OWINGS MILLS – Since the Baltimore Ravens drafted outside linebacker Paul Kruger in the second round out of Utah two years ago, he’s been largely forgotten.
Recording only a dozen tackles, one sack and an interception tends to create that kind of obscurity in the NFL.
Now that Kruger has returned to outside linebacker after primarily playing defensive end in the past, Kruger has been having a strong training camp as he approaches his third NFL season.
"Kruger has been killing it," veteran outside linebacker Jarret Johnson said. "Kruger is the guy nobody has been talking about that’s been killing people. You can definitely tell he’s finding his niche. He’s starting to understand the game more. His awareness on things is really good. The sky’s the limit for that dude."
Tired of being criticized for not contributing more and not playing special teams, Kruger is hoping to prove himself this year.
"Why not?" Kruger said. "I want to do a lot of great things here, and I want to be a good player. I want to be out there every play and doing my best to help the team. I’m doing what I can to get there."
Backing up Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs Kruger has become a difficult blocking assignment.
The 6-foot-4, 265-pounder is too fast for most offensive tackles to cut off when he rushes off the edge, and he’s become strong enough to bull-rush linemen.
"I think he’s taking himself more serious," Suggs said. "I think he wants to be a player now. He definitely wants to add to the defense. I think he knows, definitely, he could make some plays on this defense.
"He’s bought in now. Not to say he didn’t before, you’d have to ask him about that – but from what I can tell, he’s really in there with the rest of us guys and he really wants to be a part of this team."
Under new defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, Kruger has lined up everywhere from Suggs’ rush end spot to strong side linebacker behind Johnson and a traditional defensive end spot on third downs with his hand in the dirt.
"I’ve been floating around a bit,, so now I feel like I have more of a solidified outside spot," Kruger said. "I’m just looking forward to getting going."
Last season, the Ravens had a franchise-worst 27 sacks as only Suggs and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata could be counted upon.
If Kruger can live up to expectations, he could provide a boost to the pass rush.
"Absolutely, I want to help the team in any way I can, and that’s definitely an area I feel confident," Kruger said. ‘So, we’ll see what happens."
The Ravens want to create a true rotation in the front seven with players like Kruger and Sergio Kindle after struggling to finish games last season.
"It’s going to be a situation this year where on third down, somebody is going to be coming off the field," Johnson added. "Is it going to be me? I don’t know, but that’s what we need. We need guys to roll in. Our group is used to playing 100 percent of the snaps. You look around the league and teams don’t play 100 percent of the snaps.
"They rotate. We don’t rotate, but with the way guys like Kruger has been playing and we’ve got Sergio (Kindle) coming on, it’s going to be a good situation to roll guys in and out."
Suggs also complimented Kruger for his ‘buffness’ in a reference to his physique.
"He’s a funny guy, because he’s really buff," Kruger said. "I appreciate the compliment. I’m sure he’s joking around, but it’s all good. I gained a couple pounds, but nothing serious."
BIG NIGHT: Lacking a veteran presence to backup quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens are going to take a long look at rookie Tyrod Taylor tonight against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The sixth-round draft pick from Virginia Tech is slated to play at least the second and third quarters and possibly well into the fourth quarter.
"It’s a great opportunity for me to go out there and show what I’m capable of doing," Taylor said. "I feel comfortable with everything that we’ve put in so far. So I’m just looking forward to having fun and going out there and helping the team win."
Taylor has drawn praise from teammates and coaches, but the mobile former Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year needs to be more consistent overall.
Undersized and appearing to be shorter than the 6-foot-1, 215 pounds he’s listed at on the roster, Taylor has dealt with passes being knocked down and seems to throw better on the move.
"I put more pressure on myself than I think anybody else," Taylor said. "I want to succeed. Of course there’s a lot of naysayers, a lot of haters, a lot of doubters that think I won’t do well. At the end of the day, I answer to myself."
Ravens coach John Harbaugh isn’t concerned about how Taylor will handle a high-pressure NFL environment, not after starting four years for the Hokies.
"The guy has played a lot of football games," Harbaugh. "I don’t think it’s going to be in any way overwhelming for him to play a football game. He’s a four-year starter at big-time college football. But, it’ll be interesting to see how he applies the trade at this level."
Taylor said he’s looking forward to seeing Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, a fellow former Hokie.
"It’s definitely fun," Taylor said. "We talked about it all offseason."
BOO BIRDS: Flacco grew up in the heart of Philadelphia Eagles country, raised in Audubon, N.J., roughly 10 minutes from Philadelphia.
And it wouldn’t necessarily bother Flacco if he gets booed. Hey, the Philadelphia fans once booed Santa Claus.
"I can get booed, that’ll be great," Flacco said. "Hopefully it’s when I’m throwing a touchdown pass. Throw a touchdown pass, get booed, that’ll be awesome."
Other than his wife, parents and friends, he expects his friends to root for the Eagles.
"I hope all my buddies, I hope they’re rooting for Ravens," Flacco said. "I know they’re all Eagles fans, but when they have to make a decision, I hope they make the right one.
"Yeah, they’re crazy about their Eagles in South Jersey. I mean, I’m not going to convert all of South Jersey, hopefully just the people I know. I’ve got to remind them, ‘Hey, I got you the tickets, so you’ve got to root for us.’"
A former Eagles special teams coach, Harbaugh doesn’t expect a warm reception as he returns to Philadelphia.
"It’s going to be interesting," Harbaugh said. "I don’t know if I know where the visiting locker room is. It’ll be my first time in the visiting locker room. I fully expect to be cheered rabidly when I walk out onto the field. I’ll be highly disappointed if that doesn’t happen."
TRADE WINDS: Buffalo Bills veteran wide receiver Lee Evans addressed the trade rumors surrounding him.
Most often linked to Evans: the Arizona Cardinals and the Baltimore Ravens.
"I don’t really know," Evans said in remarks distributed by the team. "Obviously that is something that is out of my control. There are always rumors like that out there so we will have to just see what happens.
"It’s hard for me to comment on it now. It’s just one of those things that you have to find out how much substance is behind it and see what happens. So I can’t really comment on it."
Evans said he found out about the rumors by reading about himself.
"Like you said, you see some blogs and things around the Internet," he said. "So we just have to see what the scoop is."
Evans was asked specifically about playing opposite Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals’ star wide receiver.
"Well, I know Larry and I’ve known him for a long time so we have a really good relationship," Evans said. "Anything outside of that you just have to see how much is really behind it." Evans acknowledged that it’s flattering that other teams are apparently interested in him.
"Absolutely. I think what it shows is a lot of the hard work that I put in doesn’t go unnoticed," Evans said. "I guess you can say that is flattering but the reality of it is I am here now and I am getting prepared to play a game in Chicago on Saturday."
R. LEWIS TALKS RETIREMENT: Should the Ravens win the Super Bowl this season, Baltimore Ravens All-Pro middle linebacker Ray Lewis said he will seriously contemplate retirement.
The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year is 36 years old and heading into his 16th season.
"My son will be a junior this year. I only play this game for another ring," Lewis told CBS Sports. "If we can win it this year, and I’m being brutally honest with you, if we win it this year, I’m going to then spend as much time as I can with him. I’m gone to be with my son. And I feel like now we have enough pieces in place to make a good run at the Super Bowl."
Drafted in the first round in 1996, Lewis has twice been named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
When will he hang up his cleats?
"I don’t know when it will all be over for me," Lewis said. "People want to use my age against me. They say I’m too old. People fear getting old. I don’t fear that because now I have wisdom and a tough body to go with that wisdom."
ROSTER MOVE: The Ravens have waived undrafted rookie wide receiver Hakim Moore.
Moore had been hurt since training camp began, dealing with a foot injury.
The 6-foot, 165-pound wide receiver played at Towson University.
MOLL TO JAGUARS: One day after former Ravens offensive tackle Tony Moll worked out for the Detroit Lions, he was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Moll is the latest Ravens free agent to sign with another team.
