Troy Smith hires Neil Cornrich

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback Troy Smith has changed representation, hiring Neil Cornrich as his new agent, according to NFL Players Association records.

The former Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State had previously requested a trade through his former agent, Ralph Cindrich.

We're told that Smith hasn't stopped asking for a trade, but there has been no action toward his personal goal as far as a market materializing for him.

Smith is a restricted free agent who was assigned an original-round tender.

A Cleveland native, Smith has consistently been linked a desire to play for his hometown Browns.

However, Browns team president Mike Holmgren acquired Seneca Wallace in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks.

Smith is regarded highly by the Ravens as a backup to Joe Flacco, who's entrenched as the starter.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh commented on Smith's situation during the annual NFL owners meetings.

"He wants to play," Harbaugh said. "I know he wants to be a starter. We think he can be a starter.
I’ve said that a bunch of times. Troy’s a really good player. You don’t win the Heisman Trophy and take your team to the heights he did in college and when he’s played for the Ravens he’s played really well. I don’t know what other teams are doing or thinking. I don’t know that Ozzie [Newsome] has gotten a call or not. I don’t know. Right now from a coaching perspective he’s our backup quarterback and it’s good to have a good backup quarterback. I think Troy could win games for us. I think John Beck could win games for us, too.

"Let me add this because I don’t want to leave you guys with the wrong impression. That’s not to say that we couldn’t do more at quarterback, either. I’m not ruling out the possibility that we couldn’t sign another quarterback if we wanted to put another guy in the mix there to cover ourselves in case John or Troy gets an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up, either. It’s all possible right now as far as really the whole team other than the fact that Joe will be the starter if he’s healthy.”

Cornrich represents several NFL players, including Mike Vrabel and Dallas Clark, as well as an extensive coaching roster that includes New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz.

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