woolly61

I am LOVING this draft! Ravens getting back to smash-mouth football. Beefing up the defense and the trenches!

I like it as well. Shore up the defense to dominate and protect late-game leads. Don't reach for offensive players just to fill a need. I hope these two offensive linemen turn out to be productive, but like all draftees we'll have to wait and see until they actually play NFL competition. I'd like to see some players from the 2016 draft make real contributions this year -- Correa, Kaufusi, Judon, Moore. I'm hoping for good health from the TE position (and no more suspensions) in what was once considered one of the team's strengths. I'm hoping for consistent production from 2015 draftees Perriman, Williams, Davis, Smith, and Boyle. I would love to see Campanaro stay healthy for a full season to see what he could produce; he has provided flashes of excitement. And I would love to see a role develop for last year's project, of whom I might be in the considerable minority when I think he could produce excitement and big plays -- Keenan Reynolds.

It's all gotta happen on the field. The players have to play. The coaches have to coach 'em up for sure, but it's still up to the players to produce and fulfill their promise.

Ozzie is just getting played, no trade partners to move up to get the guy we want?

Yes, poor Ozzie being taken advantage of; he really ought to learn from the experts on the message board. No question he should have overpaid to move up a spot or three to make a selection that would satisfy the fans who "scout" players from their living room by reading or watching what the mock drafters opine.When will Ozzie ever learn?!

i rememeber the good ol days when we were competetive

Don't smoke too much; it's affecting your sense of reality...

Just curious. Is Ozzie allowed to draft from schools OTHER than Alabama?

Let's see -- general consensus is that when it was time for the Ravens to draft the four best available options were all from Alabama (Humphrey, Allen, Foster, Howard, in whatever order you'd like). Tell me, whom would you have preferred Ozzie to draft?

I personally thought they would select Allen, and sure hope he doesn't turn into a beast for the Deadskins at the other end of the Parkway. But given the number of times the secondary has faltered late in games the last few years and given the injuries that have frequently occurred, I'm happy with the Humphrey pick.

  1 hour ago, Crusader said:

I would put Marlon on A.J Green the first game "You want to be the best, play against the best" . Ravens are going to lose anyway

I can't see us beating either the Bengals or the Steelers. With Garret and Peppers on the Browns defense, I don't see Flacco beating the Browns either. We are in for a very long season this year and if it does it doesn't bode well for John Harbaugh.

This is great...after one round of the draft it has apparently become obvious that the Ravens will go 0-6 in the division next year, especially because of 2 players Cleveland selected. How in the world did the "awful" and "talent-less" 8-8 Ravens go 4-2 against these same teams last year? Solidifying their secondary with Jefferson, Carr, and Humphrey so far in the off-season truly must have been a waste of time. And there will be no help added in the rest of the draft or the remainder of the off-season, so let's just sit back, Raven fans, and hope they lose enough to obtain the 1st pick in the draft next year. There is no need to be optimistic for 2017; the "brilliant" commentators on this message board have spoken!

  2 hours ago, law215 said:

If that kid is out there reading this blog, what would he think about Ravens fans?

It's OZ that should be the focus. Show the kid some love. Not guys like Webb that a lot us forgive repeatedly no mater how CAP he eats up while stopping no one.

If Joe plays like he did last year, it will not matter who they draft. FYI- Joe had more weapons last than any season. Yet, some fans always blame the play-calling, O-line, receivers, etc.. Better offense needs better QB play.

Perriman is a 1st round guy, Pitta is been getting paid even when he is not playing, Wallace has speed, Yanda is a HOF, Stanley is 1st round LT, Lewis is solid.

Joe is one of the highest paid dudes in the league and eating up cap space allocated to offense. It's time to stop thinking all the answers are to surround him with the best of everything and put responsibility on HIM to make guys better.

There are a lot of people that make comments intended to be direct messages to players mentioned in articles.  But they fall on deaf ears I am afraid to say.  Its a bit bizarre really as the instances of players coaches and front office members reading these comments are few and far between.  I agree with what you are saying though its not his fault that people are unhappy with the FO decision to take him.

"Its a bit bizarre really as the instances of players coaches and front office members reading these comments are few and far between."

Are you kidding me?

Do you, and other "brilliant" football minds who post on this site, really believe that the Ravens' players, coaches, and front office should be reading the comments and taking the advice of "well-informed" fans who are sitting at home on the couch in order to improve their performance on the field? Please, oh please, Steve Bisciotti, hire these football "geniuses" immediately so that the Ravens may hope to win a few more games next year; wait, check that, bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

Just as Donald Trump said during the campaign that only he could solve all the country's problems so only the "brilliant" posters on this site can solve the Ravens' woes.

Ozzie is going to have good options. Guess I'd be least excited about an OT at 16.

Offensive line may be boring, but look what having a great one did for the Cowboys and Raiders, in particular, last year. When anyone talked about the success of those two teams one of the first things mentioned was dominant offensive line play. And having good or great young offensive linemen keeps them on the team longer at a cheaper price, before they move on to that second contract (Osemele, Wagner).

i think we end up trading down, pick up extra picks, and still draft an impactful Defensive player in first round.

Very logical given Ozzie's track record.

Still would love to see a real "play-maker", a real "game-changer," drafted. It's something the Ravens lack, whether that be a dynamic WR or a real threat as a pass rusher.

I don't normally get involved with trying to figure out who the Ravens or the Colts before them would do during the draft. However with only a total of seven picks this year. I envision that the Ravens will be making one of two moves with pick 16 this year. Currently They will have 4 of the top 78 picks,providing they don't trade up for anyone. The OL is a bigger need than the the DL. WR is a strong need maybe even just a strong desire. The DBs have been transformed from a weakness to a probable strength through off season signings. Currently they are trying to sign the ex-Jet. If they are truly looking at signing a FA WR i.e. Bouldin along with the Jet Center or even to patch those holes through FA. Then pick 16 is either an OT or a pass rusher to learn from Suggs or start with Mosley. A pass rusher to whom the Ravens are really after if available at pick 16 will be a Raven.. However, I believe that will not be the case. Nor do I believe that the OT that they are truly after is even going to go in the first round. I really think that Ozzie will trade down to get another draft pick or two with pick 16. That means another second or third round pick giving the Ravens 5 or possibly 6 picks in that first 78 picks. Then there are alot of things that the Ravens can do to fill the OL, DL and Pass rusher and still pick some help at CB and WR. Just to make things a bit more dicey We have 5 starting TEs. Strong enough to start on most NFL teams. There has already been interest in three of them from other teams in the league. One of those five can also play WR and has done well.Offering the possibility of another trade for a top round pick. If the Ravens actually use that 16th pick look for a trade of a TE to follow for second or third round or maybe even another fourth round pick in this draft. Just very interesting thoughts about this draft. Remember if we sign Boudin before the draft then we lose a compensatory pick in 2018 or 19. Boudin doesn't have that much of a future left in him. He's a one year patch verses a possible future of several years with a draft pick.

No way the Ravens can get a 2nd or 3rd round pick for one of their current TEs.

  On 4/20/2017 at 5:16 PM, Flamengo1265 said:

The Ravens don't need a 1st round receiver, they do need a 1st round pass rusher.

why with the secondary we have we could almost put anyone on our D-Line and we can get to the qb an stop the run and we have matt judon smith KC plus suggs will play 2-3 more years unless we win a super bowl but i like the guys we have an i don't see us reaching for one

"With the secondary we have we could almost put anyone on our D-Line and we can get to the qb..."

Um, I'm afraid it doesn't work that way in the NFL. You can't expect DBs to blanket their receivers for an indefinite length of time. We've seen that as Raven fans in the last couple of years, especially 2016. QBs, especially good or great ones will sit back there without pressure and pick the defense apart. A great, or at least consistent, pass rush is essential in today's game.

All the optimism in the world is no substitute for a great OL. If the season started today we would be in big trouble.

Yes, let's start the season today...before the draft...

  3 hours ago, The Mom Gene said:

  22 hours ago, 20306cab said:

Just part of the reason he's pathetic.

I really wish sometimes our fans actually knew what having a pathetic QB was.  Then I remember Grbac and Boller....  how quickly some forget.

You can focus on that, while I focus on the hopes of betterment.

I totally agree with "The Mom Gene", and would throw in Trent Dilfer as well, despite the Super Bowl win.

Flacco does need to improve during the regular season, there is no question. The play-calling in general needs to tremendously improve and not abandon a running game, mixed in with Flacco passes, that led to early scores and leads last year; it was mind-boggling at times. However, Flacco is nowhere near pathetic. Here's an advanced stat from ESPN.com that shows Flacco consistently in the upper half of NFL QBs (I've never said Flacco was an upper-tier QB, but he's certainly not pathetic):

Total clutch-weighted expected points added -- Flacco ranked 12th in 2016, 8th in 2014, 16th in 2013, 16th in 2012, 10th in 2011, 8th in 2010, and 12th in 2009. He did rank 23rd in 2015 (injury) and 26th in 2008 (rookie).

Total clutch-weighted expected points added on plays with pass attempts -- Flacco ranked 13th in 2016, 19th in 2015, 11th in 2014, 24th in 2013, 14th in 2012, 10th in 2011, 11th in 2010, 13th in 2009, and 26th in 2008.

Last year, "pathetic" Joe finished above the following in the Total EPA category: Carr, Taylor, Palmer, Roethlisberger, Mariota, Smith, Manning, Dalton, Newton, and Tannehill, as well as assorted dregs. In the Plays w/ Pass Attempts category "pathetic" Joe finished above the following: Manning, Wilson, Palmer, Smith, Mariota, Dalton, Taylor, Newton, and assorted dregs.

The point is some Raven fans want to discredit Flacco's postseason success from years gone by and fall into the "what have you done for me lately?" way of thinking. Again, he's not upper-tier, but he is a good QB.

  11 hours ago, woolly61 said:

  23 hours ago, Chuckx999 said:

They are still "WAY" behind the Steelers. The offense hasn't changed. Play calling will be the same people, so that's at least 4 losses. WR's are poor, TE's are poor, the OL is "WHO EVER SHOWS UP PLAYS" ???? QB plays like his knee is still bad and his throws are way off!!
The "D" might be better but there isn't a Ray Lewis or Ed Reed to make them play like the are a top 5 "D" in the 4th quarter.
We still have years to wait .

"WAY behind the Steelers" -- yes, the Steelers certainly crushed the Ravens in their second game last year. The incredible stretch over the goal line by Antonio Brown in the final seconds was mere window dressing to push the spread past 30, wasn't it? How in the world were the Ravens able to upset such a vaunted and dominating opponent like the Steelers 3 of the 4 times they've played the last two seasons, especially with pitiful talent and coaching?! Just lucky, I guess.

"We still have years to wait" -- really? Oh nuts...thanks, though. I'd rather listen to your expertise than rely on the proven records of Newsome and Harbaugh. I must have been fooled by their so-called "success" and something called, I think this is right, "respect around the league."

I am going to agree somewhat with Chuckx999. YEs, the Ravens have beaten the Steelers a lot lately.

But, what about the other 14 games?
Steelers and Bengals are capable of winning more games.
This is why Ravens have been in the 3rd spot in the AFC North for the last few years. Beating them then missing the playoffs means nothing.

Oh to be the Bengals and lose their only 7 playoff games under Marvin Lewis since 2005, 4 of which were at home, never scoring more than 17 points in any of the games, being outscored 176-90 (average of 25-13) in the seven games, supposedly with a world of talent...

They are still "WAY" behind the Steelers. The offense hasn't changed. Play calling will be the same people, so that's at least 4 losses. WR's are poor, TE's are poor, the OL is "WHO EVER SHOWS UP PLAYS" ???? QB plays like his knee is still bad and his throws are way off!!
The "D" might be better but there isn't a Ray Lewis or Ed Reed to make them play like the are a top 5 "D" in the 4th quarter.
We still have years to wait .

"WAY behind the Steelers" -- yes, the Steelers certainly crushed the Ravens in their second game last year. The incredible stretch over the goal line by Antonio Brown in the final seconds was mere window dressing to push the spread past 30, wasn't it? How in the world were the Ravens able to upset such a vaunted and dominating opponent like the Steelers 3 of the 4 times they've played the last two seasons, especially with pitiful talent and coaching?! Just lucky, I guess.

"We still have years to wait" -- really? Oh nuts...thanks, though. I'd rather listen to your expertise than rely on the proven records of Newsome and Harbaugh. I must have been fooled by their so-called "success" and something called, I think this is right, "respect around the league."

This article is misleading. It's insinuating that since the team has stripped away most of the starting players we had during our 2015 season, that somehow it will equate to us having a shot at a championship this season, and that pundits are wrong for overlooking us this season.. Seriously Mink?

We are overlooked right now for GOOD REASON. Nobody deserves to get credit unless credit is due. This team has been consistently going downhill since our 2012 SB season. You can rearrange, shuffle, cut & resign players all day, that does nothing but mess up a locker room. Years ago, when we cut, traded or released a player it was either because he was not valuable, or THERE WAS A CLEAR BACK UP GUY that was READY TO PERFORM. Hence, Jarret Johnson, Bart Scott, Osemele, etc. Under harbaugh, this team cuts starting players with NO CLUE of who can fill the shoes.

First of all, love the capital letters. That lets me know I had better pay attention to these brilliant facts...

Just wondering if the salary cap may play, oh I don't know, a small role in a lot of moves the Ravens make, or ANY NFL TEAM makes (how did I do with those capitals? I was hoping it would make my point seem more informed...). Yes, I'm sure the coaching staff and front office DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA (did that help things?!) what they are doing when they release or acquire a player, no plan whatsoever. Just whistlin' in the dark, I'd say. The Lombardi Trophy, the playoff appearances...pure luck and coincidence...oh, or due only to the Hall of Fame leadership skills of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

And, yes, this locker room is MESSED UP! (Hey, caps AND an exclamation point; wow, can't argue with that!!!) I mean, the stories of dissension and backbiting that emanate from the players on a daily basis, especially about "Dunkin' JoeNuts," as another seasoned NFL expert in this comment section referred to him, well, they're just ripping this team apart. Steve Smith, Sr. sure had awful things to say about the QB while he was here, didn't he?! But then again, who could respect a cat headed to the Hall of Fame (unless he used capital letters a lot...)?

Sorry John but I do not see it as of YET. We still have major pieces missing especially on the offense. Harbaugh's constant rah rah gets old truefullyBUT what do you expect him to say??? My problem is that I am starting to believe that HE believes what he is saying and not clearly seeing the teams shortfall. Perhaps he should listen more to the fans ....

"Perhaps he (Harbaugh) should listen more to the fans..."

I only hope Harbs reads these comments on this site, or the Ravens will never have another winning season. Such a pity, Harbaugh had these brilliant fans in his locker room and on the sideline when the Ravens were making the playoffs on a regular basis and bringing the Lombardi Trophy to Baltimore, relying on these brilliant fans to make all the right moves for him and motivate his players. Why, Harbs, oh why have you turned away from the fans as your guide?!

Re-signing Webb and getting Jefferson for the price of what it would have been had they not released Webb, hmm...I guess the posters here who say the front office doesn't know what the h-e-double-toothpicks they are doing were correct all along!

  On 4/4/2017 at 1:30 PM, cobrajet said:

I personally did not like trading back twice in the second. I was hoping to pick up Spence and was disappointed when we we didn't. Time will tell if it was a big mistake.

Agreed. Look at Correa's performance last year and when you have a second rounder, you expect someone who is going to spend a lot of time on the field if not injured and he wasnt injured. Once again, in the second and third rounds, the ravens FO and scouts have failed us again (and again and again). The old trade back to get more picks so we can get extra people with those picks that we eventually have to cut is just a poor strategy. You can only keep 52 and I would rather trade up and have a few really really good players than 15 of which 14 don't ever see the field. The old philosophy of being successful in the draft by getting more picks and accumulating comp picks is no longer an effective strategy. How many picks did Cleveland have last year, like 20, and they were like 1-15 or 0-16. All those draft picks did them absolutely no good like all those draft picks we get do us no good. Hopefully, soon we will learn.

The Ravens won the Super Bowl after the 2012 because so much of the roster was drafted by this front office. Remember these guys on offense? Flacco (1st, 2008), Rice (2nd, 2008), Torrey Smith (2nd, 2011), Pitta (4th, 2010), Dickson (3rd, 2010), Oher (1st, 2009), Yanda (3rd, 2007), Osemele (2nd, 2012), Harewood (6th, 2010), Pierce (3rd, 2012), Tyrod Taylor (the "lost savior" to a few posters on this website, 6th, 2011). On defense? Ngata (1st, 2006), Suggs (1st, 2003), Lewis (1st, 1996), Reed (1st, 2002), Jimmy Smith (1st, 2011), Webb (3rd, 2009), Kruger (2nd, 2009), McPhee (5th, 2011), Arthur Jones (5th, 2010). Special teams? Koch (6th, 2006) and Tucker (undrafted rookie, 2012). The front office brought in Boldin, Jacoby Jones, Leach, Birk, Pollard, Graham, C. Williams, McLellan, and Ellerbee. There was considerable production from non-1st round draft picks that helped bring the Lombardi Trophy to Baltimore.

Since then -- B. Williams (3rd), Juszczyk (4th), and Wagner (5th) in 2013; granted, Elam and Brown (1st and 2nd) were busts. In 2014 -- Mosley (1), Jernigan (2), Gillmore (3), Urban (4), Urschel (5), and Campanaro (7); I still see good things for Gillmore, Urban, and Campanaro if they can finally stay healthy. In 2015 -- Perriman (1), Maxx Williams (2), Davis (3), Za'Darius Smith (4), Buck Allem (4), Boyle (5), Waller (6); again, I hope for good things here if healthy and NOT suspended. In 2016 -- Stanley (1), Correa (2), Kaufusi (3), Tavon Young (4), Alex Lewis (4), Dixon (4), Judon (5); still early on this class and also hoping for good things. And in the 6th round the Ravens took Keenan Reynolds...maybe I'm alone in this but I have a hopeful feeling that he will amount to something exciting.

Most "dead money" in the NFL... again. What does that say about our FO's skill at doing business?

The Ravens have $4.4M in dead money this year for LT Eugene Monroe, who is retired at age 29, never displayed real passion during the games for Baltimore, and only had 17 regular season starts in the two years (plus not starting the NE playoff game in which he was supposedly healthy enough) after he signed his free agent deal that included $17M in guaranteed money. At the time the Ravens had to decide between paying Monroe or Michael Oher, who wasn't worth the money then and has played for two teams since. Hindsight is always 20-20, and "at the time" most felt the Ravens made the right move. It turned out to probably be the worst free agent signing in club history.

Another $2.4M in dead money this year goes to Elvis Dumervil. Again, hindsight is 20-20; Dumervil certainly played well before last year when he was bothered by injury. (A 12/30/16 piece here on this website noted that Dumervil had surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. He apparently suffered an Achilles injury at the end of the '14 season, played through it in '15, and found his Achilles was 60% torn at the end of the '15 season. Dumervil was told by some to wait until the '17 season to come back but he wanted to return earlier because he felt the Ravens could do something special. As we saw in '16 he just never got healthy and his production was a far cry from two years prior.) So releasing Dumervil saved the Ravens $6M on the cap, but will carry the dead hit. Was that a bad move by the Ravens front office when they signed Dumervil to a 5-year, $26M contract in March 2013? The first two years they received great production from Dumervil, with 9.5 and 17 sacks, then injuries seemed to slow him down. But it easy to look now and criticize a dead money figure...

Here's an article by ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, written March 24 of this year, on the Ravens' front office's ability to typically make the right call when it comes to their own free agents:

http://www.espn.com/blog/baltimore-ravens/post/_/id/34664/release-of-art-jones-is-reminder-ravens-typically-make-right-call

If healthy sign Mangold, he has to be better than what we have had. Then draft Mangold's future replacement in rounds 4 to 7.
We need another Kick Butt LB and/or Edge player on rounds 1 to 3.
WR's are just not Ozzie's thing. He's good at OL and DL, so sign Anquan Boldin, he's just better than what we now have.

We need "Cap Space", make Flacco take a pay cut !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flacco restructured his contract last March to reduce the cap hits of '16 & '17. Just how do you propose the Ravens "make" him take a pay cut? Threaten to release him? That would be a smart salary cap decision...

  On 4/9/2017 at 1:50 PM, woolly61 said:

  On 4/8/2017 at 9:13 PM, Chuckx999 said:

Flacco's greedy contracts take up too much Cap Space!!! You got that right!!!

Also the draft has been to hit or miss. WHo's fault is that, Ozzie or scouts???

Team needs help everywhere, players. coaches, and front office!!!

With regard to Joe's "greedy contracts", remember that his Super Bowl-winning contract was back-loaded, and as such Flacco had the following "cap hits" during these seasons: 2013 -- $6.8M (5.32% of team cap, lower than Suggs $13M, Ngata $11.5M, and Yanda $7.45M); 2014 -- $14.8 mil (11.85% of cap; also on team - Ngata $14M, Yanda $8.45M, Suggs $7.8M, Webb $7.5M); 2015 -- $14,55M (10.30% of cap; also on team - Webb $9.25M, Monroe $7.7M, Dumervil $7.375M, Yanda $6.98M, Pitta $6.2M). Flacco's cap hit was supposed to be $28.55M in 2016, $31.15M in 2017, and $24.75M in 2018; with his restructured deal, the new cap hits are $22,55M in 2016 (also on team - Webb $9.5M, Suggs $7.45M, Dumervil $7.375M), $24.55M in 2017 (also on team - J. Smith $12.6M, Yanda 9.125M, Wallace $8M, and Suggs $6.95M), and $24.75M in 2018 (also $26.5M in 2019, $28.25M in 2020, and $24.25M in 2021).

Compare Flacco's cap hits to Matt Ryan, drafted #3 in the same 2008 draft: 2011 -- Ryan $13.25M cap hit (10.45% of team cap), Flacco $5.725M (4.81%); 2012 -- Ryan $13.5M hit (10.63%), Flacco $8M (6.03%); 2013 -- Ryan $9.6M hit (7.86%), Flacco $6.8M (5.32%); 2014 -- $17.5M hit (13.16%), Flacco $14.8M (11.85%); 2015 -- Ryan $19.5M hit (14.31%); 2016 -- Ryan $23.75M hit (15.3%), Flacco $22.55M (14.94%); 2017 -- Ryan $23.75M (13.96%), Flacco $24.55M (14.48%). [numbers courtesy of sportrac.com]

Flacco definitely needs to step up his game, but who has had more postseason success, he or Ryan? Before this year's trip to the Super Bowl (a legendary loss with a big 2nd half lead helped by someone taking a big sack...), the Falcons had missed the playoffs the previous three seasons and had gone 1-4 in the playoffs since 2008, this despite the presence of receivers Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez, and Roddy White...

Problem is with fans is that they live in the past. What Flacco did 2 or 3 years ago means nothing to me and means nothing to people who analyze players in the NFL. It TRULY is a what have you done for me lately league. Rarely do players skill sets drop off in any given year and then they come back the next 3 or 4 years and are pro bowlers. Recent history with a player is a GREAT indication of how they will play in the future. The only slack I give Flacco is that he was coming off an ACL tear which you could clearly see caused him mobility issues and even when he was better, by lugging around that knee brace, he was quite inhibited. However, Flacco has never been an accurate passer, thus his ratings are always in the bottom half of the league. Add to it his injuries and we had a QB that wouldn't start on most teams in the league. My opinion on Flaccos Cap hit is that he sees what it is doing to the team, he knows he isn't producing at that level but Joe is a Joe guy and thats his money and he has every right to it. However, a team player like Brady, Manning, Brees etc... were in that position and they volunteered to take pay cuts to bring in the talent they needed to win. I don't think Joe even cares enough about winning to care about the talent around him. If I had just raked in 100 million and 50 mil after taxes, and I had invested the money properly, I wouldn't need to keep soaking my team and putting them at a competitive disadvantage. Granted, he signed a contract that was given to him but thats on the front office. What Dak Prescott has taught me, the same thing that Flacco taught me in his first three years, your QB if given time can be a stud. Dallas put Prescott and Elliott behind the best line in the league and it showed. The Ravens put Flacco behind one of the worst lines in the league and IT showed. An average QB with a great O-line will get you to the playoffs every time. So Ozzie should have invested in KO, kept Tyrod Taylor, Let Joe walk, and our team would have been considerably better. Not because of Tyrod, but because we would have had the money to get a good O-Line like when Joe first started and didn't eat up the salary cap allowing the team to put studs around Taylor.

Love that...what have you done for me lately...what someone did, even as long back as 2 or 3 years ago (wow, an eternity), means nothing. Let's put everyone on one-year contracts; that way we can truly see who is performing year in and year out...

And you say we should have kept Tyrod Taylor after the 2014 season, this after he had shown nothing to date for the Ravens after four seasons. Flaccos' 2014 was the best in his career, with Gary Kubiak as offensive coordinator (344-554, 62.1%, 3,986 yards, 27 TD, 12 INT, 91 QB rating, 72 QBR); the Ravens won a game in the playoffs AT Pittsburgh (Flacco had 2 TD, no picks, 114.0 rating) and then lost AT New England (Flacco threw 4 TD, 2 INT, 92.1 rating; as I recall the defense couldn't stop Brady in the 4th and gave up a 14 point lead). Yes, you are right, we should have dumped the bum when we had the chance for the proven skills of Taylor.

And yes, let's compare Flacco's contract to those of Brady and Manning; it's too bad both of those poor fellows can't get a whiff of an endorsement or two to supplement their meager salaries or can't manage to be married to the world's highest paid supermodel...How easily we spend other people's money and tell them what they should do with it. "If that were me I'd..." is one of the most laughable comments made by today's sports fan.

  7 hours ago, woolly61 said:

  17 hours ago, law215 said:

Sounds like excuses or an attempt to justify. If it's a level playing field how are the Raiders and Chiefs stocking team with talent while still making the playoffs? How are the Steelers able to add quality receivers every draft? Maybe what they been doing since 1996 needs to change?

I don't think the Ravens are necessarily bad at drafting, I think other teams are doing a better job of drafting and developing. I also believe the FO lacks confidence in their ability to draft and coaches ability to develop. Why else would they resign Webb in a draft that's deep in secondary? Why sign Watson last year with 4 TEs already on the roster?

This makes me laugh...you might want to use two other teams as examples than the Raiders and the Chiefs. Granted the Raiders went 12-4 last year...but you do realize they missed the playoffs the previous 13 years! Of those 13 years, the Raiders lost 10 or more games 10 times, with two 8-8 seasons and a 7-9. The Chiefs? Well, they have been in the playoffs 3 of the last 4 seasons, but the Chiefs have won one (1!) playoff game since 1993 (the 2015 wild card game vs. the legendary Brian Hoyer-led Texans). In the 19 years since 1998 the Chiefs missed the playoffs 13 times, and 9 of those were with losing records.

You making my point. The Raider got their act together because they CHANGED drafting every fast player from the combine in the first round to getting a solid coach like Del Rio and evaluating talent. The Raiders are trending up.

They are doing a better job ' today' than the Ravens.

Exactly whom did the Raiders draft last year that was so excellent? 1st rd (14) Karl Joseph, S; 2nd (44) Jihad Ward, DE; 3rd (75) Shilique Calhoun, DE; 4th (100) Connor Cook, QB; 5th (143) DeAndre Washington, RB [not bad with 467 rushing yards]; 6th Cory James, OLB; 7th Vadal Alexander, G. The Raiders selected Amari Cooper #4 overall in '15; what else did they get in that draft? They selected Khalil Mack #5 overall in '14, got Derek Carr with pick #36, and G Gabe Jackson in the 3rd rd. In '13 they drafted little of consequence beside RB Latavius Murray in the 6th round. Cooper & Mack are playmakers but taken with the 4th and 5th picks of their drafts; the only time the Ravens have been close to a pick that high lately was last year and hopefully they locked down the LT position for years to come with Ronnie Stanley. The Raiders made a huge improvement last year by bringing in a bunch of free agents over the last couple of years, including G Kelechi Osemele (from your Baltimore Ravens; he was given an average annual salary of $11.5M, about $3.5 M/yr more than the next highest paid G, Mike Iupati), WR Michael Crabtree, C Rodney Hudson (given a 5 yr/$44.5M contract, more than Alex Mack and Maurkice Pouncey), LB Bruce Irvin, CB Sean Smith, and S Reggie Nelson. They paid huge money to solidify their offensive line because they had the cap space BECAUSE they weren't getting anything out of their drafts for years, had 13 straight losing seasons, and didn't have any veterans who merited a big salary.

So, yes, applaud them for a fine 2016 season, but how will those huge offensive line contracts look in a couple of years when Cooper, Mack, & Carr come calling on their 2nd contracts?

Flacco's greedy contracts take up too much Cap Space!!! You got that right!!!

Also the draft has been to hit or miss. WHo's fault is that, Ozzie or scouts???

Team needs help everywhere, players. coaches, and front office!!!

With regard to Joe's "greedy contracts", remember that his Super Bowl-winning contract was back-loaded, and as such Flacco had the following "cap hits" during these seasons: 2013 -- $6.8M (5.32% of team cap, lower than Suggs $13M, Ngata $11.5M, and Yanda $7.45M); 2014 -- $14.8 mil (11.85% of cap; also on team - Ngata $14M, Yanda $8.45M, Suggs $7.8M, Webb $7.5M); 2015 -- $14,55M (10.30% of cap; also on team - Webb $9.25M, Monroe $7.7M, Dumervil $7.375M, Yanda $6.98M, Pitta $6.2M). Flacco's cap hit was supposed to be $28.55M in 2016, $31.15M in 2017, and $24.75M in 2018; with his restructured deal, the new cap hits are $22,55M in 2016 (also on team - Webb $9.5M, Suggs $7.45M, Dumervil $7.375M), $24.55M in 2017 (also on team - J. Smith $12.6M, Yanda 9.125M, Wallace $8M, and Suggs $6.95M), and $24.75M in 2018 (also $26.5M in 2019, $28.25M in 2020, and $24.25M in 2021).

Compare Flacco's cap hits to Matt Ryan, drafted #3 in the same 2008 draft: 2011 -- Ryan $13.25M cap hit (10.45% of team cap), Flacco $5.725M (4.81%); 2012 -- Ryan $13.5M hit (10.63%), Flacco $8M (6.03%); 2013 -- Ryan $9.6M hit (7.86%), Flacco $6.8M (5.32%); 2014 -- $17.5M hit (13.16%), Flacco $14.8M (11.85%); 2015 -- Ryan $19.5M hit (14.31%); 2016 -- Ryan $23.75M hit (15.3%), Flacco $22.55M (14.94%); 2017 -- Ryan $23.75M (13.96%), Flacco $24.55M (14.48%). [numbers courtesy of sportrac.com]

Flacco definitely needs to step up his game, but who has had more postseason success, he or Ryan? Before this year's trip to the Super Bowl (a legendary loss with a big 2nd half lead helped by someone taking a big sack...), the Falcons had missed the playoffs the previous three seasons and had gone 1-4 in the playoffs since 2008, this despite the presence of receivers Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez, and Roddy White...

Sounds like excuses or an attempt to justify. If it's a level playing field how are the Raiders and Chiefs stocking team with talent while still making the playoffs? How are the Steelers able to add quality receivers every draft? Maybe what they been doing since 1996 needs to change?

I don't think the Ravens are necessarily bad at drafting, I think other teams are doing a better job of drafting and developing. I also believe the FO lacks confidence in their ability to draft and coaches ability to develop. Why else would they resign Webb in a draft that's deep in secondary? Why sign Watson last year with 4 TEs already on the roster?

This makes me laugh...you might want to use two other teams as examples than the Raiders and the Chiefs. Granted the Raiders went 12-4 last year...but you do realize they missed the playoffs the previous 13 years! Of those 13 years, the Raiders lost 10 or more games 10 times, with two 8-8 seasons and a 7-9. The Chiefs? Well, they have been in the playoffs 3 of the last 4 seasons, but the Chiefs have won one (1!) playoff game since 1993 (the 2015 wild card game vs. the legendary Brian Hoyer-led Texans). In the 19 years since 1998 the Chiefs missed the playoffs 13 times, and 9 of those were with losing records.

For those who think Flacco's 4-game run through the Super Bowl in '12 was a postseason "anomaly", consider these stats: in the playoff years of '10, '11, and '14, in 6 total games (5 were away) the Ravens were 3-3, winning at least 1 game per year; Flacco in those 6 games threw 13 TDs and 4 INTs (that's 24 TDs and 4 INTs in 10 postseason games since 2010); Flacco's QB ratings during those 6 games were 115.4, 61.1, 97.1, 95.4, 114.0, and 92.1; and the Ravens scored 25.9 points/game. Remember the perfect pass to Lee Evans in the end zone at New England in '11 in which Evans couldn't hold on, or Cundiff's blown field goal in the same game, preventing the Ravens from playing in the Super Bowl that year?