In the coming weeks, BaltimoreRavens.com will offer previews of each position, focusing on who will be in the thick of the competition come training camp. Today, the cornerbacks take the spotlight.
Offense: Center / Guard / Tackle / Tight End / Wide Receiver /
Running Back / Fullback / Quarterback
Defense: Saftey
Despite missing starting safeties Ed Reed and Will Demps for a combined 11 games in 2005, the Baltimore Ravens' defensive backs finished fourth in the AFC and eighth in the NFL in pass defense, allowing only 185.3 yards per game.
While some of the credit is due to backups that filled in capably, a lot of it is because of the stellar play of the Ravens' cornerbacks, most notably Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle. As former Pro Bowlers, McAlister and Rolle were rocks in the secondary, with McAlister starting 14 out of 15 games in 2005, and Rolle starting all 16.
Rolle recorded 45 tackles in 2005.
McAlister and Rolle are both back and ready to begin training camp, where a battle will take place to provide depth on the corners. Another competition to watch, however, is at starting nickleback, a position that the great Deion Sanders vacated with his retirement at the conclusion of the season.
Fighting to open the eyes of the coaching team will be free agent signee Cory Ivy, first-year veterans Evan Oglesby and Duvol Thompson, along with rookies David Pittman, Derrick Martin and Ronnie Prude.
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