Newly signed veteran defensive tackle Ryan McBean underwent a successful surgery this week to repair his broken ankle, according to The Baltimore Sun.

McBean suffered the injury in the preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons. The 6-foot-5, 305-pounder knew immediately that he suffered a serious injury.

“Well when my foot was facing the direction to where it wasn’t supposed to be facing then I figured, ‘Yeah, OK. Something is wrong,’” McBean told WNST.

Dr. Robert Anderson, who also performed surgery on Terrell Suggs’ Achilles tendon, inserted metal hardware into McBean’s ankle to help the healing process, which is projected to take about four to six months to fully recover, according to The Sun.

McBean does not expect to return this season.

“I will be back around [Organized Team Activities] time – back to 100 percent,” he said. “That’s my mark and that’s what I’ll be aiming for, that’s what I’ll be going for.”

The 28 year old has not been placed on injured reserve yet, but could end up on the list.

McBean was signed by the Ravens this spring to a one-year deal reportedly worth $1.2 million, which was not guaranteed and didn’t include a signing bonus, reported Aaron Wilson. He was suspended for the first three games of the season for a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy while playing for the Denver Broncos.

With a season return seemingly out of the question, McBean is already focused on his rehab to ensure proper healing.

“It only took me 30 seconds to feel sorry for myself and then after that 30 seconds I just moved on from there,” he said.  “The coaches say, ‘Hey, just make sure [you] heal and get right and just be ready for next year.’”

McBean was listed as the primary backup to Haloti Ngata, but his absence now gives former rookie free agent and practice squad player Bryan Hall a chance to fill that role. A talented defensive lineman, Hall is also known around the halls of the Under Armour Performance Center as the player with the biggest mouth.

“Bryan brags about his 17 sacks he got at Arkansas State every chance he gets in the d-line room,” McBean said. “He’s a guy that comes out to practice and goes hard every single day – not just on the d-line, but on special teams.

“I say that’s a guy that you need to look out for. I believe he can do it and I believe he will do it.”

Ravens Expected To Get Four Compensatory Picks

After sustaining a number of free-agent losses this offseason, the Ravens are expected to receive four compensatory selections for the 2013 NFL Draft next April, according to Brian McFarland of Ravens24X7.com.

If McFarland’s projections are correct, that would give Baltimore 11 picks in the upcoming draft.

The Ravens lost a total of six free agents that should qualify for compensatory picks, including guard Ben Grubbs (Saints), linebacker Jarret Johnson (Chargers), safeties Tom Zbikowski (Colts) and Haruki Nakamura (Panthers), defensive end Cory Redding (Colts) and defensive tackle Brandon McKinney (Colts).

Those losses were countered by two Ravens signings of cornerback Corey Graham (Bears) and safety Sean Considine (Arizona).

That nets out to four picks.

“It is possible that Considine may not qualify in the evaluation but that designation is a [moot] point anyway, since the maximum number of comp picks awarded to any individual team is four,” wrote McFarland.

Note that players cut by the Ravens or by their former teams do not weigh into the compensatory pick calculations. That includes cornerback Chris Carr, wide receiver Lee Evans, guard Bobbie Williams and receiver/returner Jacoby Jones.

Rice Is Last RB Standing In Division

An injury bug has done some damage to starting running backs in the AFC North, with only Ray Rice still standing, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley points out.

Knock on wood.

A total of seven running backs are currently injured in the division, including Browns first-round pick Trent Richardson (arthroscopic knee surgery), Bengals veteran starter BenJarvus Green-Ellis (foot) and backup Bernard Scott (hand) and Steelers current top back Isaac Redman (groin).

“None of the injuries to the starting backs are considered serious. When the season begins in less than four weeks, Green-Ellis, Richardson and Redman are expected to be lining up in the backfield,” wrote Hensley. “Still, the number of injured backs heading into the second preseason game is a troublesome trend for the division.”

Also, Pittsburgh’s starting running back of the last three years, Rashard Mendenhall, is trying to come back from a torn ACL.

Ravens fans just hope Rice and the Ravens obey the first commandment of preseason play tonight: Thou shalt not get injured.

What To Watch For vs. Detroit

Oh yeah, the Ravens have their preseason home opener tonight. Seems strange it took so long to mention it this morning.

Here are some things analysts say you should watch out for:

Better communication in the offensive line, translating to better protection for quarterback Joe Flacco. After his visit to practice in Owings Mills, Md., former Ravens Head Coach Brian Billick tweeted that the Ravens front office must have a “sickening” feeling when thinking about either Tyrod Taylor or Curtis Painter being just one play away from being the starter. To prevent that from happening, Flacco can’t get hit the way he did in Atlanta last week.

The Ravens will face a new challenge Friday night against the Lions defensive line that features Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and defensive end Cliff Avril, but they should also have veteran center Matt Birk back. “The offensive line, which should have better communication with six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk expected to make his preseason debut after sitting out last week with back issues, needs to match the Lions’ power and toughness,” wrote Wilson.

Can kicker Billy Cundiff perform under pressure? That’s the question CBSSports.com’s Jason Butt wants to have answered tonight, as Cundiff is slated to get the first field-goal attempt tonight. “In a perfect scenario, the Ravens will have enough tries for both Cundiff and rookie Justin Tucker,” Butt wrote. “Tucker has outperformed Cundiff in practice by making 95 percent of his attempts. Still, there’s a general feeling the job is Cundiff’s to lose. If Cundiff can prove he can still hit big kicks in game situations then the safer he’ll be when Baltimore is forced to trim its roster down.”

Running back Bernard Pierce will try to make his case to become Rice’s primary backup. The third-round draft pick missed the first preseason game with a hamstring injury, but he is expected to get a chance to prove his worth against the Lions. “With Anthony Allen and Damien Berry having yet to stand out during training camp, Pierce will get an extended look Friday, and an impressive performance would go a long way in his quest to win the backup running back job behind Ray Rice,” wrote The Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec.

Quick Hits

• @pkruger99: Preseason game #2 against Detroit tomorrow night.. M&T goes hard pre, regular or post-season. Can’t wait, love playing at home. [Twitter]
• @RavensSalaryCap: If Ryan McBean’s ankle is broken and he ends up on IR, he’ll still count against the team’s Salary Cap. [Twitter]
• @CoachBillick: As for #Ravens…lack of depth behind Ray Rice concerning, but filling void left by Ben Grubbs may actually be more detrimental to run game. [Twitter]
• @RavenManiac [Kris Jones, Ravens24X7]: Best moment of the day, @RayRice27 and Ray Lewis meet a child from Make-A-Wish [Twitter]
• @Ravens: #Ravens Matt Birk will host nearly 150 Baltimore-area elementary school students for a school supply distribution at Walmart this Saturday. [Twitter]
• @wbalradio: Ray Rice @RayRice27 Helps Out Local Teachers #Ravens [Twitter]
• @Ravens: Kickoff for the Ravens’ final preseason game at the St. Louis Rams on Thursday, Aug. 30, has been moved to 7 p.m [from 8pm] [Twitter]
• @Thoroughbred954 [WR Dorian Graham]: Jus downloaded my boi @Crushboy31 app y’all shud check it out called Bourre! [Twitter]
• Pierce on what it’s like to become a father (his fiancée gave birth to Bernard Jr. earlier this month): “I’d say it feels like your birthday. It comes one time a year. I know this is my day. But it’s really not your birthday. I was overwhelmed, excited. I really can’t totally explain the feeling because it’s something I’ve never felt before.” [CBSSports.com]
• Quarterback Tyrod Taylor says he’s “way ahead” of where he was last season. [CSNBaltimore.com]

Baltimore was awarded fourth and fifth-round compensatory picks at the NFL owners meetings Monday. They are the 130th and 169th picks overall.

There were 32 total picks distributed and Cleveland, Green Bay and the New York Jets got the most with four each.

It’s a good haul for the Ravens, who were given two fifth-round picks last year. It replaces the fourth-round pick the Ravens traded for wide receiver Lee Evans last offseason.

A team who loses more or better free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks. The NFL Management’s complex formula is based on salary, playing time and postseason honors.

The number of picks a team receives, and what round they’re in, equals the net loss of free agents. The maximum number of picks a team can get is four.

The Ravens lost several big free agents last offseason in cornerback Josh Wilson (Redskins), guard Chris Chester (Redskins) and safety Dawan Landry (Jaguars). All three signed large, long-term deals and started 16 games.

The Ravens also signed a few free agents that ended up playing big roles. The main one was fullback Vonta Leach, who ended up going to the Pro Bowl.

They also inked left tackle Bryant McKinnie (started all 16 games), safety Bernard Pollard (played 16 games, started 13), and running back Ricky Williams (played in 16 games). All three were late bargain additions, however.

The players the Ravens released (wide receiver Derrick Mason, tight end Todd Heap, running back Willis McGahee and defensive tackle Kelly Gregg) do not count towards the calculation.

Last year, Baltimore was awarded two fifth-round compensatory picks that it ended up using to draft cornerback Chykie Brown and defensive end Pernell McPhee.

The Ravens still lead the NFL in compensatory picks awarded since 1995, showing that they perennially lose more high-profile free agents than they acquire.

That leaves their picks heading into the NFL draft as such:

Round 1: No. 29
Round 2: No. 60
Round 3: No. 91
Round 4: No. 130 (compensatory)
Round 5: No. 155
Round 5: No. 169 (compensatory)
Round 6: No. 186
Round 7: No. 218

Visit Ravens Draft Central

First, at pick No. 164 overall, Baltimore nabbed Texas cornerback Chykie Brown. With the 165th, they grabbed Mississippi State defensive end Pernell McPhee.

The Ravens had a desire to get bigger at cornerback in this year’s draft and have done exactly that by nabbing 6-foot-2 Jimmy Smith in the first round and Brown in the fifth.

Chykie Brown

Brown is a prospect with great tools who coaches could eventually turn into a starter. He stands in at 5-foot-11, 191 pounds, ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at his pro day, and has very long arms.

Brown split time and often played ahead of former Texas cornerback Curtis Brown, who the Pittsburgh Steelers selected with the 95th-overall pick. Chykie (pronounced SHOCK-ee) started nine games at cornerback last year, logging 19 tackles, including two for loss and a sack.

He was often in press coverage, similar to Smith.

“That’s one of the strongest parts of my game,” Brown said. “I do that pretty much all the time. Coaches give me the opportunity to do whatever I want to do, so I choose to press.”

Brown’s best season came as a junior when he started 14 games and was voted an honorable mention All-American by Pro Football Weekly. He notched 44 tackles and one interception, which he returned for a 77-yard touchdown.

The senior only had two interceptions in his college career, however.

“Some of them, I got my hands on the ball and got a little too excited and let it go,” Brown said. “But most of the time, I didn’t get the ball thrown to me at all. If it did come my way, I had perfect coverage and it just got overthrown or was too short.”

However, injuries have been a problem throughout his college career. He missed the final three games of the 2010 season (broken forearm) and five overall. An ankle injury limited him to three games as a sophomore. Brown said his forearm isn’t quite 100 percent yet.

Brown, who said he was visited by Head Coach John Harbaugh and taken to dinner at On The Border, roomed with current Ravens linebacker Sergio Kindle for two years at Texas.

“I’m back up there with family, so I’ll feel more comfortable when I get out there and play,” Brown said.

“I hope the old Sergio I know gets his head all straight and just comes back and is the Sergio that you all thought he would be. God knows he’s a great player, so I just hope he comes back as strong as he ever was.”

Pernell McPhee

McPhee was one of the nation’s highest-touted defensive linemen coming out of high school, but had to attend Itawamba Community College instead of heading to Southern Mississippi due to academic issues. 

In two years at the junior college level, McPhee dominated with 33 sacks. By the time he joined Mississippi State, the competition was stiffer, but the 6-foot-3, 280-pounder still led the team with five sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 2009.

He followed that with 9 1/2 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, four pass breakups and a team-leading 12 quarterback hurries last season. McPhee, who posted 88 career tackles for the Bulldogs, earned first-team All SEC honors both years, as voted by the coaches.

Immediately following the pick, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said McPhee needs to work on his consistency and is known more for his run-stopping ability than his pass rush.

“He’s solid in games, average in others,” Kiper said.  “He’s a kid I think can be a run stopping defensive end and is just average in the pass rush.”

The Ravens will certainly work on pass rush with McPhee, as he is still considered raw having played only one year of high-school football at Anquan Boldin’s Pahokee High School.

After examining how the NFL divvied out 32 compensatory choices to 23 teams last Friday, Peter King concluded the compensatory system is “out of whack.”

What’s the problem?

The provision that only allows teams to be awarded – at best – a pick at the end third-round, which is equivalent to the first pick of the fourth round.

King believes sometimes the player a team loses in free agency is worth more than the 97th overall pick.

“I think I’d be in favor of compensatory picks being higher,” wrote King. “I’ve thought this for a while, but came to a conclusion the other day when I saw the Panthers were getting the first compensatory pick for losing Julius Peppers to the Bears.

“When I see [the Panthers awarded the 97th pick] — and when I see the Baltimore Ravens getting two end-of-the-fifth-rounders for Justin Bannan and Dwan Edwards, I know the system’s out of whack.”

King believes the Ravens were fairly awarded two fives for Bannan and Edwards, but he argues that if the Panthers traded the 97th pick, they would get a little more in value than the 164th and 165th picks given to Baltimore.

Plus, “Peppers for Bannan and Edwards is a mismatch.”

“The NFL should value compensatory picks somewhere in the top 50 for the best players who are lost in free agency,” proposed King. “There’s not a Peppers every year, but when there is, the value must be higher.”

Best Comp Picks in Ravens History

With the two extra picks for Bannan and Edwards, the Ravens’ total of compensatory choices reached 31 – the most in NFL history.

As The Baltimore Sun’s Jamison Hensley wrote, the success the Ravens have had with these extra selections has not been highly publicized.

General Manager Ozzie Newsome has turned those picks into four starters and four quality backs. Hensley ranked the top 5:

1. G Edwin Mulitalo; fourth round, 1999; started for seven years alongside left tackle Jonathan Ogden
2. FB Le’Ron McClain; fourth round, 2007; two-time Pro Bowler
3. FB Ovie Mughelli; fourth round, 2003; became the highest-paid fullback when he left the Ravens for Atlanta
4. RB Chester Taylor; sixth round, 2002; never a starter with Jamal Lewis atop the depth chart, but was a solid backup for three years in Baltimore
5. OT Tony Pashos; fifth round, 2003; took over for Orlando Brown as the starting right tackle for 1.5 years before leaving for Jacksonville

Ravens Not on Draft Busts List

It’s one of the most amusing lists of the season: draft busts.

Last week, ESPN’s Mel Kiper cataloged 13 of the biggest quarterback busts since he’s been evaluating prospects.

For all you Kyle Boller supporters and haters, the Ravens’ 2003 first-round draft pick was not included in Kiper’s list of 13 quarterbacks.

Coincidently, days before Kiper’s rankings were published, CSNBaltimore.com’s Joe Platania said he “vehemently” disagreed with anyone who would apply the term “bust” to Boller.

“A true quarterback bust is someone who, to us, never showed the proper aptitude for the position and proved to be completely inept,” Platania wrote. “Boller was inconsistent, not inept, and there is a big difference between the two.”

In another ranking published this weekend, Kiper put together a compilation of 40 non-quarterback busts. There were no Ravens picks on that list either.

Granted, the draft guru only considered picks that went in the top 10, and the Ravens only have six top-10 picks in franchise history: Ogden, Peter Boulware, Duane Starks, Chris McAlister, Jamal Lewis and Terrell Suggs.

Not only could the six not be considered anything close to a bust, but each of them boasts either a Pro Bowl or Super Bowl victory (or both) on his resume.

Not too shabby, Ozzie.

Quick Hits

• RavensInsider: Ravens attended NC State Pro Day to scout linebacker Nate Irving. [Twitter]
• The Ravens attended LB Sidney Tarver’s workout at Tennessee State, where he ran a 4.65 40-yard dash. [National Football Post]
• “If I were Harbaugh, I wouldn’t be thrilled [about Tom Zbikowski's boxing career], either” wrote Kevin Cowherd. “There’s a reason you don’t see anyone else boxing and playing in the NFL at the same time. And that reason has to do with the cuts, bruises, concussions, etc.” [The Baltimore Sun]
• Zbikowski, who is now 3-0 as a professional boxer, says he would like to schedule a boxing match at M&T Bank Stadium. If the season is cancelled and promoters could organize a fight in Charm City, Hensley wonders if the city would support it and how many fans would attend. [The Baltimore Sun]
• AnquanBoldin: Very happy to announce that #Ravens Pro Bowl Running Back @RayRice27 will be joining us at #QFest 2011! #Pahokee [Twitter]
• untouchablejay4 (Terrell Suggs): Just wrapped up the casting in L.A. not bad. But I expected nothin but the best from L.A. can’t wait to see what phoenix has to offer!!!!!!!
• One of the world’s leading experts on performance-enhancing substances in sports, Dr. Gary Wadler, said NFL players have no excuses when it comes to consent for human growth hormone testing. [FoxSports.com]
• He’s no doctor, but he is Peter King, and he supports HGH testing being included in the next CBA. “I’d bet every clean player in the NFL wants it in the substance-abuse policy, too,” wrote King. [SI.com]
• "I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t be playing games in September, starting in September, starting the first week," said Ravens center Birk. "The season will start on time, I have to believe." [Minneapolis Star Tribune]

The Ravens’ now find themselves with the 164th and 165th picks at the end of the fifth round.  They have nine picks overall, starting with the 26th-overall selection.

Although there was not a lot of free-agent movement last year due to the 2010 collective bargaining agreement, the Ravens lost defensive linemen Dwan Edwards (Buffalo Bills) and Justin Bannan (Denver Broncos).

Both players went on to become starters for their respective teams.

Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors.  The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council.  Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula.

Three clubs this year (Oakland, Seattle and New Orleans) will each receive a compensatory pick even though they did not suffer a net loss of compensatory free agents last year.  Under the formula, the compensatory free agents lost by these clubs were ranked higher than the ones they signed (by a specified point differential based upon salary and performance).

Twenty-one compensatory picks were awarded to clubs based upon the compensatory pick formula. The Carolina Panthers are the only team with a third-round compensatory pick, as well as the only team to get three compensatory picks overall.

The Ravens are one of just eight teams to be awarded multiple picks and one of four teams to get a pick before the sixth round.

Since 1995, the Ravens have received 31 compensatory picks, the most among all clubs.  The second-most have gone to the Dallas Cowboys, who have been awarded 29 during that span.

The Ravens have not received any compensatory picks in each of the past two drafts. Here’s all of Baltimore’s picks in this year’s draft:

Round 1: No. 26
Round 2: No. 58
Round 3: No. 90
Round 4: No. 122
Round 5: No. 164
Round 5: No. 165
Round 6: No. 175
Round 6: No. 186
Round 7: No. 215

But with the current uncertain labor situation, it seems that will be revealed in the coming weeks.

ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss reports that the compensatory picks will be “announced at a later date.” ProFootballTalk reported the picks should be ready next week.

Compensatory picks are awarded to teams that lose more qualifying free agents than gained in the previous year via free agency. Teams that lose the same number of players they gain but lose higher-valued talents can also earn a compensatory pick.

Compensatory picks cannot be traded and are placed at the ends of Rounds 3 through 7.

Considering the NFL’s formula for the picks based on salary, playing time and production, it is uncertain whether the Ravens will get any.

Last offseason, the top two players the Ravens lost were defensive linemen Dwan Edwards and Justin Bannan, while Baltimore signed unrestricted free agent wideouts T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Donte’ Stallworth and defensive end Cory Redding.

Both Bannan and Edwards were regular starters for their respective teams.

Bannan started all 16 games for the Denver Broncos, netting 35 tackles.  He was recently released by Denver.

Edwards started 11 games for the Buffalo Bills before his season was cut short by a hamstring injury.  Edwards posted 57 tackles and one sack.

Meanwhile, Houshmandzadeh caught 30 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns and Stallworth had two grabs for 82 yards. Redding starting 11 contests for the Ravens and totaled 38 tackles and three sacks.

The Ravens have done well with their compensatory selections, recently having turned compensatory picks into safety Haruki Nakamura and offensive tackle Oniel Cousins in 2008.

Now that the NFL has assigned their compensatory picks, the Ravens know their exact slotting in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Nothing has changed in the first two rounds.

The Ravens pick 25th overall, and then 57th.  Baltimore has no third- and fourth-round selections, but the fifth-rounder received in the Anquan Boldin trade gives the Ravens the 157th-overall pick.  The Ravens also have the 156th selection.

The Ravens’ sixth-round pick will come at No. 194.

Baltimore sent its 2010 seventh-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008 as part of a trade for defensive end Marques Douglas.

PLEASE NOTE: The opinions, analysis and/or speculation expressed on BaltimoreRavens.com represent those of individual authors, and unless quoted or clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of the Baltimore Ravens’ organization, front office staff, coaches and executives. Authors’ views are formulated independently from any inside knowledge and/or conversations with Ravens officials, including the coaches and scouts, unless otherwise noted.

The Ravens won’t get any favors from the NFL with regards to 2010 draft picks, as the league did not award them with any compensatory selections.

That’s because the Ravens did such a solid job restocking the roster after losing several former starters to free agency last season, essentially counterbalancing their net losses with signings.

At the owners meetings in Orlando, the league revealed on Monday which teams are awarded the picks, which come based on a formula developed by the NFL Management Council that based on salary, playing time and postseason honors for free agents who sign elsewhere.  Nineteen teams received at least one compensatory pick, and 32 were assigned in total.

The Ravens lost linebacker Bart Scott, center Jason Brown, quarterback Kyle Boller and safety Jim Leonhard.  Defensive tackle Marques Douglas also left, but he was released by the team.

Baltimore then added center Matt Birk, cornerbacks Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr, and tight end L.J. Smith to make up for the departures.  

The maximum number of compensatory picks a club can receive is four, which the Ravens received in 2008, and teams cannot trade them.

The Ravens could benefit from one, or a few, of the 32 extra mid- and late-round compensatory draft picks that the league awards teams each year.

ESPN’s James Walker reminds us that while predicting the round is not an exact science, we do know that a team is eligible to receive compensatory picks if the league determines it lost more or better players than they were able to acquire during the previous year’s free agency period. The number of picks a team receives equals the net loss of compensatory free agents, up to a maximum of four. Not every free agent lost or signed by a team is covered by the league’s formula.

With that in mind, here is a list of the Ravens’ 2009 key free agent gains and losses.

Lost
LB Bart Scott
C Jason Brown
S Jim Leonhard
DL Marques Douglas

Gained
CB Domonique Foxworth
C Matt Birk
CB Chris Carr
TE L.J. Smith

It appears the Ravens’ chances for a compensatory pick mainly comes from the net value of the players lost, rather than the net number of players lost.

In 2009, the Ravens did not receive any compensatory picks. Compensatory picks are awarded each year at the NFL annual meeting, which is typically held at the end of March.

Jackson to Interview with Chicago Bears

Ravens Quarterbacks Coach Hue Jackson is expected to interview today with the Chicago Bears as a candidate for the team’s vacant offensive coordinator position.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bears sought and received the required permission from the Ravens to speak with Jackson since he is still under contract.

The interview with Chicago comes on the heels of Jackson’s talks last week with the Oakland Raiders for their offensive coordinator (and perhaps head coach) job(s).

Jackson is at least the fifth person (Jeremy Bates, Tom Clements, Ken Zampese and Rob Chudzinski) that has been considered for the job, and right now he’s the only one of the known bunch in play, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.

QBs and RBs Season Grades

Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun handed out his final season grades for the Ravens’ quarterbacks and running backs. It’s hard to argue with the “A” he gave to the group led by Ray Rice, the team’s MVP, according to Preston.

Joe Flacco received a “C” grade, noting that the young quarterback’s next steps are to better read defenses and pick up on blitzes. Flacco has shown he can lead his team to the playoffs, but the next level of development is to escort Baltimore to the Super Bowl, Preston said.

Marks leaves 105.7 ‘The Fan’

Anita Marks, co-host of “The Scott Garceau & Anita Marks Show” on 105.7-FM, has left the station after four years with CBS Radio, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Marks declined a contract offer to continue with the station, stating that she would like to work on a national platform covering UFL football games.

“Please write this in your article, regardless of where I ultimately go, I will forever love my time in Baltimore,” Marks said. “I feel so blessed that I have been here for four years.”

Play the Pro Bowl in August?

Fourteen more players were added to the Pro Bowl rosters yesterday (to replace members of the Colts and Saints who will be busy preparing for Super Bowl XLIV) and Jaguars quarterback David Gerrard will now represent the AFC. Mike Florio believes these moves symbolize the fact that the Pro Bowl lacks relevance.

And the only way to fix it is to play the game in August.

By playing in August, the carrot to ensure players would actually want to participate wouldn’t be a free vacation, but an exemption from training camp practices.

“It’s a radical approach, and it would likely be met with much resistance,” admits Florio. “Still, it’s the only viable answer to the challenge of transforming the Pro Bowl into something that feels like an actual gathering of star players. By playing it at a time when we’re starved for football, by giving the players a meaningful reward, and by making it virtually impossible for players to claim that they’re hurt when they really aren’t, the Pro Bowl would take on far greater significance.”