Ravens Sign Kracalik, Fitch

Posted Jan 8, 2008

By Mike Duffy



Amidst the hustle and bustle of a weekend full of coaching interviews, the Ravens signed offensive tackle Mike Kracalik and defensive tackle Zarnell Fitch to reserve/future contracts.


Amidst the hustle and bustle of a weekend full of coaching interviews, the Ravens signed offensive tackle Mike Kracalik and defensive tackle Zarnell Fitch to reserve/future contracts.

Reserve/future contracts are contracts that are signed for the 2008 season, which does not officially begin until March. Players who were not on any NFL team's active roster when the 2007 campaign ended are eligible for such signings. If a player is under contract and on an active roster, that contract must be honored until March.

Because Kracalik and Fitch ended the year on the Ravens' practice squad, they were able to earn the reserve/future status.

Typically, reserve/future players would be allocated to NFL Europa, which used to start training camp in early March before the league was disbanded after last summer's World Bowl XV.

Kracalik, 6-foot-8, 337 pounds, saw action in two contests in 2007, providing depth at the tackle position when both Jonathan Ogden and Adam Terry were limited due to injury.

Kracalik originally joined Baltimore after spending the 2005 training camp with the New York Jets. Since then, the San Diego State alumnus played three years on the Raven's developmental team, seeing action in three career games. He also spent the 2006 offseason with NFL Europa's Rhein Fire.

Fitch also saw time in NFL Europa, playing in all 11 games for the Frankfurt Galaxy in 2007, including an appearance in the final World Bowl, where the 6-foot-3, 320-pounder posted a team-high five stops and one sack. The 24-year-old moved up to the active roster for one contest, but was designated inactive in Week 13 against the New England Patriots.