Tom Zbikowski will start at strong safety opposite Ed Reed in the season opener.

Zbikowski and Bernard Pollard were running neck-and-neck throughout the preseason, and the two will work in a timeshare. Pollard is a thumper in the running game, so he'll see most of his action on early downs.

Tom Zbikowski did not separate from Bernard Pollard at strong safety in the preseason.

As expected. Although the Ravens wanted Zbikowski to run with the job, Pollard is too productive to ignore. Now Zbikowski is admitting he'll share the job, splitting time in certain packages. It's an unreliable IDP situation for now.

Tom Zbikowski will start the Ravens' third preseason game at strong safety.

Zbikowski is locked in a battle with Bernard Pollard while Haruki Nakamura appears to be on the outside looking in. Zbikowski started the preseason opener and then Pollard got a chance in Dawan Landry's old spot last week. It's an IDP situation to monitor as Landry recorded 111 tackles last season.

Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura are the leading candidates to start at strong safety.

Dawan Landry bolted to the Jaguars in free agency, leaving a hole next to Ed Reed. We consider Zbikowski the favorite as he has starting experience from last season when Reed was hurt. It's a position battle to watch as Landry was able to rack up 111 tackles from the spot last season.

Tom Zbikowski is pulling out of his June 4 boxing match against Mike Howell in Los Angeles.

Zbikowski's teammates have gathered for workouts, and he wants to concentrate on football right now. He can't train properly for the early June bout if he's splitting his time with football.

Tom Zbikowski's next boxing match is scheduled for June 4 in Los Angeles against Mike Howell.

Zbikowski's positive test for marijuana/THC was overturned so he's getting back in the ring. Zbikowski is 4-0 while Howell is 2-1 and hasn't fought professionally since September of 2009.

The Chickasaw Nation Boxing Commission has reversed the 45-day suspension for Ravens S Tom Zbikowski.

Four other boxers originally tested positive for marijuana/THC along with Zbikowski, raising suspicions of a "contact high" from a third party smoking near them. Appeals rarely go through, but Zbikowski's followup test came back negative. His next fight is scheduled for May 21 in Cabazon, California.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski's follow-up tests for marijuana/THC came up negative on Tuesday.

Five of the fighters tested positive for THC on the same night, which suggests that something went wrong with the test itself. Manager Mike Joyce insists Zbikowski treats his body like a temple and has high moral character. "Tom was in shock," said Joyce, "... He doesn't do drugs." Zbikowski's suspension is now expected to be reversed.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski has been suspended 45 days by the Chickasaw Nation Boxing Commission after testing positive for marijuana/THC.

Believing the drug test to be in error, Zbikowski plans to appeal the suspension. "He's taken all sorts of tests for the NFL and he's never tested positive ... ever," said Zbikowski's boxing coach. Of course, that may say more about the NFL's drug testing procedures.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski won his latest boxing match on Saturday evening, knocking out Blake Warner in the first round of a bout in Thackerville, Okla.

He is now 3-0 this offseason and 4-0 lifetime. Zbikowski has two more fights scheduled this offseason, one on May 21 in Cabazon, Calif. and June 4 in Los Angeles. Presumably, he'll then go back to focusing on football.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski promises to not let his boxing career interfere with the 2011 football season.

"I do expect to play football ths year," said Zbikowski. "I will report to the Ravens camp the day it begins." Zbikowski says he's very interested in "someday fight(ing) for a world championship," but football comes first for him at this point in his life. Zbikowski's next fight is scheduled for June 4.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski is scheduled to fight Blake Warner on April 23 in Thackerville, Oklahoma.

The fight is scheduled for four rounds. Warner, of Oklahoma City, sports a career record of 1-2. Zbikowski is coming off a win over Caleb "True Grit" Grummet on March 26 that improved his boxing record to 3-0 with two knockouts. Zbikowski is tentatively scheduled for two more matches after this -- May 21 in Cabazon, Calif. and June 4 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski improved to 3-0 as a professional boxer on Saturday evening in Atlantic City.

He earned a unanimous decision over Caleb "True Grit" Grummet, winning each of the fight's three rounds. Promoter Bob Arum has said he wants Zbikowski to fight as often as possible this offseason, so look for him to improve to 4-0 some time in the near future, likely within the next month.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski will seek an NFL contract next year that will allow him to continue his boxing career in the offseason.

Zbikowski reaches unrestricted free agency in 2012. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was almost aggressively supportive of Zbikowski's boxing career in recent comments. His best bet is to stay in Baltimore if he wants to attain his goal of winning the cruiserweight title.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti fully supports S Tom Zbikowski continuing his boxing career on the side.

"I think it's awesome," Bisciotti said. "I wanted to walk him into the ring but I'm not allowed to communicate with him. I would get the Don King hair going ... What's the risk of injury? To me, it's no different than waterskiing. I think it's cool."

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski knocked out Richard Bryant just 1:45 into his second professional boxing match on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

All the more impressive when you consider Bryant has 32 pounds on Zbikowski. Afterward, Zbikowski said "right now this isn't a second career for me. It's a first career." He's planning to fight again on March 26 in Atlantic City. Hopefully promoter Bob Arum can find him some tougher competition.

Boxing promoter Bob Arum seriously believes that Ravens S Tom Zbikowski has a career in the

Zbikowski even hinted on Profootballtalk.com's PFT Live Friday that he might consider taking up boxing full time if the Ravens win a Super Bowl in the next few years. "[Don] King wants to match him against his world cruiserweight champion," Arum said. "It's a bit too soon for that, but Tommy is extraordinarily talented. Very quick, good punch. He's the goods. He isn't a gimmick. ... This kid was raised as a fighter, boxing was his first sport."

Free agent S Tom Zbikowski could appear in more boxing matches following his fight next Saturday.

Promoter Bob Arum believes Zbikowski is a very talented cruiserweight, and says he could fight as often as once a month. "As long as he is available to fight, we plan to keep him very busy," Arum said. This is surely not something the Ravens are happy about, but there's nothing they can do until a CBA is agreed to, enabling them to re-sign Zbikowski. Once they do, his new hobby will be put on hold.

Ravens S Tom Zbikowski is scheduled to fight in a professional boxing match on March 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

It's Zbikowski second pro fight and his first in five years. He'll fight on the undercard, earning just a $100 profit for his troubles. Zbikowski hasn't signed his RFA tender, so there's no contract to keep him from boxing while the CBA remains unresolved.

Ravens extended a low tender to restricted free agent S Tom Zbikowski.

Zbikowski has 10 starts over the past two seasons, racking up two picks in place of Ed Reed. He was originally a third-round pick, compensation at which other teams would balk when considering signing Zbikowski to an offer sheet.