The Baltimore Ravens have got to be kidding.

The more I think about it, the more ridiculous I realize their actions during rookie minicamp really were.

The NFL apparently agrees, as Baltimore lost a week of offseason workouts -- including three organized team activity practices -- and head coach John Harbaugh was fined a total of more than $460,000 late last week as a result of putting their rookies in full pads during minicamp.

I honestly still can't believe the Ravens did that, and not because of some big advantage they could have or would have gained. Truth is, there really isn't much of one. That's always what makes these things so asinine.

Instead, I am stunned that a franchise I hold in high esteem as one of the five best -- if not the best -- from top to bottom in the NFL could be so brazen and/or careless as to put players in full pads this time of year.

I've been associated with the NFL since my rookie season in 2001, and in 15 years I have never once heard of any player being in full pads before training camp. Never. That's why the initial Ravens "source" that told at least one beat reporter covering the team that it was a misunderstanding regarding the rules for rookie minicamp is full of horse manure.

Everybody, and I mean everybody, knows you can't put pads on until training camp. Plus, the rules have gotten more restrictive since the 2011 CBA long after my playing days, not less so.

Do you know how much has to happen for all of the rookies to be in full pads for a rookie minicamp?

First, it has to either be the head coach's idea or he has to sign off on it. Harbaugh, to his credit, has said the responsibility lies solely with him.

Secondly, this would be something that at some point was discussed at a meeting with the other coaches. The head coach wouldn't just secretly decide this and not tell any of the other coaches. They would need to know for planning purposes for their drills and practice periods. Nobody thought to mention that this might not be a good idea?

Then the head coach would have to alert the equipment manager, who must've had a quizzical look on his face to say the least when told the news, because even he would know that nobody puts pads on before training camp.

The equipment manager would have to post on the player white board detailing the full-pads attire for the day, then actually place all of that equipment into the lockers of all of the rookies, which was probably a heck of a task in its own right given the unusual request. Do the equipment guys even know what kind of shoulder pads the tryout players wore in college? I can't even imagine what the rookies were thinking at that point. Either they didn't know any better or they were highly surprised or both.

Point is, this is no "mistake" or "accident." And if it was a misunderstanding regarding the rules in the latest CBA, then why haven't the Ravens done this under Harbaugh until now? Or, more to the point, why didn't they clarify it with the NFL before even attempting a stunt like this?

The Ravens did the right thing by reportedly pulling the rookies off the field after a short time once they realized the error of their ways. Just as importantly, they have admitted their wrongdoing and accepted their penalties.

Unfortunately for them, it cost the club and coach close to a half-million dollars and three valuable practices for a team with a lot of new faces.

And now their fans lost some credibility and room to talk when detailing the exploits of the hated Patriots over the years.

Is having rookies on the field in pads for a few minutes that big of a deal? Not really, no. That makes the fact that the Ravens tried it even dumber.