OWINGS MILLS — Offensive tackle Tony Pashos’ dramatic emergence and improvement as a blocker is about to be rewarded, but it won’t be with the Baltimore Ravens.
Two days before the launch of the free agent signing period, Pashos’ agent acknowledged that the gritty right tackle will not be returning to Baltimore.
Pashos’ impending departure is for financial reasons, much like the decision the Ravens made to not use a $7.2 million franchise tag to retain All-Pro linebacker Adalius Thomas.
“The deal on Tony is he will no longer be a member of the Baltimore Ravens,†said Rick Smith, Pashos’ agent, in a telephone interview with the Times on Wednesday morning. “They’re moving on from him like they moved on from Adalius Thomas.
“I’m not sure where he’s going to be, but Tony’s going to be somewhere else. There are no hard feelings. It’s a business decision.â€
The Ravens are only $3 million under the league salary-cap limit of $109 million.
In a thin free agent market where he and the Arizona Cardinals’ Leonard Davis are regarded as two of the top tackles available, Pashos could command a much larger signing bonus than Baltimore could afford under its tight salary structure. It would likely require restructuring contracts or releasing players to put together a large enough offer sheet to make it worthwhile for Pashos to bypass the lucrative offers he’s expected to garner on the open market.
“It has nothing to do with their evaluation of Tony,†Smith said. “They have made the decision that they’ve got a solid foundation, and to sign guys back they would have to restructure guys and that could break up their foundation. It’s understandable, and Tony’s going be fine.â€
At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, Pashos’ game is built around brute strength and solid technique as he’s not a gifted natural athlete.
Drafted in the fifth round in 2003 out of the University of Illinois, Pashos became a full-time starter during the 2005 season, replacing Orlando Brown. He started every game last season for a line that set a franchise record by allowing just 17 sacks.
Pashos dieted and exercised down from 350 pounds, increasing his stamina, flexibility and footwork to transform from an overweight backup into a fit, effective NFL starter.
“I don’t want to leave any stone unturned in making myself as good a player as I can possibly be,†Pashos said during training camp last summer. “That’s why I worked out so much and watched what I ate. It was a major life change for me. I just decided to take this as seriously as possible to compete.â€
Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times in Westminster, Maryland
