Ravens Dump McAlister

[Alexander]

RAVENS DUMP MCALISTER
Posted by Mike Florio on February 16, 2009, 2:20 p.m.
On the same day that the Jaguars released a first-round pick from the 1998 draft, the Ravens have done the same thing, albeit with less fanfare, to a first-rounder from the following year.

Per a league source, the Ravens have parted ways with cornerback Chris McAlister.

The move comes as little surprise, given that McAlister was due to earn base salaries of $8 million in each of the next three seasons.

McAlister played in only six games last season before hearing to the injured reserve list. He was benched at one point by coach John Harbaugh after violating the team’s dress code.

The ten-year veteran was the first draft choice of the Brian Billick era.

 

[Woods]

I wonder if we do the same with A Henry this season?

I thought he was due to make quite a bit as well.

 

[Q_the_man]

He had a great career............ he might be good in nickle situations.... I think he goes to Giants, NE or Raiders

 

[OAM]

Chris McAllister is no slouch. But at that pay rate and the injury proneness 2 out of the last 3 years which has obviously affected his production I can see why they would move in this direction, especially if he wasn't going to take a significant pay cut and they have 3 of their LB's to sign.

 

[miamicowboy21]

I'd bet anything bellichick will be all over him.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

isn't McAllister supposed to be some kind of malcontent?

don't want that here

 

[peplaw06]

isn't McAllister supposed to be some kind of malcontent?

don't want that here

Yeah, we don't put up with that in Big D. :laugh2:

 

[SLATEmosphere]

Henry gets shown the same door this offseason...

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Yeah, we don't put up with that in Big D. :laugh2:

yeah, I know

it's sort of like trying to stem the tide keeping malcontents away

 

[EveryoneElse]

Wanted him like 5 or 6 years ago, no thanks now.

 

[Hostile]

He is a super nice guy. I've played golf at his local charity golf event a couple of times. I wonder where he will end up?

 

[WoodysGirl]

He is a super nice guy. I've played golf at his local charity golf event a couple of times. I wonder where he will end up?

J.E.T.S. Jets, Jets, Jets

 

[SLATEmosphere]

Can Chris still play? Could he be a #2 CB, or is he a nickel at best now?

 

[WoodysGirl]

MCALISTER: “IT’S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW”

Posted by Aaron Wilson on February 16, 2009, 3:41 p.m.

The Baltimore Ravens officially announced the release of former Pro Bowl cornerback Chris McAlister, terminating his contract today.

As first reported by Pro Football Talk earlier today, the Ravens parted ways with McAlister, a three-time Pro Bowl selection drafted in the first round of the 1999 draft out of Arizona.

McAlister made the following comments in an interview this afternoon with Baltimore radio station 105.7 FM: “It’s kind of strange how it all happened. It’s a tough pill to swallow at the end of the day. It’s one of those things that no player, especially after being with an organization as long as I’ve been, wants to hear that they’ve been released. It happens. It’s part of the game.

“There’s nothing I can do about it. I’m still dealing with the shock of the whole thing. I can’t imagine that this happened. I never thought it would hapen. I’ll bounce back. I still love football. I still want to play football.”

When asked about his reported clashes with the coaching staff and how he received the news, McAlister related: “As far as mending fences, some fences I can’t comment on. This is a blind shot to me as well. I went in to take my exit physical and I sat down and talked to coach [John] Harbaugh for 15 minutes and talked about how I felt about coming back and the conditioning program and he said we would talk in a couple of days.

“I left his office and two minutes later walked into the general manager’s office, Ozzie Newsome, and got cut. The whole way it went down is probably the most disappointing thing to me. As far as mending fences, they can’t be mended at this point. There’s nothing I can do to change the situation.”

As for his surgically repaired knee, McAlister said he’s on schedule to be cleared for “100 percent football activity” by May or June. McAlister underwent surgery in November.

“First, we want to thank Chris for all he did for the Ravens in the past 10 years,” Newsome said in a statement. ”He was a major contributor to many big wins, including the Super Bowl. To play the type of defense we have used here, you have to have corners who can cover one-on-one. He was one of the best at that for us. He was physical, and he could run with the best.”

McAlister, 31, played in just six games before being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury that required surgery. He intercepted three passes last season.

“All of us who had the opportunity to coach Chris for the first time this season have an appreciation for all the good things he did for the team through the years,” Harbaugh said. “He’ll be remembered by us and the fans as one of the best to ever play for the Ravens. He’s a tough guy and loves football. He’ll play again, and he’ll play well.”

 

[Ceasaleo88]

What about moving him to Safety. I remember him being a physical corner. I think he would be the kind of guy that can make the switch, like Rod Woodson at the end of his career.

 

[JonJon]

I could see him going to the Commanders. They love players like him. I think we value our upside in Scandrick and Jenkins too much to go after McAlister.

 

[NextGenBoys]

He had a great career............ he might be good in nickle situations.... I think he goes to Giants, NE or Raiders

I will be very surprised if he does not end up in NE. They need secondary help, and we all know how BB loves his vets.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

Mcalister at SS??? hmmmm

 

[BigBoy63]

I would love to see him wearin a star because he is definately better than henry, but i can dream cause im sure the Jets are gonna hop right on that.

 

[Cowboys2008]

The player and the situation remind me greatly of one other player of recentness. Charles Woodson. And look what the Packers have now with him. One of the absolute best in the league after getting that second chance to start over fresh with a new team. Not too mention how he's suddenly become a leader after never even hinting towards it in Oakland. In fact, he was considered quite the opposite of a "leader" type.

Dependent upon what the offers he's getting are, we may want to keep our eyes open in that direction. Henry sucks and Newman is quickly not getting any younger. Between the two we might actually beable to keep one of them on the field at a time.

It's a prospective option because we really don't want to go out and spend top money on someone opposite of Newman. Yet because of his age and injury uncertainty of the past couple of years, we can't ignore that we need something there, even if it's just equal and not really greater than what we already have. And personally, I'm not too thrilled with the players under Newman. Serviceable, yes, but not something I would want to bank the future of this team on.