Almost 24 hours until gametime and of course, like everybody else, my mind has been spinning. I'll probably get crushed for this but oh well lol.
One thing I've noticed in the past few years is we either...
1. Are drafting role players to fit the "Ravens way."
or
2. Oz and decosta are just plain missing. Very badly.
We have one person left from our 2010-11 drafts(Pitta and jimmy).
None from '12(my lord if you have time look at that draft).
we all know how busty the 13 draft was (elam and art brown).
'14 was a very oooookkkkk(cj and Timmy J).
'15 gave us close to nothing .
'16 jury is still out.
I trust in Ozzie so it's tough to believe that it's number 2 but it's starting to seem that way. Right now our MAIN issue is our lack of HOMEGROWN playmakers. If you look at the past 5 or 6 drafts compared to other teams it is very dissapointing. Outside of drafting CJ (great pick) most of our other picks are role players who fizzle out eventually. Yes of course BWill is a good player and excellent run stopper but is he a playmaker? I'm not too sure. Jernigan is on his way but needs to keep being consistent. Jimmy, while I think he's good, isn't a playmaker. To me, this is the reason we are in so many close games and lack decisive wins. We don't have many playmakers at game breaking positions. RB, pass rusher, WR(least important) CB. We rely on old vets to fill playmaking positions and it's showing. Teams like the steelers, pats, Bengals, Seattle, minn, etc have so many homegrown playmakers and once they grow up together they dominate.
Sidebar -In the past 3 or so years, what percentage of our BEST players have been drafted by us? This year our best players have been SSS, Weddle, cj, Jernigan, Wallace, T west, Orr, pitta, and based on respect if you want to add sizz I'll give you that. Talent wise, I know flacco is one but has he played like one of our best players yet this year? Not too sure.. I could be missing somebody but that's not a good ratio. Compare this to the squeelers best players so far this year(I know I know)
Big Ben, leveon, Brown, shazier, cam heyward, D Williams etc. most are homegrown and playmakers. Sucks to think about but it's reality and we need a change before we fall too far behind in the talent department. The OC change isn't going to fix this everything, just saying.
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