Ravens Willie Anderson Retires
by Rexx on May 14, 2009 10:38 AM EDT
Email
PrintAccording to the Baltimore Ravens, veteran right tackle Willie Anderson has been placed on the reserve/retired list this afternoon, it was announced by Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome.
This means one or two things. The Ravens needed the cap space to sign their rookies and perhaps another free agent or two (Kelley Washington?). Also, it now looks like Adam Terry and rookie Michael Oher will fight it out for the starting right tackle position. Oher may actually have the advantage over Adam, as Terry may be more valuable as a reserve based on his ability to play both right or left tackle. Even though Oher was a left tackle in college, learning one specific position willl be hard enough in the pros rather than having to count on covering both sides of the offensive line. However, don't be surprised if Terry starts the season at right tackle, although Oher is sure to take over before the season is too old.
Either way, it looks like Anderson was a one year stop gap measure for the Ravens. He played a valuable role for the one year, and was a welcome addition after being released by the Cincinnati Bengals earlier last summer. He could have been an excellent mentor for the rookie Oher. On behalf of all Ravens fans we thank him for his service and wish him the best of luck in his future.
Post Note: Anyone know what his retirement will cost against the '09 cap? I know he signed a three year, $11 million contract last August, but don't know what the signing bonus was, although is was probably around $3-4 million.
32 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Man, that sucks
Really liked Willie. He led that offensive line last year and was a great pick up by Ozzie. Willie was drafted only a year after Ogden, so playing that long at the most physical position in the NFL is tough to do.
Thanks for last year Willie, glad to have a talent like you on the Ravens.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
Congratulations to him on retiring a Raven instead of a Bengal.
Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.
by Ampallang on May 13, 2009 8:31 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
+1
"Don't be mad at me, bow to your majesty, i'm so bright the sun wants to battle me!" Juelz Santana (when he was sick)
by FEARtheTERP1 on May 13, 2009 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions
-1
I am happy that Willie got a year on a playoff team that made it deeper than ‘05, but he should have retired a Bengal. Yes, it is Mike Browns fault, he could have actually shown some class and given Willie a contract last year so he could finish out his career in Cincy. That’s the way it should have been done.
He will be remembered as a Bengal if you ask me. He spent 12 years there, half of it during the worst decade of our franchise. He never complained, asked to be traded, whined about losing (at least publicly for those) and was the only consistent bright spot we had. I continue to sport my Willie jersey as others keep going to goodwill (see Odell Thurman).
It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.
I agree
he will definitely be remembered as a Bengal. The sad thing is that had he had a big ego, he would have demanded a trade early on in his career, maybe gotten on a better team, or at least one in a larger market, and improved his numbers, maybe gotten in the hall of fame, especially if he had been on more playoff teams. In a sad way, stand up guys like Willie are punished without recognition while some asshat like Terrell Owens will always get the headlines whether he is helping a team or not.
Side note, I got to ask Bengals FTW…How the hell do you cats stand Mike Brown paying himself a GM Bonus? Or the fact he pays his kids more money than the scouting department? How do you guys put up with it? I hate the Bengals…yet I want to put Mike Brown in a wood chipper just on principle…
"The ball always seems to find Ed Reed...The man is a menace
"
by UMBC Oriole fan on May 15, 2009 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions
If the Ravens saw this coming — Anderson has been dealing with injury issues since he was a Bengal — are they now vindicated for picking Oher over a big-name rookie wide receiver in round one of the draft? Personally, I think the offense starts and stops with the line; I’d definitely prefer to shore up holes in our line since Flacco can’t throw passes from his back.
I’d really like to hear raven’s opinion on this since he’s been so critical of our draft.
Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.
Glad we selected Oher.....
or else we would be stuck with Terry and cousins at RT. I believe Anderson will be in camp with J.O. tutoring our young tackles. By the end of next season, we should have the best tackle tandem in the league.
FEAR THE NEVERMORE DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Correction
Best O-Line in the game. Isnt it amazing that we have Grubbs and Gaither on the left side, two first round picks (Gaither was projected to be a first round pick if he did not fail out of my school).
Then a 6 time pro bowl center in Matt Birk. Then at Right Guard, a hardnosed Iowa boy in Yanda who was a 3rd round pick and if he can stay healthy, will be a great RG for us. Then Oher at RT.
What a freaking O-Line. The best in the league for many years to come.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
+1
Flacco’s going to be well taken care of.
by The Sicilian on May 14, 2009 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Lets not forget chris chester
A guy who can play G,C, and TE if needed!
FEAR THE NEVERMORE DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wouldn't got that far....
YOu cant call them the best based soley on potential.
Lets let Oher take a snap first……..I hate to be a downer, but its the truth, and yanda only played 5 games last year….Only Gaither, Grubbs, and Mitt Birk are proven. We have A LOT of potential, and if we live up to it, then yes we will be the best O line in the leauge.
But still
Having those 3 guys be proven is more then 3/4’s of the teams in the league can say. IE Pittsburgh. If Yanda stays healthy and when Oher becomes the best O-Lineman from this draft, then we will be complete.
Sorry, I am just really excited to see this group come along.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
I hate to sound pessimistic, but
To say we have the best group in the leauge, with a rookie, a second year guy who only played 5 games last year, and two 2nd year starters is a little premature dont you think?….
But we have to wait and see, i am a true believer is the watch and see process, because we have to let these guys prove themselves, first.
I'm gonna miss Big Willie
Hell of a Classy guy, great player, and run out of town by an ass of an owner Mike Brown…like Johnny Unitas and that fucking drunk. The post game conference week 13 was awesome. Seeing the Ravens go out of their way to recognize Big Willie was great.
"The ball always seems to find Ed Reed...The man is a menace
"
by UMBC Oriole fan on May 14, 2009 8:44 AM EDT reply actions
DT711
If you come by here today, gotta ask you something.
Just saw on ESPN.com that Amare to the Wizards is a possibility for our draft pick. You got anything on this?
Sorry for off topic.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
I saw this as well......interesting
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/13/AR2009051303572.html
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
That is where ESPN got the headline from
Means nothing really. I don’t think Amare would be a great fit in D.C. Sure they’d make the playoffs every year but their D would be more atrocious then it already is. I’m praying for Blake in a Wiz uniform.
Would much rather have Bosh
But that is a retarded scenario proposed in the article. The Kings love Rubio, would maybe take him at #1 over Griffin. No chance in hell they take Thabeet over him. The trade they propose is not realistic either. Don’t put any weight whatsoever in that. Bulletsforever, a SBN site, is great for Wiz info. They have some awesome writers over there.
I wouldn't do that trade.
Amare is a good player but he is just too disinterested in playing defense at all. Plus, he has complained about getting touches in Phoenix. Imagine what happens when he isn’t getting those touches in Washington. Plus, for a guy that athletic, he’s a poor rebounder. I’d pass, but that’s just my humble opinion. Chris Bosh? Maybe. I kinda like Carlos Boozer for the Wizards more than anyone else. Personally, I would keep the pick and start rebuilding.
Last Wiz Post
Even if they keep the pick there will be no rebuilding. A (knock on wood) healthy Arenas and Haywood, a high pick, and continued improvement from yougins like McGee, Dom, Critt, and Nick will put them in contention for the 4 or 5 seed in the east next year.
Well, rebuilding doesn't necessarily mean trading your vets.
You can still rebuild by keeping your draft picks and draft accordingly, which is what I think the Wizards should do.
Doesn't Ozzie Newsome RAELLY look like the "Wizard" now!?
I fwe had blown our first draft pick on a wideout, then where would we be now? Adam Terry with virtually no backup at either tackle position (sorry Oneil)? Now we are set with either Terry (for now) or Oher at RT, and bringing Washington at WR, plus a healthy D. Will and a return on the 4th round investment we put in Marcus Smith could very well round out our offense to the level it needs for uys to get to the big dance.
Rexx
My opinion
i too believe success starts at the line. oher was a solid pick. i wouldn’t change it. my beef is our poor development of receivers and lack of skill in finding one. yeah yeah yeah Mason Mason Mason…pitt did have a poor o-line but ben had outlets and spread the ball around. they weren’t dominant in the run game but they had servicable receivers who new how to help the qb. ben scrambled a ton and threw from his back. sooo, maybe a couple of decent receivers can be as big a factor as a strongo line.
Cannot compar us to Pittsburgh thee, raven
Ben is a seasoned veteran and he could scramble and see the field better with a poor offensive line than Flacco could or stil can. Ben had a tough o-line last year but a very good one when he was a rookie and 2nd year pro. I know he also had Hines Ward and Burress back then, but with a solid o-line our receivers will have time to get open nd Flacco will find them, no matter how unknown they are. Watch.
Rexx
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Radio Row Video: Marcell Dareus of the Buffalo Bills
- Not to be outdone, Tecmo Bowl also predicts a Giants win
- Shutdown Corner previews and predicts Super Bowl XLVI
- With help from a police escort, Giants get their hometown pizza in Indianapolis
- ‘Why Is This News’ podcast: Doug Farrar on Super Bowl XLVI
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
