Ravenslifer

I thought he would - The Browns + still somewhat young pass rusher + the Browns + coming off his best season and a great postseason + the Browns + Michael Lombardi + the Browns = Kruger's contract. If anything, Ellerbe's was the most surprising - he had a hard time seeing the field in Baltimore, and he plays a position that's diminished in value.

Slightly different situation though - Hue was fired after the 2011 season, which is the season after Jim Zorn was fired because Cam didn't like him getting too close with Joe. I don't really recall any bad blood between Harbs and Hue - I think the reality of the situation was Cam wanted to go it alone as long as he could - and the way I understand it, hiring Caldwell was a decision influenced heavily by Steve Biscotti. I really don't see any reason to suspect a rift between Harbs and Hue, not hiring him back doesn't necessarily mean anything.

The difference is in perception, though - like it or not, in spite of the fact that both had HOF QBs when they reached the Superbowl, Wisenhunt is still looked at as the guy who took perennial losers the Arizona Cardinals to the Superbowl. while Caldwell is seen as the guy who rode Peyton Manning to a Superbowl and then showed his ineptness by only winning two games when Manning when out.

Whatever happens with Pitta, watching KC is showing me that we should really draft a great blocking tight end, preferably one of the more complete tight ends. I think a huge thing we've missed the last 3 years was Heap's complete game.

For what it's worth, Hue apparently had a close relationship with both Flacco and Rice when he was here - both of them really liked him.

Myth: "This team needs to be a throw-first/run-first team". There should be no "first" - success with this team has always come about with a balanced offense. The last several years we've been in the top half of the league in PPG scored (until this year). We've Never finished top 10 in pass yards per game and only once were higher than 10 in rush yards per game. Generally we've been between 11-15 in rush yards and 14-17 in pass yards, and we were extremely balanced during our Superbowl run.

I just keep reminding myself that last year, everyone said because both Kruger and Ellerbe had basically one season of production, they'd be easy resigns. Instead some team shelled out WAY more than either of them were worth. Jacoby is a better player than either could hope to be - I want him back badly, but he's a number 3 receiver/return specialist, and I know some team is going to throw starter's money at him, and that team won't be us. It will come down to whether he values being a Raven over making more money.

It's about the money - if he comes back for an acceptable price, that's fine, but supposing some team throws a bunch of money at him in free agency and we can't match it? He's a number 3 WR and return guy, when we have several other players we need to pay - Monroe and Pitta come to mind on the offense alone. Nobody expected Paul Kruger or Dannell Ellerbe to get the kind of money they got with basically one year of production each - but someone threw the money at them. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the same thing happened to Jacoby.

2013 cap hit for Flacco is 6.8 million. 2013 was also the last year of Boldin's deal. That's next year. Barring an extension, Boldin would have been gone anyway. 14 million is 2014.

No, Boldin was already under contract next year, and Flacco's cap hit is lower next year than it was this year. Going forward Flacco's increased cap hits will have an effect, but it significantly helped us for next year's cap specifically. The short answer is I think the front office viewed Boldin as a player who was making a lot of money and not producing the way they expected - the playoffs were great, but 3 straight seasons without 1000 yards after being a 1000 yard receiver in 4 of 5 seasons as the secondary guy, and then you can't hit 1000 as the number 1? I think that had more to do with it, that and the fact that the front office was probably trying to prioritize signing young players like Ellerbe and Kruger over a 33 year old wide receiver.

I'm not calling anyone out specifically. I'm just saying that a lot of people are suddenly acting like trading Q for a 6th round pick was some kind of bargain because he was "done" anyway. I don't think that was the case at all, I think it was a pretty fair trade for both sides - they got a receiver with terrific hands, ability to catch in traffic, and a great attitude, for a 6th round pick, and we cleared salary cap space that might help us resign some important free agents. But to sit here and say Q is going to be a bust for the 9ers and we fleeced them, I don't think that's true, and I don't think many people think that. What I see is a bunch of people who might be in kind of a shock given we traded a guy who was so huge in the playoffs for basically a shot in the dark 6th round pick, so they are trying to rationalize it to themselves by saying the front office knew he was done and the 49ers were tricked. I don't see it that way, I see it as, for whatever reason, the FO was going to cut Q rather than pay him, and when the opportunity came to turn it into a pick, that's what they did.

It's just people trying to find some reason to rationalize why we made the move. Nobody wants to believe we actually gave up a big time player for a very low draft pick, so they tell themselves Boldin was done anyway. He's been fantastic, and if it wasn't for Cam (as evidenced by what Q did after Caldwell took over) he would have done even more in his 3 years here. But if it makes people feel better to bash him early on, let them vent. In a week everyone will be talking about how great he was with us.

The sad part is I really think Q was about to have his best season as a Raven now that Jim is OC and actually started calling routes that played to Q's strengths. I don't think it's a mistake that he had almost 500 yards receiving in his last 5 games under Jim (all but the first Broncos game).

Not then, though. A lot of people his rookie year were calling him a bust already, and more than a few people thought they'd made a mistake and should have drafted Ryan Leaf instead. Manning completed less than 57 percent of his passes and had 5 more turnovers than TDs. Which is why I think it's so funny that Andrew Luck had a statistically worse season this past year and people are calling him the future of the NFL. Believe me, Peyton's season looks great in hindsight, but people didn't think of it like that in 1998.

Veteran, started for Jacksonville for about 5 years and actually played pretty well considering he was already in his late 20s and had no starting experience. Made a pro bowl, led the Jags to the playoffs where he played well against the then-undefeated Patriots. I also like him because his team managed to knock the Steelers out of the playoffs that year

If Garrard starts the Jets might actually be decent - Garrard is a decent starting quarterback who has had his moments. But I think what's really going on is the Jets are afraid to bring in anyone young who might outshine Sanchez and give evidence his time is up - when you're signing a 35 year old quarterback who hasn't started in 3 years, it's clearly not for the future of your franchise.

Wrong. We are not discussing the future, we are discussing Anquan Boldin and the final year of his deal. Anquan was in the final year of his deal - the front office had the option of letting him play it out. We were UNDER the salary cap WITH Boldin on the books - there was no reason to move him unless the front office wanted more room to either keep other players or make a free agency move. And being that Flacco has a LOWER cap hit next year than he did this year, his salary had no impact on Anquan Boldin next year. So your assertion is because they couldn't extend him, they traded him? Flacco's cap hit is reasonable for the first 3 years of his deal - 7 million, 15 million, 14 million. That is a complete bargain year one and completely reasonable year's 2 and 3, particularly since several of our inflated salaries will not be there after 2013 i.e. Ray Rice has a very high cap hit next year, but not in 2014. So once again, tell me how Flacco's deal impacted the final year of Boldin's.

Not a chance - Dalton has 2 number one receivers and a freak tight end and has still yet to beat anything better than our third string defense.

There are still plenty of quality receivers in this draft though - Patterson might be the most pro ready, but I think there are several guys in rounds 2-4 that could be had for good value.

The ridiculousness of your statement is incredible. How do you not understand that Flacco's cap hit is lower than it was last year and Boldin was still on the team last year? Please explain how Flacco's LOWER cap hit impacted Boldin's final contract year.

I believe we still have that cap hit since it's a signing bonus and has technically already been paid. I think that also happens even if a player retires, so if we'd cut him and he retired, or for whatever reason he decided to retire before we cut him, we'd still eat that 1 million.

THAT might actually work in our favor - he looks like he wants to get paid, and let's face it, he's started 6 games in 4 years, and I'm pretty sure 5 of those came when Sizzle was out earlier this year. Upshaw is the starter, and if they overpay and we get a comp for a rotational player, that's fine with me. Q on the other hand, was a 6th round pick for our starting wide receiver. Unless that guy turns into a heck of a player or we sign a free agent receiver, this is going to rank right up there for me with the Boller fiasco for worst front office moves in Ravens history.

I can't agree with this move at all. Unless a young guy explodes or we draft another Pernelle McPhee with that 6th rounder, this could be the second worst trade in franchise history (Kyle Boller will always have a "special" place in Ravens lore).

The front office has shown they know what they're doing when it comes to letting go of guys, but I have to say in this one instance, if they actually cut Q, I can't agree. Like I said during the playoffs, whatever Q is or isn't, he always seems to show up in the big moments. I don't think that's by accident, and I don't think that kind of ability can be replaced by talent alone. I hope that Q is a Raven next year and every year until he hangs it up.

Psych. I have the first 5 seasons on DVD.