Saturday Morning Links

Earlier in the week, Ravens defensive end Dwan Edwards reached a four-year deal with the Buffalo Bills.  Last year, Edwards started 10 games for the Ravens and finished the season with 47 tackles and one sack.

His replacement could be Paul Kruger, the Ravens’ second-round pick in 2009: “Our long-range plan was to get him bigger, get him stronger, so he could be the guy who could play the rush [position] and be the end,” said defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. “That’s where his next step has to be: He’s got to have a tremendous offseason in gaining body weight and strength. That allows you to say he now can be possibly the guy that can play end and rush.”

Last year, Kruger, who weighs 260 pounds, played only nine regular-season games and finished with 12 tackles and one interception.

Meanwhile, Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun believes that the ideal player to replace Edwards in the starting lineup would be Jared Odrick, who is a 301-pound draft prospect from Penn State.

In his March 17th NFL Mock Draft update, Rob Rang (of CBS Sports) projects the Ravens taking Odrick.  Rang writes: “The Ravens finally found a No. 1 wide receiver — trading for Anquan Boldin — but lost valuable depth along their defensive line with Justin Bannan already and are likely to lose Dwan Edwards, as well. Jared Odrick has the size, strength and good technique to fit in and contribute immediately.”

However, Pat Kirwan of NFL.com projects the Ravens addressing their need at cornerback in the first round.  Kirwan has the Ravens drafting Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson.  Assuming that Florida’s Joe Haden and Boise State’s Kyle Wilson are off the board when the Ravens pick, Kirwan calls Robinson “the best [cornerback] left on the board.”  [Kirwan projects Odrick going 22nd to New England.]

According to Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times, cornerback Frank Walker has interest from three teams and he could be the next player to leave the Ravens.  Last year, Walker had one interception and roughly a million pass interference penalties.  Adios Frank!

That said, cornerback Fabian Washington, who suffered a torn ACL in November, says he’ll be ready for the start of training camp.  “The schedule is for me to be ready for training camp and we’re definitely on schedule for that.  Right now, I’m not close. But I think by training camp, I’ll be ready to rock and roll.”

More importantly will be the rehabilitation progress of cornerback Lardarius Webb, who tore his ACL in December.  According to agent earlier this month, Webb is ahead of schedule for his rehab.

The Baltimore Ravens Examiner suggests looking at cornerback Nathan Vasher, who was released this week by the Bears.  He was once a Pro Bowl-caliber corner but has drastically underperformed more recently when he has been healthy enough to play.

The Ravens have a one-in-seven chance of playing the Jets on Thanksgiving night.

Tags: Dwan Edwards, Fabian Washington, Frank Walker, Jared Oldrick, Lardarius Webb, Nathan Vasher, Patrick Robinson, Paul Kruger