Contract Talks

For the next three weeks, the Ravens will have three-day, organized team activities that will undoubtedly attract many of the team's veteran players along with the rookie class. Ray Rice, the Ravens' star running back who has stayed away from the team's facility this offseason as his agent attempts to secure a contract extension for him, is not expected to be there, but that should not be taken as a sign that the negotiations are going poorly. While no deal is imminent and there remains plenty of work to do, there has been some progress in the contract talks in recent weeks between Rice's agent, Todd France, and the Ravens, according to sources familiar with the talks.

A day after Ray Rice broke the silence about his contract status by saying he had outplayed his rookie deal, Ravens general manger Ozzie Newsome agreed with the Pro Bowl running back and indicated that he is happy with the progress the organization has made in long-term contract talks with Todd France, the agent for Rice. But Newsome seemed resigned that Rice would sit out offseason workouts, saying that a potential holdout is something that he and other team officials always discuss before designating a player as their franchise player.

A day after Ray Rice broke the silence about his contract status by saying he had outplayed his rookie deal, Ravens general manger Ozzie Newsome agreed with the Pro Bowl running back and indicated that he is happy with the progress the organization has made in long-term contract talks with Todd France, the agent for Rice. But Newsome said Wednesday at the team's annual draft luncheon that a potential holdout is something that he and other team officials always discuss before designated a player as their franchise player, including Rice.

Contract negotiations between management and the union representing workers at Giant Food and Safeway are expected to continue Tuesday, said a union spokeswoman, who added that no progress had been reported so far. The contract between the grocery chains and the union, which represents 23,000 employees in the Baltimore-Washington region, expires March 31. On Monday, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 in Landover said five...

There could be change for the Ravens this offseason, especially with former defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano becoming head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. With Pagano in Baltimore, there were only two other AFC head coaches who knew the Ravens system and the value of certain players. But both New York Jets coach Rex Ryan and Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis have been joined by Pagano.  There will be a bidding war, or at least threats, on several of the Ravens other unrestricted free agents.

Joe Linta , the agent for Joe Flacco , was pleased with the first day of talks with team officials about a potential extension for the quarterback who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Linta maintained that the point of the meeting was not to start negotiating the contractual terms, but to make sure that both sides were on the same page with their interest in getting a deal done. “We just wanted to make sure that he was really as valued as much as we thought he was,” Linta said.

Center Matt Birk , who was strongly considering retirement after his 14 th NFL season, is interested in returning to the Ravens for the 2012 campaign. Birk's agent, Joe Linta , informed the Ravens of the veteran's intentions today at the NFL scouting combine during a meeting about the contract status of another one of Linta's clients, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco . Birk, 35, has started every game at center for the Ravens over the past three seasons and has started 97 consecutive games overall.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco caused quite a stir in early April when he told my former colleague, Jamison Hensley, that he felt it was time for the team to extend his rookie contract, which expires after next season. "I think I've established myself," Flacco said at the time. "If you're not confident with who I am, I'm not sure what [difference] a year is going to make. " To his credit, Flacco hasn't said much about his contract since and his focus has been on leading the Ravens on a Super Bowl run. It will start tomorrow when the Ravens play host to the Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium.

The union that represents 17,000 workers at the region's two largest supermarket chains is embracing the "occupy" movement as it begins contract talks Wednesday. Anticipating difficult bargaining with Safeway and Giant Foods, the union has launched a website, occupygiantandsafeway.org, to build public support for its cause. The contract expires March 31. Tom McNutt, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, said in a speech to union organizers last week that employees have worked hard over the last three decades to make the grocery chains highly profitable — while, he said, top executives are "making the Sheriff of Nottingham look like a saint.

During an interview with The Baltimore Sun a few weeks ago, Joe Flacco expressed disappointment that he won't receive a contract extension from the Ravens this offseason. On Monday afternoon, the Ravens quarterback told Jerry Coleman of FOX 1370-AM that he "wasn't trying to cause any controversy" with his public comments. "I’m not asking for anything right now,” Flacco said on " Sports with Coleman ," adding that he was hoping for a new deal now even though it was understood that he would get an extension next offseason.