The Baltimore Ravens wrap up their first week of organized training activities on Thursday and should soon find out whether they’ll be forced to cancel any of their remaining seven offseason practices.
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An investigation by the league confirmed that the Ravens had rookies and tryout participants in full pads for the start of practice on May 6, which is a clear violation of the CBA. Ultimately, the National Football League cut the Ravens no slack, imposing more than $480,000 in fines on the coach and his team.
“We made a mistake and we are sorry for that”.
The Ravens have been fined and stripped of three OTAs sessions for having players practice in pads at rookie minicamp.
Baltimore’s June 1-3 voluntary workouts have been scrapped.
The Ravens were reported by a source unknown to have had the rookies to dress fully, albeit reportedly only for a few minutes, in pads during rookie mini-camp. The CBA forbids practices in pads before training camp, but the Ravens said they thought those rules – which have been in place for five years – only applied to OTAs, not rookie camp. Meanwhile, both the organization and head coach John Harbaugh were fined an unspecified amount of money for their involvement in the rules violation.
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If the league really is about fairness and integrity, it would have treated the Patriots like it did the Ravens. The mandatory minicamp June 14-16 is unaffected.
