rmcjacket23

Any idea where this puts us with our cap situation and how much do we figure we need to set aside for draft? Basically... How much money do we have to spend?

Too early to tell. We don't know the exact contract details for Monroe. I'd set aside $3-5m for draft picks, so we are probably somewhere in the $15-20m range to spend after the Monroe deal.

Next thing to do is re-sign Jacoby Jones. We haven't had such a great return man since Jermaine Lewis.

I'd rank that about 5th or 6th on the priority list... and that might be a bit high on my part.

Stop making it sound like the Ravens stole from Monroe. They didn't. The fact is Ozzie refused to be backed in to a corner and over pay. Welcome aboard Eugene. Your a rich man and we are all very happy. Sounds like a good contract for all involved.

It also didn't hurt that the three other teams on the market who were even interested in a LT had already come to "wink wink" contract agreements with the other three players available.

He was the last to sign his deal, so he essentially had to take whatever we offered him, or risk going to a dry market and getting far less.

It was a gamble that Ozzie made, and the gamble paid off.

We just did by inking a deal with the highest ranked FA on the market.

... we just signed the #1 LT on the market at a price less than the #2 LT on the market (Albert) and less than the #4 LT on the market (Saffold).

Enough said.

Eugene Monroe is very happy with how this worked out, according to a source ...

 

We're happy to have him. Long term LT ... Play like a Raven, Eugene!

 

IMO ... this was the key to how the rest of FA and draft approach will flow. Likelihood of us drafting a OT in the first round is slim. If we pick up Daniels, TE position is set. Feels like 1st round is almost certainly focused on WR or possibly even ILB or FS, depending what else transpires in FA.

Agreed... here's how I hope it plays out..

1. Sign veteran center for competition

2. Maybe consider a veteran receiver for competition

3. Target Clinton Dix or Pryor with 1st round pick (may have to move up slightly to do this)

4. Draft WR in second round and another in later round

5. Use a third round pick on a tackle-sized lineman and let him compete with Wagner for starting RT job.

The only monkey wrench I see is if we fail to sign Daryl Smith and add a MLB in FA, a guy like CJ Mosley may become too good to pass up in the first round.

We got like 20 million in cap space and couldn't afford 1.2 mm a year for Art Jones?

Try again...

Ahh, they want Boldin.... Boldin didnt even play the slot when he WAS here.. So, I think your logic is flawed. And IMO, Marlon is an outside WR.

Slot-type, not slot. Theres plenty of soft slot-receivers, so the argument isn't about the slot. The argument is about physicality.

"So if he's the heir-apparent to Boldin, why did the FO specifically address the need to find such a player this offseason? Do you typically discuss needing to find somebody who is already on your roster?" You are taking what the front office say at face value. Anquan Boldin didn't gain his reputation on his rookie year. I can see Marlon grow into that role because he has the mentality that every ball thrown to him is his ball,, and he has very strong hands just like Boldin. When the front office said that they were looking to replace Boldin, they never ruled out current players.

Like I said... in two months, we will know.

And Boldin did develop that reputation in his rookie year... he caught 101 balls for close to 1400 yards and 8 TDs in his rookie year.

@rmcjacket23 "Yet, according to you, when we bring in a new OC who likes to run the ball and use TEs more, and we bring in competition for Marlon Brown's position, he's going to perform better? Ummmm... no. We will likely throw the ball far less than last season, and Brown will likely face stiff competition for snaps from the likes of a draft pick, FA signing, or even an Aaron Mellette (unlikely in my opinion)... all of that just to be the #3 option in an offense that will likely run the ball at least 50% of the time and doesn't utilize 3 WR packages that often. Bottom line... I don't see it. If he produces at the exact same numbers he produced at in 2013, I'd consider that a pretty impressive feat." You are marginalizing Marlon Brown's talent. Bear in mind that he was coming off a torn ACL tear and as a rookie. He tore his ACL later in the year than Webb, and he came back in the training camp. I am saying that he will be much better next year, and harder to defend. He caught everything that the QB threw in the right spots. Flacco oncee described him as having very strong hands. I see him as legitimate #2 WR, and heir-apparent to Boldin.

So if he's the heir-apparent to Boldin, why did the FO specifically address the need to find such a player this offseason? Do you typically discuss needing to find somebody who is already on your roster?

I suppose they could publicly say one thing and then do another, but then why do fans want us to draft Ebron or another WR that is a similar type player?

My answer to these questions is... because the FO doesn't view Brown as the heir-apparent to Boldin.

All of this is just speculation so far, but in about 2 months, we will know for sure what the FO thinks about Brown. If they go WR/TE early, or if they end up with multiple pass catchers throughout this offseason, it would be hard for anybody to sit there and say "Brown is the heir-apparent to Boldin".

While I may be selling him a bit short, I think a lot of you are equally selling him a bit long. I think there's people that believe he's a 900-1,000 yard receiver next season, and I think Madden is a very realistic place for that.

For the 20th time, my views currently have essentially been echoed by the words of the FO thus far.

Two things.

 

While Kubiak is known to run the ball his qbs always have good stats.  If Shaub can gave 4000 yrs Flacco should have 4,500 

That's great... now go look at the distributions of who he threw to... it was spread out to everybody. Heck, Kevin Walter was the #2 WR in that offense for years, and he never averaged more than 56 yards per game. And Jacoby, their #3 or #4 target (which is exactly would Brown would be), never eclipsed 40 yards per game in any of those 4,000 yard Schaub offenses.

C'mon man-Birk was a hell of a lot better than "Average". Are you sure you are'nt Mike Preston?

1. If you like PFF rankings (which I do, because they are the most well respected in the business), he was very average compared to his peers, and for multiple seasons. The pro bowl, all pro center that he WAS was never the person he WAS as a Raven.

2. The reason so many fans think Birk was great was because they just watched Gradkowski play, and are simply comparing Birk to Gradkowski. When you go from average to bad, anything that is average will look great. That's the problem.

What about the 30 interceptions our QB threw when were doing all that throwing and no running. or all those sacks that our offensive line or a lack thereof gave up. We had not one stand out super star last year. for christ sake our best player was Legatron. Give Marlon a break.. My daughter was born December 8th 2013. and as I sat in the hospital cutting cords and changing diapers.. I saw Marlon perform extremely well in a blizzard.. and it wasnt all in the red zone. the dude averages 11 yds a catch which is a first down in the NFL that I watch

I did give him a break. But again, all indications from the FO is that they ARE NOT giving him a break.

I would advise all fans to temper your expectations.

Dude you got it all wrong.. Marlon Brown, as an undrafted rookie free agent steps on the field with the defending super bowl champions after a summer of turmoil and records 50 catches for 524 yards and 7 touchdowns (Ravens Franchise Records for a rookie) & did so in 14 games.. on an offense that rushed for 1328 yards all season (30th in the NFL). So its quite apparent that with better surrounding talent Marlon would be even more effective.. To put into comparison, we all love Torrey Smith who was supposed to run the show with the departure of Boldin.. Yeah well as our #1 WR he only snagged 65 balls for 1128 yards and 4 TDs.. Very mediocre (In my best Richard Sherman voice) numbers for a teams #1 WR in todays NFL.. My point is every player in a ravens uniform last year can play better and those who worked their tail off and gave us the best they could with the little we had deserve another shot with our reformed team on the field next year.. I stand by my word Brown is your guy at #2. Save the money Ozzie we got bigger problems.. O-Line , Safety , and I'll give another one that everyone is turning their cheek too.. RB!.. We could use another RB asap.. Id address all of those before I thought about finding some expensive WR to take Brown off the field.

Umm no, you are looking at it all wrong. Lets analyze a couple things...

1. In 2013, we couldn't run the ball, and we stopped trying to run the ball late in the season.

2. Marlon Brown faced very little-to-no competition for his spot on the roster, considering Pitta missed half the season and the people he was competing with were Jacoby Jones and a bunch of mostly talentless players.

3.. So, in an offense that threw the ball a ton and was unsuccessful running the ball, and in an offense where he faced essentially no competition for targets, Marlon Brown was a 3-4 catch, 38 yard per game guy, who's 7 TDs were reflective of a player who is a red zone target (as I've said 20 times already)

Yet, according to you, when we bring in a new OC who likes to run the ball and use TEs more, and we bring in competition for Marlon Brown's position, he's going to perform better? Ummmm... no. We will likely throw the ball far less than last season, and Brown will likely face stiff competition for snaps from the likes of a draft pick, FA signing, or even an Aaron Mellette (unlikely in my opinion)... all of that just to be the #3 option in an offense that will likely run the ball at least 50% of the time and doesn't utilize 3 WR packages that often.

Bottom line... I don't see it. If he produces at the exact same numbers he produced at in 2013, I'd consider that a pretty impressive feat.

Steve Smith would be an expensive waste here!

 

First off, Joe doesn't get comfortable with 1st year FA guys regularly! It took him 3 years to find out how to target Q and Smith would only have a year!

 

Secondly, why? We have Aaron Mellette and there are more guys much younger who wouldn't hit the Cap like Smith would!

I think people need to get off the Mellette train... and for one main reason that I don't think anybody is considering...

Are you people aware that there is only one football? As the depth chart is currently assembled, Torrey Smith, Dennis Pitta, and Marlon Brown would be the top 3 options in the passing game. Thus, Mellette is the #4 option in the passing game, and the #3 WR. In a Kubiak offense, where TEs are utilized more and we run the ball a lot, what kind of value does the #4 receiver in an offense have?

And remember... that's assuming we add NO WRs in the draft, which seems unlikely.

I'd expect Aaron Mellette to spend the entire 2014 season on the practice squad.

We dont have to offer him more, just offer him more then what the browns see his value at, if you are deciding to go that route. Also consider the fact browns might be taking on revis here shortly as thats the talk of most the sports websites

True, but the Browns have essentially already acknowledged that they are willing to pay Mack $10m for this season, as thats the cost of their transition tag at the moment. So that money is already earmarked, and they are still considering Revis, Whitner, Dansby, etc., even knowing they are paying that.

I'd expect to have to pay Mack Monroe type money in order to get him, and I don't think thats a very good use of our cap space. I think its a classic overreaction by our fans. We don't need the best center in the league. Matt Birk was an average center in this league when he was a Raven.

We just need a better one, not the best one.

Not really... Everyone plays a certain role. Brown is a young player, why would you NOT want another proven comodity in ADDITION to Marlon. Take a look at the roster and tell me we dont need another WR.

Yes, but any receiver we get is coming in as a slot type WR to make tough. Think of it this way... they want to find a younger Boldin.

So if Boldin was on the team in 2013, what percentage of the time do you think Marlon Brown would have been on the field? Its entirely conceivable that he would have been a gameday inactive for the majority of the season.

I agree that everybody plays a role, which is why I identified Brown as a "role player". His role will be situational, and in particular, probably as a depth player with upside in the red zone.

That's not the kind of description you give to a #2 WR. That's the kind of description you give to a #3 or 4 WR.

let Monroe go and hopefully get a 3rd rounder. Trade webby and a 3rd rounder for a 4th or 5th and unload webb's 10 million cap hit. Get Revis, Mack, and Steve Smith. Draft a tackle in the first, and wr in the 2nd. Get D Smith back if there's any money left. THIS WOULD BE EPIC. It would not only = another Lombardi, but straight dominance also. Revis and J Smith manning the corners...um.. yes please

Yes, I was able to do this in Madden also.

Where it belongs.

@Dwayne Watts from what i heard from Schefter, they might keep Steve Smith if they can't get a WR from the market. Not a lock to be released if he isn't traded. He is due $5 mil guaranteed regardless.

If hes released, he's owed nothing from any other team outside of what they negotiate with him. His guaranteed money is paid by Carolina if he's released.

This is pretty comical to me...

Perhaps, but it also appears to be in line with what the FO is thinking (or at least what they have said publicly).

I mean if you think about it logically... if the FO felt great about Brown and Mellette, why would we need another WR? Why tell the public you need one, when fans think we don't?

It would appear that Ozzie sees something fans don't, which should be surprising to almost nobody.

Love your view my friend.. I think Brown proved last year he can be a solid #2 WR in the NFL.. now go get Edelman to play the slot along with a healthy Pitta and Torrey stretching the field... Our offense would be deadly.

From what I've seen, Brown is a #3... at best. He didn't really show me much last season. He's basically non-existent between the 20s, and is better as a situational red zone target.

Think of it this way... he was the #2 option in a passing game that couldn't move the ball yet threw it a ton, and he basically put up #3 or #4 type numbers.

Sure, he could get better, but the bottom line is... the FO doesn't seem to think he's a solid long-term option. They've got Torrey and Pitta, and they want another WR badly. That puts Brown as the #4 option in the passing game at best, and thats about a 30-40% of the snaps per game kind of guy.

And keep in mind... thats assuming we still can't run the ball. Kubiak offenses don't usually go 4 wide.

If they bring in a WR in FA or early in the draft (which they will), I'd expect to see a little less of Brown next season.

id agree, but with out regular season experience we wont know, why sit on players for 3 years that havent produced when we can give someone like mallette a go, if he fails he fails, but if there is signs of potential growth then we know hes worth staying around.

deonte Thompson and tandon doss, have had how many chances to prove themselves? yea tandon did much better after coming back but still not sold on him

1. Doss and Thompson contribute on ST, which any way you look at it, a #3 or #4 WR on a team (which is what Mellette would be) needs to be able to do. Mellette missed essentially all of his first season due to injury, so the jury is obviously still out on him.

2. My point is very easy... if the FO thought that guys like Brown and Mellette were the future stars of this offense, why would the FO come out to the public and verbally acknowledge that we need another pass catcher? And even better... why would we bring Jacoby back?

Nothing the FO has said or done in the last year suggests that they are comfortable with Mellette and Brown as the #2 and #3 WRs on this team in the future, and I agree with them. If the Ravens were to use a high draft pick on a WR or pick up a FA WR worth something, I'd expect a guy like Mellette to spend the entire season on the practice squad or as a gameday inactive.

I see you did not watch the pre-season games.

Yup, I did. But I also keep perspective when watching pre-season games.

For example... there once was a guy named Tommy Streeter... he was an awfully good pre-season player also.

Why no love for Arron Mellette and Asa Jackson?

What is there to love?

If we do sign the 'Dragonfly' I wonder if Doss is still an option to hold on to? 

I'm not sure why we haven't heard anything about Deonte Thompson! I guess we'll see how he factors in or is dangled in a package once FA starts!

Ask and you shall receive...

since when are we looking for a new Receiver coach? that was only gonna be an issue if Hostler got promoted. he's wont be now, and i doubt after spending two weeks thinking about promoting him we're just going to randomly decide to fire him.

Wouldn't surprise anybody if Hostler left the team, either due to firing or quitting. He might not be overly happy about being passed over for the OC job, and may not want to work in a new system with new coaches.