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No way should Elam stay

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000775730/article/xavier-rhodes-leads-top10-no-1-cornberbacks The ranking is just the Top 10 #1 Corners in terms of passer rating allowing when in coverage, but the write up on Jimmy points out a few key stats. The 45% catch rate of receivers in his coverage was 2nd lowest in the league, and the just over 9 yds per reception in his coverage was THE lowest. Also, in looking at the team passer rating chart... you see just how dominant our right side coverage (defensive) was.... where Jimmy mostly lined up. Nice to see someone outside Baltimore taking notice of Jimmy's dominance, and diving deeper than just INT's and break ups to show statistically how great he's been. Also nice to have that validation and some concrete numbers to throw at fans of other teams when I argue with them that Jimmy definitely is a Top 5-10 CB in the NFL... and they disagree just because they haven't heard of him.

Not sure if I've read anything questioning Jimmy's abilities in coverage. But stating the obvious, you can't cover anyone standing on the sideline in street clothes.

Frankly, he's just 1) bummed out that people all calling him out for playing so badly in the playoffs and 2) "hurt" from getting beat so badly Sunday. He wants sympathy and people to beg him to come back. As many others have said: drama queen.

theyve raised ticket prices 1x... ONCE in the last 8 years. And with all the investment theyre putting into the stadium - what do you want them to do? Why do Ozzie and Decosta get a pass for drafting? Ummm... theyre not just getting a pass - they got an A from where im sitting. Franchise LT who was the best pass protector in the entire league down the stretch (per PFF), a legit lockdown type CB, a day 1 above average starter at guard with huge upside (they said they see KO potential in Lewis, btw), a very good situational pass rusher in Judon with big upside, an UDFA gem of a DT who could allow us to walk from BWill, a special teams ace in Moore who showed glimpses of great route running at WR, Dixon came on big down the stretch and is a legit potential lead back..... And that doesnt even include the potential in our 2nd and 3rd round picks. Kaufusi has elite short area burst and many saw him as having monster potential as a pass rusher... some even gave him a rd 1 grade based on his short area burst and strength... and Correa we'll see. But they ACED this draft. Could wind up as one of our best 2-3 drafts in history. And yes. They addressed wanting a dominant run game.... and how you need a dominant OL to do it. Which they see as a priority, along with adding talent at RB. Anything else?

Here's the new logo.

wallace isn't going anywhere man.

Get ready ya'll. 2017 sign ups will be coming soon. We're bumping the game back ever so slightly this year so we can get those cap updates.

i will say without question that i think jimmy smith a better cover guy than any of them, i think ive seen each of those guys get toasted in very limited watches(ill watch maybe 3 or 4 games from them per season) more than i see from jimmy in all of his games. ive seen sherman get beaten deep many many times, i dont see talib get beat very much at all but his utter ignorance separates them, norman is pretty scheme locked but he doesnt get beaten much, peters is a feast-or-famine guy who loses far more than jimmy, peterson is an exceptional athlete but he gets beaten by the elite route runners whereas jimmy shuts down AB almost every time he plays him. i honestly feel like if jimmy smith was given 3 fully healthy seasons where he wasnt rehabbing all year and playing out of shape, he would be the best cover corner in the league during that span. he would have the lowest target, completion, YPA, and passer rating-against numbers league wide, he does it year after year while playing at far less than 100%. its really a shame he cant stay healthy.

Webb finished with the fifth best coverage grade over the second half of the season and Weddle was PFF's top ranked safety, but let's get it for an overrated corner who is all name. Makes sense.

Coaching and a misuse of the talent on offense.

That is a whole lot of words that amount to me knowing nothing more than I knew before reading the article.

Heard Feeney played some snaps at C at the Senior Bowl with good results, that's interesting.

He's just dramatizing, like he usually does. Just like he hurt his shoulder foot ankle a couple weeks ago. He'll be out there and, if he's not: welcome to the division, Landry Jones!

Regardless, we are blessed as Ravens nation to have such a great owner, Steve Bisciotti; he cares about the team and fans.... PS: don't take for granted.....

O-line is a bigger need. We have two good backs. Use them more.

We would have to trade down two spots to land a 4th Rounder. I would rather draft an elite player if available vs. trading back. Ozzie has drafted Stanley, Mosley, Ngata, Suggs, J. Lewis, Travis Taylor (BUST), McAlister, Starks, Boulware, and Ogden with his picks in the top 17. Most of those guys were Pro Bowlers when it actually meant something.

oh wow......lmao......at least I know now to stick around when I see it!!!

Ben is all about the drama ... and that's all this is.

It's a fair point for sure. He hasn't been as healthy as any of us would like. But... while most who know the game will recognize Jimmy as a very good #1, he is not recognized even largely by our own fan base for how good he is. When on the field he has consistently been a Top 5 CB. Hes avoided regularly... and when tested receivers catch passes at a near League worst rate for THE least amount of yards. Basically receivers in Jimmys coverage are the least productive in the NFL compared to pretty much every other CB. Ultimately that's the corners job - to not allow his receiver to produce. It's not about INTs (though they're nice), and you don't have to tip the pass away -- if your guy isn't catching the ball, and when he does it's for minimal gains then that's all that matters. This shows Jimmy is on par with, if not better than, the Peterson's, Sherman's, Talib's, Peters', Norman's, etc... of the world. Not that he or I need the validation... but for all the attention and fanfare those guys get Jimmy Smith is CRIMINALLY underrated both nationally and by many in this fan base. Dude is elite. Top 3-5 CB in the NFL and at least work is being done now to illuminate that fact.

Because there are only a finite number of DC jobs available in any given season, and there's practically no coach that has the ability to be picky about where they want to go.

It's important to have depth and the chance at finding starters are better the more picks you have- but like you said theres only 53 spots. And do we wants starters or stars? That's why we just need to walk that line and balance out with a little bit of both. Stack some picks but don't hesitate to package them and move right back up if there's a guy there we really covet go after him!

i'm excited we will be tied for 1st place entering the season.

Usually after their first non-rookie contract. For many of them, the first non-rookie contract is their best chance to cash in.

Tomlin says it isn't the first time Ben has mentioned retirement. Pittsburgh beat reporters think it is a public expression of discontent about something or other - they're not sure. One thing is for certain, Ben loves being the center of attention and will create drama to do it.

They make other team's games very hard to watch for me. It's like touchdown-commercial-extra point-commercial-kick off-commercial. It's incredibly annoying and makes me honestly lose interest.

100 % agree. Save the money and add an impact Wr/CB/pass rusher.

i would say the top 3 are : - lack of a running game due to the OC's bad Play Calling? - DC Prevent Zone scheme causing the blown leads? - Harbaughs head scratching decisions not to take points in several tight games causing losses, like the fake fg for example?

Don't believe the hype, believe your eyes instead. Sidney Jones is far superior. Especially to tabor who is a massive bust. He has a serious holding problem, he is undisciplined, and honestly looks stiff. Damn the size, the coverage skills are seriously subpar. I saw one game tape from him where he had 4 blatant holds go uncalled, 1 more get called, and was burned despite his holding twice, and he got beat deep multiple times. Tabor is a bust man.

My mistake. Definitely misread

Yea that was kind of my point, im a Harbs fan. I was basically just saying its more than one person.

I'd say it was a combo of both. We had some amazing rosters from 2001-2007, minus the QB, and we didn't see the type or results we did from 2008-2014. In just 2008, with a division 3 rookie QB, the Ravens won more playoff games than they did in the 7 seasons prior. John deserves credit just like those players do, just like Ozzie does

There is always a catch22 with our offensive improving. We either need more weapons for Flacco or Flacco had a down year or the running game needs to improve. You would think that in the last several years we would have a firm grasp on how to fix it but we do not. We go in the same circle again and again. Firing OC's, changing running backs etc etc. Not sure how other teams find the ways to utilize what they have and just win. We are either lacking the coaching to use what we have or we are just awful at bringing in talent. We need to look at other organizations and try to learn. I hate to say it but the Steelers, Patriots and even Packers are very good teams that develop and use what they have and manage to win.

Speaking of new GM, Chris Ballard just got hired to replace the inept Grigson. Thank god Decosta stayed......again

No. Guards have to pull to get out front of the play, his footwork is not good and he's way too slow for that. He's a statue and that won't work in the NFL. Watched his tape against Cal and he was consistantly getting manhandled by Saffle (245 lbs) & Westerfield (250lbs) despite having 3 inches and 100 lbs over them. Plenty of times he would get a free run at a LB downfield and whiff as the LB flowed to the play. His tape against Washington is just as bad - many times the much smaller LB he was run blocking would make the tackle. Practice Squad material

I've hated Ray Lewis since he retired. He's been annoying on TV and way too me me me...No ray it's not about you. I think Ray would be an overbearing coach.

At least he played like the highest paid CB in the league when on the field. If we get him for full healthy seasons going forward the contract will be a steal in comparison to what guys are getting now. His value was never more apparent than this year where when on the field we had the leagues best pass defense without a consistent pass rush. When not on the field we struggled to be average. He literally shuts down his entire side of the field and allows the safeties to focus their help to the other side. I know everyone loves to glorify the CB's that follow the #1 WR around... but you could argue a guy like Jimmy shutting down one side is more valuable. It allows the defense to dictate what they want to do. Whereas even if your top CB is doing well shadowing the WR1, the offense can move him around the formation to create matchups and space elsewhere. Man if Jimmy stays healthy and we can find a legit starter to pair with him on the other side... and be able to keep Tavon in the slot where I think he's best - our secondary is lock down.

i do just want to be clear that im not implicating any of the players i mentioned - i was just wondering if their stock would fall just because of how widespread and systemic the allegations are

so essentially the talking heads needed to dive deep and create a new line of stats to note that jimmy smith is formidable, and really these stats shouldve been around for a long time because they are the only true indicators that a corner is good in coverage, but this is what it takes? sad thing is, half of our fanbase is still gonna call him a bust for some ridiculous unknown reason.

Why he is NOT as good as some people seam to think overpay this guy and set the team back 4 or 5 years

Preaching to the choir man I like Mike Williams a lot. If we did trade up for him I'd be ecstatic, just not my first choice is all, plus I think it's moot because Williams is probably going high and would take quite a haul for us to trade up for him, at which point I'd rather trade up for lattimore or barnett

Like top wide outs they don't grow on trees. Would rather draft a cb and trade for a wr.

Make that Aaron Rodgers instead of Brady and I'll take it.

Ahem...........cough. Favre. cough

Oh best believe, he's getting his money. Now whether if it's with the Steelers is the question at hand.

Drama, Drama, Drama. Between the injuries and now this look at me retirement talk, Ben is a huge Drama Queen.

Probably not, no chance in the world that happens, and that benefits us not at all.

ahh gotcha. and yeah, like i said, we all got different philosophies. give me a zack martin, a pouncey twin, a CJ mosley, etc. over a guy like bruce irvin or will fuller. even if we can find a solid center or guard in the 2nd or 3rd, id take a bonafide stud over a guys whos just decent. i feel like the ravens have really gotten away from that and its part of why this team is on the downslide. lets say this year we went strictly BPA, then stanley is probably still our first pick, then after the 2 trade backs in the 2nd we probably take a michael thomas or nick martin, then in the 3rd we probably take darian thompson or kendall fuller, then the rest of the draft probably stays the same except for keenan reynolds.. now if our draft turned out: stanley, thomas/martin, thompson/fuller, young, henry, dixon, judon, _____, and canady, that wouldve been beautiful, and yea this is hindsight, but a lot of people would have said at the time that these guys were much closer to BPA than what we picked. while i like correa and liked him during the draft and im a huge supporter, i think we may have reached a bit and got enamored with his speed and desperately reached for our pass rush with both and him kaufusi(especially kaufusi, did not like the pick one bit, and even before the injury they said he looked like a total nonfactor). but anyway.. what im getting at, is that we have strayed away from the drafting style that made us great for so long, and now were constantly getting enamored with specific guys and making picks that make us scratch our heads, and we are certainly selling out to try to address certain holes rather than loading up with young star talent and rounding out the roster in free agency, thats the winning formula we used and now we arent using it and our team is hurting because of this whole "we can get this guy later and he should be just fine" stuff instead of "this player sitting right in our laps is a surefire stud but this other guy may have a shot to be decent at a flashier position".

Cravens looking good. We could have picked him too.. 2nd round pick should at least play imo.

A team's 1st round pick needs to be good enough to start, but I don't think the same is true of a 2nd round pick. However, Matt Judon saw snaps on defense. Is it possible Judon is doing what they expected Correa to do?