Ravens Get A Motivated McKinnie?

Last season there were two major factors that changed the Baltimore Ravens offense once they reached the post season. The firing of Cam Cameron and subsequent addition of Jim Caldwell and the addition of Bryant MCKinnie to the starting offensive line. The Ravens made it a priority to keep both in tact for another run at the Lombardi Trophy in 2013. McKinnie isn't wasting any time in showing the team that they made the right move. Not only is he talking the talk but now he is walking the walk as he participates in the Ravens off season "voluntary" training program in Owings Mills, MD.

"It felt good to be back in the swing of things and it always feels good to know where you’re going to be," the 33-year-old veteran said. "I wanted to be in Baltimore at the end of the day. I felt the most comfortable here and I wanted to get a chance to come back here and be around and try to take another run at a championship."

"I’m going to be here more this year than before," McKinnie said. "This year I’ll get a chance to work with [Run Game Coordinator] Juan [Castillo], and Juan wants to teach me some things that he thinks will make my job a little easier. I just want to practice my technique more this year."

"I agreed to play lower than last year, and last year I was at 352," said McKinnie, who stands at 6-foot-8. "The older you get, the more they want you to lose, but the harder it is. But I’m going to just do it. I have a gameplan this year and I have people in place that will help me. I’m really dedicated to do it because I really want to do it for myself and I just really want to play at that weight and play at a high level.

"That’s been my goal for the last few seasons of my career, just to play at a real high level and dominate. If that’s what I got to do to play at that weight to do it, then that’s what I’m going to do."

"I think this line can be great," McKinnie said. "I also want to help K.O. get to the Pro Bowl because I think he’s very capable of doing so in his second year. And I want to help us win games and get back to where we were last year."

McKinnie's goal is to start all 16 regular season games in 2013 as well as the post season. If Bryant is as committed physically as he seems mentally the Ravens offensive line could see a huge boost in production during the regular season. McKinnie is capable of stone-walling any defender and can be as dominant as any tackle in the league if his body and mind are right. At this point he is doing all the right things and if he truly pans out this way the Ravens just got another huge steal this off season.