McGahee likely to remain a Raven in 2010

INDIANAPOLIS - Ravens coach John Harbaugh more or less put an end to speculation about Willis McGahee's future in Baltimore next season, saying the running back will be a Raven in the 2010 season, even though he'll make $3.6 million and is coming off a year where he rushed for only 544 yards and averaged only 6.8 carries a game. "I think McGahee will be on our team next year," Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh even went so far as to say McGahee could become the Ravens' primary ball carrier again because he doesn't necessarily see Ray Rice the backup and McGahee as the starter.

“I think McGahee will be on our team next year,” Harbaugh said. “I’m just impressed with the guy. He’s a leader on our football team and one of the most fun guys to be around every day. I've never said that Ray Rice is the starter," Harbaugh said. "I know other people have said that. Maybe even my coaches have said that. But to me, the starting running back is the guy who is going to start next week, and it's the guy who is playing the best. I've told Willis, 'You want to start the game? You be the best running back that week.' And Ray knows that. Willis McGahee could run for 1,500 yards next year, easy. That could easily happen, and I’m not ruling it out."

Rice rushed for 1,339 yards and ran for seven touchdowns in 2009, and he also caught 78 passes for 702 yards, establishing himself as one of the most versatile running backs in football. But McGahee did score 14 touchdowns, and in the Ravens final game of the season, he ran for 167 yards and three scores to secure his team a spot in the playoffs.

"From last year to this year, as far as the way he's trained through that whole knee situation, to play the way he did at the end of the year and to be in the kind of shape he's in, I'm just impressed with the guy," Harbaugh said. "And he's a leader on our football team. He's one of the most fun guys to be around every single day."

Click here to order Willis McGahee's proCane Rookie Card.



(baltimoresun.com)