Ravens signings...

Despite all his posturing, despite all his claims to want to play elsewhere, despite his best attempts to drop a deuce on his legacy, I, as a Baltimore Ravens fan, am proud to say... HEEEEEEE'S BAAAAACK!!!!

I don't care that he tried to court another team. I don't care that he'll be 34 years old by the time next season rolls around. I don't care that he may be an asshole. So what? He's our asshole and we love him for it. Getting to see #52 finish his career here is how it should be. For better of for worse, Ray Lewis IS the Baltimore Ravens. As Big Mike says, the public relations fiasco that was this unrestricted free agency period will soon be forgotten the minute "Hot In Herrre" comes on the sound system and Ray Lew comes out and does his pregame dance. By the way, another good read on this comes from David Steele who correctly asserts that Ozzie Newsome pretty much pwned Ray's agent.

- Lost in the shuffle of the return of Sugar Ray, the Ravens were able to find a replacement for Jason Brown in the person of former Minnesota Viking and six-time Pro Bowler center Matt Birk to the tune of three years, $12 million.


I like this one. If Birk has something left in the tank (he's 32) he can provide a veteran presence on a young O-line, keep Chris Chester as a swing center/guard and keep Marshal Yanda at right guard where he really excelled last year before getting injured. Also, remember, Matt Birk. He went to Harvard.

So basically the Ravens have replaced Chris McAlister with Domonique Foxworth, replaced Brown with Birk, lost Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard and retained Ray Lewis. I think I can live with those trade offs.