Purple_City39

That seems....concerning. It's not like Camp is a veteran that doesn't need the reps. He's also supposed to be competing for return duty. To get a day off just to have it makes me think they really have no faith in him staying healthy. On a positive note, it's good not to see Marlon on the inactives list for practice. And I guess Aiken is back also (I think I saw he missed Saturday's practice)

Well, by that measurement, we really can't be happy about the performance of the first stringers since they were playing a horrible secondary. If fact, Maxx Williams' great 20+ yard conversion isn't worth noting since it was against the backups, to the backups of the players backing up an already horrible secondary. And I don't know about you but I know a little more about him. I know he's not just the typical big late round pick we've had because unlike all the rest, he's already shown/showing that he can use his size effectively, like when he boxed out the defender for the catch. Unlike with Tommy Streeter, I learned that Waller can actually get open fairly well against #2s and did it so well they had to commit multiple penalties to stop him. Now, if we can't praise a player many didn't expect much out of because he played against backups, then what do we say about Aiken and Butler who couldn't get open against the same horrible secondary or the backups of the horrible seconday? EDIT: For the record, I'm not saying he's the next HoF inductee or even that he'll be a top 20 WR this season or next. I'm saying we should be able to praise a player for playing well without looking for reasons to say diminish his performance

Practice squad? Didn't Waller play with the 2s? He came in during the 1st quarter. The Saints still had starters on offense out there during the second quarter (Cooks) so I seriously doubt they had practice squad DBs out there during the first. Waller simply played well against DBs that WILL make the team. I would love to see him against starters also though. I wonder if Harbs would pull a 2013 and let Waller/Butler/Campanaro start in game 3 like he did with Brown and Melette

I'd honestly prefer the WR that dominates the 2s vs the one that is a no show against the 1s. Especially against the Saints secondary. Aiken may be the only WR all night to get 0 separation from everything I've seen, heard, and read

Tandon Doss and Justin Harper were touted as great practice players also. I have no problem with Butler and Aiken getting more time. I like Butler and have since last year. I'm not big on Aiken though, which is weird as I think he and Butler are basically the same player. I wonder if they both make the team. Next game I'm hoping to see Waller, Butler, and Camp get more targets and see Marlon make his 2015 debut. Waller and Camp got open more than Butler and Aiken did from what I've saw and have read.

Yeah his blocking skills aren't mentioned often enough. He very well may be the best blocking WR on the team currently. In addition to that, teams have to account for him. I'm sure defensive backs will be told that he's deceptively fast and his size alone will garner attention. Proof of that is in the Campanaro TD. Sending him deep will open up things for others players. I do hope they get him more passes in the next game.

Does anybody have a good link to a stream?

That article is interesting. Mark Clayton had the same 40 times as Torrey. Greg Little is tied for strongest WR ever? Wow

That's not fully on Colbert. Wasn't it Tomlin that cut Blount for leaving a game early or something?

Yeah, the Steelers last few drafts have been disappointing at the top end which is setting them back. The Tomlin era has struggled to draft good defensive players also, usually leaning on Cowher drafted defenders outside of Timmons and Woodley

I don't recall Torrey practicing poorly either. I do remember that Doss and Williams were showing up more in practice, but that wasn't to say Torrey was playing badly. That said, I fully remember the preseason flops and the bust calls that game directly after them

Harper I can understand since he was apparently good in practice, but was Streeter really hyped that much? Being over 6'4 is the only thing he has in common with Waller. Streeter had no hands, no route running, was a twig he couldn't use his frame (mainly because he didn't have much of one), and didn't seem to be the brightest.

My feelings are pretty much this. Size wise, he's almost Calvin but I don't think anybody said his skills were on the same level. And why is it a problem for anyone to be hyped about a player? Do you mean to tell me that none of the "stop hyping Waller" people have ever been excited for a rookie before he played? Conversely, none of you ever thought one was a bust before the regular season **recalls all the Torrey hate after the second preseason game of his rookie year** As stated above, Waller has already shown improvement in just a few weeks/months of being drafted. It was already said months ago that he was following around Perriman, and I think Engram, to get as much knowledge as possible. He's actually rather intelligent so he shouldn't struggle with the playbook. We already knew he had decent hands, was a good blocker, had ridiculous size and very good speed to match. His route running was the problem and we've heard enough about how that's improved. Let people be excited just like many of us are about Means or Davis. P.S. this wasn't meant to come off as as rant but I don't feel like editing now

Marlon's had back problems last year I think. Them saying he could miss some times could turn into starting the season on the PUP list.

I'd rather they miss as many preseason games as necessary if it means they'll be ready for the regular season. Although I admit Perriman and walker need the practice.

Yeah, Ray Rice only needs to be in the history books for the Ravens at this point. Let another team get the media circus that will come with signing Rice for any reason. There already was a backlash for Baltimore not cutting him when he was arrested, they don't need more from adding him back to the staff/roster

06 LBs >> 2014 LBs imo. In terms of t he backups, JJ = Upshaw so the starters are the main focus. Ray and Scott of 06 beat out Mosley and Smith of 2014. Suggs vs Suggs goes to the 2014 version but Dumervil simply is not on the level of 06 Thomas. One has to be taken off the field in certain situations and pretty much only does 1/3rd of what a LB should be able to do (rush the passer) and the other was used all over the field and a complete LB who excelled at all three phases of his position. In terms of stats, the 06 starters had 10 less total tackles, 2 more INTs, 9 more passes defended, and 2 more sacks. Statistically it's very close but I give the edge to the 06 bunch for being 4 complete players and slightly edging out most stat categories.

That's pure hindsight. Ray Rice had just received a contract that offseason. Now way would the Ravens have picked a RB that early.

Fair enough

The topic wasn't level of importance, it was when the last time someone from the practice squad was snatched up by another team. Seamster was the most recent last season, Simon before that. Also, being put on the practice squad doesn't mean the team has no future plans for you. For all we know they could have tried to replace McPhee with Simon. Ozzie does plan a year in advance after all. Letting him go just means there was nobody on the 53 man roster worth cutting at that time.

I know there were others but the biggest one, for me, was John Simon who looked great as a pass rusher EDIT: Every other draft pick since 2010 has made the team or just been cut if I recall correctly

Pushing Yanda back on a run play is incredibly impressive

I never understood why Oher had this perception during his rookie season. It was either the movie, the hype, that one preseason game where he drove a guy 20 yards back with a bloody nose, or a combo of all the above. In Oher's rookie season, without looking it up, he gave up like 9 sacks and had about 7 penalties. That's horrible by all standards. Just looked it up. He gave up 8 sacks (worth 51 yards) and had 9 penalties. And then there's they absolute beating he took in the 4 games he played at LT. Oher was never good outside of the 2012 playoff run. He was always average at best with a ton of hype behind him.

Jernigan is going to play well as a pass rusher. He's got too much speed for interior lineman and his hands are too powerful for finesse tackles. Yes he'll lose battles here and there, but overall, expect him to do well as a pass rusher. He's being questioned on the run stopping side but I keep reading that he's pretty decent there also. So long as he stays healthy and doesn't let the season wear him out (fatigue), he'll be a very good player for us

I'm not calling you out but look at who was drafted in the 1st round over the past decade and then look at the previous seasons roster at that position (Elam after Pollard and Reed walk. Jimmy after Foxworth and Washington are either injured with ACL tears or playing like garbage plus Carr walked. Oher after Anderson retired. etc). Almost all our 1st round picks are by need. It's not some coincidence. The draft boards is BPA.......by need. I'm pretty sure there was an article this offseason where Ozzie sad basically the same thing. I see this too often among Ravens fans. BPA has a foundation of need. It's not a coincidence we never saw a LT pick in the 1st with Ogden, no highly drafted guard with Grubbs and Yanda, no high drafted RB while Jamal or Ray were running strong, etc. This goes for all teams........except maybe the Colts this year because I have no clue why they went WR first