Inside SlantMost of the struggles in the Ravens' 6-10 season can be traced back to their disappointing running attack.How the Ravens plan to revive that longstanding strength is one of the most pressing situations of the off-season.The Ravens have to determine whether they want to pursue Jamal Lewis or Chester Taylor as the featured back before both become unrestricted free agents in March.At this point, the Ravens are keeping all of their options open."What we will have to do is to evaluate Jamal and Chester with the rest of the running backs that are available in free agency who will give us the best opportunity to be successful," general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "I feel like we are ahead of the game in that we have two guys we feel we can win with."The Ravens finished with 1,605 yards rushing, which was 16 yards shy of the worst rushing season in the franchise's 10-year history.Lewis gained a career-low 906 yards and averaged 3.4 yards a carry; Taylor fared somewhat better with 487 yards and a 4.2-yard average.If the Ravens place the franchise tag on Lewis, they will keep him from becoming a free agent by paying him the average of the five highest-paid running backs for one year (likely around $6.3 million).It avoids the large signing bonus of a long-term contract, which could be risky for a player who has had problems off the field (spending four months in federal prison before this season) and has absorbed years of physical punishment on it. Lewis indicated the Ravens and his agent haven't talked since the beginning of the season.If the Ravens choose to go after Taylor, it's more cost effective to offer him a long-term deal because his signing bonus would be drastically less than Lewis'.Lewis said he deserved a long-term commitment from the Ravens."I'm 26 years old, still strong and still able to run the football," said Lewis, the franchise's all-time leading rusher who gained 2,066 yards two seasons ago. "I'm not over the hill. I still have it. I'm sure I can get a long-term deal anywhere."Lewis has had a series of ups and downs since he was the fifth overall pick of the 2000 draft.He led the Ravens in rushing during their Super Bowl championship season before blowing out his knee in training camp in 2001. He came back to become the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2003 and then faced federal drug charges after that season.Lewis said the Ravens promised him a long-term deal before he served four months in a federal prison last off-season. At the end of the season, he said there is still a possibility that could happen."I got a feeling that they want to get things done with me," Lewis said. "The franchise tag is out there. A lot of other guys that have to be taken care of around here and a lot of additions to the team need to take place, I might have to take that hit. If it happens, it happens."NOTES, QUOTESGeneral manager Ozzie Newsome said Tuesday that he projected the team's window of opportunity to win a Super Bowl at "five or six years" after the salary-cap purge in 2002.Next season is the fifth since that rebuilding project."At any point, with the permission of Steve (Bisciotti, Ravens owner), we can extend it because of the ways of redoing contracts," Newsome said. "But as we found out, anytime we want to extend that window, all we do is extend our ability to get back to being whole again."Linebacker Ray Lewis has returned to the Baltimore area for the first time since having surgery on his hamstring. He has not talked with local reporters.Lewis rubbed some fans - and a few teammates - the wrong way when he attended a bowl game in Orlando, Fla., last month rather than returning for the Ravens' final games.Owner Steve Bisciotti said he was fine with Lewis' decision to stay in Florida, pointing out that Lewis needed several stitches from his hamstring to his buttocks."There's no reason for Ray to come up here to stand on the sideline just to make some sort of show," Bisciotti said.Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel received his second interview this off-season for a head coaching vacancy, meeting with the Rams last week in St. Louis.Fassel previously met with the Kansas City Chiefs, who have since hired Herman Edwards. If Fassel leaves the Ravens, Billick said quarterbacks coach Rick Neuheisel will be promoted to offensive coordinator.QUOTE TO NOTE: "I played aggressive, hard-nosed football, like I was taught to play at USC, like the Ronnie Lotts and Dennis Smiths of the world. Then going into the NFL, look who I got a lot of my first-year experience under - Mike Singletary and a lot of the 1985 Bears on that team in 1990. That's my game, and that's how I like to coach. Football is a very aggressive, physical sport, and you've got to play that way." - New Ravens secondary coach Mark Carrier on his style of play as an NFL safety.STRATEGY AND PERSONNELThe Ravens have assembled nearly their entire staff for next season, hiring former NFL safety Mark Carrier as a secondary coach and Frank Gansz Jr. as their special teams coach.The only hole left on the staff is at running backs coach.Carrier played 11 years in the league and developed a reputation as one of the nastiest players of his era, accumulating tens of thousands of dollars in fines and getting suspended for a game in each of his last three seasons for helmet-to-helmet hits.Carrier, who started his career with the Chicago Bears in 1990, has spent the past two seasons coaching cornerbacks at Arizona State.UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSISQUARTERBACK: Starter - Kyle Boller. Backups - Anthony Wright, Brian St. Pierre.The third season is considered a make-or-break season for a starting quarterback, and Boller didn't convince the Ravens that he is the unquestioned starter heading into next season. At the end-of-the-year news conference, Ravens officials did not declare Boller the starting quarterback in 2006, which means they are open to bringing a veteran quarterback to compete for the job. Boller had the two best games of his career in the final month of the season, but he has struggled more times than he has succeeded. He fell into too many bad habits like throwing off his back foot, forcing passes into heavy coverage and running at the slightest pressure. Wright is not expected to return as the backup. He became the starter after Boller went down with a toe injury in the season opener, but he didn't come close to matching his form in 2003 when he took the Ravens to the playoffs. Wright never seemed comfortable in the pocket and always seemed to be looking over his shoulder about Boller's return. St. Pierre, who was on the practice squad for most of the year, has potential and could remain the No. 3 quarterback next season.RUNNING BACKS: Starters - RB Jamal Lewis, FB Alan Ricard (inj.). Backups - RB Chester Taylor, RB Musa Smith, FB Justin Green, FB Ovie Mughelli.Whether it was off-season ankle surgery, unhappiness with his contract status or a four-month stay in federal prison, Lewis struggled to get past the line of scrimmage this season. He lacked the power and acceleration that made him one of the toughest backs to tackle. The Ravens are expected either to put the franchise tag on Lewis or to sign Taylor to a long-term deal. Taylor had flashes of success, but he wasn't pleased with the limited action behind Lewis. That could mean he wants to play elsewhere next season. Taylor doesn't have the size of Lewis but has better vision. If he can remain healthy, Smith will be given the chance to be the primary backup. It'll be interesting to see how the Ravens handle fullback, whether they go with a power blocker in Ricard or a more versatile athlete in Green. Mughelli is a quality special teams player.TIGHT END: Starter - Todd Heap. Backups - Daniel Wilcox, Darnell Dinkins.After not being able to practice in training camp because of off-season shoulder and ankle surgeries, Heap started slowly before becoming an impact player again. He is an elite tight end who has size, speed and leaping ability that makes him tough to cover in the red zone. There's not a need for a pass-catching tight end with Heap and Wilcox, who has developed into a solid secondary target at tight end. If they don't re-sign Dinkins, the Ravens have to fill the void of a run-blocking tight end.WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters - FL Mark Clayton, SE Derrick Mason. Backups - Randy Hymes, Patrick Johnson, Clarence Moore, Devard Darling.For the first time under coach Brian Billick, the Ravens are set with two quality starting receivers in Mason and Clayton. The next step is to find a third receiver, preferably one who can return kicks (which would avoid using a roster spot on a return specialist). Mason was the most consistent offensive weapon and became the best leader on this unit since Shannon Sharpe four seasons ago. The Ravens have high expectations for Clayton, who got better late in his rookie season instead of wearing down. Moore and Darling were nonexistent, although the Ravens are hoping one can step up next season. The Ravens had trouble getting Hymes involved in games.OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LT Jonathan Ogden, LG Edwin Mulitalo, C Mike Flynn, RG Keydrick Vincent, RT Orlando Brown. Backups - T Tony Pashos, G Brian Rimpf, C Jason Brown, T Adam Terry.Although the entire unit can be brought back intact, the Ravens will certainly look to upgrade one of the weakest parts of the team. The line often handicapped the offense throughout the season. Ogden is the only untouchable, although he is not the top tackle in the game anymore. Brown, whose body has been breaking down the past two years, is expected to be cut. Mulitalo needs to lose 30 pounds to make the team. Vincent has to pick up the system better. Having Pashos and Terry battle for the right tackle spot is far from ideal. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Ravens upgrade at tackle in free agency or the draft.DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LT Anthony Weaver, NT Maake Kemoeatu, RT Kelly Gregg. Backups - T Jarret Johnson, T Dwan Edwards, NT Aubrayo Franklin.This was a solid group, one composed of gritty professionals. The Ravens were good in shutting down the run inside because of Gregg and Kemoeatu. Kemoeatu is a big-bodied cog in the middle and has surprising quickness. Gregg has great strength and leverage. Weaver would have had his best season except he was bothered by leg and back injuries. The Ravens will try to keep Weaver and Kemoeatu from becoming unrestricted free agents in March. Johnson is a solid backup who relies on a strong motor. Edwards and Franklin are still developing.LINEBACKERS: Starters - ROLB Terrell Suggs, RILB Tommy Polley, LILB Bart Scott, LOLB Adalius Thomas. Backups - OLB Peter Boulware, OLB Roderick Green, ILB Mike Smith. Returning injured starter - MLB Ray Lewis.With Lewis out for most of the season, Thomas assumed a leadership role and became the best player on the team. He's a versatile performer who played on special teams and even at safety at times. He was the only linebacker the Ravens could rely on in pass defense because he knew the assignments.Suggs regressed in his third season and registered most of his sacks against lesser talent. Polley played well at times but still needed to be more physical. Scott surprised some team officials with his speed and physical nature in stepping in for Lewis. Scott proved that he is a legitimate starter in this league. Lewis was solid until the hamstring injury sidelined him. His departure and isolation from the team during the season left a sour taste among some fans and teammates. This was probably the last season for Boulware, who was used strictly as a pass rusher. Green and Smith are developmental players who could contribute on special teams next season. Dan Cody, who suffered a season-ending injury on the first day of training camp, will team with Suggs as pass-rushing ends.DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters - LCB Chris McAlister, RCB Samari Rolle, SS Will Demps, FS Ed Reed. Backups - CB Deion Sanders, CB Dale Carter, S Chad Williams, S B.J. Ward.This group failed to live up to expectations. The coverage was solid for the most part, but the secondary struggled to come up with interceptions. After establishing himself as a Pro Bowl player, McAlister had a second straight disappointing season. He seemed disinterested in a majority of games. Rolle quietly shut down several top receivers but is a liability against the run. He often avoids contact when sweeps come to his side. The Ravens missed Reed, who covers up for a lot of team weaknesses. The Ravens have a hole at free safety, and it's uncertain whether they will re-sign Demps, whose season ended with a knee injury. There's also a need at nickel back because Sanders and Carter aren't returning. Williams was an underrated dime back who could be re-signed.SPECIAL TEAMS: K Matt Stover, K Aaron Elling, P Dave Zastudil, LS Matt Katula, KR/PR B.J. Sams.Stover missed three field-goal attempts in the season opener but only failed once in the remaining 15 games. He has been the most consistent offensive weapon in the 10-year history of the team. Zastudil, who averaged a career-best 43.5 yards on punts, said returning to the Ravens is his first choice. Elling was a disappointment, which will cause the Ravens to get a stronger kickoff specialist. Katula had some poor snaps in the season finale, but he was impressive in coverage. Sams was dangerous on returns yet couldn't break one for a touchdown. If the Ravens can get a returner who can be a factor on offense and defense, Sams might lose his job.
I think the Ravens need a Quarterback and some weapons to go along with Todd Heap and Derrick Mason. They might want to consider drafting Max Giles in the first round big physical guard that is as strong as Larry Allen was in Larry's younger days.
