Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome hasn’t talked to Ray Rice since last night’s arrest.
But Newsome made it clear Monday that Rice was still very much a part of their plans for the future. Speaking with coach John Harbaugh at a press conference to announce Terrell Suggs’ new deal, Newsome said he expected to talk to Rice soon.
“When I left my office 20 minutes ago, and John had probably been there 15 minutes before then, Ray Rice was still a big part of what we plan to do in 2014,” Newsome said, via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Rice and his fiancee, Janay Palmer, were arrested and charged with simple assault-domestic violence an incident at an Atlantic City casino last night.
“I don’t know the situation,” Newsome said. “I’ve only gotten what has been written. I have not had a chance to talk to Ray, I have had a chance to talk to [director of team security] Darren [Sanders]. I really don’t know that situation. With me, I get all the answers. Then that’s when we make decisions within this organization, once we get all the information we can get.”
Talking to Rice would be a good first step in that process.