RaRaRavens

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Posts posted by RaRaRavens

  1. Posted · Report post

      14 minutes ago, Bat-mite said:

    I don't understand Pitta's restructure. Guy comes off a major injury where he sat out most of two seasons and collected injured pay, then comes back and has the best year of his career and leads all TEs in receptions, and gets asked to take less money?

    I am happy about it in that it frees up cap room so we can get some talent at WR and OL, but I really don't get it.

    Completely understandable. Last years numbers are misleading. No YAC, small % of catches moved the chains, mostly dump offs that that created the large number of "catches". Then there is his health. If he actually does run for yards after catch, how long can his hip hold out? I like him but pay cut is understandable.

    @Bat-mite

    All what budman said, and in addition consider demand-supply ratio. Ravens have an abundance at TE, with younger, more explosive and even a more experienced options on the depth chart.

    Sure, Pitta's had a (somewhat) solid year and he didn't have to take a paycut. It was the same with Ngata couple of years back and he decided not to take a paycut. But since he had become replaceable, he was traded. It's a similar case with Pitta.

    Glad he took the paycut, though. Now let's hope Flacco targets someone else, too, for a change.

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  4. Posted · Report post

    4 hours ago, sizzlingdoom said:

    Alright RaRaRavens, bare with me as a long response is coming. And that's cuz I'm stoked on what we're doing, the two of us have pretty much seen eye to eye on everything since the end of the season, and I'm at work and have plenty of time.
    In general it seems like most teams are always going to be better on one side of the ball naturally. And there are always holes to fill on teams somewhere. Having said that, I'm extremely glad we seem to be going heavy defensively again. But, I don't think our offense has as many "holes" as people think.
    I think our biggest problems on Offense last year were the 2 most important things. The qb and coaching. We're bringing back the same coaching......I couldn't make much sense of that, but it is what it is. And I honestly think Joe will have a bounce back year for a few reasons, his knee being a big one. But most importantly he has to want to, or else...well, yeah.
    But aside from those 2 things, I don't think the positions to fill are that bad. We have talent. We need 2 lineman. A center and a RT or LG depending on where we're gonna play Lewis. Those aren't positions that necessarily require high picks or big contracts. And Jensen could be a guy to earn the Center or LG spot. Also, while we need to fill those 2 spots, it's not like we have bums at the other 3 spots either. 2 Mega studs and then a lot of people like Lewis. While we need to fill those 2 spots, if they are filled correctly, our line will be beastly and set for a while. There are still FAs and cuts too.
    Then we need a possession wr and red zone target. I think Perriman will take a big step forward this year, and Wallace and Moore can ball if they're complemented correctly. I'm really liking Ju Ju Smith in the second. I think that would be perfect. But I also think we can get away with a wr in rounds 3-5, if we chose well. Which we don't typically do with wideouts. Bound to hit eventually though.
    That only leaves the painful gap created by Dixon's suspension to finish off the Offense imo. I really don't think we need to take a rb high this year, at all. I think we'll be fine there. I would love it though if Charles is healthy though and signed a one year deal. He wouldn't have to carry the load at all and would be a great addition. Even at 90%.
    While that leaves a solid 3-5 picks for Offense. I think those can all be done with our 4 picks between the 2nd and 4th........( Sleeper Pick...Corey Davis in the 1rst!!!) that would be super interesting!
    Also, I think the offensive FA Market was ugly this year. I'm glad we didn't waste money there, or sign a Garcon, Woods, or Britt. Especially while expecting them to be number ones.

    Now, the defense...it really is starting to get back to Raven Defense. This season is going to be fun because of it alone regardless of finishing place or anything.
    With good reason, I don't think the average fan understands what's going to happen once we not only add Jefferson to the Defense, but pair him with Weddle. I live in CA and have seen Jefferson jump off the screen in Cards games for years now..always wondering who he was. Even so, I still kinda missed on him in FA this year, kinda cuz I thought he was going to get a bit more money. But after studying a bit, this guy checks every box and then some. Seriously, I don't know how many football players I've seen that are as versatile as he is. He can cover, amazing tackler and physical, and he can blitz like a LB. And even though he'll be around the line most of the time, at times we'll see if he can play Center field as well. He's a leader and locker room guy too. A++ to the FO for that pick up.
    BWill......sweeet! didn't see that coming. Appears he didn't really have a big market. Plus I'm glad we weren't scared off by an extra mil or two per year. Our run defense is set for years now and that's where it all starts.
    Carr- awesome pick up. I seriously Cannot believe seeing these fans posts that wanted Claiborne. I think I would've had to start taking MMA classes just to let out steam if we signed Claiborne lol. Carr is a stud. He was a stud in KC for a reason...people will see. SO much more flexibility going into the draft now. Not to mention our secondary is set for years now, and easily top 5 imo. Easily. Mr Tavon Young now = the best slot corner in the game imo. All 3 corners are different sizes too.
    I'm not worried about MLB what so ever. Signing Brown would be amazing though. I also think we'll take a pass rusher in rounds one or 2. ( Harris, Taco, Lawson, and Barnett look good to me. I wouldn't touch Williams, even in the 2nd). Depending on how we finish this offseason, I think our D is poised to set records.

    Sorry about the rant but I'm excited about the way things are looking. I could go on and on. I think the offensive holes can be filled before round 5. Our D just needs a finishing touch or two. I think it is going to be substantially better than last year, without doubt.
    Let me know what you think....lol. I only post when I'm at work and have time to kill. I love my birds though. I've lived in CA my whole life and hope to make it to a game in Baltimore someday. The stadium seems like an awesome environment!

    Some very nice and thorough thoughts, pleasant to read! And wow did you get me pumped up for 2017! lol

    All in all I think you might be right. I do not share your big optimism regarding C or WR position however. I really don't see Jensen being able to handle C, let alone be an upgrade to Zuttah, who was mediocre. I've never been a huge fan of Jensen as a player, but who knows, maybe he will be the next player who comes into his own in his last year and plays himself out of our price range at LG. I sure hope so, that would allow us to move Lewis to RT and we'd only need a C and some depth to finish up the O-line. Still, don't think Jensen will be good enough of a starter.

    As to WR, I was disappointed that we did not sign any of the vets out there when I saw how little they got paid. 5M for relatively sure pickups in either Marshall or Garcon would have gone a long way for us. Now, whatever we do it will be a huge question mark until we play a significant game come September. We might be off great with inhouse talents and drafted additions, but considering our history of drafting underachieving WRs and bad luck with injuries at the position, I don't see our WR core being in a great shape. Definitely not good enough to carry us deep into the playoffs, if it should come to that. Marty must get mighty creative with his weapons and Flacco must find a way to play well enough to help out his inexperienced WRs, something he has never been able to do.

    But with the rest of it I agree, especially regarding defense. Gotta give it to Oz and the rest of the FO, they've pieced together the perfect FAs on defense that fir perfectly to what we're trying to do on defense. Now a disrupting pass rusher and a starter at MLB and we're set. Everything on from there will be just quality depth.

    lol, same here. Mostly post from work on slower days. I'm following the best team in NFL from the other end of the globe, though. Making it to a Ravens game would be awesome! Bummed that I can't make it to the Ravens game in UK, but one day...

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  5. Posted · Report post

    all these defensive signings make it look like the FO has finally completely given up on Flacco and the offense and are banking on the defense to score all the points as well. jk ofcourse, but our O is not receiving nearly any help at all, whilst it very very badly needs it. woodhead signing was nice, but we had starters at the position. we're still missing a lot of other starters on O and now can add C to that list.

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  6. Posted · Report post

      3 hours ago, Vitalvicious said:

    I wouldn't consider this an upgrade. This guy is not good I'm sorry!

    Why do you say that?

    Is it because he held OBJ to 73 yards & 94 yards? Or is because he held AJ Green to 50 yards (0 TDs)? Or maybe because he held Mike Evans to 59 yards (0 TDs)? Then it must be Alshon Jeffery's 70 yards & 0 TDs? Jordy Nelson's 68 yards & 0 TDs?

    Yeah, that guy is no good....

    what a bum, right. lol at all who think this wasn't a brilliant pick up.

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  8. Posted · Report post

    I'm surprised we weren't able to get a 5th or 6th straight up. O well. Maybe there's already a plan in place so it's not another hole to fill in the draft. Maybe they've already been in contact with Mangold.
    Are we trying to sign Mangold and/or Zach Brown? Or Carr? Signing Claiborne would be ridiculous.
    Still Arrington and Watson to cut
    I also heard Joe wants to take a 50% paycut as well.....lol

    Last I checked we weren't even in the bidding for Mangold, which is baffling.

    There's probably as much chance for Browns to win the SB as there is for Flacco taking a paycut lol.

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  9. Posted · Report post

    18 hours ago, Halshayeji said:

    I think you completely missed my point here lol

    im commending him for already proving 31 teams wrong and now it's time he channels that hunger into winning a SB and maybe perhaps contaminating everyone around him.

    im not sure if I deserve you telling off like "shame on you" but heck I love the passion it came from and that passion is indeed contagious!

    keep bleeding purple brother! Liked...

    lol, i did indeed misinterpret your comment, sorry about that! good to know we're on the same page. peace, bro!

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  10. Posted · Report post

    Please don't. Why would you still be haunted by that draft when you are currently the highest rated and paid SS free agent in the NFL. You already proved everyone wrong. Now it's time to get hungry for a championship

    Why the hell should he?! That's what keeps him hungry, motivated, his motor going and trying to prove everyone wrong. I hope he remains haunted and wants to prove every other 31 teams who we might face that they made the biggest mistake when not drafting him.

    This kind of passion is extremely rare sight here in Baltimore ever since 2012, shame on you for wanting it to end.

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  14. Posted · Edited by RaRaRavens · Report post

    2 hours ago, rossihunter2 said:

    I don't know why anyone thought we'd bring in one of the premier free agents - we are much more likely to get someone further down the line who is cheaper: Marshall wanted to stay in New York, garçon is going to get paid 16 mill in his first year, Jeffry, Pryor and Jackson etc will certainly be looking for deals we can't afford either 

    We needed to bring in at least 1 "big name" FA to fill a need to even pretend we can compete in 2017. It seems people do not comprehend how many voids we must fill. WR position was our best chance to do it and hope we can solve the rest. We will literally have almost half the roster to fill.

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  16. Posted · Report post

    15 hours ago, Ravensfolyfe said:

    It's been awhile since i've made a comment on this site,still pissed with all the bad decision making by Harbs and company.Just watched Harbs video speech and i almost had a heart attack when he praised Flacco. He and Flacco have regressed in my eyes from coaching to Flacco dink and dunk offensive crap shoot plays.Ugh! We are like almost broke because of all our money going to Flacco big contract,top five qb money at that,which he is not elite or great at reading a defense.Yet, Brady said he knows all the defenses,seen em' all can't fool or surprise him.So after 8 yrs. Flacco still can't read a defense still? It's sad that our team is a mess with hardly any money to sign playmakers we gotta hope the OZ and company get this draft right or we're going to continue too suck in the AFC as long as we lack cap every dare year. Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    So true, man! It' painful to watch. And I don't get how some people think Flacco's contract is not the issue.

     

    Yeah, he had the perfect leverage for a big payday by winning the SB and the FO took a gamble by giving him the extension. I'm not against the decision itself, how was the FO to know that Flacco's success was a fluke. Unfortunately, the gamble didn't pay off. But now to say that non of our problems stem from the QB play vs pay ratio is ridiculous.

    We would be off pretty good if either of the following would happen:

    1. Flacco would play well on a regular basis, or;

    2. We would have enough cap room to bring in enough help that Flacco needs to play well.

     

    The reality is, Flacco is not playing well enough and to make matters worse we don't have nearly any money to hire/re-sign great players who would help him play better. Even Biscotti recognized and called this out after the season. 

     

    So how can some people, including Harbaugh, justify our QB situation is beyond belief for me.

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  17. Posted · Report post

    6 hours ago, ellicottraven said:

    Harbaugh seriously needs to get off the Flacco is the greatest QB since Montana boat. He sucks up to him enough during the season. Now, its time to just shut up and not try to use 'reverse psychology' on Flacco. That is childish John. Even Flacco doesn't believe what you say in his heart.

    Church! 

    I think that's what's bothering me most about Harbs. I mean, when he says stuff like that with a straight face, and actually believes it himself, then he obviously is not recognizing one of the main problems this team currently has. But when he actually does not believe it himself, then he's just lying to everyone instead of calling out Flacco to play better. I don't know which one of those is worse, but either way it makes me lose trust in him as a HC.

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  18. Posted · Report post

    2 minutes ago, sizzlingdoom said:

    We absolutely HAVE to sign Bmarsh. Should've worked out a trade before he was released. Our FO.............

    I know, right. "Wizard Oz" gang is like a cult with their "In Oz we trust" mantra. It might have been the case 5 years ago or so, but now it seems people are just clinging on to past success and refusing to recognize and take into consideration some serious recent failures. Don't get me wrong, Oz is still one of the best GMs in the game and manages to make some sweet FA grabs each and every year. But considering he has lost his "magic touch" for drafting, especially in early rounds and made some VERY strange and questionable in-house personnel decisions both player and staff wise, he is far from being the idol of a GM some fans want keep pinning on him.

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  22. Posted · Report post

    I need some of that stuff that Harbaugh is smoking. Because unless the FO have a crystal ball that they'll use to strike homeruns with every last one of their FA and draft decisions, there is no realistic grounds for Harbaugh to state things like "no doubt we will contend for a championship".

    Even some players admitted at the end of last season that this team is VERY far from being a contender. With SSS retiring and B.Williams, Juice and Wagner probably leaving we're left with even more holes.

    So again, unless we have the best offseason ever in the history of everything, we'll be lucky to even make the playoffs, let alone be in serious competition for any titles.

    But technically yeah, we might be contending for a championship during the first 2-3 weeks or so, when the difference between the best and worst teams is not more than couple of games. Other than that, some mighty strong stuff that Harbs is puffing.

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  23. Posted · Report post

    Just now, rmcjacket23 said:

    1. Not a very smart article to reference to validate your point, considering it has literally nothing to do with the draft process whatsoever, nor is there even a vague reference to it. That article, specifically, was about a brief period of time where we had multiple arrests for players that were ALREADY ON THE TEAM, and how John wanted to clean up existing players so that the franchise didn't get an even further bad image.

    2. What is REALLY happening here is that fans are extending something that the FO actually did say and applying it at a much broader scale to, for the 10th time, explain something that you can't understand.

    The FO is specifically on record as to have said that they won't touch players with DOMESTIC VIOLENCE backgrounds, and rightfully so, given the beating they took in PR because of the Ray Rice issue and the handling of it. They also said that they would be more closely evaluating character issues among new players going forward. 

    Neither of those things, of course, indicate that they simply won't draft players with character concerns. That's a stretch that YOU and other fans are making, because you want to be able to explain why the FO didn't take a player that you liked or that mock analysts liked. 

    In fact, here's an article where the FO addresses all of these things and tells you exactly how they look at things:

    http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Ravens-Will-Take-Chances-On-Some-Players-With-Character-Issues-Just-Not-Ones-With-Domestic-Violence/63f34b4e-b5e5-468a-8bc0-e0d567b64b3d

    And naturally, I've completely avoided going down the rabbit hole that is the risk of everything you guys are asking for. Its naturally easy for fans to ask to take more risks, because fans face 0% of the responsibility for those risks. You don't lose your job if you take several risks and they don't pan out... the FO staff does.

    Thought one of the last points in that article puts things in perspective with one player... Randy Gregory. Prototypical case of a player with all the talent in the world that would certainly qualify as a guy with "character concerns". And imagine that... those concerns appeared to be more than real.

    Always easy for fans to show the guy who had character concerns that did OK... that's convenient. Much more difficult for a fan to understand the risks associated with that type of pick, and understand the consequences that come from being wrong, especially when you face zero of the criticism.

    Draft process considers all those things as well, so it's very valid article to reference the philosophy.

     

    And I am aware about your article, actually when you look at the comments under it you see me praising they change in direction. But when you look at the interview where Biscotti said that Ravens will (again) be taking chances with players with minor past problems, Harbaugh and Oz had the longest face ever as if someone had a very serious conversation with them just now. 

     

    That's why I think it was direct command from B to change this BS mentality of only taking safe sure and goodygood players, and I think it's the right move.

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  24. Posted · Edited by RaRaRavens
    Grammar     · Report post

    47 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

    Without going off into a massive tangent on Burfict, he's also a player who isn't actually on the football field that often for various reasons (missed 22 regular season games the last 3 years). I think you might want to keep in mind how this fanbase responds to players who miss a handful of games over a few years (very negatively), let alone a guy who's only on the field about half the time.

    And no, he isn't the kind of player who "puts fear into his opponents hearts". This ain't a Gladiator fictional movie. NFL players aren't actually scared of other NFL players. 

    You are right about the missing time being unacceptable, though you can't deny Burfict's sheer talent and play making ability when he is on the field.

     

    As for the fear part, I can not agree with you. I'm not talking about afraid-for-your-life kind of afraid-to-play-against-this-player fear. My point was, when a receiver runs over the middle and just violently gets lit up when catching the ball, he won't run that route again with so much confidence. Every week we see receivers drop quite easy catches because a DB like Earl Thomas was just in the vicinity. We witnessed it ourselves during the haydays of Suggs - when Suggs had flat out punished the QB for 3 quarters with vicious hits, the QB would at one point just rush his throws and force INTs when he thought that Suggs just even might get to him. That is also fear. That is what I'm talking about. And that is what has been all but gone pretty much since 2012. In my opinion, largely due to Harbaugh's ban of the badboy mentality.

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  25. Posted · Report post

    31 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

    And which member of the organization told you that we passed on these players specifically due to character concerns?

    Or, again, because a mock draft analyst said they would be good players, you just assume that the reason we didn't take them is because of character concerns, and not the fact that we may not have thought they would be very good?

    I mean I'm honestly just looking for some sort of source or any validation whatsoever from you guys that has any factual basis whatsoever of why we didn't draft these players.

    If it is what you say it is, this shouldn't be that hard to provide.

    Harbaugh has repeatedly stated in the past, that he does not want his team anything to do with players with past problems. If you want to play ignorant then just read this article: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/11002821/baltimore-ravens-coach-john-harbaugh-very-concerned-field-incidents.

    Let me quote: "Harbaugh has taken a lot of pride in how he transformed the Ravens' bad-boy reputation since taking over as coach in 2008. He even stopped using all-black uniforms for a couple of seasons because of the image it presented.".

    If that does not convince you that Harbaugh has something to do with the FO no touching players with "character concerns" with ten-foot pole - no matter how talented they are - then you are just willfully naive.

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