le ron mcclain

“Anytime you get a chance to line up, you’re very eager,” Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

The Ravens enter Thursday's draft with seven of the top 135 picks for the first time in franchise history.

Former Ravens Pro Bowl fullback Le'Ron Mcclain was arrested on a felony charge of synthetic marijuana trafficking in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Wednesday night, according to Tuscaloosa police.

There remains a shroud of mystery about the Ravens' running game as they face the Carolina Panthers Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.

No team has been awarded more compensatory picks than the Ravens, who have shown that they are able to identify talent in the draft and unafraid to let talented but costly contributors leave in free agency.

Baltimore Sun reporter Jeff Zrebiec breaks down the Baltimore Ravens vs. San Diego Chargers game on Sunday.

Outspoken former Ravens fullback now starting for Chargers

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is accustomed to encountering an instinctive free safety every day, practicing against former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Ed Reed.

The Browns, who have had one winning season and five head coaches in the past decade, traded up to select Trent Richardson third overall in April's draft and 19 spots later used another first-round draft pick on Brandon Weeden.

Ray Rice's absence from organized team activities has given the Ravens a chance to focus on a group of unproven players hoping to back up a player many consider the best all-around running back in the NFL.

Q&A with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti

The Ravens saw two starters leave in free agency Wednesday and could lose guard Ben Grubbs as well. Outside linebacker Jarret Johnson signed with the Chargers, and defensive end Cory Redding landed with the Colts.

Ravens expected to exercise patience when free agency opens Tuesday. With about $11 million of cap space, team will likely try to retain Grubbs, others before trying to make a splash.

Ravens Q&A: Ricky Williams. Veteran running back discusses hie relationship with Ray Rice and his plans for life after football.

A philanthropist and jokester, fullback Leach almost never puts himself first. First-year Raven faces his former team Sunday

The Ravens are wary of the Texans even though two of their best players are sidelined. ... The Ravens are anxious to see how Derrick Mason fits in with the Texans on Sunday. ... Michael Oher's little brother, Sean Tuohy Jr., got a basketball scholarship at Loyola University. ... Patricia Modell, a former actress and the wife of former Ravens owner Art Modell, died on Wednesday. ... Orioles director of amateur scouting Joe Jordan is leaving the organization to become Philadelphia's director of player development. ... The Orioles have put together a list of GM candidates. ... Mark Turgeon is happy to have freshman Nick Faust, a City graduate, in a Maryland uniform. ... Randy Edsall still won't name a starting quarterback for Saturday.

With 13 new players and a renewed focus on running the ball, the Ravens may need time to grow

Baltimore is blessed with a bunch of talented sports bloggers who bring their unique perspective to the conversation. I often link up to these local writers in my morning Coffee Companion posts, but instead of just exchanging anti-social links with them, I have decided to be slightly less anti-social by exchanging emails with them in a somewhat regular feature called Blogger on Blogger.

Pernell McPhee and Vonta Leach made impressive plays, but former Maryland star Torrey Smith has yet to make an impact for the Ravens

Ravens No. 1 pick Smith gets start at CB, Chiefs test him

If it weren't meaningless in terms of wins and losses, Friday night's preseason affair with the Chiefs would have an interesting storyline as three former Ravens return to Baltimore. The final score doesn't matter, though, so Le'Ron McClain, Jared Gaither and Kelly Gregg can't get revenge against their former employers.

Leach, Pollard, Evans and Jimmy Smith will debut with Ravens, while three former players return with Chiefs

Ravens notes: Rookie DE McPhee making an impression on Pagano Defensive coordinator says fifth-round pick 'plays like a Raven'

Ravens notes: Matt Birk out three to four weeks, but he's still in line to be team's center Casey Rabach won't be joining Ravens after failing a physical

Pro Bowl selection helped Texans' Foster lead NFL in rushing last season

Ravens: Ravens add fullback Vonta Leach but lose tight end Todd Heap. Longtime go-to receiver heads to Cardinals as proven run-blocker comes aboard.

Four veterans — Todd Heap, Derrick Mason, Kelly Gregg and Willis McGahee — to be released as team makes room under the salary cap

The NFL players' leadership is expected to recommend the labor deal Monday, which would move the league one step closer to ending the lockout. Josh Wilson, though, will believe it when he sees it.

Hours after owners overwhelmingly approved a conditional end to the four-month-old lockout, the players refused to vote on the proposed 10-year collective bargaining agreement.

Le'Ron McClain was invited to the Pro Bowl in 2008 and 2009 as a fullback, but the yards and touchdowns he piled up when he wasn¿t blocking for Ray Rice or Willis McGahee played a big role in getting him to two straight Pro Bowls. Last season was up and down for McClain, though, and it could be his last with the Ravens.

The Orioles' second-half schedule began Thursday night much like the first half ended, with an early deficit turning into an 8-4 loss to the Indians. ... Vladimir Guerrero sat out the game with a hand injury. ... The Orioles were not happy with the suspensions handed out to Kevin Gregg and Buck Showalter after last week's brawl with the Red Sox. ... Maryland will pay Randy Edsall $2 million per year and Mark Turgeon $1.9 million annually. Turgeon's assistant Dalonte Hill is being paid $300,000. ... The Turkey Bowl, Baltimore's annual Thanksgiving high school football game featuring Calvert Hall and Loyola, will be played at Towson University this Thanksgiving.

Steelers linebacker James Harrison blasted NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the play of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the Super Bowl. ... Steelers safety Ryan Clark doesn¿t think that Ravens-Steelers is a real rivalry. ... In the post-lockout frenzy, the Ravens will have to focus on these five priorities, which include finding a pass rusher. ... Marshal Yanda, who is considered the Ravens' top priority, is reportedly "coveted" by the Redskins. ... Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts has picked up the amount of physical activity that he is doing, but he is still not symptom-free. ... The American women beat France to reach the World Cup final.

Brian Roberts still isn't ready to give a timetable for his return, but the Orioles second baseman feels he is making legitimate progress for the first time since starting to experience concussion symptoms May 16. ... Orioles starter Chris Jakubauskas faces a rematch with Lance Berkman, the hitter who put him in the hospital with a hard line drive to the head. Jakubauskas will start Wednesday against the Cardinals. Zach Britton pitches the opener Tuesday, and Brian Matusz is listed as Thursday's starter. ... Former Orioles manager Davey Johnson lost his Nationals debut on Monday. ... The Capitals hope Troy Brouwer will provide some elusive leadership.

The Orioles were nearly no-hit by the Yankees on Wednesday night in a 10-0 loss. ... Craig Tatum is eager to get healthy so he can compete for the backup catcher job. ... The NFL lockout was on the minds of former Terps such as Torrey Smith and Alex Wujciak at Maryland's Pro Day. ... The Red Wings snapped the Capitals' nine-game winning streak.