Ogden’s toe woes give Gaither a toe hold

By Darrell Laurant  |   Wednesday, August 29, 2007  |  Comments( 1 )

Baltimore Ravens
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Jonathan Ogden is back, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Jared Gaither's Cinderella story in Baltimore is over.

Ogden, a 10-time Pro Bowler, was activated off the physically unable-to-perform list on Wednesday, but he still has to play himself back into shape. And with the season opener at Cincinnati less than two weeks away, there's a good chance that Gaither might wind up starting against the Bengals.

Ironically, the injury that has aggravated and hampered the mountainous (6-foot-9, 345) Ogden has affected one of the smallest parts of his body -- his left big toe. A nagging case of turf toe left the 12-year veteran unable to push off for the necessary drive when run blocking. Now, he and the team medical staff say the torment may be over, although Ogden remains cautious.

"It's hard to tell with a toe," he said. "I haven't put the pads on yet. I've just done some individual work. But it's a step forward."

Meanwhile, Gaither has become one of the biggest Raven stories in the preseason -- literally. At 6-9, 350, he's the only player on the roster larger than Ogden.

And by rights, he shouldn't be there at all. As a junior at the nearby University of Maryland, Gaither was first suspended for a game for breaking team rules, then flunked out of school at the end of the year. He tried to pull up his grades in summer school, found it impossible, and hastily applied for the NFL's Supplemental Draft. Gaither had no agent and hadn't been working out, yet the Ravens still took a chance on him.

So far, that move is looking like a stroke of brilliance. It was partly because of Gaither's performance that the Ravens cut veteran O-lineman Keydrick Vincent, a starter at guard last season who could also play tackle. Chris Chester and Jason Brown had progressed past Vincent at guard, but it's unlikely that Baltimore coach Brian Billick would have let him go had not Gaither emerged as solid insurance at the other line position.

Ogden, 33, probably won't require much time to get ready. After a dozen years, the mechanics of his position have become second nature.

Stamina, however, could be a problem, especially in the hot part of the early season, so Gaither should see a lot of playing time even if he doesn't start. And after Ogden comes back full-time, Gaither may move over to challenge right tackle starter Adam Terry, a 6-8, 330-pound third-year veteran.

Either way, the Ravens will have a tackle rotation big enough to play in the NBA -- which is where Gaither once set his sights (he was offered a basketball scholarship by the University of South Carolina) before switching to football.

The big rookie has started all three preseason games at the critical left tackle spot, providing the silver lining to Ogden's absence. And if he does wind up with a long and productive NFL career, he'll have Jonathan Ogden's left big toe to thank.

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