Here we go

[vmax]

The talk is changing for Foxworth....everything was fine before he hit the field...before the Ravens lost Wilson...

 

It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to say that Domonique Foxworth is a pretty positive guy. But his surgically repaired knee is testing the limits of the Ravens cornerback’s good-natured manner.

 

Foxworth, who underwent surgery Aug. 10 to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, spent a few minutes after Monday’s practice at the team’s training facility in Owings Mills expressing his frustration at the strength and stability of the knee.

 

“It just doesn’t feel great,” Foxworth said. “It’s frustrating. I don’t know. I’m not very happy about it, but I’ll just keep working, I guess. It hurts, and I don’t feel as quick or as fast as I once was. Everyone says it’s part of the process, but I can’t go out there and let down the team. So I’m just pushing and trying to get it where it needs to be as soon as possible.”

The coaches and trainers try to roll me back and roll back my reps, and I’m trying to push them forward,” he said. “I think they’re scared I’m going to reinjure it, and I’m scared it’s not going to be strong enough. So I just want to push and push and push, and they want to make sure that I don’t kill myself. It’s August, and Jimmy didn’t tear anything. So he’ll be fine. And Chris will be practicing next week. I don’t think anybody’s in a panic just yet.”

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2011/08/foxworth_says_knee_just_doesnt_feel_great.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sports_football_ravens+%28Ravens+Insider%29

 

Jimmy Smith does not have a tear in his groin according to reports...just a strain.

[oldno82]

I'm relieved to hear about Jimmy---hope he gets back quick. I hope Foxworth is just going through the normal process of it taking a good while before its completely healed. Glad we got Carr back.

[OutsideRzAcE]

Ozzie please go get Carlos Rogers. I didn't like our cornerback situation before Fox started complaining about his knee. If he goes down it's not going to be pretty.

[vmax]

I think Ozzie was in a tight spot. He probably thought Wilson was better but the CAP hit on Foxworth would hurt. Then he'd risk making the organization look bad because of Foxworth's role in the labor negotiations. Cutting him would lead to 10,000 articles on retaliation by the league on players who represent players in labor.

 

Foxworth has been an outstanding rep in these negotiations. I am very impressed by his professionalism and excellent reporting on the key issues. In fact, I thought he made the Ravens organization look good by having one of their players who was capable enough to participate at a high level in something so serious and important.

 

I'm not happy about what he said here after the negotiations...he's honest about the knee, but to imply that Ozzie and Steve would make him pay for his role in negotiations just doesn't set well with me. Foxworth is a Raven so the implication has to be aimed at his boss.

 

On if his knee is 100 percent: “Absolutely.”

 

On how long he has felt like 100 percent: “It has been up and down through the offseason to be frank with you. There were days where it felt great and days where it felt really, really bad. Lately, it has felt great. The real important thing, the thing that I haven’t been able to do, is play real live football. Before I get way ahead of myself and say that I am just as good as I ever was, I feel that way, but I need to go out there and go up against Anquan [boldin] and real Pro Bowl-caliber receivers to really measure. It’s a little different than running out there on your own.”

 

On if negotiations got tense and nasty during the lockout: “They were tense and nasty all the time. It’s a contentious situation. I think, early on at least, there was a bit of a feeling of shock and surprise from their side about our willingness and almost eagerness to confront them on every level and not back down. I think we gained their respect early with our aggressiveness, and I know you guys have heard a number of times Jeff Saturday and I were kind of the leaders in that right. I knew he had my back and I had his. There was nobody on that side of the table that A) could beat us up, or B)… We both talked about that the worst thing that could happen was that we could lose our jobs, and we both were comfortable. We talked about that early on after we talked with each of our wives, and we both were comfortable going down that road and we said we would have each other’s back from this point forth. And like I said, nobody over there could whoop me, so I felt really comfortable saying what I thought I needed to say and being in a confrontational position with those guys, as a representative of the players, because I knew that it could have some adverse effects on me and my career. But in the long run, it will be a great deal for past, present and future players in this league.”

 

On if he has had a conversation with Ozzie Newsome or Steve Bisciotti about his future and being “on the block”: “No, I don’t think they have ever had conversations, nor should they, with guys that are ‘on the block’ until the guy finds out you’re ‘on the block.’ It’s not a conversation. One is the owner and one is the general manager. It’s their right to do whatever they want with their teams. There are no hard feelings no matter what the future holds. I appreciate the opportunity and I really do like both of them as people outside of the field. I am joking most the time that I am saying these things, but there has never been a time when a guy who has been as outspoken as I have against management has not had to pay some sort of price, and maybe the only price I will pay is time that I missed being away from my family during the process. Or, maybe there is another price to pay down the road. Either way, it is something that I have come to terms with.”

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/Articles/2011/07/Transcript_072611.aspx

 

 

There has been retaliation by NFL owners in the past and I guess there are retaliations in business everyday against employees who speak out.

His commenmts don't sit well with me because Ozzie and Steve are the logical object of who would retaliate against him and they are 2 very good men.

 

If this is true: " there has never been a time when a guy who has been as outspoken as I have against management has not had to pay some sort of price", then let's hope that the Ravens organization, on principle, is better than that.

I believe Ozzie and Steve are....other owners????

No.

[cravnravn]

Like I said earlier, the Doctors stated it was a 12-18 month RECOVERY TIME

 

Not 11 months and get back to full contact..This is going to be an issue this year.

 

Should have been more of a player in the Aso sweepstakes.

[RavenMad]

Should have been more of a player in the Aso sweepstakes.

 

I would love to have gotten Aso, but we didn't have the cap room to sign him and fill out the rest of the roster unless Aso was able to come in and play Guard, FB, 2 CB spots at the same time, WR and maybe pass rusher.

 

It was a pipe dream to think we had a shot at Aso.

[cravnravn]

It was a pipe dream to think we had a shot at Aso.

 

Not really, if we would signed Ngata to a long term deal..He does count as 12.5 mil against the CAP right now.

[RavenMad]

I reckon we only save about 4mill signing Ngata, maybe 5 at tops. He is going to command at least $8mill a year.

[varaven45]

Like I said earlier, the Doctors stated it was a 12-18 month RECOVERY TIME

 

Not 11 months and get back to full contact..This is going to be an issue this year.

 

Should have been more of a player in the Aso sweepstakes.

 

Crav,

 

Agree but we werent apparently in the Aso sweepstakes. Still, a "gimpy" Fox, rookie Smith, Chris Carr and LWebb as our CB corps wont cut it against the elite AFC teams - Pitt, NE, NYJ and Indy. We need another healthy piece.

 

Most pundits are claming Philly cant or wont keep Asante Samuel. He's 30, a former all pro, and apparently available. He might be the guy. He's probably the best CB out there.

 

We will need to do something or we will get beat in those close games against the elite teams.

[colincac]

We will not trade for anyone this offseason. Oz is smart enough to know that giving up a draft pick for a guy similar to one you could sign without giving up a pick in free agency is not a good decision.

[papasmurfbell]

Don't expect the fast return like Dwebb. That was a freakish return.

[OutsideRzAcE]

Still, a "gimpy" Fox, rookie Smith, Chris Carr and LWebb as our CB corps wont cut it against the elite AFC teams - Pitt, NE, NYJ and Indy. We need another healthy piece.

 

Yes my thoughts exactly. These are guys we expect to go up against Mike Wallace, Santonio Holmes, Reggie Wayne, Hines Ward, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, etc...? Take Jimmy Smith's name out of that list and try not to laugh at how weak that list looks. We are betting the bank on Smith being the real deal and staying healthy. If either of those things don't happen I fear we're looking at another 2009-like disaster for the secondary. Quality corners are so hard to find and we've gone through a ton in recent years. Now finally there's a perfect storm phenomemon where 5 or 6 quality guys are available and the Ravens are going to come out of it with a weaker secondary (losing arguably our best corner)?

 

Let's acknowledge that Aso was out of our price range. Let's say Jonathan Joseph was out of our price range too. There were and in some cases are still better options out there. Would Nate Clements not have been better than anyone on that list save potentially Smith? Carlos Rogers? I know we're in a tough cap situation but they should have done what they had to do with Ngata quickly and pounced on one of these guys.

[BMoreHon]

Is Asante still an option?