Bullrush

It's because of the way you're using the term backup. Again, maybe he'd be a "back-up", but you're using it like he would be barely playing, like Tyrod backup. You know that's far from the truth.

So what if he's a nickelback? He'd be getting plenty of snaps.

 

By the way, the Lions have like $1.13 million in cap, whereas the Ravens have $4.3 and players that could be cut for extra cap, like Canty and Koch.

But I'm not talking about playing time. I realize that in today's NFL the nickel corner is playing a lot, just like slot receivers do. But in the classical sense it's a backup job, because you don't line up out there 90-95% of the time. The #1 or #2 corner does. The starting safeties do. The nickel corner only makes it on the field in sub packages, when they substitute players, to match the offense if they line up with more than 2 receivers or a TE split out wide for instance. That's not a true starting job and you know that. Darren Sproles is getting a lot of playing time but he's a backup, he's not a true starting tailback. A backup is not just somebody that doesn't get ANY playing time (Tyrod). To me it's somebody who doesn't line up out there all the time, 90-95% of the time maybe, and only makes it on the field in certain situations. Nickel back, slot receiver, pass rushing specialists (Suggs as a rookie, just because he got a lot of playing time doesn't mean he was a starter), run stuffer (Cody) and so on. Pride is what will keep Flowers from accepting a job as a 3rd corner. But we will see I guess.

I disagree. Teams like the Lions, Cowboys, Raiders, Texans, Redskins to name a few all have a need for a number 1 or 2 corner, and most have more cap space to work with. He would defiantly see more playing time on any of those teams then he would here, baring injury.

He'd be a perfect fit in Detroit. Scheme wise, and he'd be their #1 corner, without a question. So I don't see why he'd come here to be our third corner (since people seem to get upset by the word backup). It makes no sense whatsoever. If he does come here, and again I think the odds of us landing Adrian Peterson are about as high, it's gonna prove that he's generating zero buzz around the league and nobody was willing to offer him a job as a #1 or #2 corner or even a decent contract as a #3 corner. And that's just not happening if you look around the league and how many teams are in desperate need of a starting corner.

This is just completely false. Nickel corners play 700+ snaps a season and are frequnently in the starting line-up. If you do the math that's close to 70% of the total snaps over the course of the year. It's not painting a cute picture, it's the reality of today's NFL. Nickel corner is a vital role for any quality defense.

 

Most defensive lineman play less snaps than a nickel corner, does that mean that they aren't starters? 

 

We'll see where he ends up, and maybe you are right about finding a "starting role", but the teams he has been linked to in the rumor mill are all set with their starting CBs, so maybe you will be eating your guarantee.

You don't seem to understand the issue, or you just simply don't want to understand. A nickel corner is not a starter, it doesn't matter if they happen to be on the field in the 1st play of the game. They'll usually only get on the field if the opposing team happens to line up with 3 receivers as well. And again, it's not about amount of snaps. Slot receivers aren't starters either. You seem to just disagree for the sake of it to show everybody that you're not wrong. Again, how many nickel corners have made the Pro Bowl in the last 10 years? Have they ever even be considered? I don't even think it's possible to vote for them. So again, you're painting a nice picture here. Flowers has been a starter forever, he's not accepting a backup job.

And I could care less about what the rumors are. He's been linked to pretty much every team in the NFL. He's being linked to us, based on nothing. The same way he's being linked to every other team based on nothing. You act like his agent has announced the teams he's interested in joining. It's all speculation by bloggers and beat writers at this point, all coming from ONE side (the teams). You're not gonna find reports of what Flowers is doing right now and who he's interested in joining. And that's really the only thing that matters. If Peyton gets cut and the Raiders are interested in him that doesn't mean he's gonna join them or even consider them. But whatever, pointless to argue as you just don't want to give in and stick with whatever your opinion is on this. I look at it from the players perspective. If you were a little more unbiased you'd probably agree with me.

Nickel corner isn't a backup corner, you don't seem to understand that.

 

I doubt there is any team that signs him guaranteeing him a "starting spot". That's not how the NFL works.

Every nickel corner is a backup. Just like every slot receiver is a backup. You can paint the picture as cute as you want by including the amount of snaps in today's football a nickel corner is getting. Nobody is arguing that nickel corners or slot receivers don't get much playing time, but it still is a backup position whether you want to believe it or not. And that's how the players look at it. Everybody wants to be a #1 or #2 corner, a starter. There's a reason why no nickel corner has ever made the Pro Bowl let alone an All Pro team but I guess you know more about this than the rest in the NFL does. He's not coming here to be the third corner. Guaranteed.

You really think there are 20 teams in the NFL that would offer him a starting CB job? I can't think of many at all. Most teams are pretty set at starting CB at this juncture of the offseason.

Well I think it's not gonna matter whether it's 20 teams or 1 team. As long as there is anybody offering him a starting job that's where he'll end up. He'd be stupid to accept a backup role and a small contract from us at this stage of his career if he can get a starting job and a bigger contract from somebody else. He's hitting 30 soon, this is probably the last time he can "cash in". Unless he signs a 1 year deal for 3-4 mil. to establish himself again and then land a big contract next year. But I don't see him doing that as a backup, here. Plus it's time for us to see what Asa can do, I think he can be a good starting corner but he needs to be given a shot at some point to prove himself.

He would be our nickel corner, meaning he's on the field for about 60% of the snaps. That's nothing to sniff at.

 

I would do everything I could to sign him.

Well try telling him that. That's our viewpoint, that's our plan. It's better than being out of a job, out of the NFL, sure. But he will have way better options, it's not like nobody wants him. Why would he do that if there's 20 other teams offering him a #1 or #2 job and a way bigger contract? Why would he accept being demoted, take less money? He's not gonna do that, let's be realistic here.

Makes no sense whatsoever from his perspective. He's not gonna come here and backup Jimmy & Webb. He will get dozens of opportunities as a starter...

Ryan Shazier and Aaron Donald will be the two steals of the first round..... Shame we missed out on both.

Mosley is a better player, better football player than Shazier. Plus he's playing in a better defense. And Shazier going in the top 15 is hardly a "steal". If not for his speed he wouldn't even be considered in the 1st round. And speed doesn't make linebackers, the key is having great instincts. Mosley is a different animal when it comes to that.

A few teams drafted very well...Pittsburgh, Bengals, and the Browns drafted really well...6 top notch players. Ravens did well also, we got a blocking TE.

Sometimes you have to make not so sexy picks in order to make the sexy picks sexy.

When was the last time we had a stud blocking @ TE? He's gonna improve our passing game and our rushing attack. We need that with all the pass rushers we have in the AFC North, with all the pass rushers we're gonna face on our way to the superbowl.

Harbs on NFL Network right now.

Musa would have been a true star if not for the horrible injury due to the horse-collar. I still cringe when I remember that game.

Such a shame, he was one of my favorite guys even though he barely played. I had high hopes for him, but that "tackle" by Roy Williams ruined him. Wish they would have banned the horse collar tackle earlier, who knows what could have been...

ESPN is giving us credit for the pick by the way, they like Lorenzo a lot.

Sounds like Musa Smith.

6'7 - 300 pounds. Wow. Seems a bit too tall. Maybe he's a similar guy to Calais Campbell from the Cards, I think they have the same size. Talent wise that's a different story.

He wanted to retire as a Raven. Lol.

Son: "Dad, did you play footall?"

Rolando: "Yes, Pro football, for one of the best teams and a super bowl winner. The Ravens. You know, Ray Lewis, Suggs, Ed Reed. THOSE Ravens."

Son: "Wow!"

It all makes sense now.

I'm crushed by this

I thought for sure he would show up clear minded and ready to work.

Sounds like me at 24. It's just the childish irresponsible part coming out of him. When he turns 28-30ish he will hate himself

He was a complete and utter bust, let's not act like he had a choice of either becoming an all time great or do something else with his life. He gave it a shot in Oakland and he was awful. He knows it that's why he's moving on, that's why he's not gonna look back 5 years from now and then say "shoulda woulda coulda". If he felt like he had what it takes to be something special he'd still be playing. He's not gonna regret moving on because he tried his best and he just couldn't do it. He failed in Oakland after all those years, he gave it another shot with us and then he failed his conditioning test and that probably was enough for him to now move on and do something else.

I'm glad I didn't have his back. I knew he wasn't serious about this and he didn't deserve this chance in the first place. Now instead of us getting rid of him he quits on us. Whatever. Moving on...

besides, it's ridiculous to say that Jacoby was out of shape because of DWTS.

He himself said (several times) that the stamina and conditioning needed for the dance competition was way harder than football.

Stamina had nothing to do with it, he said he was in great shape. The heat bothered him.

umm...school? getting a degree? raising two toddlers? Seems like pretty important stuff to me.

When did he finish his degree? Last week? I doubt it. And how exactly do you know he's busy with raising his kids when he's divorced and living in another state?

And Ro was out of football for a year. JJ should've passed the test regardless. Moot point now.

What kind of logic is that? JJ had other "obligations" during OTA's. He chose not to train and instead do a TV show that kept him from training and rightfully so he wasn't in shape. What kept "Ro" from training and getting ready for his conditioning test? He wasn't working, he didn't do anything.

People harping on the conditioning test need to get over it. Jacoby Jones failed it last off season and not a lot of people killed him over it.

Jacoby was on dancing with the stars when the rest was training.

I think it sends the wrong message to the guys trying to make the team, late round picks, undrafted free agents, hard working guys that bust their butts all day to make the team. I understand that financially we have nothing to lose by keeping him but that's not what I'd be worried about. I'm more concerned with the fact that somebody who shows up late for a workout, who then quits his workout (if all that is true the way it's been reported) at the end of the day gets rewarded with a contract. What was the point of working him out in the first place if it didn't even matter? To see if he even shows up?

There are so many reports out there, maybe I'm being too harsh here. Maybe the conditioning test was that hard to pass, maybe he was too busy studying and in order to pass that test you have to be in tip top shape, maybe he didn't show up late. Who knows what's true and what's not. It sounds to me like it is true. If not then it might be fair to give him a shot and see how he does in camp and whether he can pass the test then...

From today's Late For Work: "“There were some reports that McClain … arrived late for his workout at the Under Armour Performance Center. A team source denied that was the case. "

That's odd. Why wouldn't they just make a public statement if it's not true? That's the least thing I'd have done in that case if that's me. Harbaugh didn't say anything, he was just disappointed with his performance. McClain posted on twitter he was disappointed with his workout as well.

I'd get rid of him just based on how little commitment he's showing and how little he cares. How can you not be in shape to finish a simple workout knowing it might be your last chance? I realize we have nothing to lose by keeping him but at some point you need to do what's right. You're not helping him by keep letting everything he does wrong slide. People act like he might turn into a Pro Bowler based on talent but that ship has sailed years ago, let's not hope for miracles here. Teach the kid a lesson, let him move on with his life and don't reward him with another shot after that pathetic showing of his. The coaches take some time off their busy schedule to see if he has anything to offer and he sort of just shows up to say what's up in the middle of the day and then go on with his business later on like nothing happened. Fully agree with Harbs here, just disappointed with him. Can't say more than that.

Give him a shot, if he doesn't make it get rid of him, plain and simple. It's a no risk signing as he basically makes no money (salary cap wise). I don't expect him to crack our roster though. He can't play special teams and he's been out for too long, not just playing but training and all that as well. He's not gonna be able to beat out a 4-5th round rookie LB or some of the undrafted free agents, they're all excellent special teamers and that's the one thing you need to bring with you if you're gonna be a backup linebacker. But who knows, if the lights do come on he could potentially be a starter again at some point, so let's see what he does.

Pipe dream? More like Pipe nightmare. CJbarely1K shows zero effort, throws his team maters under the bus and complains about not being the main guy in TEN despite performing poorly. Why would anybody want this headcase? He's cancer for any locker room.