Ravens, Rice Saga Nearing Conclusion
By Samuel Njoku
The Ravens control their own destiny as they prepare to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday. If the Ravens win their last 3 games, they are guaranteed a spot in the postseason. Every game is a must-win game for the remainder of the season.
Ravens Scramble for Corner Help
Baltimore picked up a hard fought win on the road against the Miami Dolphins. But their victory may be considered by some to be bitter sweet considering the injuries they sustained in that effort. The Ravens left Sunday’s game with only 3 healthy cornerbacks after Danny Gorrer suffered a season ending knee injury and Anthony Levine suffered a concussion. The Ravens wasted little time in bringing in help from the pool of free agents. Baltimore signed recently released CB Antoine Cason, previously of Carolina, to help with their depleted secondary. He’s not much of an upgrade, as Pro Football Focus grades him as the 105th best cornerback in the league this season. But at this point, Baltimore is simply trying to get healthy bodies onto the roster. It’s been that kind of season for the purple and black.
Ray Rice, Ravens scheduled to meet
The Ravens have dealt with the fallout of the Ray Rice incident for the entire season. It appears as if this saga may soon be reaching a conclusion as both the Ravens and Ray Rice are scheduled to meet with a system arbitrator on a grievance hearing on January 15th and 16th (this according to USA Today). It was only a few days ago that the league was forced to reverse the indefinite suspension placed on Rice after video surfaced of the confrontation between he and his wife. The ruling gives Rice considerable momentum heading into the hearing regarding over 3 million dollars in lost income from the Ravens termination of his contract.
Given the power NFL teams usually possess in the handling of players contracts, it doesn’t appear likely that Rice would be able to recoup any of his lost revenue. But given the nature of this grievance, the Ravens may decide it best to just settle with Rice and avoid the hearing all together. The Ravens will have 5 weeks to decide a course of action.
For more Ravens news and updates, visit Ravens Central.
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.