcame a racially divided locker room and came together as one when they were forced to. The results were far greater than anything they could have accomplished had they remained in a divisive state.
B.J. Sams could be in a battle for a roster spot. Despite being the second best punt returner (12.2 avg) to Reno Mahe (12.8 avg) in the NFL last season, Sams may have to make an impact at another position unless he clearly outplays all competitors in the return game. On kick returns Sams was ranked 19th in the league (22.7 avg) and only 1 yard per return short of being tied for 30th in the league.
During OTA’s, Sams has not worked in the backfield with the running backs but instead with the secondary. Even then, Sams took very few reps in 1 on 1 drills, 7 on 7 or even full 11 on 11 drills. Other contenders for the return positions are UDFA’s Cory Ross (who Eric DeCosta said will be hard to cut) and Tres Moses. Mark Clayton could also be a candidate for punt returns, a duty he performed at Oklahoma. For those that think the Ravens won’t risk injury to Clayton as a punt returner let me remind you that Steve Smith does exactly that for the Carolina Panthers.
Yesterday after posting Letters 2 TL, a reader checked in and wondered why we are considering implementing a message board for a soon-to-be completely renovated 24×7. He reminded me that one local talk show host despite participating on message boards described them as “crap.” The reader wrote that the host accused message board posters of tough bravado while hiding behind their screen names obviously comforted by the anonymity. “It’s like pointing the camera at a bunch of drunks,” said the host.
Certainly there’s a danger but we’re taking precautions to make such a board enjoyable for our visitors. And while the anonymity does provide a playground for troublemakers, it is our opinion that Ravens’ message boards for the most part provide a forum for intelligent debate amongst passionate fans. There may be a few rotten apples or to borrow from said host’s metaphor – a “drunk” here and there, but such minimal collateral damage shouldn’t negate the insightful commentary that I’ve read on such boards. It is our collective opinion that the banter is hardly “crap”. Those bad apples hardly spoil what I consider to be a solid bunch and we look forward to some friendly debate with our visitors.
“He is a smart and instinctive player that has a solid feel for the game. He is a solid overall athlete. He shows a solid backpedal and good foot quickness. Shows above average transition quickness. Good feel in underneath zone coverage – solid route awareness. Average in man coverage – can handle the tight end but struggles if he gets matched up on receivers. He shows average closing quickness coming forward. He was an inconsistent player in run support. He was not very physical in the box. Needs to improve his ability to shed blocks.”
That is Scouts, Inc.’s description of the newest Raven, former Raven Gerome Sapp. Pending a physical, Sapp, originally drafted by the Ravens (sixth round, 182nd overall) in 2003, was acquired yesterday in exchange for a 2007 conditional draft pick. You may recall that Sapp was let go in 2004 as opposed to Corey Fuller, who was arguably beyond even the twilight of his career yet a valued member of the Ray Lewis posse. Sapp will be given an opportunity to compete for the starting safety position opposite Ed Reed.
During two starts in 2005, Sapp registered 8 tackles with no sacks, without an interception or pass defended. In those games the Colts beat the Cardinals (17-13) and lost to Seattle (28-13). Both contests were played without many of the team’s starters since the Colts had already achieved home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Indianapolis Star posted the following bio on Sapp last year, provided by their staff writer Phillip B. Wilson:
Position: Defensive back
Height/weight: 6-1/216
College: Notre Dame, bachelor’s degree in finance
Pro tenure: Two seasons, with Colts, Ravens
Family: Wife, Tracy
Pet: Bentley, a Yorkshire Terrier, 11 months
Where do you call home? Houston
Does a Notre Dame degree mean as much as they say? I was in Mexico and met an alum and he offered me a job as a trader on the Chicago Board of Exchange. Maybe that’s an option after I’m done. That happens all the time.
What was Notre Dame like? In college, you weren’t just a number. You were a student, a face to the professors and your classmates. We lived with our classmates and ate with them. There were only three football players in my dorm. I roomed with a hockey player and an architecture major.
You dispel the dumb jock stereotype: I think so, but it would be naïve for me to think that people don’t look at me just like they look at every other football player until they get to know me. When they get to know me, I know I do stand out. If you want to talk finance with me, we’ll talk finance.
Got a favorite finance term? Leveraged buyout. You basically fireball the shares of a company and you buy them back at a higher price. That’s how you forcefully take control of a company.
Not just football, huh? My world is so much more than football. It’s so much more complex than what I do out here. Even though I love doing it, it’s like a duality of my life. Football started off as a hobby to me and I was blessed enough to be good enough to be here. But when you get down to it, it’s still just a glorified hobby.
Football goal: Pro Bowl some time after we play in the Super Bowl.
In his weekly column on CNNSI.com, Peter King explained how he disdains grading drafts yet he goes on to do exactly that. Only this time, he dialed the clock back to 2001 and graded each team’s draft. The Ravens according to King weigh in with a solid B.
“Picking last because of its Super Bowl win only adds to the shine of this draft. It’s a shame the cap-ravaged Ravens couldn’t have kept these guys when they got good. The top four picks — Todd Heap, Gary Baxter, Casey Rabach and Ed Hartwell — are all average or better NFL starters. And when you get four of those out of one draft, you’ve drafted very well.”
This is the time of year that makes NFL coaches feel like parents who are sending kids off to college for the first time. The next five weeks are supposed to be down time – a time to rest your mind and body and prepare for the grueling NFL season. Yet the free time can be dangerous for young athletes with means. Marvin Lewis knows it. Bill Cowher is getting a taste of it with 2006’s No. 1 pick Santonio Holmes.
Holmes was arrested early Monday morning and charged with domestic violence. It was Holmes second tussle with the law since he became a member of the Steelers. Back during Memorial Day Weekend, Holmes was arrested for disorderly conduct in the adult playground called South Beach.
Last week in the Fantasy Forum, Kurt Backert compiled the best fantasy football performances by a Raven at each of the offensive scoring positions. Vinny Testaverde’s 1996 season surprisingly outperformed last year’s No. 1 fantasy quarterback Carson Palmer. Now, Browns coach Romeo Crennel is having fantasies about Testaverde joining the Browns as a backup.
According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Testaverde’s agent, Mike Azzarelli, said Sunday that Testaverde has not filed his retirement papers and that he’d be open to returning to Cleveland, where he played from 1993 to ’95.
"It certainly wouldn’t be unattractive to him to be reunited with [Crennel]," Azzarelli said. "And there’s no reason he wouldn’t return to Cleveland. He certainly had a good time there."
Not many can say that!
