Ravens Still Have Cap Space

True fans of the Baltimore Ravens know that the Super Bowl is not won during the 16 game regular season nor the playoffs, but in the month's between. Many teams jump headfirst into free agency on day one and blow their wad on high-priced talent. Others focus on building their teams through the NFL Draft.

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome has found key pieces to the Ravens championship team well outside of those parameters. Years ago, he found QB Steve McNair (R.I.P.) in June. Two years ago, he snagged both SS Bernard Pollard and LT Bryant McKinnie even later, in Training Camp. Pollard and McKinnie were major components in the team's Super Bowl run.

One NFL analyst remarked that while other teams pay full price, Ozzie shops free agency with coupons. According to NFLPlayers.com, the Ravens have 46 players under contract with a little over $3.8 million in salary cap space. This does not include rookie salaries.

This leaves enough room to sign one of the bigger names still out there (ILB Karlos Dansby?) or perhaps a few of the lesser ones to fill out the team's depth chart. Every fan knows that the Ravens are far from done as far as reloading their roster for another run deep into the post season with the eye on repeating as Super Bowl Champions.

When they strike and who they target is anyone's guess, but something tells me that Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh and their respective staff have a plan and a pretty good idea.