Ravens cornerback Cary Williams declined a three-year contract extension offer from the Ravens worth about $15 million, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.

The 27 year old had signed his $1.972 million second-round tender in May and said at the time that he hoped the two sides would get back to the negotiating table.

Now, he is choosing to play out that tender in hopes of getting a better offer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

“My philosophy on doing that was just having confidence in myself,” Williams told Wilson. “I know myself, I know my ability. I know my work ethic. At the end of the day, the offer, I felt like I could always make that. I felt it wasn’t good enough and my agent said it wasn’t good enough. I love playing for the Ravens. I would love to be here, but right now we’re just in the negotiation stage.

“For me to say the money ain’t good, that wasn’t the case. It’s good money, but my job is to make the most money I possibly can for my family. I’m thinking about my daughter and any future children I want to have. I want some kind of security, and the deal we had wasn’t like that.”

Williams’ play was a pleasant surprise last season, as he emerged as a starter for the Ravens after a slow start to his NFL career. He was drafted by Tennessee in the seventh round out of Division II Washburn. The Ravens picked him up off the Titans’ practice squad in 2009.

Williams underwent surgery on his right hip last offseason after recording a career-high 77 tackles and 18 pass deflections in 2012. Williams says his hip is 100 percent, but he now favors his left hip because of overcompensation.

He will have to overcome any health obstacles, plus the competition from teammate Jimmy Smith, if he is going to get the contract he desires.

Just as he has his whole life, Williams is betting on himself.

“Cary was fired up about his value and what he’s worth after a successful year,” Marc Lillibridge, Williams’ agent, told Wilson. “We feel like if he can play as good or better than last season and lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl, then he’ll get his just due. I completely agree with that. You roll the dice on yourself your entire life.”

Wilson believes there could be  middle ground for Williams in the future, noting there are many starting cornerbacks that average above $5 million, but won’t get Nnamdi Asomugha, Darrelle Revis or even Lardarius Webb money.

Williams hopes that middle ground will be found in Baltimore.

“Although Williams turned down the Ravens’ contract offer, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s engaged in an exit strategy,” wrote Wilson. “Ideally, Williams would like to remain with the Ravens depending on the level of contract talks.”

Birk Sympathetic To Replacement Refs, Boldin Not So Much

After playing in two preseason games with the league’s replacement officials, Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin sees a need for change.

The 10-year veteran told The Sun’s Peter Schmuck, “they’ve really got to do something” about officiating. “Some of the calls out there … the way the game was being stopped. It just looked unprofessional,” Boldin said.

The officials have made a few blunders in each of the Ravens games, the most memorable from the first game when the official referred to Atlanta as Arizona on more than one occasion. In Friday’s contest against the Lions, the officiating crew needed nearly three minutes of conferences to figure out how to mark off an 18-yard facemask penalty on Detroit near the end of the first quarter.

The Lions team website writer Mike O’Hara said the refs were a “disgrace on any level of officiating football.”

But Ravens center Matt Birk is more sympathetic to the situation these men and women have suddenly found themselves in.

“They’ve been thrown into the fire on the biggest stage of the world,” he told Schmuck. “These guys have been thrown together and probably have never worked together before.”

In the CSNBaltimore.com video below, former Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira discusses the latest in the league’s negotiations with the referees.

Zenitz: Cundiff Coming Across As ‘Very Bitter’

After Friday’s home preseason debut, in which both incumbent kicker Billy Cundiff and rookie challenger Justin Tucker were perfect on field-goal attempts, Cundiff told reporters he isn’t competing against Tucker.

Instead, he said he is competing against himself because it’s his job to lose.

“The way the coaches have approached me and the way everybody in the organization has approached it is that if I kick well, this is my job,” Cundiff said after the game. “This isn’t necessarily a competition between myself and Justin. This is really a competition with myself and how good I can be.”

The Carroll County Times’ Matt Zenitz believes Cundiff’s comments aren’t coming across in a positive light.

“Cundiff [is] coming across very bitter towards the competition with Tucker,” Zenitz tweeted. “Almost seems resentful that the comp. is even being viewed as close.”

J. Smith Developing ‘Serious Issue?’

Cornerback Jimmy Smith was right there in coverage with one of the league’s best wide receivers, Calvin Johnson, in Friday’s preseason contest. But Smith didn’t look for the ball at the last moment and ended up allowing a touchdown reception.

Turns out, he did the same thing in practice on Sunday, giving up another touchdown to 2011 Seattle Seahawks practice squad player Patrick Williams.

CSNBaltimore.com’s Ray Frager says it’s a forgivable mistake against a man called “Megatron,” but not with a receiver trying to make the roster.

“So, is this a serious issue with Smith’s technique or concentration or some other cause?” asked Frager. “Preseason is the time to figure this stuff out.

“As others have pointed out, the absence of Terrell Suggs likely means more blitzing, which means more leaving cornerbacks by their lonesome. So you can’t have a corner who’s not able to locate that oblong brown thing flying through the air.”

Dickson, Pitta Still On Schedule For Season Opener

So far, so good.

Tight ends Ed Dickson (shoulder sprain) and Dennis Pitta (broken hand) are still on schedule to play in the Ravens season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night, according to The Sun.

“It’s much better, a lot better,” Dickson said of his shoulder. “I can actually do some catching and stuff, and more conditioning. The progress is definitely pretty good. Hopefully I can get back there in a week or so. I’ll do anything possible to get out there for the season opener. I don’t want to miss those. I want to play [now], but I’m glad I still have these preseason games to get healthy.”

Pitta still isn’t cleared to catch any passes, but says he’ll be ready to go.

“With the hand, you’ve got to let the bone heal,” Pitta told The Sun. “We’re being smart with it and making sure that we’re doing all we can at the proper time. If we prepare right, we’ll be ready to go when the season starts.”

So Is T. Smith Fine Or Not?

There were some conflicting opinions about how receiver Torrey Smith looked in his return to practice yesterday after being held out of a few days of practice last week and the Lions game.

“Doesn’t look like Torrey Smith is affected by that ankle,” tweeted Ryan Mink. “He’s flying around the field.”

But CSNBaltimore.com’s J. Michael Falgoust saw something completely different, saying Smith “hobbled” through parts of practice.

“Smith clearly favored the ankle when he had to come to a sudden stop, plant and push off. When Smith had to do that, he came away with a limp. Flacco went to Smith on a short pass over the middle that went off of his hands. Smith limped away.

“That could jeopardize Smith’s ability to play in Thursday’s home game vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. Coach John Harbaugh is more optimistic.”

You can take a look at some footage of Smith from yesterday’s practice in the video to the right. It’s limited, but what do you think?

Quick Hits

• @RavensInsider: Calvin Johnson: ‘They were blitzing a lot. They leave their DBs on an island. When that happens our guys get wide and we can’t wait.’ [Twitter]
• mattvensel: Jacoby Jones with a big gain on an end around. Why didn’t that work the 448 times they tried that with Donte Stallworth? [Twitter]
• Tweet after Omar Brown already notched three fumble recoveries and an interception in two preseason games. … @mattvensel: Sweet Jesus. Omar Brown recovered the onside kick. Word of advice, #Ravens fans: If you’re at a wedding with Omar Brown, don’t even bother trying to catch the garter or the bouquet. [Twitter]
• @RavensInsider: Courtney Upshaw said he’s down to 274 pounds. “With the cardio and losing the weight,” Upshaw said, “it really helped me a lot.” [Twitter]
• @RavensCommunity: @Ravens Matt Birk kicks off back to school! Distributing school supplies to 150 Baltimore-area students! [Twitter]
• @BPierce_30: Love the fan base in bmore!!! Shout out to everyone that came out last night
• Hey Jamison Hensley, who will be the starters on the Ravens’ offensive line? “By the end of the season: LT McKinnie, LG Osemele, C Birk, RG Yanda, RT Oher.” [ESPN]

Ravens training camp has only been in session for one week.

Yet the team has come down with a recent injury bug that has sidelined a long list of players.

With more names added to that list daily, should there be any cause for concern?

“Yeah, it is a little concerning,” CSNBaltimore.com’s John Eisenberg told WNST.

The most serious injury of camp so far came Monday when one of quarterback Joe Flacco’s favorite targets – tight end Dennis Pitta – broke a bone in his hand. He is projected to miss the rest of training camp and the entire preseason.

“[Pitta's] a loss if he’s out all of training camp and the preseason. That sets back his ability to contribute possibly in 2012,” Eisenberg said. “That’s a guy that was coming on really strong. I really like him, I think he’s good. Flacco, more importantly, really likes him and was throwing to him more and more as the season went on.

“They will miss him. It’s an offense that can’t afford to lose too many targets so that hurts.”

There are other big names currently sidelined. The biggest of course is Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs (Achilles), who will miss an indefinite amount of the 2012 season. Plus there’s starters Haloti Ngata (hamstring), Bryant McKinnie (back) and Courtney Upshaw (bruised shoulder).

A total of 13 players were either sidelined or left practice early yesterday, according to The Baltimore Sun.

In addition to those named above, The Sun’s list includes wide receivers David Reed (knee surgery) and Tandon Doss (hamstring), center Matt Birk (day off), tackle/guard Jah Reid (calf), linebacker Josh Bynes (undisclosed), defensive end Pernell McPhee (knee surgery), running back Bernard Pierce (hamstring) and defensive tackle Ma’ake Kemoeatu (undisclosed).

The good news is that the Ravens have until their season-opener on Sept. 10 to get healthy, and a majority of the injured players are expected back before that date.

“I realize that they don’t play a game that matters for six or seven weeks,” said Eisenberg, “but you don’t want it to keep spreading beyond that.”

Birk’s New Schedule Not A Concern

One of the players listed above that really is of no concern is the 36-year-old center Birk.

He sat out the second straight practice Tuesday, which at first had some wondering if there was an issue with his health.

Nope.

Head Coach John Harbaugh explained after practice that the 15-year veteran will get more days off than others throughout training camp.

“Matt’s at a stage in his career where he’s going to practice less than he’s not going to practice,” Harbaugh said. “And I think that would be the best thing for Matt getting ready to go.”

Birk has started 96 straight games, which is the longest active streak among centers in the NFL, so the new schedule seems to be a smart one.

“Not really concerned about Birk missing practice time. He’s always been ready on game day,” wrote ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, who also noted one advantage to being on the field more often.

“But the Ravens would prefer to have Birk and left tackle Bryant McKinnie on the field to maintain that chemistry along the offensive line.”

Stock Up, Stock Down

It’s early. Real early.

But after a week of practice, Eisenberg is starting to get a feel for some Ravens’ stock projections.

One of the more interesting is the columnist’s estimation on two young offensive linemen: rookie Kelechi Osemele and second-year player Jah Reid.

“I think they like [K.O.] better, it seems like, than Jah Reid,” Eisenberg told WNST. “This is a guy that I think is going to be in the mix in the offensive line going forward for a number of years.”

When Osemele returned to practice after dealing with back spasms, the Ravens immediately inserted him with the first-team offense at right tackle and moved Michael Oher to the left side. Eisenberg says the team likes K.O.’s combination of size (6-foot-5, 333 pounds) with speed and athleticism.

Meanwhile, Reid, the Ravens’ third-round pick out of Central Florida a year ago, hasn’t been able to show off his ability as he’s dealing with a calf injury.

“You can’t blame a guy for getting hurt, but Reid’s calf injury is keeping him from a golden opportunity,” Eisenberg wrote. “Now Osemele seemingly has moved ahead of him. Before that, he was in line for a shot at left guard, but the Ravens went and signed veteran Bobbie Williams instead. The second-year tackle needs to get back and get going.”

Other players whose stock is up:

• Undrafted free agent receiver Deonte Thompson: “It’s doubtful the Ravens are just going to jettison a speedy playmaker.”
• Veteran Guard Bobbie Williams: “Remember when replacing Ben Grubbs was a big issue?”
• Top 2010 draft pick Sergio Kindle: “[H]e looks much more polished and has made his presence known with his combination of size and speed.”

Players whose stock is down:

• Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe: “He’s been quiet in camp.”
• Second-year running back Anthony Allen: “The second-year running back has to stand out to beat out [Pierce] … It’s not happening so far.”

Quick Hits

• @Ravens: Maryland football coach Randy Edsall is out at practice today. #GoTerps! [Twitter]
• @DJBerry20 [Damien Berry, who's battling for time at running back]: Anything worth havin is worth fightin for…. [Twitter]
• Overheard by Jeff Zrebiec at practice yesterday: “Oh my God, that’s my [bleeping] ball,” wide receiver Logan Payne said after wrestling a pass away from cornerback Danny Gorrer. [The Baltimore Sun]
• Receiver LaQuan Williams walked out of practice with a towel draped over his head, reports Matt Vensel, but Harbaugh said he will be fine. [The Baltimore Sun]
• The wife of Haloti Ngata gave birth to their second son, Haloti Maximus. [The Baltimore Sun]
• Speaking of Ngata, analyst Damien Woody says he’s one of the most important defensive players in the AFC. [ESPN]

If you’re wondering whether it was a big deal that top Ravens draft pick Courtney Upshaw needed a second try to pass his conditioning test, the widely accepted consensus so far is that it’s not.

“Upshaw has since practiced with Ravens so no need for concern,” tweeted The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec. “He’s ready to go.”

“It’s not the greatest sign in the world that he didn’t pass his conditioning test to start training camp on his first try,” wrote NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal. “It’s also not too big a deal. He passed it on his second try.”

As can be seen in this awesome video of my colleague Ryan Mink struggling to pass a mock conditioning test, the process involves six 150-yard sprints run in 25-yard intervals. Depending on a player’s position, he has to make certain times for each sprint and will then get a breather (70 seconds for offensive/defensive linemen) to rest in between runs.

If you don’t make the designated time by even one second on just one of the six 150-yards sprints, you fail the test.

And that will occur from time to time.

“A couple of guys will learn their lesson the hard way, as far as the conditioning test and practicing at our pace,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said.

“That kind of stuff happens all the time all around the league,” added The Sun’s Peter Schmuck.

So why was Upshaw’s test talked about so much around the web yesterday?

“Maybe in some other NFL training camp, it wouldn’t have been particularly newsworthy … but it drew special notice at the Under Armour Performance Center on Monday because of the added responsibility that Upshaw will have to assume in the extended absence of NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs,” Schmuck explained.

Suggs will be out indefinitely this season with his Achilles tendon injury. The outside linebacker insists he will return to the field in 2012, but there’s also a good chance that he doesn’t make it back at all, says Schmuck.

Thus, the Ravens don’t have the luxury of bringing Upshaw along slowly as they traditionally like to do with rookies.

With the Ravens having to move both Upshaw and fellow outside linebacker Paul Krugerup the depth chart so quickly, Schmuck highlights the importance of both men “seizing this opportunity.”

Harbaugh appears to agree.

“There is a lot to it, because it’s an opportunity to start for the Ravens,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to start in the National Football League. Our goal is to be the best defense in football. That’s not going to change, and those guys have an opportunity to be a huge part of that, so, yeah, it’s a huge responsibility. But I don’t think it would be any different at any other positions. Any one of those 11 spots is a pretty big deal.”

What’s The Update On The Steinbach Tryout?

I scanned the web looking for reports on how the Eric Steinbach workout went yesterday.

Here’s all I really found as of this morning – a tweet from Carroll County Times’ Aaron Wilson saying he is hearing it “went well.”

But other teams are interested in Steinbach, said Wilson without naming anyone specifically. So, it’s a “fluid situation.”

With 10 years of NFL experience, Steinbach would compete with Williams for the starting left guard position. But both are what ESPN’s Jamison Hensley calls “short-term solutions.” Their presence would allow Osemele time to develop and ease into a starting role down the line.

Harbaugh seemed high on Steinbach after the workout.

“Eric Steinbach is a heck of a player,” he said. “I don’t know where we stand, but we’re going to look for any good player we can at any time.”

Birk Shows Off Improved Legs

Check out those gorgeous stems.

OK, “gorgeous” might be a stretch, but 36-year-old center Matt Birk showed off his new and improved legs in front of media after yesterday’s training camp practice for quarterbacks, rookies and injured players. He’s feeling pretty darn good after undergoing surgery to repair varicose veins this offseason.

The second-oldest player on the team behind linebacker Ray Lewis, Birk joked that his legs look so good that he’s fielding modeling offers.

On a more serious note, the procedure has made him feel more optimistic that he won’t suffer any setback during this season’s grueling 16-game schedule.

“I feel better,” Birk said. “[The doctors] say it’ll help me feel better during the season. My leg won’t get as fatigued. So it’s a good thing.”

Webb Pokes Fun At Rice’s Size

Lardarius Webb got camp started with a little fun yesterday.

He took pictures of some Ray Rice “gear” around the training room, mocking the running back’s short stature.

“Ray Rice practice jersey, hot tub floats, and gameday socks! #inthebuilding,” Webb tweeted with the pictures below.

I have to admit that even I feel like I tower over the 5-foot-8 Rice when passing by him at the team facility. That’s especially when I’m wearing heels and easily cross the 5-foot-11 threshold.

Get Used To Seeing Tomlin

Ravens fans should get used to seeing Mike Tomlin’s face over the next several years.

The Steelers announced a three-year extension with their head coach yesterday, which means he’ll be in Pittsburgh until 2016.

Based on his track record, that isn’t particularly good news for the purple and black.

At only 40 years old, Tomlin has already taken the Steelers to the playoffs in four of his first five seasons, including the Super Bowl twice. And surprise, surprise, he’s tied with our own Coach Harbaugh as the winningest active NFL coach.

“When a player goes down with an injury, one of Tomlin’s favorite lines is: ‘The standard is the standard,’” wrote Hensley.

“That standard in the Tomlin era has been excellence.”

With Harbaugh currently slated to be in Baltimore through the 2014 season, this should make for an excellent head-coaching rivalry.

Quick Hits

• Hensley ranked Rice as the fourth-best player in the AFC North. “You can certainly make a strong argument for Rice being at the top of this list. He’s been the NFL’s most consistent all-around running back over the past three seasons,” the blogger wrote. “So, why is Rice ranked fourth and not higher? There are three Hall of Fame-caliber players who are entering the prime of their careers in the division. I wouldn’t necessarily put Rice in that class just yet.” [ESPN]
• @adbrandt: Joe Flacco: “I’m not thinking about my contract situation.”  Translation: “I can’t stop thinking about my contract situation.” [Twitter]
• @vleach44: Just landed back in Baltimore #Ravens #trainingcamp
• @Crushboy31: Eating pizza with the family and yes I know it’s bad but I got to have it! Tmrw morning I’m turning into a mad man for 7 months…
• @vleach44: u r a fat boy @Crushboy31
• @Crushboy31: @vleach44 shut it and settle lol
• Ouch … @ JasonLaCanfora: Bengals 1st round pick Dre Kirkpatrick has told teammates he suffered an injury in knee area that could cause him to miss much of camp…
• Ed Reed has to prove his worth this year. [ESPN]

Ed Reed sent out a peculiar tweet Saturday night that was picked up and scrutinized by several outlets (including my Late For Work blog yesterday) and radio talk shows.

The tweet said he was enjoying his time at home with his son and finished with, “Tell the bosses I’m comfortable!”

Many assumed Reed was sending a message to the Ravens, perhaps even implying he may not attend training camp without a new deal.

While the future Hall of Famer didn’t comment specifically on the meaning behind his tweet, he did take to Twitter again to express his displeasure of the media’s coverage.

“We tweet about our camps with kids throughout offseason why That never makes espn, nfl.com etc… This probably won’t get a RT,” he wrote. “Build people up, not tear them down.”

He added: “Players that have2be smart business men, in a business that don’t care an inch about them though we grind for that inch- [not always right but real].”

Reed then retweeted a follower’s sentiment, saying the media only picks out the negative and hunts for controversy.

Perhaps Reed and his tweep have a point – the media have sometimes shown a tendency to give more coverage to controversy than positive news. (This is probably a good time to mention again that Reed’s youth football camp is July 16 and 17 at Stevenson University. Register now.) And the media might argue that they cover what their readers consume.

But attempting to censor the media for covering this ongoing, high-profile story probably isn’t going to help, says NFL.com’s Dan Hanzus.

“If Reed wants to hold out – or hint that a holdout is in the offing – that’s his right,” wrote Hanzus. “But criticizing the media for covering his game of chicken with the Ravens is a pointless endeavor.

“Reed talks of being a businessman, but this is part of the business, too.”

Meanwhile, other media have encouraged Reed to use his leverage while he can – especially now that Terrell Suggs could miss a chunk of the season – to try to get the contract he feels he deserves.

“This could be Reed’s last chance to get paid, and with the Ravens hoping to push through to the Super Bowl without Suggs for all or a big part of the season, not having Reed would hurt more this year than it ever would have hurt before,” wrote ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio.

“So use your leverage, Ed.  You may never have it again.”

Anonymous Rival Coach: Flacco Can’t Win By Himself

Sports Illustrated has an interesting feature called “Enemy Lines” where an anonymous rival coach gives his analysis of an opponents’ offense to fantasy gurus.

The rival’s take on the Ravens offense was mostly positive, except for newly signed receiver Jacoby Jones and – you guessed it – quarterback Joe Flacco.

The coach said that Jones is only a return guy and you can’t expect much from him on offense, and Flacco needs a productive running game to be successful through the air.

“Quarterback Joe Flacco regressed last year, and I think part of that was because the defensive pressure got to him,” the coach wrote. “He’s not a player who can just drop back and beat you with his arm; he needs a successful running game to open things up. I would be shocked if he had a breakthrough season.”

However, the rival does expect Torrey Smith to breakout.

“That dude is fast,” he said. “He ran by us a few times. He doesn’t have many routes in his tree, but he’ll be a more polished receiver now that he’s had a full off-season.”

The enemy coach likes the tight end duo of Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, adding that he likes the faster Dickson better. He is also enamored with Ray Rice, but said Ravens coaches will probably try to limit the pounding he takes this year by giving more snaps to Anthony Allen or rookie Bernard Pierce.

“And watch out for Pierce. He has a future in this league.”

Any guesses on who the anonymous coach is?

Birk: Flacco Doesn’t Get Benefit Of Doubt

As was showcased by the rival coach’s take above on the Ravens offense, Flacco gets dumped on frequently.

Perhaps it’s simply because of the presence of such a successful running game led by Rice, says center Matt Birk.

“Certain guys don’t get the benefit of the doubt,” Birk said of Flacco recently on WNST. “He’s shown in big spots that he’s come through most of the time and he can play. Our game plan isn’t designed to have Joe Flacco throw 450 yards every game to help us win. That’s not our style of football. I guess that’s not the cool, hip way to play football in the NFL these days.”

Flacco was rated by ESPN’s Ron Jaworski as the ninth-best quarterback in the league and NFL players rated him the 74th-best overall player in 2011.

Hanzus wrote for NFL.com that the criticism Flacco receives is “predictable” for a quarterback on a high-profile team.

“Birk is right that Flacco doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt from the public,” Hanzus wrote. “It’s just not unique or especially fair. We’d say that’s true of any veteran quarterback who hasn’t won a Super Bowl.”

Quick Hits

• PriscoCBS: Ed Reed isn’t getting a new deal. He has to know that. [Twitter]
• “It wouldn’t surprise me if Kelechi Osemele (second round) is starting at guard before long,” wrote ESPN’s Mel Kiper. “He played tackle in college, but I’ve always said he’d be better inside; I think the Ravens feel the same way.” [ESPN]
• mattvensel: I’ve been thinking a lot of about Dennis Pitta recently. (I know that sounds creepy.) I think he could have a breakout season in 2012. He’s no Gronk and he’s no Aaron Hernandez, but he [possesses] a good mix of both their qualities. He could become Flacco’s go-to guy on 3rd down. Ed Dickson will have a role, too, of course. We might see a lot of that Diesel package this year, especially if Jacoby Jones isn’t a fit. [Twitter]
• GinoGrad56: Felt great to be back at UD today. Got a great workout in and got to speak to the kids at @UDCoachKeeler ‘s youth camp [Twitter]
• BryantMckinnie: I need 2 go 2 sleep, my boxing class is @ 11am 2morrow. [Twitter]
• AnquanBoldin: I guess there’s time for a NY photo shoot.  pics to come. [Twitter]

“It’s a perfect spot for me,” Gradkowski said minutes after the Ravens took him with the 98th-overall pick. 

Not only will he compete for a starting job right away at left guard, but he’ll also get a chance to learn under six-time Pro Bowler and one of the league’s most respected players in 15-year veteran Matt Birk.

“It’s exciting to go in and learn behind the best center in the game right now in Matt Birk,” Gradkowski said Friday. “I just can’t wait to meet him.”

Gradkowski, a Delaware product, played center and both guard positions in college.

Birk has a clear hold on the center spot this season, but Gradkowski will challenge second-year lineman Jah Reid and fellow rookie Kelechi Osemele for the starting left guard job.

“I’m going to go in there and I’m going to compete and do all I can,” Gradkowski said. “Wherever they want me to play, I’ll play. I can play either guard, as well as center. I’m excited to get to work and learn the offense.”

In terms of the long-term projection, Gradkowski is likely the center of the future.

Birk contemplated retirement this offseason, but ultimately decided to return and signed a three-year deal with the Ravens. He will turn 36 before the start of next season, but the exact number of years he has left is up in the air.

Regardless of how much longer Birk continues to play, Gradkowski said that he’s looking forward to learning as much as possible from his veteran teammate this year.

“Anytime you can play with a guy that’s had success in the NFL, you have to definitely watch what he does and learn from him from how he handles himself on and off the field,” Gradkowski said. “I’ll definitely be monitoring and watching him.”

Birk shares Gradkowski’s enthusiasm about working together.

“In my career, when I was a young player, especially a rookie, I relied on the older guys a lot,” said Birk, who played his first 11 seasons in Minnesota. “I was lucky I was with a team and a group of guys that didn’t mind taking me under their wing a little bit, sharing information and really taking an interest in me and caring and trying to help me get better. I don’t think that’s always the case. I’ve never forgotten that.

“As I’ve progressed in my career, I’ve always tried to be that guy for younger players by offering any type of information I can.”

That learning process will extend beyond football, as Birk has a strong reputation off the field. Last year he was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year, which honors players for their work in communities.

“Matt just seems like a great guy and a great person,” Gradkowski said. “The NFL is fortunate to have guys like Matt Birk, who show the public that these NFL players do great things and that sometimes gets overlooked.”

Playing with Birk wasn’t the only draw to Baltimore for Gradkowski.

The Ravens showed interest in him throughout the pre-draft process, and from the time he visited the team’s facility in Baltimore, Gradkowksi hoped to end up in a Ravens jersey. 

“After I left there, I loved it,” Gradkowski said. “The coaches, the scouts, the personnel – everybody that I met – it was a first-class visit and it was a great organization. It was definitely one of the places that I wanted to be because they play great football in Baltimore and they win.”

The one challenge with coming to Baltimore, however, was that Gradkowski is a Pittsburgh native and has taken plenty of flack from his friends for going to the Ravens.

“I’ve been catching some heat about being a Raven now,” Gradkowski said. “But they’re all just kidding around and happy for me, and hopefully we’ll have a lot more Ravens fans in Pittsburgh now.”

Gradkowski said he is looking forward to playing his part in the Steelers-Ravens rivalry.

“That’s just great football,” Gradkowski said. “The Pittsburgh-Baltimore rivalry is one of the greatest rivalries in sports today, and I can’t wait to come to Heinz Field and I can’t wait to have the Steelers come to Baltimore. It’s very exciting. It’s a bitter rivalry and it’s a lot of fun to play in rivalries like that.”

Before getting that chance against the Steelers, Gradkowski emphasized that his first job is to make the team coming out of training camp.

After that, he said his focus will be on filling whatever role the team needs and learning as much as possible from the veterans in the locker room.

“I just want to do what I can to help the team,” Gradkowsi said. “Obviously I want to be a playoff team, win the division, win the conference, I’d love to win the Super Bowl. It’s all about winning and going in there and learning behind those veteran guys and doing all you can to help the team.”

The Pro Bowl guard’s departure will hurt, but center Matt Birk said that’s part of the process teams have to go through in the offseason. 

“I love Ben,” Birk said. “He’s a great man and a great player, and we’ll miss him. But that’s the way it is in the NFL and you have to find a way to move on.”

The Ravens have already started to move on – they reportedly offered a contract to Evan Mathis, but he decided to stay with the Eagles – and they’ve taken steps to bring back the other starters from the offensive line.

Birk signed a new three-year deal last week and the Ravens committed to left tackle Bryant McKinnie for another season  by reportedly picking up his $500,000 roster bonus. With Birk and McKinnie returning, along with right guard Marshal Yanda and right tackle Michael Oher due back, the Ravens will retain four of their five starting linemen and Birk has high expectations for the group again next season.

He hopes the Ravens can build on an impressive 2011 campaign, where the line ranked as one of the NFL’s best. Baltimore was in the bottom third in sacks allowed (33) and also cleared the way for Ray Rice to collect a career-high 1,364 rushing yards. 

“You can’t blink,” Birk said. “I know that’s our attitude on our team and we’re going to keep moving forward with our goals.”

The Ravens aren’t finished adding pieces to the line, as they need someone to fill Grubbs’ role and are also looking for depth at center. Birk knows he will be playing next to someone new this fall, but he’s grown accustomed to those kinds of adjustments throughout his 15-year career.

“For me it’s normal; it’s what I know,” Birk said. “Every year there are changes. Certainly some years the change is more than others.

“The Ravens are going to field a team next year and put us out there. And we’re going to work hard to do our best.”

He just needed a couple of weeks to make sure his body was up to the task. After some time to relax and recover, Birk, 35, felt good enough to return for his 15th NFL season, and on Friday the Ravens announced that they reached a new three-year deal with the veteran center.

“After the season, you’re pretty physically and emotionally spent, so you just kind of get away from it for a few weeks and kind of try to listen to your body and listen to your heart and figure out what you’re supposed to do,” Birk said. “I talked it over with my family and just kind of listened to myself.

“I certainly realized that I still have the urge to play and the desire to play, and more importantly I felt like I could do it, that my body would hold up.”

At the end of the 2010 season, Birk was having his knees drained frequently and he then had arthroscopic knee surgery just before the start of last year. But he made it through last year relatively healthy, starting all 16 games once again.

“I feel great,” he said. “It’s March and I’ve had time to rest. I haven’t had to hit anybody in a while, but I feel great and I’m working out and I don’t feel like I’m restricted at all.”

Before the Ravens’ season even ended in January, there was speculation that Birk would retire. Charley Casserly of CBS first reported that Birk was planning to retire after the 2011 season, and other outlets also picked up on the story. Those reports, however, never came from Birk.

“I think a lot was made out of the report that I would retire,” Birk said. “That never came from me. I guess I just know from doing this a long time, you just kind of wait and see. You don’t make any long-term plans because once you’re done, you’re done. That’s it.”

Birk has now signed a three-year deal with the Ravens, which would take him to age 38 if he played out the length of the contract.

“Contracts in the NFL, sometimes the length doesn’t matter. I think it worked out best for myself and the team to have the deal that long,” Birk said. “Certainly can’t tell the future and what’s going to happen, but I think it lets both sides feel good about it.”

Bringing back Birk allows the Ravens to retain a critical piece in the middle of the line, which was one of the team’s priorities this off-season. The six-time Pro Bowler was a key part of the offensive line that cleared the way for Ray Rice to set a career-high 1,364 rushing yards last season.

With the core of the team returning, Birk expects the Ravens to be back in the hunt for a Super Bowl. They came within inches of playing in the Super Bowl last season and knowing how close they were was part of the reason Birk wanted to come back to Baltimore.

“That was part of the decision process too, knowing that we were that close and had a chance and we’re confident in the players and coaches that we have,” Birk said. “We’re going to be a good team next year.”

Even with Birk coming back, the Ravens could still look to add another center in the draft or free agency. General Manager Ozzie Newsome said last month that regardless of Birk’s plans, the team was going to add a center to the roster.

Last year’s backup center Andre Gurode is an unrestricted free agent but it’s unclear if Baltimore will look to re-sign him.

For Birk, who has started every game for the Ravens the last three seasons, he doesn’t pay too much attention to what the team is doing with offseason acquisitions.

“I have six kids, I’m too busy for all of that,” he said. “It will all work itself out. The Ravens are going to field a team next year and put us out there. And we’re going to work hard to do our best. I just find that getting wrapped up in that stuff tends to be a lot of wasted energy and I just really don’t have time for it.”

His focus now is getting mentally and physically ready for another season; one that he hopes can include another shot at competing for a championship.

“You have to put the work in, and start now, and work as hard as you possibly can and be as good as you possibly can,” Birk said. “You hope you’re back in that position again to have the chance to accomplish the ultimate goal.”

The Ravens starting center had reportedly contemplated retirement this offseason, but made the decision to return and worked out a new three-year contract with the Ravens, pending the passing of a physical.

Birk, 35, has spent the last three seasons as the Ravens starting center.

Retaining Birk means that the Ravens will keep four of their five starting linemen from last season.

“One of the things we said earlier this offseason is that we were going to focus attention on the offensive line, and getting Matt Birk back is key for us,” General Manager Ozzie Newsome said. “He is a top player, his intelligence is obvious, and he is a leader on and off the field.”

The lone departing piece is Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs, who signed with New Orleans. Baltimore is reportedly already trying to work out a deal with Evan Mathis to fill Grubbs’ spot on the line.

Bringing back Birk allows the Ravens to maintain the core of their line, which was one of the NFL’s best last season.

The six-time Pro Bowler was a key part of an offensive line that cleared the way for one of the league’s top rushing attacks, as Ray Rice ran for a career-high 1,364 yards last season.

Even with Birk’s decision to return, the Ravens could still draft a center or look to sign another in free agency. Newsome said last month, “Before we line up and play in 2012, there will be another center on this football team in some capacity – free agency, draft or whatever.”

The team’s backup center last year was veteran Andre Gurode, who is an unrestricted free agent. It is unclear if the Ravens will try to re-sign him.

One of the names mentioned as a possible option for Baltimore in the draft is Wisconsin’s Peter Konz, who has been linked to the Ravens in several mock drafts and is widely regarded as the top center prospect.

Birk will likely enter the season as the favorite to be the starter, but the Ravens could still draft Konz and have him learn under the veteran center.

Birk has played with the Ravens and Vikings during his career and has started 96 consecutive games, the second-longest streak among active centers.  

The Harvard graduate is also highly involved in the Baltimore community, as he was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year for his charitable work and success on the field. Birk’s “Ready, Set Read!” program promotes childhood literacy and has reached close to 100,000 children in the Baltimore area.

In just the fourth hour of free agency, the Washington Redskins signed their third wide receiver of the evening: former Denver Bronco Eddie Royal.

SYKE!

After reporting the signing at 6:53 p.m., the Washington Post later gave an update at 9:20 p.m., saying Royal and the Redskins couldn’t agree to terms after the two sides had a breakdown in talks.

Apparently a deal was in place after the former Virginia Tech star dined with Redskins brass, but other teams began to show late interest and Royal put the deal on hold.

One of those teams “interested” in Royal is the Baltimore Ravens, according to Scout.com’s Aaron Wilson. 

The 25-year-old receiver caught 19 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown last season, a continuation of his declined production over the past three years. Described as a “fan-favorite” in Denver, Royal was solid in the playoffs where he added five more catches for 74 yards and a touchdown.

Royal also brings special-teams value. He was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a punt 85 yards for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders.

After then Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan drafted him in the second round of the 2008 draft, Royal showed great promise in his rookie campaign when he hauled in a career-high 91 passes for 980 yards and five touchdowns.

A reunion between Shanahan and Royal is still possible after he shops around. The Redskins offered a reported two-year, $12 million deal.

“The fact that any team is closing in on Royal this fast shows you how aggressive the free-agent market is for wide receivers,” wrote ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

If the Ravens are indeed interested in Royal as reports suggest, would they offer him more?

“I don’t see us spending high numbers on a wide receiver,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said at the combine. “We just don’t have the cap room. It wouldn’t be a smart way to distribute the money.”

If the Ravens and Royal don’t work out, The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec throws a few other available names on the table for consideration, including Giants’ Mario Manningham, Cowboys’ Laurent Robinson and Rams’ Brandon Lloyd.

“But if yesterday’s spending was any indication, they, too, might be out of the Ravens’ price range,” Zrebiec added. “They could always go the veteran receiver with heavy baggage route and try to sign Plaxico Burress or Braylon Edwards and heck, why not throw Terrell Owens’ name into the mix. But I just don’t see them doing that. 

“I think the likelihood is that the Ravens get that receiver they covet in the first couple of rounds of April’s draft.”

Ravens Linked To Another WR/RS: Ted Ginn

Ravens fans got an uneasy feeling when they saw starting cornerback Lardarius Webb setting up to return a kick or punt last season. Even Ed Reed returned three punts.

Luckily neither of them was injured during a return, but it appears as if the Ravens don’t want to continue taking chances.

The Ravens are “thought to be seeking elite special teams players” in free agency, reports Don Banks.

The SI.com scribe specifically named San Francisco 49ers receiver/return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. and former Jacksonville Jaguar Kassim Osgood as two players to watch. Baltimore’s desire to upgrade on special teams could be another reason why they are interested in Royal.

Hensley also named Ginn as a possible option for Baltimore.

If Ginn were to sign with the Ravens, he would be reunited with Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron, who drafted the speedster in 2007 with the ninth-overall pick when he was the head coach in Miami.

“Ginn would be the bigger name for the Ravens to snatch,” wrote CSNBaltimore.com’s Jeff Seidel.  ”A former first-round draft pick with enormous speed, he’s become a good kick and punt returner. He’s never quite developed into a dangerous wide receiver, but would fit nicely with the Ravens.

“He’d wind up being a lot like Jermaine Lewis was – a receiver who can fill in with speed as a No. 3 guy and give the team a consistent kick returner who could break off a long one. He had a good year last season with the 49ers as they won the NFC West.” 

Ravens Interested In Tackle Winston

One more player to whom the Ravens were linked last night was free agent offensive tackle Eric Winston.

Wilson reported Baltimore’s interest in the former Houston Texan, who was released by the team yesterday with a “failed physical” designation.

Winston told FOXSports.com that the reason for the designation was because he underwent arthroscopic ankle surgery in February, but he says he will be medically cleared in two weeks.

The 29-year-old right tackle thought he would be playing in Houston in 2012 before he was surprisingly cut. He started every game for the past five seasons.

“[Winston] was considered one of the league’s better right tackles,” wrote FoxSports.com’s Alex Marvez. “But with a $5.5 million base salary for 2012 and the Texans having salary-cap issues, Winston became expendable.”

It wouldn’t be a “sexy” signing, says The Sun’s Ron Fritz, but it would allow the Ravens to flip Michael Oher back to the blind side and potentially waive Bryant McKinnie to free up some money under the salary cap.

Winston reportedly met with the Miami Dolphins last night and has scheduled visits with the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs.

Winston also may visit the Ravens and Redskins, reports PFT.com’s Mike Florio.

Saints ‘Making A Push’ For Grubbs, Oher Not Worried

As expected, Ravens guard Ben Grubbs is already gaining interest on the free-agent market.

The New Orleans Saints appear resigned to the fact that they will lose Carl Nicks, who is widely considered the most-coveted free agent guard. Reports indicate Nicks could sign with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Grubbs is considered the No. 2 guard on the market, and NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora reported the Saints are “making a push” to sign him.

“Grubbs’ asking price isn’t as high as Nicks’, but as of now, it appears to be out of the Ravens’ range,” wrote Zrebiec. “According to sources, the Ravens made the 28-year-old an offer similar to the five-year, $32.5 million pact it gave right guard Marshal Yanda last July. However, Grubbs apparently wants more than that and was intent on shopping his services on the open market.”

Should Ravens fans be worried that it could be splitsville for Grubbs and the Ravens?

Not according to his Ravens teammate and fellow offensive lineman Oher.

A fan asked Oher to give Grubbs a call and convince him to stay.

“Talked to him last night it’s looking good!!” Oher replied on his Twitter page.

Pagano’s First Move Is Redding, Not J.J. Or McClain

Prior to the opening bell of free agency yesterday, many had speculated that Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano, the Ravens’ former defensive coordinator, would make a move for either Jarret Johnson or Jameel McClain.

Turns out, Cory Redding was the first Raven on his list.

The 31-year-old defensive end visited with Pagano and the Colts last night, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“The Colts are switching to a 3-4 defense under Pagano and they need veterans who know his scheme,” wrote Zrebiec. “The Ravens have youngsters Arthur Jones and Pernell McPhee to fill the void should Redding depart.”

The Ravens have reportedly told Redding that they’d like to have him back after he notched 4 1/2 sacks and 42 tackles while playing in 15 regular-season games.

Birk, Ravens Still Negotiating

Agent Joe Linta said he received phone calls yesterday from teams interested in his client, Matt Birk, but the veteran center still prefers to return to Baltimore.

“Although we had calls after 4 p.m. today, Matt’s choice is to remain a Raven and we will push hard to have him stay,” Linta told The Baltimore Sun.

The two sides are reportedly expected to meet this week to resume discussions. Negotiations for Joe Flacco, who is also Linta’s client, will also continue at that meeting.

Quick Hits

• jeffzrebiecsun: #Ravens didn’t make qualifying offer to LB Chavis Williams along w RB Matt Lawrence. [Twitter]
• Ravens Senior Vice President Kevin Byrne confirmed that the organization sent a group of people to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium two weeks ago to continue planning an open practice at the Annapolis facility during training camp. The tentative date that the two parties are eyeing is Aug. 12. [The Baltimore Sun]
• Wayne was once thought to be a good target for the Ravens … ProFootballTalk: Per league source, WR Reggie Wayne gets three-year, $17.5 million deal to stay in Indy. $7.5 million guaranteed, not sure if “fully.” [Twitter]

About a month later, with the combine come and gone, not much has changed.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay both released new mock drafts on Wednesday, and each pointed to Konz as the Ravens’ next first-round pick. They aren’t alone.

As the start of the draft on April 26 draws closer, it appears that the media is locking in on the big-bodied center.

“I’d say he makes a lot of sense there,” Kiper said during a media conference call Thursday.

“We saw how [problems at center] showed up in the playoffs. Matt Birk [has] one more year maybe, and that’s it.”

The Ravens may have a glaring need at center if they don’t re-sign Birk, who reportedly told his agent that he wants to return and would prefer to play with Baltimore.

The Ravens could also be looking for a starting left guard if they can’t re-sign Ben Grubbs. Kiper believes that Konz (6-foot-5, 314 pounds) has the size and movement to be able to help at guard, even though he hasn’t played there before.

If that proves true, it would be a reason for the Ravens to still potentially draft Konz, even if they were to keep Birk for another year or so.

While Konz would fill a need, Kiper feels he wouldn’t be a reach for the Ravens, who are known for taking the best player available.

“I think you grade everybody individually. If he wasn’t that good you’d put him in the second or third round,” Kiper said. “Peter Konz is a late [first-round pick]. You’re not going to get him at the end of the second. If you don’t take him at the end of the first, he’s going to be gone early to mid-second.”

Kiper compared picking Konz to the Browns taking center Alex Mack with the 21^st-overall pick in 2009. Mack went to the Pro Bowl in his sophomore season and has been an integral part of Cleveland’s offense. The Steelers took Maurkice Pouncey with the 18^th-overall pick in 2010 and he has been voted to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons.

Could the Ravens be the next AFC North team to fortify themselves in the trenches?

Kiper likes what he sees of Konz on tape, but he also feels there are still questions. Konz only put up 18 bench-press reps at the combine and didn’t participate in other drills because he’s coming back from a dislocated ankle.

“[Wisconsin] utilized his athletic ability a lot; he pulled a lot in that offensive line structure,” Kiper said. “He’s a kid who has to get a little stronger in the weight room. You’ve got to work on that.

“I think the top concern is durability. He missed multiple games each of the last three seasons. If he can stay healthy and out there each week – which you need your center to be that staple, that constant on your offensive line – then I think he can be a great either heir apparent to Matt Birk or a guy that comes in and plays as a rookie.”