For the second time in three years the Baltimore Ravens have been forced to forfeit OTA practices for violating off-season workout rules.
According to several Wednesday afternoon reports, the Ravens have been informed by the league that they must forfeit their final two OTA practices of 2018 do to an undisclosed infraction of CBA rules. Additionally, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and team owner Steve Bisciotti are also facing potential fines.
Not long after the initial report surfaced, Harbaugh and general manager Ozzie Newsome both released short statements that addressed the team’s recent punishment and you can read both below. According to Harbaugh, the infractions were related to pass coverage contact during the teams’s earlier OTA practices.
A little more than two years ago the NFL forced the Ravens to forfeit their final week of 2016 OTA practices for violating CBA rules. However, that wasn’t even the first time the Ravens have gotten in trouble with the league regarding offseason practice violations with Harbaugh as head coach. In fact, in 2010 the Ravens were also forced to cancel their final week of OTA practices back due to violations of CBA rules regarding the intensity and tempo of drills conducted earlier that offseason as well as the length of time they required certain players to be at the team facility.
The Ravens have missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and that includes two in which they failed to win more than 8 games. Should the Ravens fail to make the playoffs again in 2018, Harbaugh might not have to worry about breaking OTA practice rules in Baltimore ever again. As for Newsome, it’s already been announced that he will step down from his position after the 2018 season.
Ravens statements regarding the NFL ruling: pic.twitter.com/ia0XP5V4Qs
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) June 6, 2018
