For a guy whose role diminished quicker than my interest in the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Willis McGahee has learned to keep his mouth shut and work though the “tough” times. He’s been through the highest of the highs, when the Ravens traded for him with the intent of making him their feature back, and the lowest of the lows, when Ray Rice began his boy wonder role, pushing McGahee to the back burner. But, despite his urge to make his issue public (he’s almost slipped a couple of times, and has even used his frustration as an example when explaining/lecturing to Brandon Marshall about what NOT to say to your current employer), McGahee has held his tongue.

We all know what he really wants to say though. Roughly, it would probably sound something like this.

“Are you *bleep*ing KIDDING me?! I can’t *bleep*ing believe this! You’re telling me, you don’t give a *bleep* and trade two third rounders and a seventh rounder for me, even though I’m the best *bleep*ing running back in the entire *bleep*ing NFL, and then you go and replace me with some Matt Roloff lookalike who runs like the god*bleep* wind and smiles like a *bleep*ing idiot! I have a *bleep*ing visor on my helmet! Do you know what that means? Do you KNOW how INTENSE that makes me? If you could see my eyes through my *bleep*ing visor, you could tell I’m *bleep*ing angry!”

To make it fair, the visor does make him look pretty intense.

The fact is, the Ravens have a decision to make. Willis couldn’t be blamed for demanding a trade in order to take a deal with a team that would benefit from having a player of his caliber as a starting tailback. We all saw the damage he is still capable of this past season, despite Rice being the starter. He averaged 5 yards a carry and scored 12 touchdowns in a limited role. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it, Willie Parker. Your name AND your stats are both abbreviated in comparison.

Stiff arm to the FACE!

However, Baltimore will have to watch McGahee whine if he feels so inclined, which he is almost sure to do unless, somehow, Newsome can whisper seductive sweet nothings into his ear and convince him stick around. It would have to include a restructuring of his contract in order to make it beneficial to both sides. Whether Willis realizes, or is comfortable with his role in charm city being that of a backup remains to be seen; All signs thus far are pointing to a big, fat NO.

So what is Ozzie Newsome to do? Well that’s a stupid question because I can’t predict the future! But, he has some options.

1. Baltimore can sit Willis down, preferably over a nice steak dinner and a bottle of wine, get him hammered, and explain to him in very simple terms that Ray Rice is the starter and he is not. Hopefully, the reaction will not be violent because dead employees are of no value. If McGahee accepts, crying tears of disappointment and sorrow all over the linen tablecloth, then the chances of re-working a contract to get him to stay in the purple and black stand a better chance. LaDainian went through it, and look where it got him! Actually, nevermind, don’t look.

2.The Ravens can play the situation as best as possible. The 2010 season will be almost positively be uncapped, leaving the Ravens, who are still financially strong, with the ability to spend some extra cash. Whether or not they would be willing to spend that money on a backup running back is another story. However, if the team is really run by crazies, and do decide to spend dump trucks of money to keep McGahee and his awesome visor in town, don’t count on other priorities (i.e. wide receiver, Haloti Ngata contract extension, defensive free agent signings, etc.) to be fulfilled. We aren’t rooting for the Yankees here… just Ravens. We’re just birds, damn it.

1. 

   Ray Rice's success has to be testing McGahee's patience.

3 The most plausible scenario would be to let McGahee walk. Because he is still under contract, the Ravens can push to see what kind of trade talks their running back can generate. While the Ravens official website reports that teams like the Houston Texans and San Diego Chargers may be interested, it seems as if the Ravens should take into account their needs as well. While it is tough to figure out the demand McGahee will generate, draft picks are an essential pull for Newsome. Speaking off the cusp, depending on any trade Baltimore may make for a wide receiver that includes a draft selection, they could reclaim via a McGahee trade. Then again, offer him to the Texans; I’ll take Andre Johnson for him straight up!

So while Ray Rice continues to make claim on the starting running back job in Baltimore, whether it’s his combined all-purpose yardage or his spot on the AFC Pro Bowl roster, Willis has to be thinking about what his future holds. While his best bet may be to accept a secondary role in Baltimore, ultimately giving up the glory and the spotlight of a feature back in exchange for a technical position in which the gratification is severely out of the public view but couldn’t be clearer from a personal standpoint, don’t be surprised to see McGahee put on the pads and plow away at earning a (hopefully) well deserved paycheck elsewhere. While he hasn’t officially demanded a trade out of town, it would be hard to pass blame if he were to eventually speak up. It’s hard to put a finger on what exactly is keeping Willis from regaining respect around the league as a running back that can terrorize a defensive line at will(is… ha!); It may be more a matter of perception than ability. His situation poses just another question mark in the future off-season for Baltimore.

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