Ravens Sign Very Versatile Star RB Ray Rice To Five-Year Deal

Photo Via Baltimore Ravens Facebook Page

The Baltimore Ravens signed running back Ray Rice to a five-year contract, announced by Ravens general manager/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome Monday afternoon.

Rice, 25, visited the team’s facility and said he will address the new contract with media after spending time with his family and friends.  This will likely take place when Rice reports to training camp next Wednesday (July 25).

“This is another example of Steve Bisciotti’s commitment to the team and to our fans to retain our core players,” said Newsome. “Ray has been an integral part of us earning the playoffs in each of his four seasons, and that includes helping us get to two AFC Championship games. His production on the field speaks for itself, and his leadership in the locker room is outstanding.”

“I should say something about his community efforts; I think they are almost unmatched by any player in the NFL,” he continued. “You’d have a hard time finding a player who does more or is as serious about helping others as Ray is. He is one of those players you can proudly say, ‘He’s on our team.”

Rice enters his fifth NFL season after being designated with the Ravens’ franchise tag in February.

Baltimore originally selected the 5-8, 212-pound running back from Rutgers University in the second round (55th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Playing in 61 career games (49 starts), the two-time Pro Bowler (2009 and 2011) ranks second on both the franchise’s all-time rushing yards (4,377) and total scrimmage yards (6,612) charts.

The question was never about if the Ravens would sign Rice, just when.

Now that the Ravens’ best offensive weapon is locked up for the next five years, the team’s offense can move forward with the Super Bowl in sight.

 Here’s how Rice’s number match-up in Ravens’ history:

• Ranks second in Ravens franchise history with 4,377 rushing yards (running back Jamal Lewis – 7,801)…His 959 attempts also stand second (Lewis – 1,822), while his 24 rushing touchdowns rank third (Lewis – 45 and running back Willis McGahee – 31).

• With his 1,364 rushing yards and 704 receiving yards in 2011, Rice joined Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk (four times) as the only players in league history to register at least 1,200 rushing yards and 700 receiving yards in multiple seasons (Rice finished the 2009 season with 1,339 rushing yards and 702 receiving yards).

• Led the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 2,068 (1,364 rushing and 704 receiving) in 2011…Rice was the only player to produce 2,000 yards from scrimmage in 2011…His 2,068 yards from scrimmage are second all time in Ravens history (Lewis, 2,271 in 2003).

• Rice is the Ravens’ all-time receiving leader by a running back (250 for 2,235)…He posted a team-high 76 catches for a career-high 704 yards in 2011.

• Produced a career-high 233 yards from scrimmage, rushing a career-high 31 times for 153 yards and pulled in a team-high five receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown in the 30-24 victory vs. New Orleans (12/19/10).

• Ran for a Ravens’ postseason-franchise-record 159 yards and postseason-franchise-record-tying two touchdowns on 22 carries (7.2 avg.), including a career-long and franchise-postseason-record 83-yard touchdown rush (second longest in NFL postseason history), in the 33-14 victory in the Wild Card Game at New England (1/10/10).

• Became the second non-quarterback (wide receiver Mark Clayton) in Ravens history to throw a touchdown pass, with his 1-yard toss to tight end Ed Dickson at Seattle. (11/13/11).

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