Ravens release FB Vonta Leach ESPN.com news services | June 11, 2013 The Baltimore Ravens*released three-time Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach*on Tuesday and re-signed tight end*Billy Bajema. A league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that the Ravens tried to trade Leach but were unable to find a taker. His agent, meanwhile, told a Houston television station that his client would like to return to the Houston Texans. Lot Of Football Left? Vonta Leach was the top-ranked fullback in the NFL last season and the best lead blocker for the second straight season, according to ProFootballFocus.com. In fact, he's ranked among the top 3 in four of the last five seasons. * * RATING BLOCK RTNG Leach Ravens 19.1 16.5 Rhett Ellison Vikings 14.8 12.2 Marcel Reese Raiders 14.8 7.2 Mike Tolbert Panthers 14.3 1.0 Darrel Young Redskins 9.3 6.6 "We've had lots of discussion in the past week with Vonta and his agent, and both parties agreed that it was best to terminate Vonta's contract," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said in a statement. "He played a significant role in helping us get to the AFC Championship Game in 2011 and win the Super Bowl last season. He added to our toughness and will to win, plus he provided leadership. He's a good football player. There could be an opportunity for him to return to the Ravens once he explores the free-agent market, and we could re-visit this before or during training camp." Leach's agent told KRIV-TV in Houston that the Texans, who Leach played for from 2007-10, is at the top of the fullback's wish list and he would reach out to the team soon to see if they are interested. "Obviously, which teams you have the best fit at," agent Ralph Vitolo told KRIV-TV. "The most logical fit and the smoothest transition to another team would be Houston because he's already been there. "He understands the coaches, the scheme. He's worked with Arian Foster and the rest of the offensive line, so it would be a very smooth transition to go back to Houston." It is unknown if the Texans, who signed veteran fullback Greg Jones earlier this offseason, would be interested in signing Leach. Leach, one of the NFL's best lead blockers, was due to make $3 million this season. The nine-year veteran made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons with the Ravens. Leach, 31, had indicated that his stint with the Ravens was over in a series of tweets Monday, "Thanks ravens organization for a great two years," Leach wrote on his Twitter account. "I came here and did what we set out to do and that's win the Super Bowl. My time here is up but what we accomplished, we will be forever linked. Thank the fans for accepting me and my family to Bmore." Leach has rushed for 749 yards and four touchdowns in 130 career games with the Ravens, Texans and Green Bay Packers. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2010 as a member of the Texans. The reigning Super Bowl champion Ravens figure to give rookie fullback Kyle Juszczyk, a fourth-round draft selection this past April, the first opportunity to replace Leach. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter contributed to this report.
Link: Ravens cut Leach, who eyes Texans return http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9...lease-vonta-leach-eyes-return-houston-texans?
He is going to have to take a major paycut and likely a reduced role. He was making top FB money and I don't think the Texans have that much to spend on 2 full-time FBs. Eric Winston wanted to come back, we took a pass. It wouldn't surprise me, if we took a pass on Leach. Want him, not the money he wants.
I started trying to remember all of the NFL rosters and sets and I don't see him getting paid anywhere man. He has a better chance making 6 figures as a newspaper columnist at this point. FB is a dying breed. Did SF replace Walker? They'd have to carve out a new role for Leach though.
http://www.myfoxhouston.com/story/2...leachs-agent-texans-express-interest-in-vonta Not sure how much of Jones' contract was guaranteed, but he had a $160k signing bonus on a $1 mil salary. If the bonus was all that is guaranteed, that's not to much to eat. It shouldn't be too hard to restructure someone to pay a FB salary.
Surprised to hear we're pursuing him. We should run sets on 3rd and long with Leach as the lead FB, Jones as FB2, and Foster as FB3, nobody runs, we just block for Lechler who punts. Seems like the Kubian thing to do.
Leach is going to have to wait until we get our picks signed. If he's still available after that, we'll talk.
$240K guaranteed. If we signed Vonta then Jones would almost certainly be cut. Not only for cap reasons but also to give Jones an opportunity to find a starting job somewhere else. Cutting him would create $760K in cap space, but we'd be paying money to someone who never played for us which kind of sucks.
Aside from our first 2 picks, there's no one we picked that I'd rather have for the 2013 season than Leach. Time to start making offers to Winston too. He's going to end up getting far less than he asked for.
Well, the only picks we haven't signed are 1 through 3 (Hopkins, Swearinger, and Williams). I think those guys are far more pressing needs for us than doubling down on an auxiliary position that we already have a good player (Jones) signed for.
