RavensDE

Are people really that upset we didn't take a WR?

WR's generally take a year or two to adjust to the pros and are at high risk of not panning out compared to other positions. There was no offensive savior here. We had a great draft by all accounts. People give us B's because they feel we needed offensive talent, but say we got great value at every pick. If we are depending on our fresh out college pass catchers to save us we are not a top flight organization. If we are getting the best players we can out of the draft and patching short term holes in free agency we are setting the best course for long term success.

17 hours ago, mybuddymac said:

Lets be realistic here, Rice was cut because he wasn't producing anymore. He had his worst statistical season by far just before the incident which made the F.O. job a ton easier in parting with him. If he was still the guy who won us that game in San Diego on 4th and 29 (Hey diddle diddle) you bet you behinds they would have kept him.

That isn't accurate at all.  Even if he had lost a step, even if he was terrible, cutting him so early into such a big deal with a large signing bonus really put us behind the 8-ball in terms of the salary cap.  We would have dealt with that and kept him on the team, even putting him on IR to open up a roster spot if necessary before we would cut him.  The year he was released he counted $6.3 million against the cap for a player who wasn't on the team, and $9.5 million against the cap the following year.  That is for a player we still had to replace and pay another player to do his job.  It makes no sense to say he lost a step and that is why we cut.  

The other thing that makes this inaccurate is that the team released him only after the video went public.  The team had plenty of time to cut him before that and they knew full well what had happened because Ozzie made a statement that Ray Rice had told them the full truth without trying to make it sound like it wasn't that bad.  The previous year he played injured and he was widely reported to have prepared himself to peak condition for the upcoming year.  

He was cut for PR reasons that were beyond the team's control.  Ozzie wanted to keep him the whole time.  

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/baltimore-ravens/ray-rice-3998/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bal-financial-ramifications-of-ravens-terminating-ray-rices-contract-20140908-story.html

I think its funny that the Bengals always take the loose cannons and red flag rejects and they always fall apart when the going gets tough at the end of the season.  Would we be better off with Burfict?  I don't think so.  He's a good baller but his mercurial personality leads to an inconsistent effect on the game and I always get the feeling he is not a good leader for the team.  The kind of guy that doesn't lead people to where we want them to be and explodes when things don't go his way in crunch time.  You don't want your best player to be the worst example.  

This kid Dixon seems like a real piece of garbage.  Who knows maybe he had a really bad day and the camera doesn't tell the whole story but I'm glad we didn't take him.  We don't need all choir boys and I'm all for second chances but as far as I can tell people who loose their heads in normal life tend not to be the best professionals in the long run.  

I can't imagine we would send Maxx to IR so soon in the season.  He's worth the roster spot as an inactive.  It's a long grueling season and I'm happy to see his blocking has improved even if he isn't getting targeted on his limited number of routes.  If and when Boyle comes back (Game 11) he would likely push Waller to the practice squad, but who knows what the injury situation looks like then.  He can catch and he has good speed (that Boyle does not have) but given that he has become a better blocker why wouldn't we keep him on the roster as an inactive for a month?  It's not like we have someone waiting in the wings that we can expect to come out and contribute right away.  Now if we take injuries at a specific position where we don't want to place those guys on IR for whatever reason I could see it happening, but I don't see the large opportunity cost of keeping him on the roster.  It isn't like we already filled our inactive list with injured players.  We aren't in a position yet where we are struggling to get players at each position.    

Edit/Update: I was wrong.  Either the injury was more serious than we know or that roster spot was that important to us.  As far as receiving tight ends, the two additions to the active roster in Waller and Brown shouldn't have much of a problem.  In terms of blocking after Crocket Gilmore we don't really have a great blocker out there.  Looking back I was perplexed when the team activated Brown off the practice squad when we knew Waller was coming back from suspension.  I'm still a bit thrown off by that move, but given Maxx Williams has been put on the IR shelf and Waller was also signed it makes a bit more sense.  

I hope that they go deep and connect but this really begs the question, "If they are respecting our deep ball and playing two deep every play then why isn't the rest of the field that much more open?"

On some level you can claim that us dinking and dunking is the result of playing two deep, but those super short check downs should be there on almost any play, why isn't there a successful mid-range game happening?  Last week we were under pressure with Mack and Irving picking on our back-ups, but we should be seeing more consistency against a stretched out zone defense.  I guess this moderate success is better than run-run-pass days of Cam Cameron.  I sure do miss Kubiak, but then again he just won a Super Bowl so I'd imagine he would be missed.  Tressman will have to do.

I like that he rose to the occasion. Clutch

I kinda thought you could go twice. I guess it makes sense that if you're in you're already in. What is amazing is that he keeps us in the mix year in and year out. He uses everyone for their talents and develops talent on and off the field. Employees are always leaving the Ravens for more money and larger jobs. It's a testament to him and a well built organization.

"You can't make the club, in the tub."

Andre carries 11mil in dead money for the Texans if he is cut or traded.  That pretty much kills any chance of him going anywhere.  Case closed.

Torrey is going to get a contract extension and be a building block for the Ravens moving forward. Young and talented with a strong work ethic and the highest of moral fibers.  The only way Oz lets him get away is if he demands top flight money (which is his right) because when Moriarty sets a number on a guy we don't budge.  It's possible he reaches the open market and cashes in but he is very likely to be a Raven for at least 4 or 5 more years. 

Do you mean Kubiak? I can see that you are opposed to signing Johnson, however this is a weak argument, because the fact is that this coach that he "believed in" is now with the Ravens. Wouldn't that be a reason for him to come here?

The biggest obstacle here is obviously money. I believe we have around $6 mil left in cap space, and we haven't even signed all our draft picks yet.

 You got me all wrong.  I'd love to get him.  He's great and could really help us.  Unless he's been cut though I don't see Andre having the ability to say "I want to go to the Ravens" and I don't see Oz paying very much (picks) for a player in decline, however great he may be.  

I love the guy I just don't think we get him.

This is all crazy talk.  Since when does Oz sacrifice the long term for the short term?  Andre is great but he is also declining and expensive.  They won't trade him because they can't get value for him.  No one is trading a 1st or 2nd for Andre at this point.  If they do then believe me the Texans would take it.  

Andre is looking at a downgrade a QB from SHAUB!  On top of that he lost a coach he believed in and now looks up and sees a rebuilding Texans that look far less potent than a year ago. That is a pretty bad scenario.  They don't trade him unless he forces it.  He has to really burn his bridges with the Texans FO and fans to get out.  I love the guy and I love how much he loves football and understanding for what it takes to be great but if he comes our way we are getting him for cheap.  AKA we are not getting him.  #hopehescheap

We were in a win-win situation. To me OT Zach Martin would have really helped complete our offense and give us something special on the line for the next few years but such is life...

From all accounts Mosley is going to be great not good player. He has everything we need him to have and is a consistent guy at a position we need to be consistent.

I think there is some truth to the "Alabama guys are already closer to their potential" theory, meaning less upside and growth vs pro ready. At this position I'm perfectly fine with that. This position is about decision making and being a student of the game. Mosley looks ready to play and ready to be a master of our scheme.

Thats 

Jeremy Zuttah contract numbers

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider 3 hrs

Jeremy Zuttah five-year Ravens deal: $18 million, $6.5M guaranteed, $3.5M bonus, $1M base 2014 guaranteed, $2M of $3M 2015 salary gteed

 

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider 3 hrs

Jeremy Zuttah salary cap figures: $1.7 million, $3.7 million, $4.2 million, $4.2 million, $4.2 million

That's a solid 2-yr commitment at the least.  Year-2 his cut savings are non-existent/negative but in the third year his cut savings look to hit $1.1-million giving us an opportunity to part ways if at some cost if necessary.  It shapes up to be a 3-yr deal with the 4th and 5th years essentially as options for the team should he continue to prove worth it.

(4th $2.1 million, 5th $3.5 million).  

-Roughly calculated by subtracting the remaining pro-rated guaranteed money from the apparent salary

(1mil, 3mil,3.5mil,3.5mil,3.5mil)

Sorry Gino you had your shot...unless you have a monster camp...

Slower Lower Delaware. God bless em.