Daily Clippings: Washington Post

Ravens Trot Out Their New Runner

Richard Campbell

March 10, 2007

Willis McGahee made his first public appearance as a Baltimore Raven yesterday, smiling from his new $40.1 million contract and the possibility of playing for a playoff team for the first time.

Dressed in a green button-down shirt and jeans, the Ravens' new starting running back addressed a variety of topics at his introductory news conference in Owings Mills, Md., including his four-year tenure with the Buffalo Bills, reuniting with former University of Miami teammate Ed Reed and his future with Baltimore.

"My situation wasn't that great in Buffalo," said McGahee, who was flanked by General Manager Ozzie Newsome and Coach Brian Billick. "I thank God for getting the 990 [rushing yards last season] to tell you the truth. If you look at it, I missed two games and was facing nine guys in the box a lot. If you get to a better team with receivers, a quarterback, a line helping out, it's going to be hard to stop everybody."

Baltimore's trade for McGahee yesterday established some long-term stability at running back, which was in flux after Jamal Lewis was cut last month.

The Ravens' highest-profile offseason move doesn't leave the team much to accomplish during the remainder of free agency. Newsome and his staff will now turn most of their attention to April's draft. Because the Ravens have starters pegged at almost every position, Newsome said they have the luxury to draft the best players available, rather than target a specific position.

McGahee vowed to participate in the Ravens' offseason workouts at the team's practice facility instead of working out on his own in Miami and added that he won't ask Baltimore cornerback Chris McAlister to wear jersey No. 21, which was McGahee's number in Buffalo. He said he prefers a new number for his new home.