By Zach Wilt, on March 26th, 2012  Don’t worry Ravens fans. Nice guy cornerback Domonique Foxworth may not have ever amounted to anything in a Baltimore uniform, but off the field he was a real hero.
Foxworth got a lot of love back in August of 2011 for his work in ending the NFL Lockout. So much love in fact that he was nominated and elected without opposition as the NFL Players Association’s new President.
He succeeds Jets center Kevin Mawae.
Unfortunately, Foxworth is still looking for gainful employment as a player in the league. The Ravens terminated his (horrible) contract on March 5 and he’s recovering from a knee injury that kept him off the field for two seasons.
By Zach Wilt, on March 2nd, 2012 I remember thinking back in 2009 that $27.2 million over four-years was way too much to give Domonique Foxworth. Here we are in 2012, a year in which Foxworth is due $5.6 million, and the Ravens are expected to cut the defensive back along with Chris Carr and Lee Evans.
Foxworth is coming off two major injuries and the only way he will be back with the Ravens will be if he makes a pay cut. Over the course of three seasons with the Ravens, Foxworth has played in just 16 games.
By comparison, Lardarius Webb has played in 44 games over that same span, made 86 more tackles and caught 3 more interceptions. Webb is a restricted free agent in 2012.
Foxworth tore his ACL in 2010 and struggled to recover last season. Carr suffered hamstring and back injuries and would have carried a $4.56 million cap figure in 2012.
By Zach Wilt, on September 28th, 2011 The Baltimore Ravens placed cornerback Domonique Foxworth on injured reserve on Wednesday morning and re-signed linebacker Prescott Burgess. Foxworth underwent knee surgery in training camp last season and never fully recovered. He was inactive for the Ravens against the Rams last week.
Foxworth was a huge free agent signing for the Ravens in 2009. He was a local guy who came in to hold together a shaky secondary and got paid big money to do so. He signed a four year, $27.2 million dollar deal with a $4 million signing bonus. He’s making $4.4 million this season and is scheduled to make $5.6 million in 2012. I don’t see that happening.
He worked diligently for the players during the NFL lockout, but ultimately was not under team supervision during the crucial parts of his recovery process. The Ravens could have cut him at the beginning of the season, but took the high road and hoped that he would turn things around.
John Harbaugh told Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times that next year is “up in the air.”
By Matt Sadler, on September 20th, 2011 We may have had some doubters this AM, but Ozzie and company got the deal done.
The quick and dirty from @RavensInsider- aka Aaron Wilson
Haloti Ngata agrees to five-year contract with Ravens, according to his agent, Mike McCartney
Haloti Ngata’s first two years are huge in terms of compensation, according to a league source. Specifics to follow.
Haloti Ngata contract was intentionally structured so he could get a second payday in the future.
Haloti Ngata will make $40 million in the first two years of the deal, according to a league source.
The compensation for Haloti Ngata makes him the highest paid player other than quarterbacks in first two years of a deal.
By Zach Wilt, on September 20th, 2011  I have to give Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome credit, he’s typically a good evaluator of talent. No matter what I think of his risky draft picks in recent years, Newsome knows when a guy’s talent has run out and when a replacement is ready for primetime. Just look at the Ravens tight end scenario this year. Nothing against Todd Heap, he was a great Raven, but his time had come and gone and Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson were ready to step up to the replace him.
But now I’m done patting Ozzie on the back. It’s time to be a little more critical. Tuesday’s deadline to sign defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is expected to pass. This means that the Ravens won’t be able to negotiate with their franchise player until after the season. That’s not good.
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By Zach Wilt, on September 20th, 2011  A frustrated John Harbaugh addressed the media on Monday evening after the Ravens fell 26-13 to the Titans in week two. One of the issues striking the Ravens has been the injury bug. It’s bitten wide receiver Lee Evans with a foot injury and cornerback Domonique Foxworth, who is still recovering from ACL surgery.
Harbaugh didn’t hide the fact that injuries have affected the performance of both players saying that the team will have to examine whether each guy can go on Sunday against the Rams. ”To me, if he can do the things that he needs to do, he plays. If he can’t, he won’t play,” Harbaugh commented on Evans according to Dan Kolko of MASNSports.com. ”We’ve been nursing this thing now for a month and I don’t see it getting a lot better. Either he can play like we need him to do, or he can’t.”
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By Zach Wilt, on September 19th, 2011  It’s official. After two weeks of the NFL season, we don’t know anything about the Baltimore Ravens. Coming off an emotional win against their rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in week one, the Ravens laid an egg and got smoked by a young team with an average veteran quarterback and rookie head coach. The final score, 26-13, doesn’t quite do the Titans embarrassment of the Ravens justice. If Tennessee’s kicker makes a 30-something yard field goal and the Ravens actually go for it on 4th and goal down 13 points with under five minutes in the fourth quarter, the score could swing another six points.
It’s tough to stomach, even this earlier. Here are my quick thoughts on the game.
- Hasselbeck>CJ2k - If you told me that the Titans beat the Ravens without me watching a second of the game I would have to assume that Chris Johnson put up record numbers against Baltimore’s defense. That wasn’t the case. Baltimore wasn’t ready for what Matt Hasselbeck and the Titans receivers had to offer to them and were trying to stop the pass all day long. The veteran threw for 358 yards and spread the ball to nine different receivers.
- Failure to adjust – Tip your cap to the Titans, who exploited the Ravens secondary and shut down Ray Rice and the Baltimore running game. Tennessee knew that Baltimore would stop Chris Johnson (he was held to 57 yards on the ground) and instead went to a quick passing offense led by veteran Matt Hasselbeck. It didn’t matter which of the Ravens bad cornerbacks were covering the Titans receivers, they all got torched. Take your pick Domonique Foxworth on Jared Cook, Cary Williams on Kenny Britt or Lardarius Webb on Nate Washington, they all were outmatched. Tennessee’s game plan was clear, but Baltimore never adjusted to it and they let a subpar team beat them handily.
- O-Line Woes – That awesome offensive line from week one didn’t show up to the Music City. Suddenly an the “in shape” Bryant McKinnie looked slow and fat, Michael Oher couldn’t remember any snap count and the healthy Matt Birk couldn’t stop the pass rush. I know Ben Grubbs was out, but after week one we were led to believe that these guys could stop anyone. Not the case today. I think Joe Flacco’s poor performance had more to do with the beating that his offensive line let him take than bad play. But who knows.
- Ray Lewis and the aging Ravens defense – Remember how after Baltimore wooped Pittsburgh we all questioned whether time had passed by the Steelers defense? Now after a veteran Matt Hasselbeck exposed the Ravens, you’ve got to analyze the Ravens in the same way. The team leader in tackles was Lardarius Webb, I guess he made his nine tackles after allowing Kenny Britt to make a long catch down the sideline. Ray Lewis was credited with six, but he failed to keep up with the quick patterns by the Titans receivers. I’m not sure why, but Brendon Ayanbadejo played a lot on defense. That’s never good.
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By Zach Wilt, on September 8th, 2011 The NFL season kicks off tonight as the Green Bay Packers take on the New Orleans Saints. It promises to be a pretty awesome matchup between the last two Super Bowl Champions.
For Baltimore, the season begins Sunday afternoon in a rival matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at The Bank. The Ravens haven’t had much luck against the Steelers in recent years, going 2-6 over the past three seasons and being eliminated in the postseason by Pittsburgh two of the last three years. On Sunday, I believe the Ravens will finally get the monkey off their back and beat the Steelers in week one. Here’s five reasons why:
- Joe Flacco steps up – When people talk about the Ravens failures against the Steelers they mention quarterback Joe Flacco in the same breath. He’s the team’s leader and for better or worse, he has to be the guy to beat Ben Roethlisberger and propel the Ravens forward. I like what I have seen from Joe Flacco the past couple months. He’s got a new attitude, he’s looks more confident in the pocket and I think he has the weapons on offense to beat the Steelers. I’m betting on him Sunday to put it all together and get it done.
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By Zach Wilt, on September 5th, 2011 A year ago, Cary Williams was a part of a secondary problem in Baltimore as he was suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Today, after being humbled by that experience, Williams has fought his way back and earned a starting job with the Ravens.
“It taught me humility and that things could be taken away from me,” Williams told The Sun’s Ken Murray in 2010 after hearing about the suspension. “I would want to play, but I still have to earn my position back on the team. I just want to go out and put my best foot forward.” After grabbing the attention of the Ravens coaching staff through a dominant preseason, Williams has earned a spot alongside Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs in one of the best defenses in football.
Williams first started showing his capabilities in Baltimore’s first preseason game against the Chiefs. While rookie corner Jimmy Smith was getting scorched by Dwayne Bowe, Williams shut down his opponents and led the team in passes defended. He was aggressive, but aware of his surroundings.
For Williams, the road to a starting job has been a difficult one. He was signed by Baltimore in 2009 off the Titans practice squad and he contributed on special teams for the team last season with several tackles and even a catch on a fake punt. During the offseason he trained with corner Renaldo Hill who he credits for his skills. Williams has separated himself from Domonique Foxworth, Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb and has earned a well deserved starting job on an elite defense.
By Steve Giles, on August 30th, 2011  I’m sure the question of how Jimmy Smith will pan out as a professional has been asked multiple times since the Ravens drafted him back in April. And even though it is yet to be answered, at least we have a few glimpses of live footage, albeit preseason, that have given us something to work with. Like any rookie, he has struggled at times, but has looked good at times as well. There’s no doubt this guy has the most raw talent of any young cornerback in the NFL, which will shine through immediately and hide some mistakes he may make as a result of being inexperienced at the professional level.
That being said, there is still quite a learning curve for him as it pertains to understanding certain defensive plays and schemes. Both were evident in the Ravens most recent game against the Redskins in a few plays . Smith made an excellent play in the end zone against Santana Moss, using his speed and awareness to break up a potential touchdown catch. But a few plays later, Smith blew the coverage and followed Jabar Gaffney to the flat instead marking Moss, who was already behind him catching a touchdown pass from Rex Grossman. Smith immediately threw his arms up, either recognizing he screwed up or complaining that Ed Reed should’ve been there. I’m sure someone eventually told the rookie it was his fault. READ MORE >>>
By Zach Wilt, on August 23rd, 2011  If Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth sees a lot of action in Thursday’s preseason game against the Redskins, odds are the Ozzie Newsome and the organization are shopping him around. Rumors around the interwebs have indicated that the New York Giants have interest in the 28 year old corner out of Maryland as they have lost Bruce Johnson, Terrell Thomas and Prince Amukamara from their secondary.
Ken Weinman and former Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato talked about this topic on their show on 105.7 The Fan today. Cerrato expects that Ozzie Newsome may be shopping Foxworth to the Giants and should he get two quarters of playing time on Thursday, he could be dealt.
Of course, Foxworth is still recovering from ACL surgery. He has told media members that the healing process is taking longer than he had previously anticipated.
By Zach Wilt, on August 10th, 2011 Preseason football is just about underway. Excited? Yeah, me neither.
The Ravens take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday and a number of their players are on the bubble for the game. Here’s what’s being reported on the injury front.
- RB Ricky Williams – John Harbaugh encouraged Williams to sit out the first preseason game. Williams said that “unless I wake up feeling like Superman” he doesn’t plan on seeing field.
- NT Brandon McKinney – Harbaugh also told the media that McKinney, who came off the physically unable to perform list yesterday, also will not get playing time on Thursday.
- CB Domonique Foxworth – Still feeling setbacks from a torn ACL last season, Foxworth’s status for Thursday is questionable. He missed the past two days of practice while Jimmy Smith came back off an injury.
- TE Ed Dickson – Dickson has been resting a pulled hamstring and will also be out on Thursday. Cam Cameron told that media that the team will “get him back whenever we get him back.”
- CB Jimmy Smith – Smith got back into practice yesterday for the first time this month, but still hasn’t gotten the thumbs up from John Harbaugh. ”No, I think we keep him out on Thursday,” Harbaugh said.
By Zach Wilt, on August 2nd, 2011 Mystery solved.
Despite John Harbaugh’s new no-comment on injuries policy, it looks like we have finally figured out that Jimmy Smith is ok. Thank goodness.
As mentioned this morning, Smith suffered an injury to his left groin in yesterday’s practice and was sidelined for the remainder of the day. Harbaugh refused to comment on his status, but teammate Domonique Foxworth said that he thought Smith was fine.
Tuesday morning on twitter, Smith confirmed Foxworth’s quote, saying “[I'll] be fine,” and that that he will be playing in preseason.
Smith responded to a fan’s comment saying that he never said he was injured and will be practicing.
By Zach Wilt, on August 2nd, 2011 If there’s one position the Ravens can’t afford to lose it’s cornerback. All last season the Ravens biggest question mark was its secondary and so far in 2011 that may again be the case.
Yesterday, first round draft pick Jimmy Smith was sidelined with a groin injury that he suffered after getting beat across the middle by LaQuan Williams in the afternoon practice. Smith kept ice on his left groin for the remainder of the day.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh set a no comment policy on injuries, making Smith’s setback an even bigger question that fans will having looming over their heads. “I think I’ll just establish this right now, but don’t even bother to ask about any injuries,” Harbaugh said according to Edward Lee of The Sun. Oh snap.
Harbs continues to treat the Ravens day-to-day operations like a some sort of secret mission run by the Central Intelligence Agency. Thankfully, Domonique Foxworth let loose some details about Smith’s injury. ”Jimmy didn’t tear anything,” Foxworth said according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. ”He should be fine.”
And that’s good enough for me. We’ll see how long it takes for Smith to get back to 100%. The Ravens will need him with Foxworth’s slow progression back from knee surgery.
By Zach Wilt, on July 27th, 2011  Ravens fans need a nickname for Rex Ryan’s New York Jets. How about the Ravens Triple-A affiliate or Ravens North?
It’s no secret that the two organizations have built each other in similar manners and have shared a number of players over the years. This offseason has proven to be no different.
Earlier this week, rumors were circulating that the Ravens had interest in Jets free agent wide receiver Santonio Holmes. This morning, the Jets signed Holmes to a five year deal.
The cornerback position comes with a lot of question marks for the Ravens this season. We reported the speculation that Baltimore may cut Domonique Foxworth to make salary cap room. Josh Wilson and Chris Carr are also free agents at that position this season. Aaron Wilson thinks that the Ravens will re-sign Wilson over Carr as they apparently “haven’t reached out to Carr yet.” Not surprisingly, the Jets have shown interested Carr’s services this season.
And of course, the big name that both teams are after is corner Nmandi Asomugha. So far, strong indications show that New York is in “serious” talks with Asomugha according to numerous sources. So far no one has reported talks between Asomugha and the Ravens, but experts have speculated that the cleared cap room could be for the free agent corner.
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Don’t worry Ravens fans. Nice guy cornerback Domonique Foxworth may not have ever amounted to anything in a Baltimore uniform, but off the field he was a real hero.
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How serious is Jimmy Smith’s groin injury?
Yesterday, first round draft pick Jimmy Smith was sidelined with a groin injury that he suffered after getting beat across the middle by LaQuan Williams in the afternoon practice. Smith kept ice on his left groin for the remainder of the day.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh set a no comment policy on injuries, making Smith’s setback an even bigger question that fans will having looming over their heads. “I think I’ll just establish this right now, but don’t even bother to ask about any injuries,” Harbaugh said according to Edward Lee of The Sun. Oh snap.
Harbs continues to treat the Ravens day-to-day operations like a some sort of secret mission run by the Central Intelligence Agency. Thankfully, Domonique Foxworth let loose some details about Smith’s injury. ”Jimmy didn’t tear anything,” Foxworth said according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. ”He should be fine.”
And that’s good enough for me. We’ll see how long it takes for Smith to get back to 100%. The Ravens will need him with Foxworth’s slow progression back from knee surgery.