The Baltimore Ravens have used the last week trying to “catch-up” on lost time, the same thing every other team has been doing since the National Football League lockout officially ended on July 25.
The NFL’s five-month-long battle over financial leverage has left all 32 teams well behind schedule in preparation for what Baltimore Sun columnist Kevin Cowherd called the “weirdest preseason in the history of the NFL.”
The Ravens lost its chance to hold its traditional training camp at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md. when the lockout dragged into July. Instead, camp is being held at the team’s practice facility in Owings Mills.
“It’s still camp but it’s not in our comfort zone because we’re not used to being here,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told the Sun. “The biggest difference is the fact we don’t have a schedule. Our schedule has changed 40 times in the last four days. It’s going to change a couple more times because the league and the union have been changing all of this stuff.”
The schedule isn’t the only thing that changed for Baltimore. Ravens’ longtime favorites wide receiver Derrick Mason, tight end Todd Heap, nose tackle Kelly Gregg and running back Willis McGahee were all surprise releases on the opening day of free agency.
Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome said he had to make the “tough, yet necessary” roster cuts to make room under the newly designed salary cap ($120 million) so that he could sign other key players. Newsome used the additional funds to boost the Ravens’ blocking ability by signing offensive lineman Marshall Yanda to a contract extension and also signing free agent fullback Vonta Leach, considered by his peers as the No. 1 lead blocker in the NFL.
Reports suggest there’s a slim chance the Ravens may bring back Mason under a new, lower contract deal, but other reports say Baltimore may be close to signing free agent Malcom Floyd, a 6-foot-5-inch, 235-pound receiver who offers instant deep-threat passing ability, something the Ravens have struggled with in years past.
Four-year quarterback Joe Flacco is expected to take full charge of the offense for the first time in his career. Other young players such as second-year tight end Ed Dickson and second-year defensive tackle Terrance Cody have also received promotions, taking on the roles of starters this coming season, while rookies like cornerback Jimmy Smith and receiver Torrey Smith are expected to make instant contributions.
But even with all of the new changes, there are still a few old faces among the pack, including Pro Bowl linebackers Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed.
Heading into his 16th season in the league, Lewis may have actually benefited from the lockout, using the extra time away from the team to personalize his own training regimen.
“One thing I think this down time did do for a person like myself is it gave me a lot of time to myself, which let me do anything I wanted to do as far as cross-training in so many different areas, and that’s what I did.” Lewis told reporters. The 36-year-old star linebacker, the only current Raven that has been with the team since it was created in 1996, said drastic changes to a franchise are just a part of the game.
“This is my 16th year. I’ve seen people come and go. I’ve seen some of the greats come and go,” Lewis said. “That’s the business side of it.”
