You want Ravens football, I know! Just give it a few more weeks.

That's right folks, it's July which means we only have a few more weeks until training camp starts in Westminster, MD on July 27.

In the meantime, the players are on vacation and the organization is still working on signing rookies and evaluating ways to make the team better. There are just two more rookies,second round picks Sergio Kindle and Terrance Cody, working on deals before training camp in an attempt to avoid a holdout. Both players have assured that they do not want their contract situations to come to the extreme that is a holdout.

Remember last season when the Ravens made it all the way to the divisional round of the playoffs? Well that success in conjunction with collective bargaining debocle (excuse me) agreement brought about the final eight rule.
Here are the rules that everyone should grasp. Thanks go to Tim Graham at espn.com:

During the final league year, the eight clubs that make the divisional playoffs in the previous season have additional restrictions that limit their ability to sign unrestricted free agents from other clubs. In general, the four clubs participating in the championship games are limited in the number of free agents that they may sign; the limit is determined by the number of their own free agents signing with other clubs. They cannot sign any UFAs unless one of theirs is signed by another team.

For the four clubs that lost in the divisional playoffs, in addition to having the ability to sign free agents based on the number of their own free agents signing with other clubs, they may also sign players based on specific financial parameters. Those four only will be permitted to sign one unrestricted free agent for $5.5 million (estimated) or more in year one of the contract, plus the number of their UFAs who sign with another team. They also can sign any unrestricted free agents for less than $3.7 (estimated) million in year one of the contract with limitations on the per-year increases.

In the case of all final eight teams, the first-year salary of UFAs they sign to replace those lost cannot exceed the first-year salary of the player lost with limitations on the per-year increas

es.

As you can see the Ravens don't have it as bad as some other teams do but they have been slightly restricted. If you have been paying attention you'd know that it has not stopped the Ravens from signing good veteran free agents, Cory Redding, Ken Hamlin and Walt Harris. Just keep your eyes open for other free agent signings before and during training camp.