Billick does an about-face on Boller

Ravens coach now says QB may start even though he's a potential holdout

Brian Billick has called his first audible of the season.

On Monday, the Ravens coach said if quarterback Kyle Boller did not report to training camp on time, "the [quarterback] competition is over."

Now, three days before the first practice, Billick has revised his stance on the potential first-round holdout.

"It was never my intent to give an ultimatum or to say there was no way he'll start if he's not there the first day," Billick said. "If I overstated it, I apologize. The intent versus what I actually said came out two different ways. But it's very tough odds to think a rookie can come in and miss so much as a day and think he can start. Maybe he can."

It's becoming more likely that Boller, the 19th overall pick in the draft, will be a holdout. There was no progress on the Boller front yesterday, with substantial philosophical differences remaining between the sides.

Unlike earlier this week, Boller knows that missing the start of camp won't eliminate him from the open competition with veterans Chris Redman and Anthony Wright to start the season opener at Pittsburgh.

"Whether anyone wants to see that as a reversal or I'm backpedaling, I don't care," Billick said. "I don't care how people perceive it because we're going to deal with this on a daily perception. I'm trying to walk a very fine line here for this team between a team that has a great deal of potential and is a playoff-bound team with an ambiguous quarterback position."

In the midst of Billick's "reversal," the Ravens' front office was moving forward with their signings of draft picks, agreeing in principle on three-year contracts with two seventh-rounders, tight end Trent Smith and center Mike Mabry.

Two days before players report on Sunday, the Ravens have four unsigned picks: Boller, linebacker Terrell Suggs (first round), defensive end Jarret Johnson (fourth) and safety Gerome Sapp (sixth).

There's a good chance that the Ravens will sign Suggs, the 10th overall pick, before camp and avoid having two first-round picks holding out.

Based on the contract signed yesterday by Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufant (the 11th overall pick) and the deal given last year to Bengals offensive tackle Levi Jones (10th overall pick in 2002), Suggs will likely receive a five-year deal in the range of $10 million, which would include a first-year compensation of $7 million.

If Suggs were to hold out, his absence would not carry the same impact of Boller.

"Everything is compounded and magnified when it's the quarterback position," Billick said. "Now, can a defensive end like Terrell Suggs adapt to missed camp time more readily than a quarterback or safety? Absolutely."

Billick refused to place any deadline on Boller, saying he could arrive before the first game and still wouldn't dismiss him from the competition.

"I'm never going to say never," Billick said. "But, boy, it would be tough on him and tough on the team."

Despite the lack of progress in negotiations, Billick still says there is a chance that Boller will be throwing passes at McDaniel College on Monday.

"I'm still very optimistic that he'll be here on time because I know the player and the value Kyle Boller puts on being here," Billick said.

NOTE: The Ravens released running back John Tippins, an undrafted rookie from Washington State.