Fullback Vonta Leach, formerly of the Ravens, eventually will pick a new team. On Saturday, former teammates (and possibly a future one) showed up for Leach’s annual football camp in Lumberton, North Carolina.
Guests included Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who understands the realities of pro football.
“You hate to lose a good teammate and good guy like Vonta but that’s the NFL,” Flacco said, via the Lumberton Robesonian. “I wouldn’t say it was a shock [when he was released] because as professional football players we kind of get used to guys coming and going. Things will certainly feel different without him in our backfield.”
With the Dolphins in the running for Leach, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (who jumped from Baltimore to Miami as a free agent) said he’s not trying to lure Leach to South Florida.
“Everybody thinks I’m out here recruiting man,” Ellerbe said. “I’m just supporting my local boy for a good cause. It’s going to be up to him where he chooses to play. I don’t cut the checks.”
More than 500 kids participated in the camp, which included Ravens receiver Jacoby Jones throwing firecrackers behind Flacco’s feet.
The Ravens dumped Leach in a salary-cap move. His delay in signing with a new team suggests that the offers aren’t great. That could, in theory, result in Leach returning to Baltimore for a lot less than what he was supposed to make -- but roughly the same that he could get elsewhere.