BALTIMORE — Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith spent his Friday morning with the students from Chase Elementary School in Middle River, Md., reminding the youngsters about the importance of drinking milk and staying active.
The former Maryland standout is intent on applying those principles to his offseason training, setting goals of remaining on top after winning Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday night over the San Francisco 49ers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
"I can't experience that just one time," said Smith, who caught two passes for 35 yards in the 34-31 win. "We need to bring multiple championships back to Baltimore. People are saying this isn't normal. Well, why not? That's the way I'm approaching it. To make it to the top and see the look on the faces of our city, all those kids out there, it's amazing. We are a reflection of our city."
For Smith, 24, it's still sinking in just how much he contributed to the Ravens winning the Lombardi Trophy. He caught 49 passes for 855 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season, providing a deep threat for quarterback Joe Flacco.
During the playoffs, Smith caught 11 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 21.2 yards per reception.
"It's weird to say I was a huge part of a championship team," Smith said. "It's pretty huge. I'm honored by it. I'm humbled by it. Being a part of this organization, anytime you have the opportunity to play at the highest level and win it, it's a huge win for everyone. I'm excited to be a part of the puzzle."
As much as Smith improved in his second NFL season, polishing his route running to incorporate more of the route tree with a special emphasis on upgrading his intermediate patterns, he feels that he has only scratched the surface of his potential.
In two NFL seasons, Smith has caught 99 passes for 1,696 yards and 15 touchdowns.
"As a player, I have a long ways to go," Smith said. "I'll never be satisfied. I'll never get complacent. I'm going to work my tail off and have the best offseason I've ever had. That's how I approach it every year. When I reach where I want to be, the league is going to be in trouble."
Smith said he'll take a few weeks off to rest his body before resuming workouts, spending this time getting reacquainted with his fiancee and his dogs.
Smith likes the Ravens' chances of defending their Super Bowl title but acknowledged that the roster is going to change and that it will take a supreme effort by the team to repeat.
"I don't look at it like a boxer or a NASCAR driver where, if you win, then it's easy to do it again," Smith said. "With our team, it isn't going to be the same. New guys are going to be there and guys are going to be gone. It's not the same in football. I'm not saying your expectations ever change, but the personnel is different. It's going to be a completely different team.
"The goal in Baltimore is always to get to the Super Bowl and win it. That doesn't change regardless of who's in there. We're going to try to get to that same position and win it. With the organization we have, the core of players we have, guys like Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, our defense, I think we'll be fine."
During a Breakfast Blitz program called "Fuel Up to Play 60," which was created through a partnership between the National Dairy Council and the NFL, Smith emphasized the importance of drinking milk to get enough protein in a nutritious diet and also remaining active for at least one hour per day.
"I love it. I was in their shoes before," said Smith, who spoke in front of a packed auditorium of children. "To have the opportunity to be someone they look up to and might actually listen to, it's an honor and a privilege. To share the knowledge I've learned, it's an honor. I'm humbled. These kids look up to you. For me to interact with them, I'm happy to be that guy for them and a positive role model. I'm one of the guys who embraces it.
"Play 60 is a great program. We have a problem in our country in terms of eating healthy and childhood obesity. In general, you need to eat right, work out and stay healthy. I'm excited to be here. I just want to preach the importance of drinking your milk. It's full of protein, and it's good for you."
Ngata has minor sprain
Ravens Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata suffered only a minor medial collateral ligament sprain in his left knee during the Super Bowl, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation.
A magnetic resonance imaging exam confirmed the initial diagnosis after Ngata was injured during the Ravens' Super Bowl victory.
Ngata isn't expected to undergo surgery and should be ready for offseason activities, as well as training camp.
Ngata made the Pro Bowl for the fourth consecutive year after recording five sacks to tie his career high, finishing with 51 tackles in the regular season and 11 more in the playoffs.
"Nothing serious with Haloti," coach John Harbaugh said Thursday before the MRI results were in. "There are some things in there. We'll just have to see, but it won't be anything that should keep him out of training camp or anything like that."
Boldin open to retirement
Should the Ravens decide to cut veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin, which isn't necessarily the Super Bowl champions' intention despite his $6 million base salary and a $7.531 million salary-cap figure, then, Boldin said Friday, he would retire.
Boldin, 32, told Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports that he doesn't want to play for another team.
"Baltimore is the only place I want to play," Boldin said in an interview on NBC Sports Network. "It's the last place that I will play. For me, I'll retire a Raven, I'm not putting on any other uniform. ... We have a saying, 'Once a Raven, always a Raven,' and I'll always be a Raven."
Of course, the Ravens could retain Boldin at his current salary or do a salary-cap-friendly extension, as they did last spring with strong safety Bernard Pollard, that would lower his cap figure for 2013 by converting his salary into a bonus and prorating the bonus over a few seasons. The Ravens have yet to broach that possibility with Boldin, according to league sources, but it's regarded as an option the team is interested in exploring.
LSU hires Cameron
Fired by the Ravens as offensive coordinator in December, Cam Cameron has resurfaced as the new offensive coordinator at LSU, according to CBS Sports.
Cameron is a longtime friend of LSU coach Les Miles, a former colleague at the University of Michigan, where they worked for the late Bo Schembechler.
That connection helped Cameron, 52, land a job with the Southeastern Conference power after being fired by the Ravens on Dec. 10 after a 31-28 overtime loss to the Washington Redskins.
