RavensFanThick&Thin

Doesn't trading create less dead money that counts against the cap vs cutting? Maybe the swap was just to have each team get something in return to be a formal transaction?

I guess if they have to go, they go big (overpaid or not) so the team gets a good comp pick like with Osemele. I'm not sure what the exact comp pick formula is but it seems the Ravens would get a 3 and 4 OR maybe two 3s? Alex Lewis next man up...

Some have alluded to this but I think one obvious flaw in the Tom Brady "what if" is the Belichick factor. They missed Brady for 4 games this year and still got the #1 seed. They went 11-5 (Matt Cassell year) when Brady went down for a whole year. IMO, there's no way Brady would have as many rings without out him or just by being on the Ravens from 01-present. I just feel like no matter how we want to hate the Pats (cheating or not), Brady and Belichick were insanely good TOGETHER and Belichick maybe a bigger part of that than a Tom Brady "what if" scenario can give credit to. I get the "cheating" thing but can you put an asterisk next to 16 years of greatness? This is arbitrary of course. With that being said I still can't stand them and hate that It will be either them or the Steelers in the Super Bowl. lol.

I second that. If someone predicted cutting both butler and camp as well as elam and brooks hats off to you and your crystal ball. lol.

I was trying to understand the logic when I saw the app alert. I liked Hill as the most consistent DB we had but what it sounds like after reading the article is they are so desperate to have "playmakers" that they are willing to part ways with the consistent players who don't have ball playing instincts. Someone upstairs must have finally got tired of missing the Ed Reed free roaming/rangy safety days. IMO it is a risk/reward situation. They are willing to risk proven players for new "playmakers." Weddle (new to the system) is a great vet but if we're honest, they're is a risk he truly is on the decline after 31. Webb (new to the position outside of college and a some snaps last year) has the best hands but can he stay on the field and produce at safety? It's both exciting and worrisome...

Seem like a great pick to solve the LB coverage issues as long as his other pro day checks out. That and a draft day 2 CB in the draft would make a really nice coverage package with the recent addition right? I'm not a defensive package expert but something like a 2-4-5? DBs Wright/Day 2 CB...Weddle...Hill....Webb/Davis (slot)...Smith LBs Sizzle...Mosley...Jack...Doom (sprinkle in a draft day 2/3 pass rusher?) DL Williams...Jernigan

Interesting. First thing I thought is, that makes sense especially considering he should have decent run blocking coming from a run first college program. Then I saw his scouting report and it listed it as a weakness. Oh well, lol. At least if it works out he'll be a ridiculous mismatch on speed alone.

I was thinking this as well. I know people were saying he only gave us one game before injury but if he can project that one great slot game over the course of a season, I think he absolutely is in the conversation (particularly superseding Arrington in the slot even though that was supposed to be Arrington's specialty).

Perriman "bust" comments/arguments never fail to pop up when he is mentioned. I think the obvious statement is "it depends." There is no dictionary definition of "NFL bust." It depends on your own definition of bust. Is it the 3 year window? Is it the 1st rounder must contribute now/year 1? Does it exclude those who are injured or never take the field? If he is a bust to someone and not you, no sweat. Me personally, I don't really care much for titles (bust, injury prone). Just the ebb and flow of the NFL/draft. I just really want to see those physical gifts translated on field. It's exciting to see the Ravens with someone who might be the most physically gifted player and quite possibly the highest ceiling of any Ravens player we've seen drafted in a while.

and outside of injuries the last thing we need is our own turf swallowing Tucker's foot right? lol.

The Frazier hiring seems the most promising if not the most exciting because I don't think I am the only fan who thinks the Ravens secondary has um...how should we say it, "dropped the ball."

If I had to play this thing out in my head I'd say Steelers beat Bengals while Dalton is out. Kansas beat Houston so they can play NE based on seeding. KC beat NE in Div round, Broncos beat Steelers Div round. Don't care between Broncos and KC although I don't think I will ever forget how arrogant Bronco's fans seemed to have been in the Ravens SB year. But if I had to choose if one went all the way between Steelers and Bengals, it'd be the Bengals. Am I allowed to think sometimes that they've suffered enough? lol. Not to say that five "1 and done's" in the playoffs wouldn't be a laughing point as well though.

They looked good as a 1-2 punch. West looked pretty nifty for being a heavier back just getting thrown back into a rotation. I'd like to see what they can do against a good run defense.

Well that went south quickly. lol.

Nice to see they are seeing what Brown's got along with the other WR's like Butler. His size is intriguing. At the very least, no matter what happens, at least I won't have to see that die hard group of fans commenting on every WR related article possible about how great he is based on 2 plays in the last pre-season game against 3rd team players...

I don't know if it's just me but ironically every time I see comments regarding the Ravens, the Pat's find a way to say how the Ravens are "whiners" because of John Harbaugh's legitimate gripes with referees. Yet their fans complain about stuff like this and have, perhaps, the biggest "whiner" at QB. Tom Brady is a HOF'er no doubt. He's great but if the Pat's fans were honest with themselves, they would see his whiny reactions to players barely brushing him and yelling at refs in a way that might get other QB's flagged and they would shut up (to be fair though Tom took a beating in that Bills game and didn't whine...much). But I agree with the notion that it isn't all fans in either camp, it's a select few that make everyone look bad.

You know, eventually, the coaches and writers are going to run out of different ways to say this every week. lol. We get it. Never quit no matter how many times we or the refs shoot us in the foot. At this point I'm just watching to see some good development in the young players (e.g. the TE's).

Since the NFL won't correct was is egregiously wrong in these situations, why not make amends? Every time a ref makes an obvious mistake that has high consequences such as a win/loss why not give the team a another 6/7th round draft pick? If it's a playoff win/loss mistake - 5th rounder, If it cost a team a conference championship - 4th rounder. Now while nothing would make up for losing a SB, maybe a 2/3rd rounder? Just throwin out suggestions because something has to be done if they won't correct the mistake or penalize the refs enough to make a difference. While you can say the Ravens shouldn't have been in these positions in the first place, you have to admit this year has been atrocious with the calls.

Because we live in a world where hearing evil is ok but seeing it is too much to handle. "John hit Susie." Ok... Here's a video. OMG, that is the worst thing I have ever seen in my life. He should suffer forever... Amazing what visuals do to the Psyche. I don't condone domestic violence, I just think anybody who calls for someone's head because they "saw" what happened but ignores what they "know" happened but did not see it, is a hypocrite in my mind. A lot of times it is closer to home than we want to believe (family, friends, co workers). And let's be honest, if we "saw" what every NFL player did in their spare time, the public calling for heads would cause a lot franchises to barely be able to field a team. These are coddled, entitled, egotistical athletes (not all, but a lot of the ones people love/love to hate in a respect kind of way) who are given a lot of resources to find trouble. These aren't choir boys. So essentially its a fight between public perception and how much a player has to offer. Unfortunately the video was too much in Rice's case and he is still paying for something that he in my mind has been made up for. we all make mistakes.

I agree with the poster who said the comments are kind of harsh regarding recent drafts. The comments suggest that the Ravens front office has become god awful at evaluating talent. IMO, it is a combo of A LOT of things this year. Dead money, injuries, unforeseen incidences, etc. Not to mention the flurry of things not "bouncing the Ravens way" (e.g. the Cleveland game when the ball was knocked right into the ankles of the TE, the Chris Johnson crowd surfing "untackle", Sinkhole of Death on J Tucker's foot...If anything, I think 2 things: (1) When a team is literally one play away from winning EVERY game, you have to blame the coaching as much as anyone. You honestly think the 20 something teams in front of the Ravens defensively have that much better talent? Coaches should be ale to adjust and scheme lesser talent to at least one more game changing play. (2) Ravens fans are spoiled. I get it. I miss the glory days of knowing week in and week out playoffs wasn't a question, it was whether they'd win a super bowl. That means HARD criticism from every angle because this is the first time in the HISTORY of the Ravens they have started this bad. I'm not making excuses for some less than stellar drafts lately or Matt Elam, I'm just saying it isn't THAT bad. The record says 1-6 but anyone who has really watched the games knows that barring another "murphy's law" type of season, there's no way the Ravens look like a team who can't bounce right back into playoff contention next year. They aren't a perennial losing franchise. If anything it's just a lot of bad things happening all at once making a nice CRAP cake and Elam is just another sprinkle on it.

Apparently the referees will not get penalized because it "did not change the outcome of the game." 2 reasons that response is stupid (1) The NFL regularly broadcasts shows/documentaries where people consistently state it is a game of inches yet your refs took away 10 YARDS near the end zone in a one possession/score game...(2) By that admission, instead of correcting issues up front, the NFL will wait until any referee blunder actually causes a major shift in the game which could cost a team a championship...makes sense...

Ravens Defense In Desperate Need Of Turnovers a new coordinator. Fixed?

Brown was actually picked in the 6th making him one of the best values in recent draft history imo (Bryant was 4th rounder). I guess I should have clarified more but the post was getting long. I consider 1-3 high picks in terms of someone that should contribute immediately. Steelers don't always pick them that high but at least they are taking shots and finding gold (at least compared to the Ravens WR corp) in nearly every draft.

In retrospect, I bet they wish they released all the CBs except Webb and Smith and resigned Corey Graham 2 years ago. I am exaggerating about releasing everyone but Graham was solid and still is for Buffalo now. Hopefully Will Davis can come on strong next year as a slot CB.

I think the excuses for Jimmy Smith are valid in most people's minds because it just seems like the most reasonable explanation of how you go from shutting down everyone before the injury in 2014 and getting burnt by rookies after in the beginning of 2015.