EdTheMythicalOne

I am just hoping that Webb and Smith can stay healthy for a full season together. Before Jimmy Smith came into his own it was Webb that was starting to look like a premier corner in this league despite his small stature. I like Webb's background as a former safety which makes him fearless of tackling and it is actually part of his game I would point out. He is one of the most sound tackling corners in the game. Now that Smith has started to look like a first round pick if they both can stay on the field the Ravens secondary will be MUCH better than it was last season. Adding Kyle Arrington to play nickel, Kendrick Lewis to play the roaming safety, and then having Will Hill for a full season and with a year of the system under his belt I think are all excellent additions. You have to hand it to Ozzie Newsome. We lose big time players all the time and with his drafts and key free agent signings as fans we're always excited to see the new guys get back on the field. Our expectations never diminish because of this.

Great to see camp getting underway and signs that most guys are getting healthy. At least when the Ravens report and injury I trust it a bit more than when the Orioles used to report injuries. Case in point Brian Roberts missing a couple of days because he "felt dizzy." Only to find out he was suffering from a concussion and then about four years worth of Post Concussion Syndrome. One guy I will miss for sure is Dennis Pitta. He was actually drafted the round after Ed Dickson and we see where that went. After breaking his hip again I seriously doubted him ever playing football again, but give him credit for rehabbing and getting back on the field and being able to do limited practice. For him, I want him to do what is best for his health and I think that is walking away from the game while he still can walk. Brings me to my next point. Starting TE will be Crockett Gilmore, I have no doubts. I like how he came out saying he was a blocking TE and he really wasn't much of a receiver. This is precisely what will earn him the starting job. The block first mentality is great, but don't let his humble comments fool you. He is a gifted athlete who wrestled, played WR, TE, and even Defensive end at either high school or college levels. He might not be a speed burner, but you don't need to be when you are strong, 6'7'', and know how to get yourself open. Todd Heap wasn't a speed burner and despite having Kyle Boller attempting to get him killed every season Heap had a great career.

Conversion from safety to WR isn't unprecedented or all that rare. Just recently there was a very successful conversion by the Detroit Lions former safety turned wideout Mike Furrey. As a FS in 2006 he recorded 48 total tackles, 4 picks of which one he ran back 67 yards for a score. The very next season as a starting WR he led the team in receptions with 98 (which also led the NFC), was second to Roy Williams in yardage with 1,086, and was second in receiving TD to Roy Williams with 6. The next season Detroit brought in Shaun McDonald and was Calvin Johnson's rookie year. His receptions dropped to 61 and yardage dropped to 684 yards and only 1 TD. Nobody had 1,000 yards for the team that season. Furrey also turned 30 and it was the start of the downward trend for him until he retired after 2009. But on to Nelson. A guy that was a safety converting to WR most definitely rings special teams player to me. He's got a lot of serious competition ahead of him on the depth chart so the only way he makes the roster is if he is on the coverage squads.