PFT's Mike Florio says a multi-game suspension for Ray Rice "should be the assumption."

Rice has already visited the league office to discuss the assault charges involving an incident with his fiancee turned wife. He has no previous violations of the Personal Conduct policy, but it's possible Roger Goodell has seen surveillance video of Rice striking Janay Palmer in an Atlantic City casino. Projections for Rice's ban have ranged from two to six games. Josh Gordon is facing a year-long ban for repeated marijuana violations.

Joe Flacco observed after spring practices that Ray Rice is "definitely in good shape."

"I don't know if he's any quicker or anything like that. I can say he definitely looks good and he's running the ball well," Flacco said. Rice has shed about 20 pounds since the end of last season and hopes to bounce back after the worst season of his career. The 27-year-old's biggest concern is a possible multi-game ban to open the season. The NFL is expected to hand down discipline shortly.

According to ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley, Ray Rice has appeared "much lighter on his feet" at minicamp, after shedding nearly 20 pounds in the offseason.

Rice played last season in the 215-225 range. He reported to spring workouts at roughly 205. Rice measured 5-foot-8, 199 at the 2008 Combine. Hensley acknowledges it was a "rare sight to see" Rice eluding tacklers in the open field last year, but he did it "a couple times" at minicamp. Rice turned 27 in January. His biggest 2014 concern is an impending multi-game suspension.

The Ravens remain without a timetable for when the NFL will hand down Ray Rice's suspension for violating the league's personal-conduct policy.

The Baltimore Sun reported earlier this week that Rice's ban was expected to be announced in the "coming days," but the league has remained quiet. The New York Post's Bart Hubbuch has passed along that Rice's suspension could be 4-6 games, or "maybe even more." If your league is drafting early, Rice comes with massive risk.

The New York Post's Bart Hubbuch "keep(s) hearing" Ray Rice's suspension could span 4-6 games in connection with his offseason assault charge, or "maybe even more."

Hubbuch is hearing the discipline will be "significant." The NFL has received negative press for strict suspensions levied against pot smokers, while crimes viewed as more sinister like assaulting women get lesser discipline. Commissioner Roger Goodell could use Rice as an example to show the NFL will take hitting women more seriously. A 4-6 game suspension would swing the door wide open for Bernard Pierce, or Justin Forsett, or Lorenzo Taliaffero to run with the feature back job in new OC Gary Kubiak's running back-friendly offense.

The NFL is expected to hand down Ray Rice's forthcoming suspension "in the coming days."

Rice and now-wife Janay Palmer were spotted at league headquarters on Monday, likely for a final sit-down with the commissioner before Roger Goodell decides on discipline. Rice is tentatively expected to be suspended either two or three games to begin the 2014 season. In the meantime, Bernard Pierce versus Justin Forsett versus Lorenzo Taliaferro will be a camp battle to watch.

ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley believes Ray Rice will be given the opportunity to start when he returns from a likely forthcoming suspension.

Rice has not been suspended yet, but odds are he will face a multi-game ban sometime in the near future. Bernard Pierce should fill in for Rice during the suspension, and if he plays well enough he could keep the job even when Rice returns. Hensley does not see that scenario playing out, however, and believes Rice will at least be given a shot to earn back the starting job. With so much uncertainty surrounding the Ravens' backfield, it is hard to trust either Rice or Pierce as starting fantasy options.

The Baltimore Sun reports Ray Rice showed up to Ravens OTAs at "about" 205 pounds.

The plan is for Rice to play around 205 this season after checking in somewhere between 215-225 in 2013. According to reporter Aaron Wilson, Rice looks "a lot lighter" and quicker. Rice's weight is just a side issue, of course. He's facing a potential multi-game suspension for his February assault of his fianc‚e, whom he's since married.

The Baltimore Sun confirms the Ravens are "bracing for a potential multi-game suspension" for Ray Rice.

Rice is expected to meet "soon" with Roger Goodell. "The commissioner is going to decide that," said Ravens president Dick Cass. "I'm going to leave it to the commissioner." The precedent for incidents like Rice's assault of now-wife Janay Palmer is 1-2 games, but Goodell tends to increase punishments "for higher-profile incidents." Per the Sun, Rice has shed 20 pounds and is down to 205 after the Ravens felt his conditioning was a 2013 problem.

Ray Rice plans to participate in OTAs next week.

Rice has been attending the Ravens' voluntary workouts all offseason and will meet with commissioner Roger Goodell soon to determine his discipline. Despite being a first-time offender of the Personal Conduct Policy, he could face a suspension of three games or longer for his assault charge. Rice's off-field issues should allow one of Bernard Pierce or fourth-round pick Lorenzo Taliaferro to open the season as the Week 1 starter.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen suggested on NFL Insiders Friday that Ray Rice may face a suspension of three games or longer stemming from his assault charge.

"They're preparing for him to miss, I think, at least three games," Mort said, noting the Ravens used a fourth-round pick on Lorenzo Taliaferro after signing Justin Forsett. Add in Rice's well-below-average 2013 performance, and he's going to be tough to justify as an early-round 2014 fantasy selection. We like Bernard Pierce's chances of opening the year as Gary Kubiak's bellcow back.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen indicated on NFL Insiders Thursday that Ray Rice is likely to face a league-imposed suspension following his assault charge.

Rice avoided trial and is a first-time offender of the Personal Conduct Policy, but the NFL has suspended players for similar incidents. "He's gonna miss some time," said Mortensen. "The Ravens anticipate he's gonna miss some time." Say Rice is suspended for the first two games of 2014; it would give another running back (Bernard Pierce, Lorenzo Taliaferro?) the opportunity to run away with the feature back job in OC Gary Kubiak's run-heavy offense.

Former NFL counsel David Cornwell believes Ray Rice could still face a suspension despite avoiding trial on assault charges.

Rice can argue that he's a first-time offender of the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy and his charges will be formally dropped once he completes an intervention program. But Cary Williams was suspended two games during the 2010 season for a domestic incident and Fabian Washington got one game in 2008 for the same issue. Both former Ravens had clean sheets previously, and neither had an ugly video posted on TMZ a la Rice. A one- to two-game ban is in play for tarnishing the shield.

Ray Rice will avoid trial on assault charges after being accepted into a pretrial-intervention program.

Ray Rice pleaded not guilty on a third-degree charge of aggravated assault in New Jersey Thursday.

Rice allegedly struck Janay Palmer, his then fiancee and now wife, unconscious at an Atlantic City hotel. He's applied for Pretrial Intervention Program, a diversionary program that permits certain defendants (typically first-time offenders like Rice) to avoid formal prosecution. If approved, Rice would receive probation without jail and undergo anger management. The prosecution has also offered a plea that includes probation. Either way, Rice isn't going to land behind bars. But even if he ends up without a true conviction, Rice can still be suspended under the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

Ray Rice will be arraigned on felony aggravated assault charges Thursday.

Per the indictment, Rice allegedly did "cause significant bodily injury to Janay Palmer, and/or did purposely or knowingly cause significant bodily injury to Janay Palmer and/or under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life, did recklessly cause significant bodily injury to Janay Palmer." As a first-time offender, Rice will likely avoid jail time. However, a guilty plea could very well result in a suspension.

The Ravens are pleased with Ray Rice's conditioning at voluntary workouts.

The Ravens want Rice to play near 207 pounds after he checked in around 217 last season. "He's doing some things differently as far as his diet and so forth, and he told me has a handle on it," were the words of strength and conditioning coach Bob Rogucki. "Whatever he did from the end of the season until now, he's in a good position right now." Rice's weight remains a secondary issue to his off-the-field troubles.

The Ravens have paid Ray Rice $25 million since July of 2012.

The Ravens have swallowed the biggest chunk of Rice's $35 million contract already, with only $10 million remaining over the next three seasons. PFT's Mike Florio points out that if the money was instead backloaded, it would be easier for the Ravens to take a moral stand and cut him. Rice has been indicted by a grand jury on assault charges for striking his fiancee (now wife) Janay Palmer.

Sources tell ESPN that Ray Rice married Janay Palmer Friday.

The marriage comes one day after Rice was indicted by a grand jury on assault charges for allegedly striking Palmer unconscious. It's notable because Palmer could now claim spousal privilege in the case, making it unlikely she'd be forced to testify against her husband. Without any testimony from the victim, prosecutors would not have much of a case. The video released by TMZ shows Rice lifting/dragging Janay Palmer out of an elevator, but did not show him striking her.

The Baltimore Sun reports the Ravens were interested in "adding at least one running back" even before Ray Rice's legal issues.

Even without Rice's legal issues, the Ravens would be smart to look for help at running back. Rice is coming off his worst season as a pro, and heir apparent Bernard Pierce did now show much better in 2013. Baltimore may look to sign a free agent like Andre Brown and will certainly take a running back in the middle rounds of next month's draft.