Former Baltimore Ravens NFL running back Ray Rice
Former Baltimore Ravens NFL running back Ray Rice (R) and his wife Janay arrive for a hearing at a New York City office building November 5, 2014. Rice is making his case on Wednesday to return to the field after the National Football League indefinitely suspended him from the game for claims of domestic violence. Rice, 27, claims that he was punished twice for the same offense, a one-punch knockout of his then-fiancee Janay Palmer during a February altercation at an Atlantic City, New Jersey, casino. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Because of the Ray Rice situation, the Baltimore Ravens will now be conscious in checking the background of possible acquisitions with domestic violence or abuse history, the team’s general manager Ozzie Newsome said on Tuesday.

"Someone who has domestic abuse in their background, it's going to be tough for them to be considered a Raven," Newsome said in the team’s press conference. "The one area where we will definitely take a hard look and it will be tough for us to bring a player to Baltimore is someone that has domestic abuse in their background. Other than that, we will exhaust every character aspect of a player. But we believe in allowing the information to lead us to a decision.”

According to an ESPN article, the aggressive stance will most likely mean the Ravens won’t target prospects like wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, running back Karlos Williams and defensive end Frank Clark who all have history with abuse against women. Another player mentioned is free agent wide receiver Brandon Marshall, previously of the Chicago Bears, who also has a domestic abuse history and that the Ravens will also most likely avoid acquiring him.

Ravens team president team president Dick Cass added in the press conference that the franchise will now treat domestic violence or abuse against women cases differently from the past.

The new stance will also mean that Rice will most likely not be back with the team in the upcoming season. Rice was released by the Ravens and was suspended by the league in September 2014 after a video surfaced of a February assault on Janay Rice, his fiancee at that time of the incident. Footage showed Rice dragging his wife’s body from an elevator. Rice, who made the NFL Pro Bowl three times in 2009, 2011 and 2012, apologised for the incident in November 2014.


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