Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason officially announces his retirement

[IE]

Derrick Mason surprisingly announced his retirement from pro football Monday.

The announcement comes on JockLife.com, a website owned by Mason's agents Peter Schaffer and Lamont Smith. It's legit. Mason was coming off shoulder surgery and requested a pay raise earlier this offseason, but says this decision is based more on emotions. "Emotionally I am just not that enthused." Assuming Mason doesn't change his mind, the Ravens are woefully thin at wideout with Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams atop the depth chart. Mason finishes his career with 790 catches, good for 23rd all time.

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Demetrius Williams becomes the favorite to start opposite Mark Clayton following Derrick Mason's retirement.

Clayton is now Baltimore's "No. 1" receiver although that means little, especially considering his career inconsistency. He is the best bet to lead the Ravens in targets. Williams' value gets the biggest boost, assuming GM Ozzie Newsome can't swing a trade for Brandon Marshall or Anquan Boldin. If healthy, Williams shouldn't struggle to hold off Marcus Smith or Yamon Figurs.

 

[gardenweasel]

not drafting a wr was a big enough faux pas,considering how weak our wide-outs were...now this?......

they HAVE to get a wr somewhere...mark clayton is a joke as a #1...actually,he`s a pedestrian #2...

:nooo:

i wonder if the steve mcnair murder pushed mason over the edge regarding retirement?...

 

[jr11]

:sadwave:

 

[IE]

Harbaugh ?optimistic? WR Mason will play in 2009




Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh is ?optimistic and hopeful? that wide receiver Derrick Mason will come out of retirement and rejoin the team during training camp.

Mason surprised the Ravens on July 13 by abruptly ending his 12-year NFL career. The 35-year-old Mason led Baltimore in catches and yards receiving last year, but said he was ?ready to see what else life has to offer.?

After speaking with Mason on the phone Tuesday night, Harbaugh maintained hope that Mason would have a change of heart soon after the start of training camp next week.

?I think it?s real honorable what he?s doing in the sense that it would be easy for a guy to just come in and go through the motions. Derrick does not want to go through the motions,? Harbaugh said Wednesday. ?He wants to make sure he?s in the right frame of mind to compete at the level he?s competed at his whole career, which is a warrior-type level.

?He?s ready physically. He?s in good shape and he?s healthy. He just wants to decide if he?s mentally ready,? Harbaugh said. ?It?s really open right now. I?m optimistic and hopeful that he?ll be there, but if he?s not there, we?ll be support and respect his decision either way.?

Harbaugh said his conversation with Mason covered ?family, his contract, the team, his feeling about competing and playing, what it?s like to have a long career.? The two also discussed the death of Steve McNair(notes), Mason?s close friend and former teammate.


?He was really open and up front,? Harbaugh said of Mason. ?It was two guys just trying to see what?s down the road.?

Upon announcing his retirement, Mason said he would decline interviews over the next two weeks.

Mason caught 80 passes for 1,037 yards and five touchdowns last season. He also had 12 catches for 190 yards and a touchdown in three playoff games. Without him, Baltimore?s most accomplished wide receivers are Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams.

?From a coaching standpoint, I think we have a chance to be a really good team, and if Derrick Mason is a part of it, that makes us even stronger,? Harbaugh said. ?But if he?s not, we?re still going to be a really good team. It comes down to Derrick and where his mind is at. He?s the only one that can decide that.?

The Ravens will hold a tryout for several second-tier receivers Friday, but probably won?t make a major move before they?re sure Mason won?t be back.

?Up until Derrick officially retires, then he?s still a member of the Baltimore Ravens,? general manager Ozzie Newsome said. ?We?re OK with what we have, but we?re always trying to get better. If there was a player we available in May or June that we thought could help our football team, we would have gotten him at that point.?

 

[IE]

Ravens agreed to terms with WR Drew Bennett on a one-year contract for the veteran minimum.

Bennett stood out among D.J. Hackett, Chris Hannon and Justin Brown during Friday morning's workout. The Ravens didn't hear the answer they wanted from Derrick Mason, so they're forced to cover themselves with a veteran receiver.

 

[jr11]

:sadwave:

The bungholes will finish ahead of the Ravens this year......

 

[IE]

Drew Bennett has retired from football three days after he signed with the Ravens.


An old knee injury was the culprit. Bennett is just 31, but didn't play in 2008 after breaking his foot for the Rams in Week 1. An 80-catch, 1247-yard, 11-TD wideout in Tennessee under OC Mike Heimerdinger in 2004 , Bennett's career faded slowly thereafter. The former UCLA QB and undrafted free agent finishes with 4,412 career yards

 

[gardenweasel]

Drew Bennett has retired from football three days after he signed with the Ravens.


An old knee injury was the culprit. Bennett is just 31, but didn't play in 2008 after breaking his foot for the Rams in Week 1. An 80-catch, 1247-yard, 11-TD wideout in Tennessee under OC Mike Heimerdinger in 2004 , Bennett's career faded slowly thereafter. The former UCLA QB and undrafted free agent finishes with 4,412 career yards

this what the football gods do to any decent wide receiver over 6 foot tall that attempts...even thinks about signing with the ravens....lol

 

[shawn555]

:00hour

Saturday, August 1, 2009
Ravens' Mason to end short retirement
By John Clayton
ESPN.com

Baltimore Ravens receiver Derrick Mason has shown up to training camp at McDaniels College in Westmister, Md., and is gong to end his retirement.

Mason retired less than a week after the murder of close friend Steve McNair.

The loss of his friend coupled with the team's unwillingness to adjust his $3 million salary and family pressure combined to lead to a surprise retirement announcement July 13.

AFC North blog

Walker ESPN.com's James Walker writes about all things AFC North in his division blog.

? Blog network: NFL Nation

Mason, who met with coach John Harbaugh and general manager Ozzie Newsome on Saturday to discuss the matter, was expected to send a letter to the NFL stating his intentions to rejoin the team.

He was taking a physical Saturday afternoon and was set for a conditioning test afterward.

Harbaugh talked to Mason after the announcement and said he was optimistic Mason would return. Camp started without Mason, but Harbaugh left the door open for Mason's arrival.

The 35-year-old Mason caught 80 passes for 1,037 yards and is one of the leaders of the team.

The Ravens had been in the market prior to Mason's retirement to try to get another veteran receiver. His retirement put them in the need of two receivers.

Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams were the only receivers on the roster with catches last season with Mason gone. Clayton and Williams combined for 55 catches last season.

 

[gardenweasel]

was hoping this would prompt them to make a move...guess we go with the same old same old...

but,we`re better with mason than without....

shawn...i have an aunt that lives in berlin....very nice area......if i ever get down,we should have a beer somewhere around the boardwalk...

 

[tball]

this what the football gods do to any decent wide receiver over 6 foot tall that attempts...even thinks about signing with the ravens....lol

do you think that mason would've still come back, had bennett not gotten hurt?

i was actually pretty psyched to see bennett again--he was solid with tennessee, not that i'm not as psyched to see mason back.... but... he's back--thats good

 

[MadJack]

was hoping this would prompt them to make a move...guess we go with the same old same old...

but,we`re better with mason than without....

shawn...i have an aunt that lives in berlin....very nice area......if i ever get down,we should have a beer somewhere around the boardwalk...

is the purple moose still there?

 

[gardenweasel]

is the purple moose still there?

really don`t know,bud...haven`t been down there in around 10 years..but a visit is in the works...

 

[IE]

Report: Ravens WR Clayton to miss 4-6 weeks


ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Mark Clayton's hamstring injury will cost him the next 4-6 weeks of training camp.

The optimistic end of Clayton's injury timetable would have him back just over a week before the Ravens' season opener with Kansas City.