Derrick Mason's Return Critical to the Baltimore Ravens

The return of Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason over the weekend was lacking in overall drama and star appeal, but it’s a move that will pay dividends for Baltimore in 2009, and I’m not just talking about the regular season.

What worried me about the loss of Mason, who had announced his retirement in July, was the development of second-year quarterback Joe Flacco, because I felt that moving Mark Clayton into the No. 1 role might lead to a possible setback for Flacco.

Did Clayton provide enough on the outside for Flacco to move the ball down the field?

As much as I love this team’s ability to run the football and play great defense, every offense still needs a threat on the outside, and Clayton isn’t that guy, in my opinion. Sure, he’s a former first round pick, but his numbers haven’t lived up to that.

But Mason’s return from his brief hiatus allows this team to move forward. They don’t have to worry about bringing in countless guys off of the waiver wire during August to audition between practices or hope that a guy on their list doesn’t make the final roster of an opposing team.

No, Mason is the guy.

He isn’t the type of No. 1 guy that you’d see in New England or Indy, but that’s the point—he doesn’t have to be.

He is perfectly capable of playing in this offense, and what impresses me more is his ability to be a complete football player. He plays hurt, he catches the ball in traffic, and like the rest of his teammates, he will sacrifice his body for a win.

Sounds simple, right?

Well, not exactly, because not every team has a football culture like the Ravens. Think of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and their downhill running game—because that’s Ravens football. They aren’t a team that tries to beat you with gimmicks or window dressing. They line up and play football on both sides of the ball, and that includes the wide receiver position—highlighted by Mason.

Maybe Mason needed time to evaluate where he was at this point in his career, or maybe he just needed time to see if he really had the passion to play—because when that’s gone, the player can’t be counted on.

But the bottom line is that Mason is back, his retirement is over, and now the Ravens can focus on football and challenging the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North title.

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