On The Ravens Case: Could the lights get turned on in Baltimore?
With rumors circulating that Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman could soon be placed on waivers by the San Diego Chargers, could the former Terp return home? There are some national media who think Merriman's next destination could be Baltimore.
To say the relationship between the Chargers and Merriman has been ugly toward the end might be an understatement. The three-time Pro-Bowler and 2005 Defensive Rookie of the Year was placed on injured reserve due to a calf injury last week by the team that gave him a five-year, $11.5 million contract after drafting him in 2005. Merriman has gone from being one of the faces of the Chargers franchise to walking papers in five years.
The relationship with the Chargers turned bad this offseason when Merriman thought he was going to be a free agent. However the Chargers decided to franchise Merriman with a first- and third-round tender. Merriman decided to hold out for two weeks before he signed his tender and returned to the field. In a game earlier this season, he re-injured his calf, and he had been limited in five games before the Chargers placed him on "minor" injured reserve. The minor designation means that once Merriman was declared healthy, he would released by the club.
Now this is where the Ravens could come into the mix. Merriman is expected to be released once he can pass a physical. Merriman would then have to pass through waivers. There is a strong belief among NFL observers that no one will claim him since he is owed over $3 million on his contract that a claiming team would be on the hook for.
The one team that has been strongly mentioned as a Merriman destination is San Francisco. Head coach Mike Singletary said that he "likes our guys right now," when asked about possibly adding Merriman to his team. Now, this could be a strategic move by the 49ers, or it could be that they would like to have him, but not at $3 million.
So if Merriman passes through waivers, he is free to sign with any team that is interested in him. Merriman is from the Washington area, and he frequently returns to the area during the offseason.
With those things in mind, I believe that the Ravens would be an interesting place for Merriman to prove that he can still play. If the Ravens could get him to agree to a low-end contract, much like they did with T.J. Houshmandzadeh, I think he could help the Ravens. He could be an extra linebacker and help in pass-rush situations, He likes to play hard-hitting and aggressive defense, and his style would fit the Ravens perfectly. Also he would not have to be an every-down player in Baltimore.
Here are a couple of off-the-field factors that the Ravens would have going in their favor. Merriman has a close relationship with Ray Lewis going back to his college days, and they have spoken before when Merriman was facing off-the-field issues. Another factor could be Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti's love for all things University of Maryland. I am sure that Bisciotti would have no problem making that phone call to talk to him. It also would give Merriman a chance to play for a team close to home and a team that is a Super Bowl contender.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the Merriman situation. Could there be a chance that he does not end up in purple and black? Sure, and there are a lot of reasons that it would make sense for him to join the Ravens if he clears waivers and is willing to take a low-money deal.
If that comes together, the "Lights Out" dance could be the set up for the Ray Lewis dance coming out of the tunnel on Sundays in Baltimore.
