Ravens left tackle Jonathan Ogden, who retired on Thursday, has some advice for his likely successor, Jared Gaither: don?t try to be him.
The 6-foot-9, 350-pound Gaither will have a lot to prove as he takes over for Ogden, an 11-time Pro Bowl selection. Ogden said the only way Gaither can succeed is if he has fun and ignores the fact he is following a player likely to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2013.
“I tell anybody to try and be the best player they can be,” Ogden said. “That?s how I approached the game throughout my entire career – just trying to do the best job I could do every day, every game, try to keep getting better. And that?s what I will tell him: ?Don’t try to be me, be Jared.? And hopefully Jared will be as good, if not better, one day, hopefully. That’s what I?m hoping for this organization.”
Gaither won?t be the only Raven trying to follow in someone else’s high-profile footsteps. Ogden?s retirement is the latest change in a transitional period in which the team fired Coach Brian Billick, watched Pro Bowl quarterback Steve McNair retire and waived longtime veteran center Mike Flynn.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said it is easier emotionally for him to move forward without Ogden and McNair since he never coached them, but acknowledged their presence will be missed.
“I feel like we’ve come a long way and it feels like our program now and we?ve established our values with the guys,” Harbaugh said. “If Jonathan wanted to make an announcement the other way and decided to come back, I?d definitely be right there with him. Still, I want him to be there to help mentor that offensive line, even in retirement.”
Harbaugh and first-year offensive coordinator Cam Cameron have planned all offseason for life without McNair and Ogden. McNair retired prior to the Ravens? first mini camp and Ogden had not participated in any of the team?s workouts before the first draft pick in team history called it quits.
Cameron said retirements aside, he would have prepared the same way in the offseason, as teams are only an injury away from thrusting a backup into the starting lineup.
Gaither has solidified his role at left tackle ? at least fornow ? while the Ravens remain uncommitted at quarterback with Kyle Boller, Troy Smith and 2008 first-round pick Joe Flacco still battling it to see who starts the season-opening game against Cincinnati on Sept. 7.
“You know every player is just one play from not being in there,” Cameron said. “You always have these contingency plans, so with Jonathan’s situation up in the air it was a great chance for us to have the answer ready anyway. We?ve also taken that approach with the quarterbacks. You just have to have the mindset to prepare for every possible scenario. You just have to work to get every guy prepared to play.”
Ravens center Jason Brown, who is taking over for Flynn, said McNair and Ogden?s retirements have opened the door for younger players as the team looks to rebound after a 5-11 season.
“We’ve had valuable time to come together,” Brown said. “We have a lot of younger guys, and the coaches have made the transition to move me [from guard]. It’s not bread and butter right now, but of course, by training camp, we’ll get more comfortable with Cam Cameron’s offense.”
