Ravens4Real

I will take a major wait and see approach. It seems like every offseason on here, people are proclaiming that we are stacked at WR. Only to have, by the end of the year, everyone demanding that we need more weapons at WR.

Saw this tweet, and for once we may be able to breath and not go into Panic mode, unless Yanda somehow doesn't get done.

Jeff Zrebiec ‏@jeffzrebiecsun 2m2 minutes ago

With deals for Koch and Jimmy Smith reached, the Ravens' top free agents next offseason are Yanda, Osemele, Tucker and Upshaw.

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Wizard of Oz strikes again! Wonder if Tucker will be offered a similar deal to Koch since that's about what we gave whom shall not be named lol. Yanda can always be franchised, and well I don't know what will happen with KO or Upshaw. It be nice to keep everyone for once and us not to worry about anything at all in March.

The only problem with your reasoning is that the Ravens can not afford to franchise tag Yanda or Osemele. There are no distinct category for an offensive guard franchise tag. It is just an offensive line tag which means he gets top five average money of all offensive lineman. That brings into play elite LT's which will bring that amount up to around $11-13 million next season. (Complete guess without looking it up) I know Yanda is awesome, but he will be another year older. No way they use the tag on him.

At this point, unless a deal is finalized obviously, the only valid person for the tag is Tucker. It will be interesting to see what he demands on a contract. He has every right to want to be paid more than any other kicker.

Reports are beginning to surface that Perriman has been really struggling with drops in the past couple practices. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come.

Correct, there is. There's also FA and the draft that would occur before we had to finalize anything, so adding a center/guard (we already added one guard this past draft) is a possibility as well.

That's why I said I don't think there's anything foregone about any of these scenarios. Its possible our Oline next season will look identical to this by retaining both Yanda and KO. Unlikely, but possible.

I believe there is very little chance our Oline will be the same next year. On top of both guards needing new and expensive contracts, Wagner is coming due and he will be demanding top 5 RT tackle money. There is only so much you can invest in the Oline without taking hits in other areas.

On top of all of these guys coming due and will be wanting max money, Zuttah and Monroe both were not great last year. Obviously they were competent, but with another year in age and their play probably to continue downward. One of these guys, if not both, will be replaced, I believe, after this year.

Side note: I'll say it now, going into next years draft, the Ravens will be looking for a future LT and a rush OLB. Because neither Suggs and Dumervil are getting any younger.

The only item that the Ravens can do nothing about is the signing bonus that they have Flacco from his last deal. The still have to pay the remaining amount we year that was rated out through his contract.

I believe that number is around $6 million. So with factoring in no other money, his cap hit is going to be at least that. Obviously there are various things that go into how much his cap hit will actually be.

Don't see how the Ravens can even lower Flacco's cap the much next offseason. With these contracts being given and Biscotti saying he would like Flacco to have a flat cap number for the rest of his career, the Ravens are going to need to pay him about $22-23 million a year. They also have to factor in the prorated signing bonus from the last contract so he will probably be counting near $25-26 million the next couple years.

5 years $103 million. $60 million guaranteed. Holy cow.

Heyward has yet to crack double-digit sacks in a single season. Stat wise I'd say he's about where Paul Kruger was for us in 2012 - in fact they have almost identical sack totals and Heyward has a few more tackles while starting more games, with the difference being their respective draft positions. For a first round pick it's taken him several years to develop, and I think that slowed development has hurt the Steelers in the short term. But more importantly, I think it's contributed to the perception that a lot of Steelers fans have that LeBeau was a problem on defense. Whereas I think a lot of their problems can be traced to limited impact from recent high draft picks at the end of the LeBeau era. Heyward may become a pro bowler some day, but IMO neither he, Jarvis Landry, or Ryan Shazier have had the kind of impact to this point I think Kevin Colbert was hoping for. And now with Jason Worlids retiring, you have to wonder how their new, first-time DC is going to do with the group he has.

Man, I'm just not very sure you have any clue what you are talking about. You do know that Heyward and Kruger play two completely different positions right? Heyward is a DE and Kruger an OLB. That would be like comparing Dumervil's stats against Ngata's in terms of stats. It's just not very wise. DE's in 3-4 are tasked to eat blocks and are usually not stat padders. That's why the best, outside of JJ Watt, you never hear of because they are doing their job very well. To get 8 sacks as a DE is a phenomenal season for a DE. Ngata's had those numbers a couple times.

Also, I believe you meant Jarvis Jones, not Jarvis Landry.

You possess an intimate knowledge of the Steelers.

I frequent their forums and read the articles on ESPN. I always see Jones getting bashed and the potential of Shazier and him needing to stay healthy.

But I have never heard/seen a quip about Heyward. Upon looking at his stats, he is one of their assets on their D.

I think the biggest problem the Steelers have had recently is that they've spent high draft picks on guys like Jarvis Jones, Ryan Shazier, Cameron Heyward, that just haven't worked out as well as they were supposed to.

While I agree with Jones looking like a bust. Way too early to say anything about Shazier considering he was hurt most of last year. We can discuss that after this year.

I have no clue where you are coming from on the Heyward comment. He is actually turning into a very good DE for them. 8 sacks as a 3-4 DE is nothing to be ashamed of. The Steelers should be extending him shortly.

Flacco's next contract is going to be massive.

Good news to the AFC North that Clady is out for the year.

The round doesn't matter, the talent does.

The rams had to start an undrafted rookie QB a while ago. His name was Kurt warner.

That is just poor analysis. If it was the talent, why would the Ravens pass on Brown 6 times? The round does matter because that means that every single other team passed on that player however many times. 99% of the time, guys taken that late last a couple years in the league.

It is your personel and scouts seeing a guy that they can mold and bring in and be a viable option. Also, having a quarterback that makes these guys better when they do come in. Big Ben has been able to do this with these low picks. While Flacco hasn't.

You're argument is very weak.

For one, must because the national media and fan base perception is one thing, doesn't mean that's true in reality, it's just how many people perceive it.

Two, Ben has not really been statistically heads and shoulders above Joe until last year where the offense was loaded. You think Joe wouldn't light it up with Brown and Belle?

The gap might be there, and Ben might have the edge, but it's much closer than you think

I don't understand what you are saying. Ben has been better than Flacco just this past year. Flacco's most yards and TD's he has thrown for is 3,986 yards and 27 TD's. Big Ben has four better years of passing yards and TD's than Flacco has. There is also another year where he only played 13 games and was on pace to beat Flacco's best year again. So yes, Big Ben has been better than Flacco a bunch in the regular season. Not just this past year.

Also, the argument that he has way better weapons than the Ravens. Obviously, Brown panned out pretty well for them. But, if you look at solely where they were drafted. They have a 6th, 4th and two 3rd round WR's, a 2nd round RB and a 1st round aging TE. You can't really say that they have been stacking the position for Big Ben.

This is another area where I believe Big Ben is a better QB than Flacco. He makes WR's better.

According to the news article just posted on the front page and Aaron Wilsons Twitter, Campanaro suffered a slight tear in his quad. This will put him out until at least the start of training camp. Not looking good for him making the team.

Hopefully it is just a mild strain. In which case he would be back in a couple weeks. But if it were to be a complete tear of the quad, he would be looking at a four month recovery. In which case he would already miss the whole preseason and may be even regular season games.

Hopefully it is just a mild strain. In which case he would be back in a couple weeks. But if it were to be a complete tear of the quad, he would be looking at a four month recovery. In which case he would already miss the whole preseason and may be even regular season games.

And Campanaro has already gone down with an injury.

Campanaro is not going to make the Ravens team. Can't rely on a guy that goes down with injuries every time he touches the field.

You put Big Ben over Flacco simply because he has down way more in the regular season and has two rings.

Flacco has been just about average in the regular season. Big Ben just tied Brees for the passing title this past year. If he stays healthy, he has another 3-4 years of production considering his oldest WR is Antonio Brown at 26 years old.

Obviously, many of you will bring up how Flacco is better in the playoffs. I believe I read a stat that showed Big Ben and Flacco have the same record in the playoffs. With all things equal, Big Ben gets the nod becaus of rings. If the argument is for this coming year, I still think he wins because they have a great offense.

I understand the arguments also that their defense may have won them a super bowl and that Flacco doesn't have the weapons and all the other ways to knock down this argument. Just saying that, if it wasn't for our defense a couple times the past years, we wouldn't even had made the playoffs in some of them.

I also took into account that Big Ben is 2 years and 10 months older than Flacco. But I simply can't add in potential future numbers that have not happened.

Yeah I don't get it. The Top 100 on NFL Network that has Flacco, Suggs, Mosley and Ngata on the bottom of the list is voted on by the players, so i don't why guys these veterans fell so far down the list after having a better season. But this list of the top 10 qbs by Harrison is almost hilarious. Ben in front of Manning and Brees. I have always put Ben as the fifth qb on these lists but there is no way he is number three. And I don't understand why people keep putting Wilson so far up these lists. That team is built around the defense and the run game. Wilson just throws that ball up there and hopes a receiver comes down with it. But the most ridiculous part is Smith being in front of Flacco. I wouldn't have liked it, but i would have understood if he had Eli or Kaep there. Smith makes no sense. The guy didn't throw a td to a wide receiver all season and suddenly with the addition of Maclin and Conley he is a top 10 qb? Get real

He is more than likely basing this off of last years performances from QB's and with that in mind, Ben certainly was better than Manning and Bree's.

Tannehill with a $19.6 a year average on his new deal. Flacco's floor should be $23-24 million a year with that nonsense. Great

I hope the Ravens FO is smart enough to get an extension done quickly with Flacco after the season is complete. If they let Wilson and Lucks deals get signed, they could be looking at paying a ton of money to Flacco.

I also truly believe that McPhee was graded so high and had so much effectiveness because of the players around him. He always had Suggs and Dumervill to take away any potential double team. Heck you think about it, he was probably the offenses fourth most worry on passing downs behind Suggs, Dumervill and Ngata.

All season McPhee was rated in the top 5 for OLB by PFF and I believe had the top pass rush efficiency grade. No he wasn't a full time player but if you can get that out of another 4th round pick that's a steal

Saying his ceiling is McPhee as if that's some sort of knock on him seems kind of silly with that in mind. With Suggs and Doom both likely having another 2-3 good years left in them that's all he really needs to be and that's 2-3 years more to draft the guy that's going to become our dominant every down edge rusher.

And I don't think I or anyone else has said that Za'Darius will be better than Dupree. Just that he's a safer bet to contribute early on since he already has the pass rushing repertoire and technique necessary to win at this level. He doesn't have elite athleticism which keeps his ceiling relatively low but his floor is much higher

Tackles in the NFL aren't going to regularly be beat off the edge with speed alone which Dupree seems to solely rely on right now. He is THAT athletic where he'll still make splash plays early on but until he learns some moves and refines technique he won't be a consistent threat. Not saying he can't or won't learn but even if he does it will take time, so I think early on Za'Darius is the safer bet to make an impact.

Dupree can become an elite pass rusher where Smith likely won't. But there have been plenty of athletic freaks who have washed out of the league bc they rely solely on their athleticism. Plus in Pitts defense he's probably going to be asked to drop into coverage and play the run effectively in order to see regular snaps - 2 things he's barely been asked to do at all.

Jarvis and Worlids - two pretty highly rated olb's coming out that have failed to amount to anything at all there. I like Dupree better than I liked either, but like them if he can't develop a well rounded game he'll find it tough to get on the field consistently. And if he doesn't, we'll then he's a situational pass rusher, and if that's the case than being Pernell McPhee is about as good as it gets (from an efficiency and pressure standpoint) so then were talking about 2 players that end up having a similar impact - just one who does it with freak athleticism and one who does it with technique.

And if I'm a betting man I tend to side with the players who are technicians coming out over the athletic freaks bc they don't have as far to go.

By you saying that he has been barely asked to drop into coverage is a statement that I now know you haven't done much research on Dupree. Every analyst that I have read, has stated that dropping into coverage is the best part of his game.

Sorry to hear someone forced you to read this thread.

While the games on the field are won by the players and coaches, I find it interesting to talk about the moves that the front office makes in order to provide the team with those players. Winning in the offseason has a direct bearing on winning on the field.

Usually, the teams that are deemed by the media as the "offseason winners" go into the season and don't do near as well as everyone thought. Just ask the Eagles of a couple years back. Just because you think all of these moves are great now, no one knows how they will work until the games are played.