Jarret Johnson

With Baltimore's selection of Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw with the 35th pick in the 2012 NFL draft, the offseason competition for the starting spot vacated by Jarret Johnson just became a lot fiercer. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that fourth-year player Paul Kruger still remains the frontrunner for Johnson's old gig, but he'll have to outperform Upshaw. “Obviously it bolsters our linebacker situation,” Harbaugh said as team officials regrouped after a busy second round on Friday.

For three years, Paul Kruger watched Jarret Johnson do the dirty work. Setting the edge. Sacrificing his body. Sometimes chasing down quarterbacks. All the while, Kruger's position and responsibilities shifted. But now that Johnson has signed in San Diego, vacating his starting outside linebacker spot, Kruger is comfortable, confident and prepared to get filthy in the trenches, too, like his “great mentor and friend” did for nine seasons. “It's a great opportunity,” he said Thursday after the team's voluntary workout in Owings Mills, standing tall with his hands tucked into his pockets.

The Ravens lost an ironman and a fan favorite when outside linebacker Jarret Johnson signed a four-year, $19-million deal with the San Diego Chargers last month. Since then, head coach John Harbaugh has twice hyped up Paul Kruger, who in his fourth season is the favorite to land the starting spot that belonged to Johnson. At Wednesday's pre-draft luncheon, Harbaugh said Kruger -- who was active for every game last season and excelled as a part-time player, recording a career-high 5.5 sacks -- is ready to become an every-down player.

Not long after one of his starting outside linebackers signed with the San Diego Chargers during the first week of free agency, Ravens coach John Harbaugh popped in film of one of Jarret Johnson's potential replacements. And after watching every play that Paul Kruger participated in during his third NFL season, Harbaugh was even more convinced. “I think Paul is probably the leading candidate for the [strong-side] linebacker job,” Harbaugh said. “I could very definitely see him doing that.

It is believed that the Ravens have hosted three free agents since the market opened last Tuesday, and now all of them have signed elsewhere. Wide receiver and return specialist Ted Ginn Jr., who visited with Ravens' officials last week in Owings Mills, has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the San Francisco 49ers. Ginn has spent the past two seasons with San Francisco after he was drafted in the first round in 2007 by the Miami Dolphins. The explosive Ginn has six career return touchdowns.

Unless you count Mario Williams , a defensive end who can also play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, there won't be any marquee lineback ers available in free agency this offseason . But there are a handful of solid start ers -- including a pair of Ravens -- scheduled to be available in a deep class of free agent lineback ers. Jarret Johnson, who has spent nine years with the Ravens, is among the top outside linebackers this...

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.

The NFL is poised to drop the hammer on the New Orleans Saints organization after the league revealed Friday that between 22 and 27 defensive players and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams maintained a bounty pool during the past three seasons to reward Saints defenders when they knocked opponents out of the game due to injury. A NFL investigation found that the Saints targeted players such as quarterbacks Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. If a player was knocked out of a game, the reward was $1,500.

Sergio Kindle's status and ability continue to be sources of curiosity from fans, but Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said yesterday that the team has a much better understanding of what the linebacker can do. “I think we have a very good handle on what his strengths and weaknesses are, and it's going to be interesting to see how we can integrate him into the defense,” Newsome said. “We think we have a very good handle on it. I think this offseason is going to be very big for Serg.

The NFL scouting combine starts Feb. 22. In advance of the annual meat market in Indianapolis, staff writer Matt Vensel will examine each position and give Ravens fans the 4-1-1. In this post he looks at outside linebackers . The top prospects: Alabama's Courtney Upshaw, who had 9.5 sacks in 2011, would be a great fit for the Ravens, who may have to replace outside linebacker Jarret Johnson. The problem is that Upshaw is the top outside linebacker in April's NFL draft and will likely be gone in the first 20 picks.