Ravens cut ties with Boulware

Thursday, May 12, 2005 | 9:24 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

The Baltimore Ravens released four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Peter Boulware and said they will replace him with younger, cheaper players.

General Manager Ozzie Newsome said the play of sixth-year defensive end Adalius Thomas, who had 55 tackles and eight sacks last season, and the selection of defensive end Dan Cody of Oklahoma in the second round of last month's draft enabled the team to release Boulware, the club's all-time leader in sacks.

Bowlware, 30, is scheduled to make a base salary of $6 million a year through 2008. Thomas, three years younger, signed a three-year contract in March 2004 that is scheduled to pay him $1 million this season and $1.465 million next season, according to the NFL players union Web site.

"Peter has been a major contributor to the success of our organization," Newsome said in a press release. "We feel Peter will continue to be a successful player in this league."

Boulware has 67 1/2 sacks in nine seasons, and won the Ed Block Courage Award in 1999 after recording 10 sacks while playing in a harness to support a dislocated shoulder.

Love went to training camp with Green Bay last season as a rookie receiver and was released before the regular season. After being released by the Packers, he returned to Duke and played 21 basketball games for the Blue Devils last season.

The 6-foot-4, 224-pound Love started 26 games and caught 75 passes for 895 yards and six touchdowns at Duke, but the Cowboys plan to move him to linebacker.

Holdman played in all 16 games last season and made 14 starts, recording 110 tackles and half a sack. Holdman spent the previous five seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he was coached by Redskins defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Greg Blache and linebackers coach Dale Lindsey.

Holdman has played in 75 games, making 63 starts and recording 522 tackles, four sacks, nine forced fumbles and an interception.

Brown, drafted by Pittsburgh in the second round of the 1993 draft, spent four seasons with the Steelers before signing as a free agent with Seattle, where he spent the past eight seasons. The Seahawks released him after last season.

He is the third veteran free agent linebacker the Patriots have signed in the offseason, joining Monty Beisel and Wesly Mallard. The Super Bowl champions are retooling the position following the release of Roman Phifer and the uncertainty over the future of Tedy Bruschi, who may not play next season after suffering a mild stroke in February.

The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Brown has 78 career sacks, the most of any active NFL linebacker. In 156 starts, the Colorado product has 1,043 tackles, six interceptions, 19 forced fumbles and 15 fumble recoveries.

Winslow sustained unspecified injuries in a May 1 accident when he crashed his high-powered motorcycle into a raised parking lot curb at 35 mph. The Browns are most concerned about Winslow's knee, which will be re-examined in 7-10 days when swelling subsides, team president John Collins said.

The club said Winslow did not have any surgery during his hospital stay.

"He easily could have been killed," general manager Phil Savage said.

Collins said it's too early to determine if Winslow, the club's first-round pick in the 2004 draft, will play this season. But despite a public outcry from outraged Cleveland fans who would like to see the team cut Winslow for breaking his contract, the Browns have no plans to release him.