Domonique Foxworth

Three years ago, the Ravens signed Domonique Foxworth, a Maryland native, to one of the most lucrative free-agent contracts in team history. But an injury never gave Foxworth an opportunity to live up to the deal, and Monday, the Ravens terminated the veteran cornerback's contract. Foxworth, who hails from Randallstown and starred at Maryland, played in just two games for the Ravens the past two seasons after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a noncontact drill on the first day of training camp in 2010.

Former Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth, who played an important role in the negotiations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the end of the NFL lockout last year, was elected as the president of the NFL Players Association during the union's Board of Player Representatives meeting today. Foxworth, a former standout at Western Tech and Maryland, had his contract terminated by the Ravens on March 5. He played in just two games for the Ravens the past two seasons after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a non-contact drill on the first day of training camp in 2010.

When ESPN's cameras broadcast NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA head honcho DeMaurice Smith -- who were flanked by a group of players and owners that included Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth -- as they held a press conference that officially declared the end of the lockout, I grabbed my voice recorder and held it up to the television in case Foxworth said something of note for our serious Ravens reporters. Instead, Foxworth gave reporters a silly sound bite that only made sense for this blog.

Three years ago, the Ravens signed Domonique Foxworth, a Maryland native, to one of the most lucrative free-agent contracts in team history. But an injury never gave Foxworth an opportunity to live up to the deal, and Monday, the Ravens terminated the veteran cornerback's contract. Foxworth, who hails from Randallstown and starred at Maryland, played in just two games for the Ravens the past two seasons after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a noncontact drill on the first day of training camp in 2010.

NFL fans across the country got to know Domonique Foxworth a little better when the Ravens cornerback -- who will make his comeback from an ACL tear whenever the lockout ends -- subbed in for Peter King at Monday Morning Quarterback, the popular online column King writes each week for Sports Illustrated . Over on the Ravens Insider blog , Ken Murray said Foxworth was thoughtful and eloquent while writing about the NFL labor strife and...

His parents, his girlfriend and his teammates all say the same thing about Domonique Foxworth. The Ravens cornerback might look like a 26-year-old, he might run like a 26-year-old, but he thinks and conducts his life like a 40-year-old - always has. n His parents considered him more responsible than his brother, who is two years older. His NFL mentor, Champ Bailey, considered him the levelheaded one in their relationship. Whether the subject is President Barack Obama, the role of a black athlete in modern society or the NFL players union's treatment of retired players, Foxworth can deliver a well-crafted opinion.

COLLEGE PARK -- What do you want to talk about? Football? Maryland's chances at a fourth straight 10-win season? Sure, Domonique Foxworth can do that. He can tell you anything you need to know about the 2004 Terps, about what it's like to be an all-conference cornerback, about how it feels to be a leader on a team that's finally getting some national respect. He's happy to give you his take on Maryland's quarterback competition, and if asked, he'll even (reluctantly) talk about conference expansion.

As a youngster playing in the Randallstown recreation leagues, Western Tech's Domonique Foxworth often carried around a snapshot of himself - taken when he was 7 - striking the Heisman pose. "He'd say to me, `Daddy, I'm going to win the Heisman one day,' " said Lorinzo Foxworth, 43. Karen Foxworth, 42, said her son still has a tiny, stuffed football, one he often tucked under his pillow when he slept - "and still does today," Lorinzo Foxworth said. "Domonique had dreams of what he wanted to do, and he would always go after them," his mother said.

The Ravens took perhaps their biggest gamble ever in the first round, selecting talented yet flawed cornerback Jimmy Smith with the 27th pick in the NFL draft Thursday. The Ravens entered the draft with the 26th pick, but they slid to No. 27 when they failed to submit their selection in time and the Kansas City Chiefs jumped ahead of them. Smith brings much-needed size, speed and shutdown cornerback ability to the 21st-ranked pass defense. He also brings more red flags than career interceptions, the major reason why a top-15 talent slid to the bottom of the first round.

55 -- Yards that Perry Hall's James Cotton returned his fumble recovery for the game's first touchdown in Friday's 29-6 rout of Patterson in a Class 4A North regional semifinal. Cotton also made his fourth interception of the season in the game. 100 -- Yards that Western Tech's Jimmy Ravenscroft returned the game-ending interception for a touchdown in the Wolverines' 35-12 rout of Catoctin of Frederick County in Friday's Class 1A North regional semifinal. Ravenscroft's eighth interception of the season and the return distance are both school records, eclipsing the previous marks (seven interceptions and 99 yards, respectively)

Defensive backs are scheduled to meet with teams and reporters today, which should serve as a reminder to the significant improvements the organization has made at the cornerback spot in a year's span. Last year at the NFL Scouting Combine, one of the Ravens' biggest needs was a cornerback and they wound up using two of their first five picks in the draft to address it, selecting Jimmy Smith (Colorado) in the first round and Chykie Brown (Texas) in the fifth. This year, the cornerback position is barely on the Ravens' radar. Now, I'm not saying that the Ravens won't use a mid-to-late-round pick on one because you can never have enough corners these days in the NFL. But I am saying that the Ravens consider the position one of their chief strengths going forward and feel no urgency to upgrade it, just like at quarterback and tight end. That's because Lardarius Webb, a third-round pick out of Nicholls State in 2009, is emerging as a legitimate shutdown corner at the age of 26. Webb is a restricted free agent and the Ravens are expected to put a first-round tender on him. But what they'd really like to do is sign him to a long-term contract extension.

In previous years there were roster spots for veterans that were considered safe, but that's not the case headed into 2012. At least not after last year when the Ravens cut key veterans including tight end Todd Heap , receiver Derrick Mason , defensive tackle Kelly Gregg and running back Willis McGahee . McGahee was expected to get waived because teams don't pay back up running backs $6 million, but there aren't as many obvious...

The sinking feeling surfaced in the stomachs of many Ravens as Billy Cundiff's field goal attempt hooked wide of the left upright Jan. 22. But for cornerback Domonique Foxworth, the heartache began back in September, months before the team's 23-20 loss in the AFC championship game. "My heart's been broken all season," Foxworth, carefully choosing his first words, said last Monday. The Ravens placed the Randallstown native on injured reserve Sept. 28, his season ended by a right knee injury for a second season in a row. On the first day of training camp in 2010, Foxworth tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a non-contact drill.

1. Ravens-Steelers rivarly Ravens lose in the playoffs to the Steelers in January, igniting months and months of talk about whether Joe Flacco will ever be an elite quarterback and if Cam Cameron is the right offensive coordinator for him. Ravens get a measure of revenge by sweeping the Steelers in the 2011 season, including a 35-7 drubbing of Pittsburgh in the season opener that sets the tone for another run at a Super Bowl. 2. Williams departs Long-time Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams resigns in a surprise move, leaving the Terps scrambling to find his replacement.

1. Chuck Pagano's done such a nice job this year, it might be hard to keep him in Baltimore in 2012. But if the Ravens make a deep run in the playoffs, he's going to be a hot candidate for a number of head coaching positions. And he deserves to be. Before we talk about Pagano, a quick word about Greg Mattison. I stuck up for Mattison more than most during his three years as the Ravens defensive coordinator. For a long time, I thought Ravens fans blamed him unfairly for a ton of personnel gaffes.

The news that rookie Jimmy Smith (high left ankle sprain) was upgraded to full participation Friday and Chris Carr (left hamstring) was limited for the second straight day could be interpreted as scary news for opposing offenses. That's because a unit that is already ranked seventh in the NFL against the pass appears to be getting closer to adding even more depth with the addition of Carr and Smith, the team's first-round pick in April. The defense has unearthed a pair of starters in Cary Williams and Lardarius Webb, and Danny Gorrer has held his own as the fifth defensive back in the Ravens' nickel package.

Western's All-Metro defensive back, Domonique Foxworth, who will sign for a football scholarship with Maryland during the early signing period next week, enrolled in classes at the school Thursday and will participate in the Terps' spring football practices, according to his father, Lorenzo. "Domonique accumulated the necessary credits to graduate, which he will do, officially, in May. And he also already has six college credits," Lorenzo Foxworth said of his son, who had a 3.8 grade-point average on his last report card.

Lions RT Gosder Cherilus vs. LBs Tavares Gooden and Paul Kruger The Ravens like to move players around. Cherilus, above, has become one of the most underrated offensive tackles in the league. He is powerful, solid and the Lions' top offensive lineman. Gooden and Kruger are young players still feeling their way around the league as well as Jameel McClain, who can play inside or outside. Edge: Cherilus Lions RB Kevin Smith vs. Ravens ILB Ray Lewis Smith is a good all-around runner.

When Ravens cornerback Chris Carr missed a game because of injury for the first time in his NFL career this season, he bought a hyperbaric chamber to aid healing. So far, it hasn't helped. Carr has missed two games with a hamstring injury, and he missed practice Wednesday. When he met with reporters before practice, he voiced frustration with the injury. "It's frustrating because up to this year, I never missed a game before," Carr said. "So, missing one game, I'm like, 'How do people do this?

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine.   Running it back: Robert Andino hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Red Sox on Wednesday night. Fewer than five minutes later, down in St. Petersburg, Evan Longoria hit a walk-off home run to officially knock Boston out of the playoffs.