NFL Free Agent Signings: Ricky Williams to Set Baltimore Ravens' Run Game Ablaze

The Baltimore Ravens are quietly forming one of the top rushing attacks in the league, and the icing on the cake came Monday.

Ricky Williams was the best free agent running back still on the market, and it was bizarre to see him without a team as training camp hit the second week.  

Well, that’s all in the past now, as Williams has agreed to a two-year deal with the Ravens worth up to $4 million. It’s a terrific deal for both sides, and now the Ravens have one of the most balanced running attacks in the game.  

Williams is a between-the-tackles runner that can get those tough yards in the red zone and still juke his way to a 20-yard gain as well.  

The 2011 free-agent frenzy didn’t start well for the Ravens' running game.  

They cut back-up running back Willis McGahee and lost fullback Le'Ron McClain to the Kansas City Chiefs, and were in need of replacements after all of the big names had already settled with their new teams. Fans started to worry that the Ravens were being much too conservative about finding good replacements.  

It’s really hard to replace McClain, one of the top run blockers in the game, but they were able to snag Vonta Leach away from the Houston Texans. Leach helped second-year running back Arian Foster lead the league in rushing a year ago, and he should fill the huge void left by McClain better than almost any other player in the league.

Add it all up, and they end up improving the unit in a big way. 

CBS Sports' Will Brinson talks about the high expectations for a unit that finished 14^th in the league in 2010:

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"Baltimore has upgraded their running game at this point, because adding Williams gives them a perfect power complement to the elusive (but also strong) Rice out of the backfield.

With Leach blocking and Williams giving Baltimore a different speed out of the backfield, don't be shocked if the Ravens running game is once again impressive in 2011."  

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Ray Rice is obviously the main back, but Williams will get his share as well. His power, combined with the speed and quickness of Rice, gives the Ravens the perfect combo.  

Williams may be 34, but he has missed multiple seasons for various reasons and has kept his body in great shape. In the last two seasons, he’s run for 1,794 yards, and is still averaging around 4.5 yards a carry. There is still gas left in the tank, and now the Ravens are going to be extremely hard to stop when they have a lead in the fourth quarter.   

One of the offseason goals in Baltimore was to run the ball more and take the pressure off Joe Flacco on third down. Winning in the AFC North is always about who can run the ball better and who can chew up clock in the fourth.

The Ravens have not been able to get over the hump with a pass-oriented offense, and it was time to change the philosophy.  

They fulfilled that promise, and now the Ravens are looking like a team with one of the most balanced offenses in the league.   

The days of Ricky wearing a dress with Mike Ditka are a distant memory, but who knew Williams would still be a large contributor on a Super Bowl-contending team at this stage of his career.