Highlights
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the National Football League's 24th franchise when league owners selected the Tampa region for one of two expansion teams in 1974. The Bucs made history with their futility, losing their first 26 games, including an 0-14 mark in '76 that remains the only winless record since the NFL-AFL merger of 1970. Yet in just their fourth year of existence, the Bucs reversed their losing ways and fell one game shy of reaching the Super Bowl by advancing to a conference championship quicker than any expansion team in league history. The club's 14-year run of losing seasons (including 13 straight...
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the National Football League's 24th franchise when league owners selected the Tampa region for one of two expansion teams in 1974. The Bucs made history with their futility, losing their first 26 games, including an 0-14 mark in '76 that remains the only winless record since the NFL-AFL merger of 1970. Yet in just their fourth year of existence, the Bucs reversed their losing ways and fell one game shy of reaching the Super Bowl by advancing to a conference championship quicker than any expansion team in league history. The club's 14-year run of losing seasons (including 13 straight with at least 10 defeats) remains a NFL record. A change in ownership -- from frugal tax attorney Hugh Culverhouse (who died in 1994) to corporate raider Malcolm Glazer in '95 -- was the first step toward erasing the franchise's laughingstock reputation. The hiring of Coach Tony Dungy in '96 was the second. With Dungy at the helm, the Bucs erased their previous reputation by reaching the playoffs four of five seasons until back-to-back first-round defeats in 2000-01 prompted Dungy's firing. Dungy was replaced by Jon Gruden, who the team bought out of his contract with the Oakland Raiders for an unprecedented package of four high draft choices and $8 million. Gruden took a championship-ready team and led it to the franchise's first world title in his first season, crushing his former team, the Raiders, 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII at San Diego on Jan. 26, 2003. Prominent players over the club's more than three decades include defensive end Lee Roy Selmon (the franchise's lone player enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame), linebacker Derrick Brooks (10 straight Pro Bowls from '97-06) and quarterback Doug Williams (who played for the Bucs from '78-82, but left following a contract dispute and eventually became the first African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl as a member of the Washington Redskins in 1987).
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Painter enjoying time with Flacco, Taylor so far
The past 12 months have been a bit of a whirlwind for new Ravens quarterback Curtis Painter. A year ago, he was expected to be the backup to Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts, but Manning sat out the season with a neck injury. Kerry Collins was...
Tags: Kerry Collins, Dan Orlovsky, Kyle Boller, Kansas City Chiefs, Cam Cameron
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Ravens grab linebacker Upshaw, offensive lineman Osemele in second round
Update 9:52 p.m.: Here are a few quotes from The Castle on the Ravens' first two draft picks tonight. Here are a few highlights from tonight's news conference with Ravens director of player personnel Eric DeCosta, general manager Ozzie Newsome and coach...
Tags: Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers, College Sports, Albert McClellan, Michael Oher
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Even after drafting Pierce, the Ravens still have decisions to make at running back
Here is a question that the Ravens will have to answer in the coming weeks: Will they be comfortable going into the season without an experienced backup behind Ray Rice? Currently, the three top guys behind Rice on the running back depth chart –...
Tags: Thomas Jones, Atlanta Falcons, Ronnie Brown, Ryan Grant, Washington Redskins
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Matt Vensel's 2012 NFL mock draft -- version 4.0
The 2012 NFL draft is now just over a week away. Free agency has died down, and teams are shifting their focus to the draft to round out their rosters. The Ravens are no exception. Their primary needs are still the same as they were entering the...
Tags: Cleveland Browns, Janoris Jenkins, San Diego Chargers, Courtney Upshaw, St. Louis Rams
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Matt Vensel's 2012 NFL mock draft -- version 5.0
Finally, after months of teams poking and prodding NFL draft prospects, scouts picking apart players they had previously pumped up, and media folks like me doing hours of homework trying to make sense of it all, the 2012 NFL draft is less than 48 hours...
Tags: Torrey Smith, Cleveland Browns, Janoris Jenkins, LSU Tigers, San Diego Chargers
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Nicks' new deal means Saints could focus on signing Grubbs
Ravens left guard Ben Grubbs, an unrestricted free agent, is in New Orleans today to meet with Saints officials -- and he just got good news. Carl Nicks, who had manned the left guard position for the Saints, has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We&...Tags: Eric Winston, Miami Dolphins, Cory Redding, Carl Nicks, New Orleans Saints
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Ravens remain quiet on first day of free agency
The first couple of hours of free agency came and went Tuesday with the Ravens — as expected — remaining quiet while confronting the reality they may be on the verge of losing arguably their top free agent.
Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs,...Tags: Chuck Pagano, Carl Nicks, Matt Birk, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints
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Ravens left scrambling for offensive linemen
The Ravens were several hours into trying to recruit Ben Grubbs' potential replacement when they learned Thursday morning that their Pro Bowl left guard had reached a long-term agreementon with the New Orleans Saints. Team officials knew his departure...Tags: Eric Winston, Miami Dolphins, Michael Oher, Carl Nicks, Matt Birk
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Redding is first Ravens free agent to leave
Cory Redding became the first Ravens' free agent to find a new home today as the veteran defensive end agreed to a three-year, $10.5 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
The deal was first reported by ESPN.
In Indianapolis, Redding will reunite...Tags: Chuck Pagano, Carl Nicks, Cory Redding, New Orleans Saints, Ben Grubbs
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Grubbs agrees to deal with Saints, leaves Ravens with another hole
The Ravens’ stated offseason priority of bolstering their offensive line just got a little more difficult.
Ben Grubbs, one of the group’s top performers, signed a long-term deal with the New Orleans Saints, the team announced.
The deal is...Tags: San Diego Chargers, Carl Nicks, Michael Oher, Matt Birk, New Orleans Saints
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Evan Mathis to meet with Ravens; Eric Winston visiting, too?
With left guard Ben Grubbs visiting the New Orleans Saints and a reportedly long list of suitors waiting to talk to him if he leaves New Orleans without a deal, the Ravens will host guard Evan Mathis on Thursday, according to multiple reports. Mathis...Tags: Carolina Panthers, Eric Winston, Miami Dolphins, Carl Nicks, New Orleans Saints
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Matt Vensel's 2012 NFL mock draft -- version 2.0
After a wild first week in free agency that was punctuated with Peyton Manning signing with the Denver Broncos, we have a better idea of what needs teams will address in April’s NFL draft. So now seems like a good time for our second mock draft of...Tags: Cleveland Browns, Janoris Jenkins, San Diego Chargers, Mike Adams (football, offensive tackle), Brandon Marshall
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