robbie29

I could see this season being similar to the 2011 season--> great defense, great O Line, great run game, and a trip to the postseason (of course, let's get a SB win this year). I just don't see this being the year that Flacco finally surpasses 4,000 yards (yeah I said it- go ahead and neg me). I'm not saying he'll do poorly- far from it- I just think he'll finish around 3,700-3,800 yards. Bottom line- IMO the Defense and ground game will figure more prominently in the Ravens' success this year than the passing game.

I agree about Waller. He didn't impress against N.O., but we'll wait and see how he does in the remaining preseason games. He had a reputation for reliable hands at Ga Tech, and I certainly hope that translates to the NFL. The guy could be a great red zone target. As for Perriman- I hope he gets well soon. Injuries suck b/c they are largely beyond anyone's control. Being that he's a raw prospect, he needs all the practice & reps with Flacco that he can get. The more days he misses and the more unclear his return timeline becomes, the more nervous I (and many in Ravens nation) get. Regardless, we've got a solid QB, a superb O Line, a great backfield, and a proven veteran WR who is going to tear it up in his final season. So, there's certainly more reason for optimism than pessimism regarding the offense. Go Ravens!

I could easily see Carl Davis shining this year the way Jernigan did last year. Davis (IMO) will play with a chip on his shoulder since he was drafted later than he expected, but with an abundance of starting talent on the D Line, his reps may be limited. I also like the praise Waller is receiving- he could end up being a go-to guy in the end zone, with his height and reputation for good hands. With Perriman- all I can say is that I hope he gets well soon- this time missed is crucial, and it keeps adding up. If he continues to miss time, I really think it wouldn't hurt to sign a vet WR who gets cut by another team (a la Houshmandzadeh a few years ago). While Aiken and Butler are getting positive reviews, our WRs are quite lacking in experience, behind Smith Sr., and several (Brown, Campanaro, and Perriman) have injury issues.

Well...he did spend 13 seasons in Carolina. It would be great if he retired a Raven, but I wouldn't think any less of him if he decided to retire a Panther. To help put it in perspective- Todd Heap spent the last 2 years of his 12 year career with the Cardinals, but I certainly consider him a Raven. So does Baltimore, which is why he's in the Ravens' Ring of Honor. Just because Smith & the Panthers departed on less than amicable terms doesn't mean Carolina & its fans "do not deserve him."

I was thinking the same thing. I know he's a 1st round pick, but given that he came from a relatively weak college conference, he's going to need every possible minute of training camp & preseason to acclimate to the NFL. Each day that he misses is that much more catching up he's going to have to do. Hope he heals & comes back soon. The collective inexperience of the Ravens' receiving corps (minus Smith Sr.) has me a bit nervous. IMO, it might not hurt to sign a veteran WR who gets cut in the next few weeks. I dread to think what would happen if Smith Sr. went down.

Too bad Brady couldn't follow Randy Brown's example and let the NFL use his phone to see texts and gain a clearer picture of the facts. Then again, Randy Brown has nothing to hide. Brady, on the other hand...

For rookies, even 1st round picks, any day missed from training camp is crucial. Here's hoping Perriman makes it back sooner rather than later.

First padded practice and full contact tomorrow. Another step closer to determining who stands out above whom for some of the position battles.

So Saturday is the first practice with pads & contact. I'm nervously waiting to see whose names will come up on the injury list after that practice ends...

Don't worry, Bisciotti- we know that you feel the same way about the Pats and their rule-breaking duo of Brady and Belicheat that everyone else does. You're just limited by what you're allowed to say to the press. Everyone knows that Brady & Belichick are the shadiest Coach/QB pair to operate in the NFL. But, since their owner is best friends with the NFL Commissioner, they are allowed to bend/break the rules repeatedly. What a disgrace.

We are the most complete team in the division, yes. We've got the best kicker, and the best defense. However, (as much as it pains me to say it), Pitsburgh currently has the best offense and best kickoff returner in the division.

How is Arthur Brown not on that list of players under pressure? He hasn't lived up to expectations and needs to beat out McClellan and Orr to even earn a backup role. I think Will Hill needs to be taken off that list (his only competition for a starting job is Elam), and replaced with Brown. Hill's spot on the roster is far more secure than Brown's. Just my two cents.

I certainly admire your optimism and hope you're right- I'd also love to see Perriman flourish. However, reality is that we won't truly know if he can beat press coverage until he's played a few regular season games. Reports out of mini-camp & OTAs were that he was up-and-down with his ability to catch the ball. He's got all of training camp and the Preseason to work on that, so I'm not sweating it at this point. Personally, I'm not overly impressed when reporters compliment a WR's speed and size- NFL receivers are supposed to be big and fast. It's far more encouraging and impressive when you hear compliments about a guy's ability to get separation, and CONSISTENTLY make tough catches. Again- we won't have a good idea about that with Perriman until about the end of September. I really hope Ozzie struck gold with Perriman though.

Before last week, was there any editor's note or advanced warning that the site would be w/out LFW for a whole week? I realize we're in the horribly dull part of the offseason and there's not much to write about, but a little heads-up would have helped. With so little going on (football-wise), LFW is a way to help keep one's sanity at the beginning of each work day, at least until Training Camp starts. Just my two cents, and something to think about for next summer. Otherwise- keep up the great work.

Staying Healthy ALSO Key Priority for: Campanaro, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Urban, all of last year's CBs, Taliaferro, and Pitta. Outlook not great for Campanaro, and it's extremely delicate with Pitta, but I'm hoping those others go into the 2015 season at 100% and can stay injury-free, at least thru the first half of the season. Those first 8 games are going to be brutal (except maybe OAK) and we'll need all hands on deck.

It would be nice, but I think in terms of a proven veteran- the WR/TE corps is in much more need than the Defensive Line. Flacco's basically got just Steve Smith Sr. as a proven veteran receiver. At 36, Steve Smith would definitely benefit from a second veteran WR to share the load so he's not completely worn down by the end of the season. I'd much rather see Oz sign a veteran receiver or TE than a veteran D Lineman. Just my two cents.

Yeah- I didn't realize that when I posted. He's got a domestic violence charge and a DWI, so forget it.

Flacco is also a family man, and he'll do what's best for his family before anything else. I honestly can't imagine Flacco playing for another team, but at the same time pro football is a business and stranger things have happened...

I would not be surprised at all if the Ravens get to the postseason this year. I also wouldn't be surprised if, when they do, Steve Smith does like Ray Lewis did in 2012 and announces that this will be his last ride. Let's hope for a similar finish as 2012...

Sorry to be the one to bring this up, but the Ravens receiving corps is dangerously inexperienced and just one injury away from being in a very bad situation. God help us if Steve Smith were to go down. That would hit the offense the way Jimmy Smith's injury hit the secondary last year. Ultimately, Ozzie & Company know what's best, but I feel like we're almost flirting with disaster by not signing a WR with some experience. The ghosts of the Ravens' 2013 receiving corps are still very much in my mind. Receiver by committee did not work well at all that year.

While I am excited about this year's draft, history shows that best case scenario, only 2 (hopefully 3) players will emerge from this draft class as better-than-average players. My unanswered question that won't be determined until the end of the year or next year: Which 2 or 3 players from this draft will end up being better than average? For Joe's sake, I hope it's Perriman and Maxx Williams.

Uggghhh...phase 2 of the unbearable offseason. That 4-month period between the draft and opening day where the articles speculate on who will do what and what each player hopes to achieve. Good article, Garrett. I'm just frustrated and want the season to begin already.

Slow starts by the offense have been ongoing problems since Harbaugh took over as head coach. Even before last year, there have been several times when Flacco & the offense have disappeared for entire halves and more. I'm not sure if that is more Harbaugh's fault or Flacco's though.

Tha That's always the depressing beginning to any comment about our cornerbacks..."If Jimmy Smith/Lardarius Webb can stay healthy..." Unfortunately, it rarely turns out where both those guys are on the field at the same time. One or the other always seems to be injured.

Great job, Ed Reed. Please come back to Baltimore as a coach to fix our secondary.