birdseye

hes definaty here to mentor Tim Willams along with a few more young guns. Great hire. Best of luck Jameel

Literally had the exact same thought, great move by the ravens!

Here come all the arm chair GM's.... probably same turds who hated on the ronnie stanley pick last year. we have 3 more picks today, if we can somehow manage OLB, WR, OL then were talkin'.

Great article. I would argue one point though, which kind of goes hand in hand with what you are saying; that KD and TW can't break a long run. How many times did either back make it through the line of scrimmage before contact. Its impossible to break runs with any consistency when you have to fight just to get through the line of scrimmage every run. If Dixon has the holes Zeke has in Dallas he would have popped numerous long runs, he is faster than ray rice was coming out of school and RR could flip the field.

The comment “we are going to build an offensive line that is best in the league” sounds good, but I'm not exactly sure how they are going to go from where they were this year to being the best in the league. I mean, if everyone stays healthy and we retain Wagner, we are pretty good at best. To be the best or even approach it is going to require expending a lot of our available resources to make that happen. 

How we can do that and address getting a starter-worthy CB #2 (while also adding depth), replace SSS and improve at OLB/DE to generate something that resembles a pass rush is going to be quite a trick. Of course, the word is that we only need a complementary vet at WR and already have quality pass rushers on the roster (but are young players who have not reached their potential). I have a hard time buying that - especially the latter. 

I'm interested to know whether this comment is a virtual guarantee that Wagner is a keeper. It also wonder if it signals that we could select O line much higher in the draft that I anticipated. It is just really hard to fathom how we are going to achieve this claim while filling all the other holes. If we got an A grade for last year's off season, we're going to need another if we have any hopes of being a playoff team in 2017. 

All good points, but remember, we were 2 inches away from being a playoff team this year. We don't need to fill every hole but upgrading the Oline is, imo, the key to turning this offense around (along with a commitment the run game). The defense is 1 good cornerback away from being a playoff defense. if the offense turns itself around I'm confident the ravens will be a playoff team in the weak AFC. Certainly shouldn't be impossible to land a starting CB and C between free agency and the draft.

Also, John says he wants to have the best of everything, just typical coach speak.

Here me out here on my dream/fantasy/ideal unfolding of events. Roman hired as TE coach and not OL coach... Titles don't mean much I suppose, but I have to think John wants to utilize the plethora of tight ends this year since our WR corps will be lacking, or maybe, less than ideal, with or without an additional "complimentary" receiver. Roman has been a TE coach in the past and our tight ends are not very good at blocking sans Boyle and Gillmore. He also got a lot of production out of Vernon Davis in SF (13 TDs). OJ Howard in rd 1 if that is the plan, he is a unique talent (watch him go 1v1 blocking Myles Garrett in the TA&M game) and he could be special, maybe if Alabama ever used him. In that situation go two tight ends all year, another staple of Romans offenses.....

Ah well, a guy can dream right?

Great hire, best news of the offseason so far, Roman will help this team

yeah I'll believe it when I see it... I dont trust anything our coaching staff says because they are all talk and no walk. John says what he knows the fans want to hear, but his actions suggest otherwise?

We need to run the ball more, we need to run the ball more efficiently. yet we retain a pass happy OC for his entire career. Sounds like he's doing a friend a favor

Apologies for being long winded.

Now frustration is starting to kick in. I'm almost always an optimist regarding the ravens as I have a lot of faith in our front office, but the status quo wasn't CLOSE to being good enough this year, so lets keep the same?

Sadly, Joe is completely oblivious to his own shortcomings (and the offenses as a whole for that matter)... Its honestly insulting that he thinks the Raven's Flock is THAT stupid to accept such an answer; that situations dictated abandoning the run game all year leading to the skewed stats. News Flash, ravens fans know football and were tired of hearing the same crap out of your mouth when the games that we are watching with our own eyes don't support your comments? All Joe wants is to have the stats so that the sports world will finally call him an elite quarterback. his answer to the play call that almost cost us the Philly game is as close to admittance as you'll ever see when using coach/player speak.

My eternal optimist side is saying that perhaps Morningwheg was handicapped by Trestman's flawed offense and had no choice but to tailor his game-plan accordingly, but his history as an OC suggests otherwise. If we do not have a hammering run game next year, complimented by play action and explosive plays, Harbs gets the door. Much less optimism after listening to his press conference this morning.

I might be reading too much into this, but I did think it was interesting that they did not start Alex Lewis at LT: is that an indication we are going to try and resign Wagner, maybe they see Lewis' future as a G, or possibly he just wasn't 100%? definitely the biggest storyline of the offseason will be retaining him over BWill. We all saw how ineffective Joe is without a quality line (which will be more important if we hire Greg Roman). Our run D isn't made or broken by one player so we can overcome losing Williams better than Wagner.

In reference to the check downs point. I Think what were missing is the fact the NE did this all game and we never adjusted. We had only had 3 people running routes (outside of the checkdown) vs their 7 guys in coverage... do the math, Joe ain't Mike Vick. Thats is called being a step behind the D coordinator and having a predictable gameplan. Marty clearly isn't the answer, Make a move for Norv Turner this offseason!!!!!

Let me preface this by saying I've always been a huge Flacco defender and dont want to trade/cut him by any streatch. That being said, I'm seeing more and more evidence that Ray has a point, and an important one. Joe clearly loves football, you don't achieve the kind of success in the NFL without loving the game. Tony Lombardi from RSR explains the reality of the situation in his "word on the street" podcast. Flacco realizes this is his job, he wants to win, and puts in some extra time to be better and to make sure his job is safe. He doesn't however, have the necessary passion/fire/ambition whatever you want to call it, required to be the best. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, and Phillip Rivers have that and that is why he will never be as good as them. You could argue he is more talented than all of them, but that is only half the battle. Love Flacco, he is a very good quarterback, but that doesn't mean he is above criticism.

I think this might be the single biggest development this season... if Tavon's stellar play continues our defense will legitimately be enough for us to get to the postseason, god knows our offense wont be helping in that regard.

give this kid carries against the starters tomorrow!

  8 minutes ago, The Mom Gene said:

I still maintain it is NOT about stats.  You can throw all day long, but in the end if you don't put up enough points to win, and if the defense allows too many yards by the other team...  You're not a "winner".  Joe is a winner.  It's about wins, and accomplishments (Playoffs SB wins, etc.).  The guy outplays Brady every time they're on the field together.  It's about him, yes, but it's about how your team supports you too.  We have a running game.  When you have a game plan like we do, and lack the big name receivers, it's difficult to accomplishment.  And to me???  It looks like they want to get him that stat this year of 4000 yards.

Its a combination of both. You can be a "winner" and have done nothing for your team to contribute to that win. We've seen Joe do that in the playoffs (against Brady no less). That's the problem with applying team stats to individual players... it in no way attempts to indicate what contribution that player made to that win. 

Enter stats... one method that people can identify how a player contributes to a win. 

Why do you think QB is literally the only position where people care about whether the guy is a "winner" or not? 

And Tim Tebow is a "winner"...

What playoffs were you watching? Joe has the 7th highest playoff QB rating in history, 25 TD's vs 10 INT's and propelled an old and declining defense to a SB title. Dont get me wrong Flacco does lay some eggs almost every year in the regular season, but there's a reason people inside and out the league associate QB play to the success of a team, its not just a random statistical phenomenon.

Yeah team stats dont dont necessarily indicate a players contribution, but that doesn't prove that individual stats do. How does Joe get passing yards if his line doesn't block, his receivers cant get open, and our running game cant threaten them enough to stop playing nickel or dime defense? This is a cyclical argument because the fact is there are no individual stats in football as it is the ultimate team game.

Lastly, Tebow is a winner? that's why he sits behind a desk now and couldn't get a second contract right?

Ideal 3 round mock draft for me, really 3 (a, b, c) mocks depending on which players we choose in previous rd.

rd1. a. Ramsey b. Tunsil, c. Buckner
rd2. a.Noah Spence b. Chris Jones c.Mackensie Alexander
rd3. a. Sterling Shepard b.Cyrus Jones c. Kyler Fackrell

great, we need to improve our run game, not hurt it... we use a lot of stretch zone run blocking... Kubiak is one of the best at teaching it... we need to draft a mauler at guard or two and a bigger back with more power, maybe now we see why Trent Richardson is on the radar?

all the talk at the end of last year was that we had a solid foundation... just lacked a couple playmakers to get us over the top on all of those 1 score games... we'll we've added 2 now. Wallace is not a #1, and he might drop some passes, but the dude can make splash plays, something we desperately needed after last year

This was definitely a good pickup. The people questioning it need to remember how bad our secondary was last year. All the depth in the world means nothing if they aren't producing. Weddle is without a doubt a big upgrade. He and Hill will be a stout backend. Now, Oz needs to get Wallace to throw on the other side of SSS and we can keep our fingers crossed that Perriman ends up being the burner we need that can stretch the field. Wallace would be a good catalyst. Then in the draft hope for Buckner and if he is off the board I'd trade back for Hargreaves. I personally like Buckner over Bosa. Bosa is a 4-3 guy imo and Buckner is a 3-4 5 tech all day. I personally know Deforest and he definitely fits the mold of a Raven. The things I've heard about Bosa off the field do not reflect a kind of guy we want on our team. I've heard that weed is the last thing to worry about with him. 

dont know about what kind of a person Bosa is, but the rest of your post I think is spot on.. praying Buckner falls to 6

Fantastic move... just look at his coverage grades by PFF over the past 8 years... even playing through a groin strain (the most serious injury he's had in his career if im not mistaken) and he still graded out as one of the top coverage safeties in the NFL.

essentially a 2 year deal worth 13 mill... that is perfect especially because if he plays anywhere near his level before 2015 (hell even during 2015) he will be a difference maker for us. I can remember plenty of games against SD when he made plays that used to frustrate the hell out of me. at 31 i view this signing in a very similar light to the SSS signing...

  35 minutes ago, trevorsteadman said:

I don't see Bosa falling to us at 6 but I think a lot of us didn't see Leonard Williams falling last draft so it wouldn't be crazy if he did either. I almost think it is less of a possibility for Ramsey to fall to us. I can see teams in front of us taking the higher ceiling guys like Buckner ahead of us or Myles Jack that would drop Bosa. I still think he is probably the best pass rusher in the draft, and him with Suggs and Dumervil next year, with Jimmy Smith, Shareece Wright, Will Hill, and Brandon Williams.... If we get a better ballhawk safety and a decent nickel corner then that defense COULD be insane.

We are not close to being a top defense. But a good corner, and another pass rusher would definitely help bridge the gap. I would love Bosa, but I don't think it will come true. I would rather take Veron Hargraves, who will be a great CB, over Jalen Ramsey who will play Safety in the NFL. Buckner comes with a huge risk, as Oregon players have a poor track record in the NFL. Although he has a huge frame, I do not think he is explosive enough to really contribute as a pass rusher in the NFL. He is also a 3-4 DE, which has much less of an impact on the defense compared to an OLB or CB. Jaylon Smith is worth waiting for the recovery IMO.

I agree that Jaylon Smith would be worth the wait... however its unfair to say Buckner comes with a risk because people who have nothing to do with him except are from the same school haven't become good NFL players... If you're referring to Dion Jordan, he was a stand up, not hand in the dirt pass rusher, and completely different player. Similarly, Buckner is WAY more polished the Arik Armstead who came out last year, and his college production matches that even though he saw double and triple teams all year (unlike when armstead had Buckner on the other side of him last year). he had more sacks in October than Armstead had in his career. Laslty, the last Oregon defensive lineman we drafted turned out pretty darn good. Its not often you see a player with the freakish physical traits like Buckner and the production to back it up (in a system that doesn't suit lineman getting lots of stats)... If were creative with our defense, moving him to the inside on passing downs he will generate pass rush no doubt...

Can you tell who I want us to draft?

I love this kid, explosive like Sizz off the line in college, can he be an all around defender remains to be seen but he definitely is the best pure pass rusher in an otherwise thin edge rushing class

judging by our track record developing receivers I'd say stay away from him until 3rd/4th round at the earliest.

that was supposed to be a reply to the Shaq Lawson comment earlier in the thread

YES! I'm interested in his combine #'s because if he has a good 20 second split and 3 cone drill, he'll be a top 10 lock 100%... Clemson plays a complex defense that required him to do a lot of reading and reacting. I'm hoping thats the reason he doesn't always explode off the line.  Just knowing the players we like, (and as corny as this may sound) he plays like a raven.  Read Dabo's comments about him and then fit that into the mantra that Marchibroda instilled (talked about in a previous article).  the dude loves football, loves watching film and working out.  That just makes me think he'll be a star in the league even more.  He is a leader, a hard worker, and a smart player.  Also he is pretty damn talented as well, his spin move is near perfected and reading other scouting reports it sounds like he really has only begun to tap into his pass rush potential.  If ramsey isn't there I want Lawson

i Could see us trading back to 10-12 range, and taking Lawson from Clemson, all around football player with a wide arsenal of moves pass rush moves already, Depending on how well he runs at the combine especially his 20 second split he could push himself into consideration at 6. One of the most complete players in the draft IMO