When the Ravens signed five players to their roster at the end of last week’s minicamp, most of the new additions were veterans, or at least players who have spent some time with an NFL club for a season or two. That’s not the case for Nick DiMarco, an undrafted rookie who was cut by the Jets shortly after being signed by the team in May. The William Penn product has joined the Ravens in search of a regular-season roster spot, and while it may be an uphill battle, he tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun that he intends to do everything he can to impress his coaches.
Here’s more on the Ravens, from Wilson’s Sun colleague, Jeff Zrebiec:
- While there’s not much going on around the NFL for the next month, it would be a good time for the Ravens to address potential contract extensions for wideout Torrey Smith and defensive lineman Haloti Ngata, says Zrebiec. Smith is entering the final season of his rookie deal, while Ngata has two years left on his pact.
- After signing veterans Chris Canty and Marcus Spears and using a third-round pick on Brandon Williams in 2013, the Ravens didn’t see much improvement on their defensive line last season, so the team was forced to address the position again this year. However, Zrebiec thinks it could be a much-improved group in 2014, given the promise already being shown by draftees Timmy Jernigan and Brent Urban.
- Zrebiec views recent signees Aaron Ross and Dominique Franks as insurance policies for Baltimore, and expects the team to give Chykie Brown and Asa Jackson every opportunity to earn the No. 3 cornerback job. Ross and Franks may ultimately end up competing for a single roster spot.
- Although there’s no timetable for the NFL to make its announcement on a Ray Rice suspension, commissioner Roger Goodell likely won’t want to prolong it, assuming he has all the information he needs. As such, we could get the news on Rice very soon.