Ravensfan23

10 hours ago, ellicottraven said:

Short of Lane Johnson who makes a ridiculous 11.25M/a year, most RT salaries average between 6M -6.5M a year. So if we got to between 6.5 to 7M a year, we have a good chance of retaining Wagner which I believe should be a priority. As for Williams it just depends on the market and who wants him really badly. A team that leaks a lot of running plays will pay him a lot of money because he's the premier run defender (or so he's thought of in the league). I believe his true worth is that of a player like Star Lotulelei or Sharif Floyd who both make around 6.7/a year. He isn't going to command Damon Harrison or Flether Cox type money because he simply isn't as versatile as either of those. He isn't worth north of 8.5M a year for sure. I say his true worth is around 6.5M/a year but I think we'll make him an offer of between 7-8 to keep him if there is competition for his services. As for Juice, he is our swiss army knife type weapon. With Roman in, he'll be used very creatively and will make an impact. So, I think we need to sign him at any cost. I suspect he'll cost between 3.5-4M a year on a long term deal.

Now to accommodate all these players, we need to release a bunch of players. I think Doom will have to go, Webb maybe, Watson and perhaps Pitta (unlikely) but you never know. One thing I do know is Mike Wallace is going nowhere. If anything the Ravens extend him to a new contract but will not release the only real playmaker we have on offense. As for why we can't afford to cut Wallace here's an article that breaks down how good he's been for us.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-the-leagues-best-receivers-for-each-type-of-route/

Yea there has to be a cut off in terms of how high you're willing to go with these contracts. Neither Wagner or BWill are as versatile as some others who have gotten overpaid. Wagner is a RT only, so the chances of him being paid as a LT as some have mentioned are slim to none imo. NFL.com said he could get upward of 10M and I just don't see it. Even if he had some LT experience 7.5M would be the max and I don't think he gets close. 

BWill isn't much of a pass rusher but teams still place great value on stopping the run. I think he'll get big money but I don't think the Ravens will be far off from his market value and he chooses to stay over getting a extra Mil or two. 

As for Wallace, him running the slant route better than any other WR is great, but this offense needs more than that. I would love to see him stay but I see him more as a 3rd WR because of his limited route tree. In that same article guys like Britt and Woods were mentioned as well, so the Ravens certainly will have options and many of them are better long term fits than Wallace. Wallace outperformed his contract and that's great but I don't think moving forward he's a guy you want to rely on at the top of your WR group, especially in a offense that will ask guys to run strong routes and keep the chains moving. 

2 hours ago, PurpleCity5 said:

I still think it would be tough to keep both Wagner and Williams because I do expect the team will fill in other spots elsewhere. I know me and you talked about Mike Wallace getting cut due to his cap hit but if Williams/Wagner are retained do you believe that to be the case? Because I find it hard to imagine that we do indeed keep both of them and someone outside of Doom doesn't take the fall for it. I think Webb is taking a pay-cut but I personally feel like if we do keep them both, than Mike Wallace might be gone. He could be a casualty for someone who could upgrade him and do what the Ravens hope to accomplish with this offense, I can't imagine a scenario where we keep both Williams/Wagner and keep Wallace while bringing in a pricey Vet. 

I think Wallace will be asked to re-work his deal in some way. However, if you can land a Britt or a Marshall I'd have no issue parting ways with him. Honestly i think right now I'd go hard after Robert Woods who's only 25 and is cut from the same mold as Dmase, Boldin and Sr as a strong possession WR who can make big plays and also physical in the run game. I think he could be a bargain FA with a huge impact because he's entering his prime. So if the Ravens upgrade the WR position in FA, I would have no issue seeing Wallace walk. I don't worry about having a 30+ year old veteran at WR because Flacco is a veteran. But if that 30+ WR is needed, I'd bring back Q for one year and allow him to retire here. 

Not sure how much money will be saved, but the guys I see cut are Doom, Pitta, Watson, Zuttah, Arrington, Lewis and Wright. I think Webb will be asked to restructure, take a pay cut or be released. I think those guys combine would free up like 20Mil give or take a couple million. 

So if i'm making the decisions, which i'm clearly not lol, I would make those cuts and rely on younger guys to step up. I have faith in the 4 young TEs we have and the CB position needs to be upgraded anyway. So Pitta, Watson, Arrington, Lewis and Wright shouldn't be hard to replace imo. I had the Ravens taking Dalvin Cook at 16, but now I have Derek Barnett being selected and immediately taking over for Doom. I just think the Ravens will place value on continuing to build the offensive and defensive lines. 

Just now, The Raven said:

Whooooaaaaaa that's bold. You think we can manage it?

Yea I actually do. I didn't before but I do. I don't think Juice is a concern at all imo. Even if the Ravens make him the highest paid FB it won't be costly. 

With Wagner, I don't think the Ravens will have to break the bank with him. I'd love to hear what the initial offer was, assuming the info is correct as you mentioned. I honestly thought if the Ravens offered Wagner a fair deal that placed him in the top 5-7 salaries of RTs he'd re-sign before hitting the market so I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the 2 sides aren't too far apart. Maybe it's a 5th year or signing bonus, but I'd be surprised to see Wagner get much more than 7+ Mil a year and I think the Ravens will offer between 6.6-7Mil

I don't think BWill will command the money many of us thought. I know earlier in the process I did, but I'm not so sure now. In the case of all three guys, I just get the feeling that they will be happy with the Ravens making competitive offers and not feel the need to be the highest paid at their positions. I think with Wagner and BWill there are big differences between them and Torrey or KO. I think the Ravens will be close to any offer they get on the open market and they'll return. 

16 minutes ago, B-more Ravor said:

Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 46m46 minutes ago

Ravens made an early attempt to get RT Ricky Wagner re-signed. Initial offer was rebuffed. He and Brandon Williams two FAs they want to keep

That's not surprising. The Ravens aren't gonna go above market value and Wagner's people are smart to hit the market and see how competitive the Ravens offer really is. 

I think Wagner, Juice and Williams all re-sign. 

9 minutes ago, gtalk12 said:

If Kenny Britt is out there............

8 minutes ago, usmccharles said:

A couple of us are on board with him.   I love the potential 

From the PFF article featured in today's LFW on the front page. https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-the-leagues-best-receivers-for-each-type-of-route/

Quote

 

Best crossing route runner (min. 10 targeted routes): Kenny Britt, Los Angeles Rams

Kenny Britt was incredibly efficient on crossing routes. He caught 15-17 targets for 224 yards, 2 touchdowns and a 158 WR rating — 12 points higher than Chris Hogan, the second-highest player. Ten of his 15 catches resulted in a first down or touchdown, converting 5 of 9 on third down. Britt was very efficient after the catch, averaging 6.06 yards and in the top half of all qualifying receivers. Britt showed the ability to run the crossing route at every level, having an aDOT of 9.12, with his route depth as low as 3 yards and as high as 18.

 

I've said many times and will continue to say, I think Britt will be a perfect fit for what the Ravens want to do not only in 2017 but moving forward as well. With both price and fit, I think Britt should be a target for the Ravens. I think the crossing pattern will be a huge part of what the Ravens want to do, especially with play action off the run game and nobody ran that route better than Britt last year. 

10 hours ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

That wasn't meant to be related to pees, I used McPhee as the example and I was just talking about KC on another note. And McPhee was mostly used as a 5T as a rookie and injuries stunted his growth, was nothing to do with the scheme. Pees used McPhee as an OLB, 5T, 3T, and even as a 0T in his final year here, he got very creative with McPhee 

im not a big pees guy anyway, but I do think he does well with the front seven

I hope i'm wrong, I just don't see it right now. I think he'll definitely move KC around, but i don't think his blitz packages nor the design of the front 4 pass rush is creative enough. Maybe it's not even him, maybe that's the job of the Dline coach to develop that scheme. But the pass rush under Pees has been pretty basic in terms of how pressure is generated. If guys can win 1 on 1 then the pass rush is decent but most of the guys who have been drafted under Pees aren't really great pass rushers. They are guys who get pressure with hustle and games, which is why the pass rush usually sucks without any either Suggs or Doom. Now Pees certainly has his moment when he's using games up front and usually it's successful, but I don't see it consistently. 

On 2/11/2017 at 0:57 AM, JoeyFlex5 said:

i have to disagree strongly that pees isnt a guy who can make something out of correa. kc and matthews is a very good comparison but matthews is and was simply better coming out, stronger, more refined, although less explosive. 

look at what pees did with pernell mcphee, mcphee is a solid edge rusher on his own but pees MADE him an absolute wrecking machine by moving him around a ton and basing essentially the entire nickel package around him. pees does well with the front seven, his issue has always been about rolling coverages and needing strong communication on the back end to make his secondary work. pees is a DC that i would fully trust to make correa look good in a scheme. 

i also maintain that correas rookie season was not nearly as bad as some make it out to be, he earned the top ILB spot almost right away by being a total standout in camp, he stepped on some toes in the process and some folks probably convinced him to tone it down, and then zach orr suddenly bust out as possibly the 2nd/3rd best defender on the team which was totally unexpected. 

KC looked solid in little opportunities as an ILB, but he isnt cut out to just be an edge rusher, and couldnt bypass 2 of the top 5 ILBs in the league this season. i really expect that with him having a clear path to a starting spot he can clamp down on the technique and playbook and take a bigger role. i think hell have a breakout season within the next 2 years, mostly as a traditional linebacker who blitzes often.

Honestly that's probably the worse example you could give to support Pees in this area. Again i want to make it clear that i'm not bashing Pees. But there is no way he made Mcphee into anything and i'd go as far to say he may have stunted Mcphee's growth a bit. It was Chuck Pagano who moved Mcphee around so much as a rookie and was creative in using him to get pressure. It wasn't just moving Mcphee inside, it was the way Pagano got him matched up with 1on1 battles because of the movement of others. Whether it was twist, stunts, blitzing or whatever. Again no knock to Pees, but he's more of a basic 4 man pressure DC, so when he took over it wasn't many games up front to get guys free, so even when Mcphee was moved inside, he was overmatched because bigger guys were able to get there hands on him and basically take him out. That's why his sack totals went from like 6 down to 2. Then in 2014 his numbers went back up with Suggs and Doom pulling much of the attention. Again no knock to Pees but i'd have to greatly disagree that Pees made Mcphee a wrecking ball. 

Imo Pees just lacks the creativity to get the most out of a guy like KC. It's not about Matthews being better, I think everyone can see that. It's about putting KC in position to succeed much like the Packers did with Matthews. That doesn't make Pees a poor DC, it's just that KC isn't the type of guy who he'll get the most out of imo because he'll ask him to win 1on1 and that's not his game. I think he'll use him as a hybrid type, but It's not just moving him from inside to outside that will get the most out of him. It's the way you use him in blitz packages and how you can take up blockers and allow him to rush vs RBs or roam in coverage. Again watch any Clay Matthews highlight reel, if you see 5 good pass rush moves i'd be surprised. He's just not a pure pass rusher in the mold of a Suggs and the Packers don't ask him to be. He's just allowed to roam the defense to make plays and I'm not sure Pees would allow KC or any other player to do that. 

Now what I do agree with is the bold part. I think KC will have a really strong season as a ILB. I was impressed with his awareness in zone coverage and how he trusted his eyes. Even tough you could see him thinking a lot during plays which caused him to be a step slow in some cases, you could still see his smarts and quick reaction times. I think he'll be one of those guys who wow reporters with his reshaped body during OTAs because I think he'll work on his body a lot this offseason. I wouldn't be surprised to here that he's one of the guys who is at the Castle everyday getting work in. 

1 hour ago, PurpleCity5 said:

I get ya, I understand that you weren't saying they're the exact same, and I definitely see how they can be used but even if Correa wants to assume that role, he'll have to bulk up and get better with his pass rush.

I personally like hearing your opinions honestly because I like the aspects you bring up. I never thought about how committed Boise State was towards him building up his strength and it looked like they really weren't invested in that, much rather they had him beat LTs on his speed alone and I think that commitment hurt him his first year. 

I'm crossing my fingers on his development because it could be a huge difference maker for this defense. 

you and I both. My fingers are crossed as well. He definitely has to improve his play strength which i hope this offseason helps. 

13 minutes ago, PurpleCity5 said:

He can still provide speed outside but my problem is that many speed rusher are refined in many areas and actually play with more strength than what you usually see from Correa and that's my big problem for him, and trying to learn how to rush the passer while attempting to play ILB and that might be an immense leap for a guy who didn't play much this season. It would be different if he was sticking to OLB but if he's supposed to play multiple positions than its going to be tough for him to become an effective rusher.

I really think the decision to put him at ILB in the first place backfired. As you said, it took a tole on a guy who was learning to rush the passer. I mean, needing to know the formations and coverage of ILB and OLB while refining yourself in both areas? How many guys have done something like that? I certainly think a fair share of this falls on the Ravens but Correa has faults of his own as a pass rusher and that just speaks to how raw of a player he is, I personally think hes going to have to get stronger as well, that play where he got blown up by the situational blocker was hard to see and it shows you that he'll need more strength. 

Thing is, I think this defense can be a really good fit for a guy like him if he bulks up and refines his technique. I agreed with what should be done with him. He should be allowed to roam around the defense and keep teams guessing, in a hybrid defense like ours we can move him around the middle of the field, he's so athletic that he can cover the flats and even play the spy if need be. You could even use him as a speed rusher on physco blitzes and confuse QBs so bad because they wouldn't know if he's blitzing or dropping back. I've also noticed how when told to tone his play down, he sort of declined, it's weird since we heard a lot of things about him. 

I don't remember much of Clay Matthews but I could recall that he was able to play with decent play strength and knew how to pop offensive tackles. He also had a good speed-to-power conversion and knew how to use that. That's all I could remember and while I definitely see the comparisons I personally think there are things that Clay could do that allowed him to be more effective and those elements are what Correa is missing. 

Again not saying KC is or will be the exact same player that Clay is. Clay Matthews is a All-Pro and I don't really like comparing players like that. My comparison comes from how Clay is used and how KC should be used. 

I agree that Clay plays with a lot more strength than KC does. I personally don't think that Boise cared much about him building strength as a collegiate athlete. I think what we have to realize about some of these rookies and the impact they do or don't have is that all college programs don't place a great emphasis on strength and conditioning. That's why that year 1 to year 2 transition is so crucial for most players because they are actually focusing on developing strength and conditioning for the position they are being asked to play. It'll be interesting to see how KC returns after the offseason. 

I'm not saying he'll be a stud, but I think he's gonna be a 2nd round pick that has really good to great production and will be one of those guys the Ravens keep around long term when it's all said and done.

4 hours ago, terrynjulia03 said:

Amen. The bottom line is KC was drafted because of his unique abilities. Abilities being wasted. Pees schemes are very bland and vanilla. X player fits x spot. He cannot adjust on the fly. He never has, even with NE. We'll see what happens next year as I think he gets many more reps splitting time with Judon and others, but I think he's gonna wind up a pretty good 2nd Rd pick. 

2 hours ago, ravensnick said:

This is one "let's bash Pees" train I will get on. i think Pees has done a good job, but KC is a guy that could definitely benefit by being a hybrid player and lining up in a lot of different positions. I don't think Pees is anywhere near creative enough to get the most out of KC.

Yea Pees is more of a 1 on 1 beat your man type of guy. Won't be many games and twist in the front 7. I'm not a bash Pees guy, but the way he uses the front 7 has always been a area of concern for me. The Ravens have never really drafted pure pass rushers, outside of Suggs, Kindle and maybe Dan Cody. Most of the guys they draft and pretty much everyone under Pees have been effort pass rusher. Guys who need to be moved around and run games to really find that success. 

If allowed to run twist and games, guys like Timmy, ZDS, BWill, Davis, Urban, Guy and Henry are guys who would greatly benefit from running twist and loops up front. I think Judon could be a consistent rusher outside while guys like Correa and CJ do a strong job of blitzing. Just don't think players are being allowed to maximize their talents up front. 

Correa has a lot of work to do to improve. Technique, strength as well as allowing the game to slow down. On the Ravens side, they have to put him in a position to succeed by allowing him to do what he does best and not put him in a box. 

10 hours ago, PurpleCity5 said:

I think the Ravens drafted him in mind that he would be a speed rusher, It sucks because we could seriously use that but he just hasn't made an impact. He looks like an ILB but it's bittersweet that he might never be able to be a pass rusher for us, I just feel that maybe the team see Correa being very effective on those 4-3 base packages. 

He was drafted to help provide speed on the outside pass rush, which he still can honestly, not sure why some many seem to think he's just worthless outside, but while that was part of the role they wanted him to fill, from day one they lined him up at ILB and asked him to learn every LB position on the team and I think it eventually became too much for  him mentally. 

Going back to the pass rush aspect of things. Correa isn't a natural pass rusher and you knew that coming out of Bosie. He's an effort pass rusher and a guy who has a really good first step that allowed him to convert speed to power vs weaker OTs. However in the NFL he has to become much stronger, which he definitely can and he has to maintain that great motor. I said it before the Ravens drafted him and I'll say it now. He's almost Identical to Clay Matthews. If you look at Clay coming out of USC he wasn't and isn't a pure pass rusher like a Von Miller. The Packers moved him around and allowed him to blitz more so than just put his hands in the dirt or get in his bike stance and hunt. Clay has decent moves he can pull out every now and then but much of his production comes from effort and the fact that the Packers move him around to create favorable match-ups. The year they tried to make him a full time OLB, I think it was 11' he had probably his worse seasons because that's not his game. The same is true for Correa. When you draft a guy like that you must have a plan for him and I'm not sure Pees is the type of DC to have that type of plan. Not a bash Pees moment, just my opinion. The Ravens need to put KC in position where he's moving all over the defense and the offense doesn't know if he's dropping or blitzing. Just asking him to line up and rush vs OTs all game isn't gonna garner much success consistently. He's the type of guy you just allow to play like his hair is on fire, almost like a rover on defense. He's good enough against the run on the edge to play outside on early downs, but as a pass rusher he should be moved around but he doesn't possess pass rush moves that allow him to win consistently outside. Not saying he's Clay or even AD to give a hometown feel, but he has to be used like those guys or else it's just a waste. That's on the Ravens, not the player. 

58 minutes ago, jazz1988 said:

 6 tackles , 1 pass deflection and a forced fumble is not zero production.

That small sample of production came on a total of 48 snaps. That's like a full game's worth of defensive snaps. Reports was he started to turn the corner in practice and earning the start in the NYJ game pretty such showed that. Than he got hurt the next week in practice and that basically derailed his season. He's gonna have to put in a lot of work this season, but I expect him to be the starting ILB and it'll actually help him because it'll force the coaches to keep him in one position so he can focus on perfecting his craft. I thought the Ravens asked him to do too much in learning the OLB and ILB positions last year. This will be a huge offseason for him. 

Ok so i'm sure to change this mock before the actual draft but as if right now here are my picks of guys i'd like to see selected. 

rd1: Dalvin Cook RB: Obviously as a huge FSU fan i'd love this pick and while some may think it's a luxury pick at 16 or too high for Cook, I think fans will love this pick when all said and done. I really like what Dixon and West did as a 1-2 punch but they are basically the same backs. The Ravens need game changers on this offense and Dalvin is that in every sense of the word. Strong, great balance, elusive, decent hands out of the backfield and that 2nd gear to run away from people. Dalvin is not without flaws as his pass pro is awful at times and he puts the ball on the ground occasionally. However overall the Ravens need game changers and I think Cook is just that. 

rd2: Fabian Moreau CB: This year the Ravens are finally positioned to cash in on the run of CBs being selected. Moreau has great size, speed, physicality and patience as a CB. I wouldn't be surprised to see him shoot up into the 1st round with a strong combine/pro day but right now I have him as a 2nd rounder. However his level of play is right up there with the better CBs of this class and could very well be viewed as the top CB of this class 5 years from now. 

Rd3: Derek Rivers OLB: much like Moreau he's a guy who could shoot up draft boards after the combine but right now I have him going in the 3rd round. He has a really nice combination of speed and power coming off the edge. He's a pretty smart player and dominated his level of competition. Although that level of competition wasn't great, he showed he can performance against a higher level of competition at the Senior Bowl. The Ravens need more speed on this defense and Rivers has a great first step which allows him to geting into the OT quick and disrupt the timing of the QB. Outside of Suggs and assuming Doom is gone, Rivers might just be the talent at pass rusher on the roster from day 1.

Rd3:  Rayshawn Jenkins FS:. The Ravens need speed, physicality and playing making ability on the back end. While Jenkins isn't the cleanest FS prospect in this class, I think he's a really good fit for the Ravens. He can play down in the box or centerfield. He has pretty good ball skills and arrives to the ball carrier with nasty intentions. I like him learning behind Weddle and Webb while being used in sub packages his rookie year. 

Rd4: Danny Isidora OG: The Ravens said they want to get bigger and stronger up front and Isidora would help. He's a power guy that moves well enough to translate to a ZBS as well. He only played RG at the U, so I'm not sure if the Center position is an option but he'll definitely be a a top reserve at OG and has plug and play potential if Wagner isn't re-signed pushing Lewis to RT. 

Rd5: Darreus Rogers WR: The Ravens spoke about getting a complimentary WR who can keep the chains moving and make plays in big time situations. I think they attack that starting WR role in FA but will draft a guy like Rogers to develop. Rogers has good hands and is a pretty physical WR. He isn't the best route runner and doesn't have great speed, but he does well to get his body between the defender and the ball. I like him as a redzone option as well.  I don't see Aiken returning and a guy like Rogers could step in to add a nice pair of reliable hands to this WR corp. 

Rd6: Jon Toth C: Toth might be selected higher, but I think his 6'5 frameat the center position might turn off a lot of teams. I think his height is a issue at times but with some NFL coaching I think he'll be pretty good. I think he's a Center only and I don't think people will view him as a Pro Bowl caliber one and for that reason I think he's available in the 6th round. 

Rd7: Fish Smithson S: The Ravens bring the hometown kid back to Baltimore and give him a chance to cut his teeth on ST. Smithson is undersized, lacks speed and doesn't have eye popping talent, but his awareness is pretty good and he has decent ball skills. I could see him as a ST guy who also serves as a reserve Safety. 

So there is it, now i'll let all you draft guru's rip it apart lol. But i'm almost positive my views will change after the combine. 

14 hours ago, Willbacker said:

We'd have to take them with our 2nd rd pick or we're not getting either. Jones threw the OBJ act out there. Also the kid from Fla with the long hair looked real good in coverage on the RBs coming out of the backfield which we have been sorely lacking. Who was this guy? (Sorry sound turned down).

I have both as late 2nd round picks that could easily drop into the 3rd, maybe even the 4th depending on how the runs of the draft go. I only have Mike Williams as a lock in the 1st round with guys like Davis, Ross and JuJu possibility sneaking in but more than likely they'll be selected in the top half to middle of the 2nd. 

That leaves players like Kupp, Jones, Darboh, Westbrook, Goodwin, Brown, Stewart and others that will be bunched together and it'll depend on what team falls in love with them that will determine where they're selected. Now both Kupp and Jones could very well go in the top 50 but I have their range between 60 through 100 so that'd put them anywhere from the bottom of the 2nd to the top of the 4th which is a 3rd round grade for me. 

17 minutes ago, Somerset Ravens said:

I'd be happy with either Jones or Kupp.

Both guys look really impressive and give the Ravens options near the bottom of the 2nd to mid 3rd round. I think they both fit what the Ravens are looking for in said "Complimentary WR". 

However I'd caution against getting too carried away from just the Senior Bowl. These two guys may be a pair of the top "seniors" in this draft class but there is a lot of 2nd and 3rd round talent at WR that teams will fall in love with. They did what they were supposed to do and that's shine when given the opportunity to. 

3 hours ago, KBoum said:

With what we've seen so far from Kupp at the Senior Bowl... if he tests well at the combine he's a 1st rounder imo. I need more studying but looks real good out there.

I think the run and DBs and Pass rushers will push him and some other quality offensive players to the 2nd round. The thing we have to remember is that while he's beasting at the Senior Bowl, it's still a small sample size. He might be opening some eyes or reaffirming what others saw on tape against the top "seniors" but it's not necessarily the top talent available in the draft. I think Tre'Davious White is the only CB with a unanimous 1st round grade at the Senior Bowl.

I haven't really looked into the draft class yet, but it seems it's much more  defensive talent at the top of the draft and that will force the quality offensive guys into the 2nd and 3rd rounds. I think it's very possible that Mike Williams is the only WR taken in the first round and he'll probably drop just outside of the top 10. Surprisingly I see more RBs and TEs taken in the 1st round than WRs this year. But maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part that the Ravens can come away with a CB or Pass rusher in the 1st and a guy like Kupp in the 2nd. .

2 hours ago, Wildabeast88 said:

Mike Mayock is all about some Kupp

2 hours ago, Wildabeast88 said:

Jerry Rice 4.6 I mean that guy wasn't any good speed isn't everything great routes and gaining separation with great hands make a WR.

This is why i'm all aboard the Kupp train. With where the Ravens are going with this offense, they need guys who can get in and out of their routes quickly and make plays in tight places.The speed doesn't really matter as much in the WCO, the Ravens said they want a guy who can move the chains as well as make plays deep and I definitely see that with Kupp. I'm right there with Mayock. The more and more I watch Kupp the more impressed with him I am. The only knock on him I have is his age, but I don't think that is as big of an issue because he's so polished. I think he comes in day one making plays for whatever team drafts him. 

1 hour ago, Drew P said:

If JuJu makes it to round 3 there should be some GM vacancies to fill in the NFL. The guy is a spitting image of Dez. As physical? No probably not but he can be Q 2.0. In Mike Williams I see Michael Floyd.

There is no spitting images in the NFL and if you draft off of that than the vacancy will be in the job you just left. Again it's just my opinion as i'm sure many others love him. However I just don't think he runs routes well enough nor reads defenses well enough to get consistent separation against even above average DBs and as physical as he is, I just don't see him being able to consistently win vs upper level DBs. I certainly think he has a chance to be a solid NFL WR, but for what the Ravens need for this offense, I don't think he fits. 

I don't do player comp any more. I just think people get way to carried away with them. To use your example, Mike Williams is Michael Floyd and Smith is Boldin 2.0. That all sounds good but you can't measure what's inside of these players. By all accounts Michael Floyd was believed to be a stud coming out of ND and had a player comparisons to guys like Roddy White. But what does it all mean? Williams is going to get drafted have 2 successful years to start his career, regress midway through his 3rd season and get cut for off-field issues because he compares to Floyd? JuJu Smith will have 100+ catches in 2 of his first 3 seasons like Boldin? At the end of the day Mike Williams will be Mike Williams good or bad. He won't be the next anyone nor will anyone else. 

That's why a lot of these guys are at the Senior Bowl right now. A guy like Cooper Kupp has been labeled as a slot guy but at the Senior Bowl he's been almost  unstoppable on the outside vs some really good cover guys. Player comp puts guys into a box imo and it never really works out that way. 

1 hour ago, Drew P said:

Neither one works for the Ravens in round 1. Williams doesn't posses speed to make him a stud # 1 guy. Kupp is a slot guy in the NFL. The Ravens are chocked full of slot guys at best. Davis is probably the only guy worth a thought in the first if they would even entertain the idea..JuJu in the second sounds well positioned to me for a WR. Odds are they pull that get cute stunt and wait until round 6 for a dud from east nowhere.

Speed doesn't make you a stud #1 WR and if any team is foolish enough to pass on Williams because of it they'll be sorry. Now I'm not saying he's a sure fire stud but if speed is the only thing you'd use as a basis to pass on him I think it'd be a huge mistake. Guys like AJ Green, Deandre Hopkins, Dez Bryant Josh Gordon and I can continue to name some other up and coming studs in the NFL, don't win on speed but you can't deny they are studs. Williams is a guy that can win on every level and will cause defenses to game plan to stop him, that's about all you can ask for from any WR. Guys like Juilo, Calvin and Fitz are rare.

Even if Kupp is viewed as a slot WR, which I think he can do well outside, the Ravens need WRs who can create separation quick and get RAC yards. Kupp would easily be the best route runner on the team, with a pair of consistent hands and probably the most polished WR the Ravens would have next season. It's not a matter of where guys line up, it's about how guys can produce for this offense. 

I personally wouldn't touch JuJu until the 3rd round. Not much about him really stands out to me personally. I'm sure a lot of people love him but he wouldn't be a target for me that high in the 2nd. 

Really impressed with Cooper Kupp so far. His on field performance was excellent getting in and out of his breaks so clean, while winning at every level all while looking so smooth and polished. 

However it was his interview that I was most impressed with. He seems to really love the hard work required to be great and has the mindset that he'll never be good enough so keep working hard. Both on and off the field he sounds like a great fit for the Ravens. 

Thank you. I couldn't stand going through 15 minutes of Redskins just to get a 5 minute piece on the Ravens. 

I won't pretend to act like I know enough about network deals to say what Mr. B should or shouldn't do, I just hope wherever RaveTV goes they have some knowledgeable guys giving insight on the Ravens

8 hours ago, ellicottraven said:

Thanks for the link. He does sound pretty good breaking down film. But, out of curiosity the cut blocking to create a passing lane for the QB in that quick throw where both the LG and LT cut block their assignments is still legal right?

Cut blocking is legal, it's chop blocking with @The Raven described is illegal. So if he were to add that technique to the oline it'd be completely legal and welcomed by me .

8 hours ago, The Raven said:

It is legal so long as now other offensive player is engaged with the defender at the time of the cut.

I have strong opinions about cut blocks on pass plays. They're risky. If you miss, or if the defender evades it, your QB is going to eat turf. You better make sure that DL goes down if you try and cut. 

I like cut blocks on passing plays when designed right. In most cases(should be all) the cut block is taking place on a short drop and to the play side of the QB. So even if a block is missed, the QB can see it and deliver the ball quickly. It's a technique that needs to be taught but can be very effective slowing down pass rush. 

8 hours ago, The Raven said:

I feel like it's interesting to think about. Could help project future moves and how the line looks next year. If he's as married to the zone as some think, I think Wagner may end up getting re-signed. If it's a more versatile approach, or with more on the power side, I doubt Wagner (or Zuttah) stays. Hell, if he's a zone guy through and through, we may be keeping Zuttah. 

One thing I like is that it looks like, at least in Buffalo, Joe preferred the wide zone, which is the only zone worth using in my book.

It'll be interesting to see how things play out. I think Zuttah is gone either way, I think the question at Center is do they feel a guy like Urschel can step up at that position or do they need to address it with a new addition. 

Not sure exactly what type of system he'll install and I really don't care. All long as he can continue to develop Stanley and Lewis, while getting the most out of whomever the Center is. I think both Yanda and Wagner(i believe he stays) will speak for themselves. I won't act like I now enough about the guy to say what he'll do. But I did enjoying listening to his breakdown as a oline coach for the Bills. link

The part about studying other teams to see how to get the most out of the screen game was very exciting. The Ravens have been so poor in the screen game for years and it seemed like they never had a interest in practicing it. For as good as Jaun is as a coach, he seems to really do well at developing younger guys but not really the line as a whole. 

So far the Ravens are allowing their actions to match their words. They want to have an improved focus on the running game, so hiring Roman and  D'ALessadris  seems like they are placing huge emphasis on improving the oline and TEs. I think retaining both Wagner and Juice is the next step. We'll see how things play out. 

10 hours ago, PurpleCity5 said:

I doubt Wallace is playing at that number and I did notice some of Wallace struggles in tight man, what he excelled against was man coverage and struggled against the zone, which isn't a huge surprise given the nature of the coverage. He struggled with it more on those crossing routes though and I think our slower guys struggled with that, Pitta really did because not only did he not beat linebackers/safeties but he just didn't get to those soft spots on defenses, which is unusual because that's something Pitta always did well.

Julio for sure helps, but even in games where he didn't play, I just noticed how the Falcons just had guys open in play after play. The Falcons just did a great job in exploiting defenses and got guys who had free releases, defenses played back because of the speed guys and they managed to have WRs matched up on linebackers in numerous plays and yeah, their guys won. 

I really do agree with your opinion on the Perriman/Britt pairing, the Ravens were 23rd in the league in 3rd down conversions in the league, to add to that in YPP(Yards Per Play), the Ravens were 24th with 5.2...That's just awful. I think we can attribute a lot of that from those dump-offs to the RB/Pitta that went nearly nowhere. Converting on 3rd down, getting 1st downs, and YPP have to be three things that need to improve going into next season. 

I honestly feel really good about the offense. If we decide to keep Wagner, and upgrade the C spot, then I think we could have a top 5 OL. Not only that but I feel really good about Kenneth Dixon and one of the TEs breaking out. 

Yeah I agree about that Falcons offense. It just seems wide open. I didn't realize Coleman was that fast. I don't know if I just missed his speed coming out of Indiana or playing in that offense makes him look fast. Kind like the greatest show on turf, all those guys weren't blazers but that offense made them look untouchable in space. I think the Ravens would be wise to look at how that offense is built and run because we have a lot of the same weapons minus a Julio of course. 

I like the offense as well. I like it even more with Roman now in the mix. Having more balance will open up space for play action and we've seen what guys like Perriman, Dixon and Wallace can do in space. I'd love Britt to sign but the most important position is Center. I think Alex Mack helps that ATL offense so much. I don't know if it's draft, trade or Skura from the PS but the Ravens have to improve the Center. Improve there and I think LG takes care of itself with Stanley on the outside. If Lewis turns into a stud it's just a plus. 

Can't wait for the SB to be over so the draft and FA season can start. I think I like this time of year more than the season. How this team goes about improving will be interesting to me. 

Also looking going back to the falcons, I think a guy like Kenny Bell could battle his way onto this team and be a Gabriel or Robinson type deep threat. I really liked him in college and think a handful of snaps per game might be beneficial

10 hours ago, PurpleCity5 said:

I doubt Wallace is playing at that number and I did notice some of Wallace struggles in tight man, what he excelled against was man coverage and struggled against the zone, which isn't a huge surprise given the nature of the coverage. He struggled with it more on those crossing routes though and I think our slower guys struggled with that, Pitta really did because not only did he not beat linebackers/safeties but he just didn't get to those soft spots on defenses, which is unusual because that's something Pitta always did well.

Julio for sure helps, but even in games where he didn't play, I just noticed how the Falcons just had guys open in play after play. The Falcons just did a great job in exploiting defenses and got guys who had free releases, defenses played back because of the speed guys and they managed to have WRs matched up on linebackers in numerous plays and yeah, their guys won. 

I really do agree with your opinion on the Perriman/Britt pairing, the Ravens were 23rd in the league in 3rd down conversions in the league, to add to that in YPP(Yards Per Play), the Ravens were 24th with 5.2...That's just awful. I think we can attribute a lot of that from those dump-offs to the RB/Pitta that went nearly nowhere. Converting on 3rd down, getting 1st downs, and YPP have to be three things that need to improve going into next season. 

I honestly feel really good about the offense. If we decide to keep Wagner, and upgrade the C spot, then I think we could have a top 5 OL. Not only that but I feel really good about Kenneth Dixon and one of the TEs breaking out. 

Yeah I agree about that Falcons offense. It just seems wide open. I didn't realize Coleman was that fast. I don't know if I just missed his speed coming out of Indiana or playing in that offense makes him look fast. Kind like the greatest show on turf, all those guys weren't blazers but that offense made them look untouchable in space. I think the Ravens would be wise to look at how that offense is built and run because we have a lot of the same weapons minus a Julio of course. 

I like the offense as well. I like it even more with Roman now in the mix. Having more balance will open up space for play action and we've seen what guys like Perriman, Dixon and Wallace can do in space. I'd love Britt to sign but the most important position is Center. I think Alex Mack helps that ATL offense so much. I don't know if it's draft, trade or Skura from the PS but the Ravens have to improve the Center. Improve there and I think LG takes care of itself with Stanley on the outside. If Lewis turns into a stud it's just a plus. 

Can't wait for the SB to be over so the draft and FA season can start. I think I like this time of year more than the season. How this team goes about improving will be interesting to me. 

Also looking going back to the falcons, I think a guy like Kenny Bell could battle his way onto this team and be a Gabriel or Robinson type deep threat. I really liked him in college and think a handful of snaps per game might be beneficial