What's the Baltimore Ravens Next Move After the Firing of Brian Billick?

One day after the final regular season game and Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick is gone. It is possible that many will consider this firing to others as a little pre-mature due to overextended injuries all season long which helped lead to a dismal 5-11 season after ending the 2006 campaign 13-3. Others will say fourth and inches against the worst team in the league and the coach deciding to kick a field goal and then lose in overtime was Billick's nail in the coffin.

So now that Billick and the entire staff is gone, General Manager Ozzie Newsome has a lot of work to do. The team will want to get a new head coach as soon as possible to help with securing a solid coaching staff for the upcoming season. Easier said than done, but according to ESPN reports owner Steve Bisciotti felt it was the right move at this time.

Another avenue they will have to contemplate is whether or not they can keep Jonathan Ogden for another season or two. Ogden, who has been in the league for twelve seasons was taking all the "retirement measures" he could in the home finale against Pittsburgh. Pictures with family, holding his son and gazing around the stadium like a man that just played his last game. Whether or not it actually happens Baltimore will be looking into the free agent market for a plausible left tackle to fill the void or even draft an offensive tackle in April. Offensive guards Keydrick Vincent (Unrestricted free agent) and Brian Rimpf (restricted FA) may be gone as well.

With the eighth pick in the upcoming NFL draft and establishing the fact that third string quarterback Troy Smith who was promoted to starter over the last two games of the regular season has shown he may be the quarterback of the future in Baltimore. There is a long list of offensive tackles heading the 2008 free agent list with names like Ruben Brown(Chicago), Alan Faneca(Pittsburgh), Flozell Adams(Dallas), Jordan Gross(Carolina), Ryan Lilja(Indianapolis), Max Starks (Pittsburgh) , Floyd Womack(Seattle), and twelve others that leave the team with several options at this point.

On defense corner back B.J. Sams will hit the free agent market along with defensive lineman Terrell Suggs who will require more investment on the Ravens part if they hope to keep him and improve on his lowest sack total of his career in 2007 at five. However, these are only some of the many issues that Baltimore will have to address over the next six months and depending on how the draft goes along with their dealings in free agency it may even wind up taking longer.

When it's time to pick for the future Boise State offensive tackle Ryan Clady may be available who by many is considered the second overall OT in the draft behind Michigan's Jake Long. If they don't go that route and decide on a quarterback like many believe they will their will be a long list to choose from. Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan will most likely be gone by then so they will have to decide on Kentucky QB Andre Woodson or Louisville QB Brian Brohm who are the only other quarterbacks in the draft that will warrant a top 10 pick.