Willis McGahee sat almost silently at the podium for much of Friday?s press conference at the Baltimore Ravens? Owings Mills facility as he was introduced as the team?s new running back.
Occasionally, a smile crept up on his face when asked a question. Typically, he answered in short sentences. But when asked about “The U,” the moniker for his alma mater, the University of Miami, he perked up. Nothing piqued his interest more than rejoining fellow Hurricane and current Ravens safety Ed Reed in the purple and black.
Recommended Stories
“That?s my boy,” McGahee said, his voice rising. “We go back to college. It was me and him, 2 [McGahee?s college number] and 20 [Reed?s]. We were always doing things together, going out, just kicking it. That alone, our friendship ? I can?t even explain it.”
The Ravens are banking on McGahee to bring a little bit of his swagger from his days at “The U” to the team?s running game, which began a new era when the team traded three draft picks to the Buffalo Bills for the four-year veteran.
Read more about NFL trades and moves
The Ravens released Jamal Lewis, their all-time yardage leader, last week and attempted to re-sign him to a smaller contract but watched as he signed with the Cleveland Browns, an AFC North rival.
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said even as the team worked to re-sign Lewis, it had begun negotiations with the Bills last week to work out a trade. Newsome said the team had even floated McGahee?s name in January as a possible target.
In his career with Buffalo, McGahee carried the ball 868 times for 3,365yards and 24 touchdowns, while hauling in 68 catches for 503 yards. He should provide a bigger threat downfield than Lewis. Ravens head coach Brian Billick said McGahee provides diversity.
“The thing that jumped out at me and most interested me about Willis,” Billick said, “was [that] he?s a legitimate single-back runner with regards to the schemes that you use. … He?s also a legitimate two back. You put a fullback in front of him, and he?s comfortable in either mode.”
McGahee said he understood that the team made a considerable investment by dealing draft picks and signing him to a six-year contract believed to be worth around $40 million.
“There?s no doubt about it,” McGahee said. “They took the time to look at me and they want to do this and do that for me, so I have to do the same thing for them on the field and off the field.”
