Every team in the NFL covets speed. Al Davis can't get enough of it. Wide receivers have to have it. Defensive backs' job security depends on it. The best teams all have it in generous supply.
The teams that don't, all draft high.
The Ravens, who have their share, are always trying to procure more. This offseason, they signed free agent Domonique Foxworth, one of the fastest cornerbacks in the league, to join Fabian Washington, who once ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds, in the secondary.
On offense, they drafted Michael Oher, an athletic, ultra-quick offensive tackle, to replace a slow, aging one in Willie Anderson. They demonstrated patience with mercurial wide receiver Demetrius Williams during his two-year bout with an Achilles tendon injury - in the hope he would become their deep threat.
"We've always placed an emphasis on speed," said Eric DeCosta, the Ravens' director of player personnel. "Look at our defense: One of the things that has characterized us is our ability to run to the football. Offensively, speed is a great equalizer. ... Having a fast team will help you win a lot of games."
DeCosta pointed out that of all the drills and measurements at the scouting combine each February, the 40-yard dash is always the biggest attraction. That's where Washington, then of Nebraska, nailed his 4.29 in 2005, allegedly beating the record time of Deion Sanders (depending on your stopwatch).
It's where Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey, a speedy but sometimes erratic wide-out, ran himself high into the first round of this year's draft. It was no surprise that after Heyward-Bey ran his 4.3 40, he wound up with Davis and the Oakland Raiders on the seventh pick. Davis, with his all-consuming passion for fast feet, also drafted Washington.
The Minnesota Vikings were so enchanted with Percy Harvin's speed last April that they overlooked injury and character issues and took him with the 22nd overall pick. Harvin was a playmaker at Florida as both a running back and wide receiver, although he rarely practiced because of injuries.
Offense can dictate the pace of a game with its Wildcat schemes, spread formations and no-huddle attacks. In today's game, speed continually ratchets up the demands on defense.
"This is the NFL," Ravens defensive tackle Trevor Pryce said. "You need four wides and tight ends that run 4.5s, and everybody is fast. Get the Wildcat on the field, and it's a fast, fast game. You better have a fast, fast defense."
