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BALTIMORE - In a salary cap-clearing move, the Baltimore Ravens announced Wednesday that they have released left offensive guard Edwin Mulitalo.
In terminating Mulitalo’s contract, the Ravens could create some salary cap space to pursue a running back, like a rumored trade for Buffalo’s Willis McGahee. Mulitalo was scheduled to make $2 million each in 2007 and 2008.
Mulitalo, who just finished his eighth season, was a popular off-the-field figure in Baltimore for his charitable work and all-around good nature. His Big Ed’s Band Foundation helped donate musical instruments to needy schools in an effort to promote music programs in schools. Mulitalo was also an important part of former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis’ 2,066-yard season in 2003.
Attempts to reach Mulitalo Wednesday were unsuccessful.
On the field, Mulitalo was one of a slowly disappearing group of players from Baltimore’s Super Bowl XXXV championship team. The team waived Lewis last week, leaving only five remaining players from the 2000 squad.
Ravens General Manager and Executive Vice President Ozzie Newsome said in a statement: “[Head coach] Brian [Billick] said something a few years ago about releasing players. He said: ‘When it doesn’t hurt, you get out of this business.’ Well, it hurts to let a good person like Ed go. He helped us win the Super Bowl and many other games in the last eight years. He’s a good football player and a better person. People know what he has done in the community. And he’s been a mentor to young teammates the last three and four years.”
One of those pupils, Jason Brown, is likely Mulitalo’s successor. Brown, who is going into his third season, replaced Mulitalo when he injured his arm during the fourth game of the 2006 season.
Last season, Mulitalo was diagnosed with a torn right triceps after a Week 4 win over San Diego and was immediately placed on the injured reserve, ending his season. It was a difficult injury for Mulitalo, who had rededicated himself in the weight room and to other offseason conditioning routines.
The guard was not in his best shape physically during the 2005 season after his father died during training camp. Mulitalo was impressive in his four games during 2006 and had said recently that he looked forward to playing with the team once again. It was not meant to be.
Billick echoed Newsome’s sentiments in a statement.
“When you release a player like Edwin, it gives you pause,” Billick said. “This is the cold side of the business. All he did was everything we asked him to do and more. He gave us stability at left guard. He was always an example to his teammates as to how a professional should conduct himself. My hope is that he stays in this area for the long haul. We’re a better community because of him. He cares, and his actions off the field speak for themselves.”
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In terminating Mulitalo’s contract, the Ravens could create some salary cap space to pursue a running back, like a rumored trade for Buffalo’s Willis McGahee. Mulitalo was scheduled to make $2 million each in 2007 and 2008.
Mulitalo, who just finished his eighth season, was a popular off-the-field figure in Baltimore for his charitable work and all-around good nature. His Big Ed’s Band Foundation helped donate musical instruments to needy schools in an effort to promote music programs in schools. Mulitalo was also an important part of former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis’ 2,066-yard season in 2003.
Attempts to reach Mulitalo Wednesday were unsuccessful.
On the field, Mulitalo was one of a slowly disappearing group of players from Baltimore’s Super Bowl XXXV championship team. The team waived Lewis last week, leaving only five remaining players from the 2000 squad.
Ravens General Manager and Executive Vice President Ozzie Newsome said in a statement: “[Head coach] Brian [Billick] said something a few years ago about releasing players. He said: ‘When it doesn’t hurt, you get out of this business.’ Well, it hurts to let a good person like Ed go. He helped us win the Super Bowl and many other games in the last eight years. He’s a good football player and a better person. People know what he has done in the community. And he’s been a mentor to young teammates the last three and four years.”
One of those pupils, Jason Brown, is likely Mulitalo’s successor. Brown, who is going into his third season, replaced Mulitalo when he injured his arm during the fourth game of the 2006 season.
Last season, Mulitalo was diagnosed with a torn right triceps after a Week 4 win over San Diego and was immediately placed on the injured reserve, ending his season. It was a difficult injury for Mulitalo, who had rededicated himself in the weight room and to other offseason conditioning routines.
The guard was not in his best shape physically during the 2005 season after his father died during training camp. Mulitalo was impressive in his four games during 2006 and had said recently that he looked forward to playing with the team once again. It was not meant to be.
Billick echoed Newsome’s sentiments in a statement.
“When you release a player like Edwin, it gives you pause,” Billick said. “This is the cold side of the business. All he did was everything we asked him to do and more. He gave us stability at left guard. He was always an example to his teammates as to how a professional should conduct himself. My hope is that he stays in this area for the long haul. We’re a better community because of him. He cares, and his actions off the field speak for themselves.”
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