Ravens running back Jamal Lewis, serving a four-month federal prison term after pleading guilty to using a cell phone to try to set up a cocaine deal in 2000, will be released from jail on June 2, ESPN's Sal Paolantonio has learned. Under the guidelines of his sentence handed down by a federal judge in Atlanta, Lewis must return to Atlanta for a two-month stint in a halfway house, according to his lawyer, Jerome Froelich. That means Lewis cannot report to training camp when veterans are due on July 31 at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md. "He's in great shape," said Froelich, who has visited Lewis in prison. "The prison officials there have been amazed at his attitude. He's volunteered to sign autographs for prison guards' kids, volunteered to do painting. He works in the prison tool shop in the morning. One guy told me, 'I wish every prisoner were like him.'"

The Ravens remain confident that Deion Sanders will return as a nickel back. Sanders came out of retirement last season and joined Baltimore's fabled defense. "The plan is for him to join us for the June minicamps," Billick said. "That was the plan all along, and I have heard nothing to indicate that won't happen."

The Baltimore Ravens All-Pro running back Jamal Lewis was noticeably absent from the teams first off-season minicamp on Monday. Lewis is currently finish up up a 4-month prison sentence in Pensacola, FL for using a cell phone more than four years ago to arrange a drug deal. "This sounds terrible, but he's in a great, regimented environment," Ravens coach Ray Billick said. "There's not a lot else for him to do but to stay focused." "I'm comfortable with his rehab, but I think it would be great to have him up here in this environment," Billick said. "I'm not particularly concerned about the time he would miss in [June] minicamps, but I think it would be great for him to be up here around his teammates."

In order to give themselves some cap relief, the Baltimore Ravens released often-injured linebacker Peter Boulware. The former Pro Bowl player missed the entire 2004 season with knee and toe injuries. He hasn't played in a game since late in the 2003 season against the Cleveland Browns, when he injured his knee. He suffered a turf toe during a November practice in 2004, and was placed on injured reserve. The Ravens were unable to agree on restructuring Boulware's contract in negotiations with his agent, Roosevelt Barnes, ending Boulware's tenure with Baltimore after nine seasons.