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The Ravens used to avoid contract restructures in the past, but cornerback Jimmy Smith became the latest veteran to do one to create much-needed salary cap space.

The comparison is inevitable. Eight years ago, Joe Flacco, a tall, strong-armed quarterback out of Delaware, made the jump from the Football Championship Subdivision to be made a first-round draft choice by the Ravens. This year, North Dakota State's Carson Wentz is hoping to make a similar jump and Flacco's success with the Ravens shows it can be done.

Rice is back in football this week, which means he has the platform to offer his usual mea culpas.

Ray Rice will coach running backs in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl this week.

Criticized for years for not addressing a concussion problem that could threaten the sport's future, the NFL is working now to get ahead of it, changing rules to minimize the injuries and funding research into new technologies at Aberdeen Proving Ground and elsewhere through a competition sponsored by Under Armour and General Electric.

An NFL spokesman said that the league will look into the Ravens' handling of the concussion protocol involving Matt Schaub, per normal procedures.

For the time being, the cheating will stop in in Foxborough, Mass. That's the good news that has come out of this "Deflategate" mess and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's nullified suspension.

The NFLPA released a statement Thursday morning after a federal judge nullified New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's four-game suspension.

At a luncheon at the Sports Legends Museum, former Orioles third baseman Robinson was introduced as one of seven inductees this year in the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame. Also announced were Tom McMillen, John Mackey, Kevin Glover, Bernard Williams Del Dressel and Jeff Pyles.

Ravens special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg says he wasn't bothered by allegation because he knows what happened.

The Ravens released a statement on Wednesday that denied the team warned the Indianapolis Colts about deflated footballs prior to the AFC championship game. Here's the full statement.

Newly revealed evidence in the "Deflategate" scandal suggests the Ravens might have tipped off the Indianapolis Colts about inflation irregularities in the footballs used at Gillette Stadium before the AFC Championship Game between the Colts and New England Patriots, something coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens have strongly denied.

Ravens officials have denied on several occasions that they tipped the Indianapolis Colts off about issues that they had with the air pressure of game balls during their AFC divisional playoff matchup with the New England Patriots, but documents released Tuesday suggest otherwise.

The Ravens are signing former Army quarterback Trent Steelman to a contract and cutting undrafted rookie quarterback Jerry Lovelocke, according to sources.

The Ravens have signed former Cincinnati Bengals safety Tom Nelson and waived-injured undrafted rookie wide receiver Cam Worthy.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady released a statement that said he was disappointed by the NFL's decision to uphold a four-game suspension against him.

The Ravens placed undrafted wide receiver Cam Worthy on the physically unable to perform list Wednesday as rookies reported to training camp.

The Ravens managed to lower veteran punter Sam Koch's salary-cap figure by $700,000 when they signed him to a five-year, $16.25 million contract extension, according to NFL Players Association records and league sources.

The tumultuous career of trouble-prone former Ravens middle linebacker Rolando McClain took another rocky turn Thursday when he was suspended by the NFL for violating its substance-abuse policy.

Adrian Avena brought a five-bass limit to the scale Thursday weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces to take the lead after the first day of the Walmart FLW Tour event on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland.

Tom Brady and representatives from the players' union are meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell at NFL headquarters as the New England quarterback appeals his four-game suspension.

While we learned a little last week about Joe Flacco's adjustment to Marc Trestman's version of the West Coast offense, Timmy Jernigan's ascension to the starting defensive line and just how much longer 36-year-old wide receiver Steve Smith might play in the NFL, all of that has been sufficiently discussed and dissected.

The Ravens' 2014 rookie class provided big contributions last season. It appears that the group is primed for an even bigger sophomore season.

The start of the first of three weeks of voluntary OTAs brought the annual questions about the state of the Ravens' offense, which again will have a different look in the upcoming season. But quarterback Joe Flacco, who has started every game for the team over the past seven seasons, remains one of the few constants.

The Ravens had generally high attendance at their organized team activity with the exception of the entire starting offensive line being absent from the voluntary practice Thursday.

Growing up in California, undrafted rookie wide receiver DeAndre Carter idolized Ravens five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith and patterned his game after him.

The NFLPA issued a press release stating that first-round wide receiver Breshad Perriman, second-round tight end Maxx Williams and fourth-round running back Buck Allen are confirmed to attend the four-day program.

What Hill really wants, though, in his second season with the Ravens after signing his $1.542 million restricted tender, is an increased chance to inflict some punishment on opponents.

The NFL Players Association has filed an appeal on behalf of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the wake of his four-game suspension for his role in the Deflategate scandal.

Hampton announced that it is adding men's lacrosse as a varsity sport for the 2015-16 school year and named longtime Baltimorean Lloyd Carter its coach.

The Ravens have reached a three-year deal with undrafted East Carolina wide receiver Cam Worthy, according to a source.

In the wake of unrest in the city following the death of Freddie Gray, Edmondson graduate Jerry Lovelocke said his pending free agent contract with the Ravens could serve as an example for Baltimore youth.

Ravens veteran safety Will Hill has signed his $1.542 million right-of-first-refusal original round tender, according to NFL sources.

Only one Ravens player, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, made the NFL Players Association's top-50 list for jersey sales for 2014.

South Florida cornerback and kick returner Chris Dunkley told The Baltimore Sun that he will visit the Ravens next week along with the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions.

Western Carolina safety Ace Clark has been invited to the Ravens' local prospect day Tuesday, according to sources.

The Ravens met with speedy Sacramento State wide receiver DeAndre Carter at the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl, according to a league source.

Veteran defensive end Chris Canty has rejoined the Ravens on a two-year contract, according to league sources.

Annually lacking the salary cap space to make major outside additions and content to reward their own players while building through the draft, the Ravens traditionally stay quiet through the first couple days of free agency when money changes hands at an eye-popping rate.

The Ravens spent up to 98.54 percent against the salary cap over the past two years, well above the minimum requirement.

Towson defensive end Ryan Delaire pulled his groin while running the 40-yard dash Sunday morning at the NFL scouting combine and was instructed by trainers to discontinue the remainder of his workout.

"To be honest, I feel like I'm a hybrid," Delaire said. "I feel like I can stand up or put my hand down. I feel like I don't have a set position."

Growing up on the east side of Baltimore, Prairie View A&M quarterback Jerry Lovelocke maintained a careful eye toward his future.

Prairie View A&M quarterback Jerry Lovelocke has been invited to the NFL scouting combine this month at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Three Maryland natives will have an opportunity to impress NFL teams next week at the College Gridiron Showcase in Arlington, Texas, an all-star game that features prominent players from programs such as Alabama, Auburn and Texas.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco ended the season as the eighth-highest selling jersey at Dick's Sporting Goods

Towson University third-team All-American defensive end Ryan Delaire has parlayed a strong track record as a pass rusher into an invite to the NFL scouting combine.

Less than a week after saying he would remain as the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator, Gary Kubiak will interview for the Denver Broncos' head-coaching opening.

The Ravens have settled their grievance with former running back Ray Rice after terminating his $35 million contract five months ago.

The Cleveland Browns have suspended star wide receiver Josh Gordon for their regular-season finale Sunday against the Ravens for violating team rules.