Yesterday I passed along the news that the Baltimore Ravens had signed back quarterback Dennis Dixon to their practice squad and wondered if the move had a bit paranoia or gamesmanship involved in it. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was asked about the move Wednesday during his conference call with the media and appears to have taken a little issue with the veiled accusation.
The Ravens coach was asked point blank if the decision to re-sign Dixon was made so that the Pittsburgh Steelers couldn\’t sign him to their practice squad instead.
“Was Pittsburgh going to bring him back? I wasn’t aware of that,” said Harbaugh.
Harbaugh was pushed a little further when informed that with Ben Roethlisberger hurt that Dixon might be brought back to Pittsburgh to the practice squad.
“Have you heard that? If there’s some information along those lines then it’s probably a question to address,” said the Ravens coach. “But if you haven’t heard that and it’s a rumor or speculation then it’s probably not worth addressing as a question.”
Sure, it was speculation that Dixon would indeed be a candidate to be brought back, but Steelers head coach did say on Tuesday that there was a chance that a practice squad eligible quarterback could be signed this week as an extra practice squad arm.
Dixon certainly would have fit that bill, as would Jerrod Johnson. All Harbaugh needed to say was, no. He could of also just said that the reason Dixon had to be released last week from the practice squad was because they needed another body at a different position due to injury, and that bringing back Dixon was the plan the whole time.
The way that Harbaugh took offense to the question leads one to believe that bringing back Dixon was a defensive move on the part of the Ravens so that the former Steelers quarterback couldn\’t reveal anything to Pittsburgh about the Ravens offense if signed.
It will be interesting to see if Dixon is jettisoned by the Ravens once again after the second meeting between the two teams. I am willing to bet that he is.
