steelcityraven

Unfortunately.... our FO and HC stated after the season that they thought Joe's injury hurt him this year. I think that survival does (just as you mentioned) to people. They don't make the decisions that are best for the team but the best for survival. Get the ball out of your hand ASAP and hope for the best. That is what Joes season looked like. I guess that I get that from Joe's end... the problem that I have with it... is that if the FO and HC knew that he was unable to perform at the necessary level and that he was simply making survival decisions... why was it allowed to continue. Why not play Mallet a few games and give us a chance? That is in no way suggesting that Mallet is better then Joe -just say that Mallet is better then a 50% Joe- who cannot go through his progressions bc of the injury that he has or bc of the fear of exacerbating his injury.

IDK.... Pitta is notorious for getting no YAC... He has great hands and is a sure target but if he cannot move the chains what good is that? For the price he commands and his inability to move the chains or get any YAC... along with the talent we have at TE... I think letting him walk (in favor of using that cap room to re-sign one of those coveted FAs or event to retain one of our guys) would be smart. I like Pitta and admire his ability to come back after what he has been through and I know that is Joe's boy... but I think Joe's reliance on a guy who cannot get it done is hurting the progression of this offense... not to mention he his just not worth the cap hit...and we are loaded at that position!

The flacco contract definitely is hurting us. In fact I would say that probably no other contract in the NFL is handcuffing their team worse. But I still would not call that Ozzies biggest mistake. IDK... Boller comes to mind. Allowing Harbs to bring Dean Pees in comes to mind... The Webb contract is up there. The Pitta contract is also up there. All the guaranteed money on the Ray Rice deal hurt us badly over the past two years. Sergio Kindle hurt us... But Flacco has produced (albeit not up to his contract) but he has produced. So... as much as his contract holds the team hostage... I cant call it Ozzie's worst move... but its top 10 for sure!

Not much we can do on his contract.... it is just a bad deal. Joe is clearly not a top 5 QB and yet paid like he is Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers. Nonetheless he has us and the best that we can hope for is that he gets close to being a top 10 QB- With that being said.. we need to put whatever pieces in place to help him to be successful!

Garcon would be a great addition and I think we could get him for a fair price. Would love to see him in Purple and Black!

What's your feelings on the $9million Webb received? Do you think he was worth the $9mill for 1 interception this past year?? What about the $7.5 million he's due to get in 2017? Sorry.... I like Webb... think he has contributed a great deal to the team and to the city over the past several years. However... there is simply no we that we can justify paying him the same as Weddle or any of the top S in the league. I saw we let him big contract walk and grab Jebrill Peppers in RD. 2. (Peppers and Weddle back there roaming would be sick)!

We can double salary cap space pretty quickly -like the article said but that is before we try to sign Wags or Williams.... and those two could also wipe out a pretty big chunk. That does leave us with some tough decisions (mike Wallace, Pitta, Watson, LGuy, and Kamar). All those guys could be let go in an effort to clear more space but they could also all contribute in a big way. WE need to clear some money but we need production for our investment!

Defensively we have some needs 1. We need at least 1 CB and with Jimmy being a little fragile 2 is most realistic. 2. We need to replace Zach Orr 3. We need to relapse Webb 4. Add young dynamic pass rushers. CBs are high priced but fortunately we are looking at a draft that seems to be rich in that position. So I think it is realistic to find out guy in the 1st or 2nd round... but that still leaves us at the bare minimum. We need more then 1 CB I think a combination of Weddle and say Jebrill Peppers would leave us much more dangerous at S then Weddle and Webb and Peppers would come much much cheaper then Webb. Plus Peppers is not the only legit S prospect in this draft. (plus there are some quality FA Safeties out there this year) I don't believe that KC will be that guy this year. I hope that I am wrong and I don't want to see us risk replacing him via the draft. Lets land a proven FA ILB to help CJ out and secure our front 7. Pass rushers are a little more concerning. There are a couple in the draft but if we take a pass rusher we miss out on the top CBs (which is our biggest need). We could hope to re-sign Elvis and hope he regains form but that is a gamble. FA pass rushers do not come cheap but if we lose both Elvis and BW we should be able to add some help (Melvin Ingram) We have some holes on this defense and It scares me a little bc I don't believe that Dean Pees scheme can make up for the lack of personal ... in fact I think he needs as much help as he can get.... Hope we commit to re-stocking the defense this year.

TBH.... the offense don't need a great many changes. We clearly have some needs but our biggest problem last year was consistency due to injuries on the OL and lack of explosive playmakers OUR OFFENSIVE NEEDS: 1. Depth on the OL (in case they are not healthy again) 2. A RB who can make you miss in the open field 3. A WR who has the athletic ability to turn a 5 yard reception into a 25 yard gain Not sure what we are going to do with Wags and Zuttah yet but I think our OL is in decent shape and a FA addition and a mid to late round draft pick could leave us in better shape next year then we were this year. I think there is enough depth and talent at RB in this years draft class to add a play maker in the middle of the draft I also think that a 2nd or 3rd round pick at WR could give us the coveted play maker that we are seeking to compliment Perriman and Wallace (assuming we re-sign Wallace). In other words I believe that our offensive cupboard will be full by the time we hit training camp. It is the defensive side of the ball that worries me a little more!

Because he'll be the next spare for CLE to drop 400+ yards on the Ravens That is what we have with Dean Pees.... bend but don't break philosophy. We give up a ton of yards and let them move up and down the field on us (limiting our offense and wearing down our defense)... Bend but don't break (until the 4th quarter with the game on the line). Our defense is worn out and we give up the game winning score and scratch our heads some more - wondering why we are always so close but always seem to drop games that we should have won! SMH

Not sure how this is all going to play out. On one hand... we have Pitta and Watson as the only two really proven TEs. Pitta being Joes favorite target and with already losing SSS and possibly (Both mIke Wallace and Kamar)... losing Pitta would also mean almost an entirely new offense.. something that we were trying to avoid but bringing Marty back) On the other hand... Pitta comes at an even higher price tag then Watson (who has been more productive) and both come at a much higher tag then the other 4 put together. (Maxx, Gilmore, Boyd and Waller). A very talented young group but a very inexperienced young group who has not yet developed a strong rapport with our QB creating a continuity problem if we: A. Lose Pitta and Watson B. Allow this log jam to prevent others from getting enough reps with Joe C. Start the season with one or two and switch as the year progresses. So we really are faced with a bit of a decision. (I think Waller has the biggest upside to any of them. Maxx was a very high pick, Gilmore can be a complete TE but I think Boyd could be better as both receiving and blocking) I would love to say that maybe they are trade bait but all have too much of an unknown to get much for them. (unless you package them). I see us keeping PItta, packaging Watson in a trade, and trying to stash one of them next year??? but would love to see us move on from Pitta (keep Watson who is better and cheaper) and breaks Joes dependency and then trade Pitta while developing the younger guys.... but that is just me! (unfortunately... I think Maxx would be gone in that scenario)!

yea... if Reddick was available in the 3rd or 4th round, I would say that we should jump... but in the first or 2nd round... with the talent that is projected to be there... I think he would be too big of a jump. NO thanks Like I said... 3rd round on... let consider him.

The Sqeelers will have AB, Eli Rogers, Ladarius Green, Matavius Bryant, Leveon Bell and Ben going into next season. We will need to add some help in that DBackfield if we are going to take our position back at the top of the AFC North.

I want Dalvin Cook as the # 1. but I would be extremely happy with: Mike Williams -WR-Clemson Quincy Wilson- CB- FLA Marshon Lattmore -CB- Ohio State Jabrill Peppers -S- Michigan (Peppers and Weddle together would be sick) I would be moderately happy with Ted Williams-OLB-Bamma (reminds me a lot of Upshaw) Takkarist McKinnley-OLB UCLA. (production isn't there overall) Solomon Thomas- DL- Stanford (not bc he is not great but bc we have bigger needs) Sidney Jones-CB - Washington (just because he seems frail) Taco Charlton-DE- MIch (bc we drafted Kafusi there last year) I would be disappointed with: Malik McDowell_DT-Mich St Leonard Fournetter RB- LSU (too injury prone for the AFC north) OJ Howard-TE- Bamma (if we take another TE im going to flip)

WE have some guys who need to take the next step if we are going to get to where we want to be. Here are a dozen: 1. Alex Lewis.... I have a feeling we are going to let Wags walk which means Lewis will need to step up and be the man at RT 2. Breshad Perriman... We need him to become our # 1 WR (if not this year...definitely next) 3. Kenneth Dixon... he showed signs that he can be a workhorse type of back for us but we need him to take that next step 4. Darren Waller... the kid is a mismatch at TE and a freak athlete. Now that he has gotten his feet wet... we need him to take the next step and develop into a vertical TE 5. Maxx WIlliams... Man he has so much ability but appears to have the problem that a lot of gifted players due... they never had to develop the work ethic. Hopefully maxx makes the lead this year. (if not Nick Boyle will be kept and Maxx may be gone) 6. Mat Judon... he showed flashes of ability but with us likely to lose Elvis... Judon could be the man on a stacked defensive- if he can take the next step. 7. Tavon Young.... tavon showed sings of being able to be a quality starter in this league. Now he will have to string this work together on a consistent basis. I like his chances 8. Bronson Kafusi... if Kafusi can live up to potential.... he can greatly help our desperate search to improve the pass rush. And with his massive size he can help stop the run and reduce the impact that losing BW may cause 9. Kamalei Coreia... KC has a chance to step into a starting spot and fulfill his draft status... It was a big blow to lose Zach Orr but KC could really fill a need (as he was drafted to do) 10. Carl Davis... Davis showed a ton of potential in his rookie year but seemed to hit that rookie wall and never recovered. We need CD to take that next step (especially if we lose big Brandon). Davis can become a key piece in our front seven. 11. Chris Moore... We could very easily lose SSS, Mike Wallace and Kamar Aiken this off season. We will bring somebody in to help out at WR regardless if that means we retain Wallace, or bring in a FA or draft a WR or a combination of those possibilities. That should still mean that CMoore will have a great opportunity to earn himself some recognition and opportunity. He has the athletic ability but will need to put a lot of work in to bring his skillset up to match his athletic potential. 12. Maurice Canaday... CB out of VA, who is on our practice squad. Canaday showed a lot of potential in camp and our hopes that Sharece Wright and Jerrod Powers would live up to the hype left Canaday relegated to the PS. Canaday looked better then both of them (and could not have been much worse). I think he surprised people and takes the next step+ Looking forward to seeing him next season. Finally (Bonus) if Dean Pees don't take the next step and learn to close teams out... it will not matter what these young guys do. Pees needs to get better or we will miss the playoffs again... losing a bunch of close games in the 4th quarter and frustrating Raven nation to no end. (and costing harbs his job). Pees got to get it together quickly!

I am not convinced that we are going CB in round 1. If both Dalvin Cook and Mike Williams are available (and there is a good chance they are)... I could see us going that direction ... which means... I expect us to go after a CB in FA in an effort to allow us the freedom to stick to our draft philosophy of "Best Player Available"!

MadStork.... As much as I do not want to see BW go.... I think we can asorb that loss much easier (with Pierce, Timmy, Carl Davis, Willie Henry, Kafusi, GUy and more on our DL) We do have a lot of holes to fill and a CB is a necessity. If we lost BW and brought in a starting CB... that is a win for this defense.... but if we lose BW and bring in another Jerrod Powers or Sharece Wright.... then that is a big loss. A # 3 or #4 CB is not what we need. So...the gamble is getting some CB who is equally as much as a difference maker as BW would be on the DL.

I would rather have Alshon or Marshall then Garcon...obviously but dont get me wrong... I would love to have Garcon for sure. I just think that Alshon was and BM can do a little more ... but I do agree that Garcon (while he don't become a number #1 WR here in BMORE... does compliment both Perriman and Wallace nicely) I think with Alshon and BM we get a legit # 1 WR right now.... Not sure that I am really comfortable with Perriman as the # 1 yet or even Wallace for that matter I think Wallace will flourish as the # 2... I really don't see Garcon as the #1 So.... I would rather see us bring in a legit # 1 and add to it from the draft. If that is not doable $$$$ then bring Garcon in and we would clearly need to re-sign Wallace at that point!

Agreed, After Julio Jones catch... a FG would have won that game... 3 runs and a FG would have expanded that lead and killed the clock. that would have probably been that dagger. Plus...Matt Ryan spiked the ball ???? they are trying to kill the clock and he spikes the ball???? unthinkable- he later gives us a sack and then a holding penalty taking them out of FG range? IDK but that comes from the play book of what not to do wit the game on the line? SMH

Man I've been saying the same thing for years. They won there division every year except twice since Brady has been there. The teams in there division have been disgusting so there almost garunteed a trip to the playoffs. There's more but I'm so sick of the Patriots....smh Agreed but we were 2-2 vs their conference this season beating he Bills and Dolphins and losing to the Pats and the lowly Jets.... SO...as much as I agree that the Pats are in a weaker division.... I still think we were not where we were supposed to be this year...and proof is that we were .500 against that weak division. We need to simply get better in a lot of areas but the # 1 area is closing teams out... WHICH WE HAVE NOT DONE WELL SINCE DEAN PEES ARRIVED IN BMORE IF we are going to take the next step. IT has to start there... regardless of who we play!

I like Torrey as a person but don't want him back as a receiver. We should either keep Wallace or get Marshall. But your point is a good one. Constant change at nearly every position does not help build continuity. Keeping Wallace would be preferred. MSS.... I wouldn't mind having Torrey back as an insurance policy to Perriman but to me that would mean adding Torrey and a Brandon Marshall or Torrey and Alshon. (Torrey should come cheap enough now that may be realistic)???

Bio- I agree that we need to come to terms with the fact that Flacco is not an elite QB But... we don't need him to be. We shouldn't be asking him to pass for 5k yards.. He is a great game manager and we can win a super bowl with him at the helm. That's enough for me. Reality is... however is we have to A. protect him B. have a top notch run game C. provide Joe with some sure handed targets who he is comfortable with D. Give him someone who can fit his skillset... and let him take the top off of opposing defenses and give him a home run ball every so often. E. Have quality TEs who can help with the check down F. Have a RB who can catch the ball and make things happen in space. So that Joe's safe check downs have a chance of turning into a big gain (like Ray Rice's 4 and 21 etc.). I think we will be able to protect him well next year We have the TEs who can move the chains We have Perriman who can take the top off We need a game breaker at the RB position who can run and rec well. We need to add a great possession WR. (I am not sure if Mike Wallace is that guy) I think Perriman can be everything that MIke Wallace is... and more but that is risky... If Perriman (who has been fragile) goes down and we don't have Wallace... we are in trouble (minus a great run game) I really think we need to find a way to keep Wallace and still add a quality possession WR or at least add a guy like Brandon Marshall and a Torrey Smith???? Not sure what Torrey will command via FA at this point but he may be a poor mans version of Mike Wallace???

Nobody thought that Freeman would have the career that he has had...its easy to say in hindsight who we should have taken. Heck... I think we should have taken Tom Brady in the 6th round years ago. At the time... our defense was said to be aging and we needed to get younger and faster. We took CJ and Timmy... CJ made the pro-bowl and Timmy looks like he is on the doorstep of being a pro-bowler. Those are two quality picks, no matter how you slice it. I would have loved to have Landry but I would take CJ over ODB every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Reality is we tried to find that explosive offensive WR who can change our identity. We tried it by drafting Torrey Smith and while productive... he was not the Julio Jones or AJ Green type that we had hoped. So a few years later we tried it again by drafting Perriman... and while he also has not been Julio or AJ... I think he had a solid first year and will continue to get better. We don't draft that position well and never have (all the way back to the Mark Clayton days) ... we have had success via the FA market...and it makes sense to stick with what works. I would love to add Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffrey or even Torrey Smith back into the mix (and in that order). Perriman, Marshall and CMoore makes us competitive Perriman, Alshon and CMoore is also intriguing... Perriman, Torrey and CMoore would be too much of the same thing reality is... we probably need to add two WRs this year. and realistically 1 via the draft and 1 via FA is the most likely scenario. (that's all assuming that Mike Wallace walks but he may be willing to stay here for a little less... remember what he said before coming here... that his skill set and Joe Flaccos skillset seem to be a good match. Mike Wallace knows that BMORE is the place he will flourish the most - and it showed)

We are lloaded on the DLine. We have Williams, M Pierce looks to be the next star DL in BMORE. Timmy J... played at a pro bowl level for at least the first half of the year. CDavis showed a lot of potential as a rookie two years ago before missing this season with injuries. We drafted WHenry who also showed some promise. LGuy has been a steal. We have BKafusi coming back. So... if we lose Brandon... I think we will be okay but I would still hate to lose the guy. Pierce is only going to get better. Timmy keeps showing improvement every season. Kafusi will be an excellent addition next season and with Williams we really can be 2 deep and have the best DL rotation in the NFL. So... while I think we can be okay if we lose BW... I think we can be great if we can retain him. But I am also realistic enough to see that we have a great deal of other needs and with the depth we have on the DL... we don't want to break the bank for him... We want him... he makes the offense we face one dimensional (cant run) so he has a high value -hope we really do make a competitive offer before March and get him locked up!

I am with you but I am afraid that the Defense under Dean Pees will always be that passive bend but don't break mentality (except if always breaks in the fourth quarter). Hard to have a fearsome defense with the defensive philosophy is a very passive one! I would love to see us getting back to our defensive identify and breaking teams will with our defense. Heck... we used to win games with our defense alone. I just cannot envision that under Dean Pees. I am with you... would love to get back to having a fearsome defense (but we may need to get rid of Pees for that to happen)!