The Baltimore Sun has a nice blurb about a sweet defensive scheme that Rex has the guys playing with:

Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is creative as far as blitz and pressure packages, but he may have outdone himself this morning. On one play, Ryan had nose guard Haloti Ngata playing middle linebacker, and then he brought the 340-pound Ngata on a blitz.

“Nah, that didn’t happen,” said Ryan, laughing. “Anything that I can do to take out the other team’s top guns and then create mismatches for us, I’ll do it. If you want to block Ngata with a 220-pound running back after he has gathered up a full head of steam, I’ll take it.”

I would hate… HATE to be the poor back left to block a charging Ngata.  I really hope they pull this one out at some point during the season.

I was readin’ up on the Extreme Ravens message board (VISIT IT) and saw some photos posted of Ravens camp.

Take a look at T-Sizzle.  He’s enormous:

In a recent Sports Illustrated feature on the best hits of 2006, Bart Scott’s hit on Ben Roethlisberger came in at #3. Here is what Scott had to say:

“He was weightless, like I hit him in outer space. I heard him make this ungh sound, like air rushing out. I jumped up and did my bird dance, then I looked back and saw Ben was still down, and Im like, YEAH!, I knocked him out of the game. Thats what made it better for me. I laid a man out, a man who outweighs me. And he will never forget it.”

Bart Scott rules.

All of the Sports Cartel’s AFC North bloggers have been given a series of questions. Here are my answers.

1. What did the Ravens do this off-season to improve?

For starters, they got rid of Jamal Lewis - that’s a big step in the right direction. He was coming off a rather uneventful season (admittedly by his standards - he set the bar rather high), and it looks like the team wanted to go another direction (something that Jamal wasn’t able to do well with his size and ankles). He was an awesome back for a while (see also: 2003), but injury and fatigue caught up to him like most defenders, judging by his lack of separation/acceleration speed. 3.6 average yards per carry isn’t going to cut it in today’s NFL, and certainly not in the AFC.

The acquisition of Willis McGahee is going to be enormous. The U guys - Ed Reed and Ray Lewis - will all stick together, and with leadership like Reed and Lewis on the other side of the ball, I don’t think that there will be any problems with McGahee like there were in Buffalo. Hey, he’s already been to OTA’s, which is more than he did last year!

The Ravens had an above average draft, as they drafted for need. I really think that Ben Grubbs (1st round pick) will make an immediate impact - much the same way that Haloti Ngata did in his rookie season. For those of you who missed it, here are the draft picks:

1st round, #29 overall–Ben Grubbs, G, Auburn
3rd round, #74–Yamon Figurs, WR/KR, Kansas State
3rd round, #86–Marshal Yanda, G/T, Iowa
4th round, #134–Antwan Barnes, LB/DE, Florida Intl.
4th round, #137–LeRon McClain, FB, Alabama
5th round, #174–Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State
6th round, #207–Prescott Burgess, LB, Michigan

With BJ Sams on the mend, will Yamon Figurs compete for a starting role? Or will the Ravens split duties, having Figurs return punts, while Sams returns kickoffs? It’s too early to tell, but I have a good feeling that these questions will all be addressed in training camp.

2. What key players did the Ravens lose that you wish they kept?
This is the shortest answer in the whole ‘6 questions’ thing: Adalius Thomas. I would have done everything in my power to keep him on the team. Sure, Lewis, Scott, Suggs, et cetera are all very capable guys, but nobody is as diverse a defender as AD. We’ll miss him a lot more than we realize.

3. Going into the season, what do you see as the Ravens biggest weakness?
I’d say right now, it’s probably going to be a lack of depth on the offensive line. If Ogden goes down, we’re completely screwed on the right side. If JO goes down, who will completely shut down and embarrass Dwight Freeney on December 9th?

So yeah, I’d have to say lack of depth. We’re an injury away from being an above average football team, not a great one.

4. Going into the season, what do you see as the Ravens biggest strength?
Oh, good question. I’d say the leadership of the veterans on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Steve McNair has had a full season of playing under Billick and the Ravens book to know how the offense operates. He’s had playing time with Mark Clayton, who, mark my words, will conclude the season as a premiere receiver. He’s had time to work with Demetrius Williams, who will have his coming out party as a very, very deep threat this season. And how can you forget Derrick Mason? The McNair-Mason chemistry will continue to simmer. Uh-oh… looks like Todd Heap is healthy this year, too.

That’s a lot of offense… and we really haven’t even talked about McGahee yet.

Defensively, how can you go wrong with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed leading the best unit in the NFL? It may sound homerish (okay, it will sound homerish), but I really think that between Lewis and Reed, there’s no reason why the Ravens can’t repeat as top defensive unit in the NFL.

I’d be really scared if I was lining up against the Ravens this season.

5. How do you see the Ravens at the end of the season? Contenders, Pretenders or Cellar Dwellers? Why?
I think they’ll be contenders. One year wiser, I hope they learn from their mistakes and can find things to improve on. I realize it’s really difficult to top a 13-3 season, but it sure would be fun to try.

I see the division shaping up like this:

1. Ravens (12-4), AFC North Champions
2. Bengals (11-5), AFC Wild Card
3. Steelers (9-7)
4. Browns (5-11)

The first regular-season game will be the hardest - Monday Night Football… Cincinnati… ugh. Brutal. Maybe TJ Houshmandzadeh can finally get revenge for his helmet-throwing episode… who knows.

6. What game are you looking forward to the most this season? Why?
There are three games that I’m really, really looking forward to…

1. Ravens at Browns September 30th: I’m flying to Cleveland to see the game. That’s why!
2. Rams at Ravens, October 14th: I’m desperately trying to find airfare and tickets to this game. I’m from St. Louis, and it would be a blast to fly out to Baltimore with all the Rams fans when I’m in my Ravens gear. I can say with much certainty, that I’m the biggest Ravens fan in the 314 area code.
3. Steelers at Ravens, December 30th: It’s my birthday. Let’s give Big Ben Douchlisberger a concussion! Again, I’m trying to find airfare and tickets to this game. Anyone have some leads? I’m dying to go!

So, there you have it. My answers to the 6 key questions in this inaugural version of the AFC North Roundtable. The other AFC North blogs participating in the roundtable are: Bengals Brigade, The Brown and Orange and Die Hard Steel.

Ozzie Newsome was probably really happy to announce that Yamon Figurs, Troy Smith (5th) and Prescott Burgess signed three year deals. With Jared Gaither (5th) signed, the Ravens are actually really close to signing all of their 2007 draft class.

Only Ben Grubbs (1st) and Le’Ron McClain (4th) remain. Getting those two inked before camp starts (WHICH, BY THE WAY, CAN’T START SOON FREAKIN’ ENOUGH) shouldn’t be too difficult.

“We’ve had an ongoing dialogue on a consistent basis between all parties,” Newsome said of the Grubbs and McClain negotiations. “We definitely have hope that we can get all these deals finished by the time camp opens.”

(hat tip to BR.com & Mike Duffy)

Well, it looks like Ben Grubbs may just ink a deal prior to camp (WHICH CAN’T START SOON ENOUGH, BY THE WAY), snapping a long streak of first round draft pick holdouts.

The Baltimore Sun reports, we listen:

With six days remaining before the Ravens take the field for training camp, team officials sound optimistic that they’ll be able to sign guard Ben Grubbs and end their five-year string of first-round holdouts.

The last first-round pick that the Ravens have signed before camp opened was tight end Todd Heap in 2001.

But the Ravens seem to have a solid shot at striking a deal with Grubbs before players report to McDaniel College on Sunday.

“It’s been very good dialogue,” Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said today of the ongoing talks with Grubbs’ agent, Pat Dye Jr.

Hopefully, by “very good dialogue,” Newsome really means “He’s going to sign by the end of the week.” Lucky for Newsome, the 49ers first round pick was signed (OT Joe Staley), so the negotiation process can speed right along…

Just to recap, here are a list of the Ravens draft picks and their corresponding status (current as of 7/24/07):

Signed:

• Marshal Yanda (3rd)
• Yamon Figurs (3rd)
• Antwan Barnes (4th)
• Prescott Burgess (6th)
• Jared Gaither (5th - Supplemental Pick)
• Troy Smith (5th)

Unsigned:

• Ben Grubbs (1st)
• Le’Ron McClain (4th)

Undrafted free agents:

• Kendrick Ballantyne (TE)
• Bobby Blackshire (S)
• Brendan Carney (P)
• Cullen Finnerty (QB)
• Marcus Freeman (TE)
• Willie Gaston (CB)
• Donnie Johnson (S)
• Edgar Jones (OLB)
• Nick Leeson (LS)
• Travis Leitko (DE)
• Damien Linson (WR)
• Joe Martin (ILB)
• Terrell Maze (CB)
• Andrew Powell (DT)
• Greg Pruitt Jr. (RB)
• James Wilhoit (K)
• Matt Willis (WR)
• Lawrence Wilson (DT)

I’ll try to keep this list as current as possible.

Predictable: Chargers #1, Patriots #2… Broncos ahead of Ravens.

I’m really busy this morning, so I’ll just post a link to the story, and then the blurb on the Ravens:

12. Baltimore Ravens (20) The loss of right tackle Tony Pashos was big, and the Ravens will have to replace him with Adam Terry, who isn’t as good a run blocker. If the Ravens’ running game can’t get going despite the addition of Willis McGahee, that’s why. Baltimore is also expected to have a new starter at right guard, but it’s not clear whether first-round draft pick Ben Grubbs can win the job or if he’ll spend some time on the bench behind Chris Chester.

It’s also possible that Chester could move to center and beat out Mike Flynn for the starting spot. The one certainty in the middle of the Ravens’ line is that left guard Jason Brown, entering his third NFL season, has a lot of talent. He was inconsistent last season, his first as a starter, but he has the potential to become a Pro Bowl player. Playing next to him is left tackle Jonathan Ogden, who knows a little something about Pro Bowls. Ogden is one of the all-time greats, and he still has a few good years left in him.

The addition of supplemental draft pick Jared Gaither, a big and athletic tackle from Maryland, probably won’t mean much this season but gives the Ravens an infusion of young talent — and it might have given the Ravens’ Ogden’s successor.

Another list… another Raven makes the cut. Peter Schrager from Fox Sports breaks down his breakout candidates for the 2007 season:

4. Dawan Landry, SS, Ravens: Brother LaRon will get most the press next year as he suits up for the crosstown rival Redskins, and teammate Ed Reed may be the one introducing his teammates on Monday Night Football. But Dawan Landry’s a true star on the rise. As a rookie on the league’s top-ranked defense, Landry played in 16 games, recorded 67 tackles, grabbed five interceptions, and started in the playoff battle against the Colts. His biggest afternoon was a 27-26 win over Tennessee (week 10) in which he finished with 12 tackles and a sack. Look for Landry to make an even greater name for himself this season.

I would argue that his rookie season was his breakout season. If Dawan can improve on those stats (67 tackles, 5 INT (tied team lead), 3 sacks), he should be headed to Hawaii very soon. You don’t see many late round draft picks making this kind of an immediate impact.

Just as an aside: I’ve mentioned this before, and I’ll gladly mention it again - Eric DeCosta and Ozzie Newsome should spot the league 10 spots in the draft… because what they do as a tandem just isn’t fair to the rest of the league. Landry was a fifth round pick and really stepped up big last season. Let’s hope he doesn’t go into a sophomore slump!

Lookie, lookie. We’re #1.

With training camps approaching, Scouts Inc. ranks the NFL teams 1-32 at nine positions. Today’s position: Defensive back.

1. Baltimore Ravens
Under coordinator Rex Ryan, the Baltimore Ravens have one of the most aggressive defensive schemes in the NFL, which places a lot of pressure on the secondary. FS Ed Reed is one of the best safeties in the NFL, while CB Chris McAlister continues to play at a Pro Bowl level. Reed is a versatile player who can play a lot of different roles in the Ravens’ coverage schemes. McAlister is a big, physical player who gives the Ravens a premier shutdown corner. He has the responsibility of matching up on a week-to-week basis with the opponent’s No.1 receiver. Second-year SS Dawan Landry was a pleasant surprise last season, finishing the season tied for second on the team with five interceptions. CB Samari Rolle is an experienced player whose overall performance has fallen off the past few seasons.

Is it really any surprise? With the way Rex has the defense playing, even Rolle can’t negatively impact the rankings.

You need ESPNInsider access to view the article, so I’ll post the rest of the rankings for the AFC North:

13. Cincinnati Bengals
In the last two NFL drafts, the Bengals have addressed the cornerback position in the first round with the selections of Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall. Joseph is a very good athlete who has the ability to develop into a frontline starting corner in the NFL. Hall is a solid technician who should contribute as the Bengals’ No. 3 corner in sub packages, as he slowly works his way into the starting lineup. Deltha O’Neal is coming off a disappointing season in which he gave up a lot of big plays. FS Madieu Williams is a versatile player with very good athletic and playmaking skills. He is effective versus both the run and pass. SS Dexter Jackson is an experienced player who is best-suited to defend the run close to the line of scrimmage.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have a lot of question marks regarding coverage on the back end heading into the 2007 season. SS Troy Polamalu is one of the best players at his position in the NFL. He is excellent against the run with his physical stature and playmaking skills. Ryan Clark was the starting FS last year but is best-suited as a backup and could be replaced by second-year player Anthony Smith. Smith is a big, athletic safety who should develop into a frontline starter in time, but he lacks starting experience. CB Deshea Townsend is an experienced starter who lacks size and is best-suited as a backup. Ike Taylor really struggled last season due to his lack of confidence and was replaced by Bryant McFadden. McFadden is an intriguing young player who should compete with Taylor in training camp for a starting CB position.

29. Cleveland Browns
Leigh Bodden is the Browns’ best corner, and he has the size and athleticism to be effective on the outside in both regular and sub defensive packages. Experienced CB Gary Baxter continues to be a disappointment due to injuries and may never play again after suffering a patellar tendon injury in both knees last season. Rookie second-round pick Eric Wright should battle backup journeymen Kenny Wright and Daven Holly for the starting position opposite Bodden. Wright has all the tools to develop into a frontline starter, but he lacks experience. SS Sean Jones is a good player with physical traits and playmaking skills. Brodney Pool is expected to be the starting free safety opposite Jones. Pool is a young, developing player who moved into the starting lineup late in the 2006 season.

With two games a piece against the Steelers and Browns at #28 and #29, respectively, it should be a very fun season with five capable receivers and a Quarterback who’s more comfortable with the offense. If Clayton and Mason can keep holding steady… and Demetrius Williams continues to develop and has his coming out party as a legit deep threat, it should be a very, very exciting team to watch on both sides of the ball. Once you mix in McGahee’s soft hands and field vision… and Todd Heap being Todd Heap, and we’re set.

Dare I say… we have an explosive offense this year?

A countdown to the end of this long, boring off-season with no football:

Oh, please, let it be tomorrow.

The Ravens web site has a very comprehensive training camp section.  If you live nearby, are a Ravens fan and DON’T GO, I will be forced to punch a yak.  I obviously can’t make it (the drive from St. Louis to McDaniel College is a bit rough), but if you can, I highly recommend going.  I’ll be going to Rams camp with some friends to do some advance scouting for the October 14th tilt (which I’m fully planning on attending).