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Source: Jared Gaither to report to Ravens' offseason program
Ravens offensive tackle has been absent from voluntary conditioning program Aaron Wilson
March 24, 2010, 12:42 PM EST
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The strong message that Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh delivered to offensive tackle Jared Gaither has been heeded.
One day after Harbaugh expressed displeasure that Gaither hasn't been attending the Ravens' voluntary offseason conditioning program, a league source has confirmed to National Football Post that the 6-foot-9, 340-pound left tackle plans to report for workouts on Monday.
Harbaugh discussed the issue with Gaither’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, during the annual league meetings this week.
Gaither is a restricted free agent who was assigned a first-round tender. He's due a $2.3 million base salary this season.
"I really believe Jared is going to be a premier offensive tackle in this league," Harbaugh said Tuesday. "The thing we need him to do is to get up there and start working on it. I talked to Drew Rosenhaus and he tells me he's getting Jared in shape.
“The last time I checked Drew Rosenhaus doesn't coach the offensive line in the National Football League. Jared needs to be in our weight room with our players with our offensive line, becoming the player he can become."
The restricted free agent signing period ends April 15.
Any team that wants to submit an offer sheet for Gaither would owe the Ravens a first-round pick as compensation should the team decide not to match.
"There's no leverage that's gained by not being with the team working out,” Harbaugh said. “If he thinks he's gaining some kind of leverage well he's not making himself the best player he can be. So, that's our position. Come out and go to work and become a great player."
The 6-foot-9, 340-pound former University of Maryland player has impressive blocking skills and athleticism, but he battled neck and foot injuries last season and had to be replaced by Michael Oher at times due to his health issues.
"The last conversation we had right after the Indianapolis game right in the locker room was I walked up to him and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to have a great offseason. You need to get bigger and stronger and therefore more durable,’” Harbaugh said. “And he was right on that. He absolutely was, ‘Coach, that’s what I’m going to do.’”
When Gaither hired Rosenhaus last year, he did so with the intention of having him eventually negotiate a long-term contract extension with the Ravens.
Rosenhaus has spoken with the Ravens about that desire, but they aren't inclined to enter into formal talks at this time.
Harbaugh raised the point that staying away from workouts doesn’t build confidence in making a major financial commitment to a player.
“This is a team sport,” Harbaugh said. “Come in and be the very best you can be. As a coach and a general manager and an owner you look at that and you say, ‘That’s the kind of guy we want to have for the long term that we want to make a long-term investment because we can trust him and count on him to be there. The other thing is you kind of go, well, I don’t know. Is this the kind of guy we can trust and count on?”
===
This does not sound like the actions of a team looking to trade a restricted free agent.
Ravens offensive tackle has been absent from voluntary conditioning program Aaron Wilson
March 24, 2010, 12:42 PM EST
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The strong message that Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh delivered to offensive tackle Jared Gaither has been heeded.
One day after Harbaugh expressed displeasure that Gaither hasn't been attending the Ravens' voluntary offseason conditioning program, a league source has confirmed to National Football Post that the 6-foot-9, 340-pound left tackle plans to report for workouts on Monday.
Harbaugh discussed the issue with Gaither’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, during the annual league meetings this week.
Gaither is a restricted free agent who was assigned a first-round tender. He's due a $2.3 million base salary this season.
"I really believe Jared is going to be a premier offensive tackle in this league," Harbaugh said Tuesday. "The thing we need him to do is to get up there and start working on it. I talked to Drew Rosenhaus and he tells me he's getting Jared in shape.
“The last time I checked Drew Rosenhaus doesn't coach the offensive line in the National Football League. Jared needs to be in our weight room with our players with our offensive line, becoming the player he can become."
The restricted free agent signing period ends April 15.
Any team that wants to submit an offer sheet for Gaither would owe the Ravens a first-round pick as compensation should the team decide not to match.
"There's no leverage that's gained by not being with the team working out,” Harbaugh said. “If he thinks he's gaining some kind of leverage well he's not making himself the best player he can be. So, that's our position. Come out and go to work and become a great player."
The 6-foot-9, 340-pound former University of Maryland player has impressive blocking skills and athleticism, but he battled neck and foot injuries last season and had to be replaced by Michael Oher at times due to his health issues.
"The last conversation we had right after the Indianapolis game right in the locker room was I walked up to him and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to have a great offseason. You need to get bigger and stronger and therefore more durable,’” Harbaugh said. “And he was right on that. He absolutely was, ‘Coach, that’s what I’m going to do.’”
When Gaither hired Rosenhaus last year, he did so with the intention of having him eventually negotiate a long-term contract extension with the Ravens.
Rosenhaus has spoken with the Ravens about that desire, but they aren't inclined to enter into formal talks at this time.
Harbaugh raised the point that staying away from workouts doesn’t build confidence in making a major financial commitment to a player.
“This is a team sport,” Harbaugh said. “Come in and be the very best you can be. As a coach and a general manager and an owner you look at that and you say, ‘That’s the kind of guy we want to have for the long term that we want to make a long-term investment because we can trust him and count on him to be there. The other thing is you kind of go, well, I don’t know. Is this the kind of guy we can trust and count on?”
===
This does not sound like the actions of a team looking to trade a restricted free agent.
