Open spots on coach’s mind

After free-agent splurge, Harbaugh still looking for ways to strengthen roster

PHOENIX — Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledges that he ponders a reunion with free-agent wide receiver Anquan Boldin every day. The organization’s search for another reliable target for quarterback Joe Flacco is not dominating Harbaugh’s thoughts, though, because there’s much more to consider.

“I’m thinking about the offensive line spots. We still have two defensive back spots in my mind. We have a [weak-side] linebacker spot. We’ve got a pass-rusher spot,” Harbaugh said Tuesday from the NFL meetings. “We talked about our young guys, sure. But that’s up to [general manager Ozzie Newsome]. That’s up to all of us, but in the final accounting, we have to see what all the options are.”

In a perfect world for the Ravens, they’d go into next month’s draft without any significant holes on their roster. They’d have positions that they needed to augment and areas that demanded more depth. Every team, including the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, faces those challenges.

However, concerns would ideally be limited to precious few positions. That’s not the Ravens’ reality.

After an early free-agent splurge that primarily addressed their defense, Ravens officials aren’t hiding from that they still have much more work to do. During the AFC coaches breakfast at the posh Arizona Biltmore Hotel, Harbaugh reiterated the importance of strengthening the supporting cast around Flacco, who is coming off probably the worst season of his nine-year career.

“We have time between now and the draft, and we’re working at it very hard,” Harbaugh said during a question-andanswer session with reporters that lasted more than an hour. “We’re picking our brains and trying to figure out how to bring guys in that can start for us and make a difference.”

Therein lies the challenge. Team presi- John Harbaugh