EdTheMythicalOne

5 hours ago, bigcatfrank1 said:

I think the expense of Torrey and Marshal is more expensive than, Wallace -Marshal. So I think the Ravens, if the option was on the table would probably keep Wallace.
Wallace cost the Ravens 5.8 mil to release and 8 mil to keep I believe
Marshal could cost them up to 5- 7.5 mil per year to add
Torrey could cost them up to 4- 6.5 mil per year to add

SO unless they would get a trade offer or timing were to play out negatively, which would be very poor mgmt, I cannot see that scenario playing out.

They could opt to keep Wallace and add Torrey, but that may not be the option they like as much as Marshal just because of playing style.
Wallace just looks too expensive to release for most of the options unless they want to look at going at something like Torrey, Aiken, Perriman, and Draft WR. That would probably save some cash. Aiken becomes your Slot.

We'd have to see what Torrey's market it like whether it makes sense or not. Aiken is gone because he's supposedly going to get into that 4-5 million a year range. That's crazy money. If the Ravens can't make am upgrade or get similar production and save money in the process then they will keep Wallace.

9 hours ago, law215 said:

I heard on the radio that other GMs felt KC is too stiff to play inside and too small to win against OT. That's is probably he saw limited time on the field. FO is quick to switch out coordinator but slow to change their scouting department or draft philosophy.

There is a list of 'pass rushers' the Ravens drafted that did not work out or failed to retain.

Dan Cody, Kindle (even after injury), Kruger, Upshaw, Simon, McPhee. If pass rusher are important then why risk moving back in the draft when one is on the board?, How about retaining one?

The best players Ravens add lately are those someone else drafted. That is not a formula for long-term success.
 

Dan Cody blew out his knee and Kindle had his accident after he was drafted. Kruger was slow to develop and had one good season with the Ravens and one good year with the Browns and then fizzled out. I never thought much of Upshaw as a pass rusher. Injuries explain some of those names, money explains a few more, and Simon unfortunately had other players ahead of him considered to be better.

15 hours ago, Tank 92 said:

Had to correct this bit of misinformation. Washington. D.C. certainly is a part of the US.    lol.   It was formed as a federal district that falls underneath the jurisdiction of Congress. And to state the obvious, every senator spends a large portion of their time living in Washington.  The name Senators made perfect sense. 

DC is a federally formed jurisdiction for the sake of making it a capitol for the United States. There is some complicated and long history about its forming. It is certainly not a state and theoretically does not reside in one.

While it may be true that a lot of government business takes place in the White House, I think it is highly ironic that a nation that held a huge war over taxation without representation has its capitol in a place where the residents are taxed, but have no representation. They have a non-voting Congressman but they have NO Senators.

I think people need to actually dissect the numbers a bit more with Wallace. He clearly showed signs of slowing down in the second half and he was virtually not even playing in the last four games of the season. It is either he ran out of steam, or teams caught on to what he was doing on the field and made adjustments, or a matter of both.

I say if Brandon Marshall becomes available we go with him, cut Wallace and let him get an absurd pay day somewhere else, and then see if Torrey is on the market and what kind of money he might get. He's coming off of a couple of disappointing years with horrible QB play and a bad, bad, concussion. Right player, right price. I think he's faster that Wallace and has more in the tank to give. I think a homecoming for him would do him well.

I think Torrey still has his top end speed and will for a few more years. Wallace is clearly losing his and that's his only ticket in the game.

I'd even like a combo of Marshall and Boldin. I think we have enough speed types to help take a top off a defense if they develop and can actually catch a football in Perriman and Chris Moore.

2 hours ago, Nightman said:

MASN was formed by Peter Angelos as financial protection for losses from the Nationals, he's the only owner in MLB to have the TV rights to two teams.  If it weren't for the deal, there would no baseball in DC.   The Nats have tried to get out of the deal a couple of times, one time it got thrown out because they were using a legal firm that also represented a few other teams, "Conflict of Interest"., recently the commissioner said it has to settled outside of baseball..

And if you look at it from Angelos' perspective and just from an outside look, that move made a ton of sense.

Baltimore had the Maryland region for baseball for decades since the Senators moved from DC....which is odd that the team would be called that since DC actually has no Congressmen or Senators because DC is actually not part of the United States. DC stands for District of Columbia. Do we find it odd that our Nation's capital does not actually exist on land that is part of the United States? Washington, DC is NOT a US state. But, I digress.

Having a team so close to Baltimore in a region that is so small meant direct competition for the Orioles market. It was one of the main reasons why the NFL would not give Baltimore a new football team because it would hurt the Redskins market and was considered too small to support two NFL teams. Obviously that's false because the Redskins and Ravens are not hurting for selling out games.

The Nats do get a portion of the proceeds from MASN. MLB agreed to this deal because they so desperately "needed" to find a home for the Expos. MLB actually paid Angelos some money to help set up the network. MLB also guaranteed that his franchise would never sell for less than a certain amount. That is a moot point now because they team as it stands is worth a ton more now than that then agreed upon sum.

As much as the Nats might hate the arrangement it is kind of tough turkey because unfortunately for them, that's part of the deal that got them a new home. The deal was not struck between the Nats and Orioles, it was between MLB and the Orioles. I think the Nats went after the wrong people in court and should have gone after MLB, and not Angelos. Good luck with that.

  On 2/2/2017 at 6:57 PM, Chuckx999 said:

Remember, the new coach doesn't play on the field. Fourth and one at the other teams one yard line with our O line and running backs??? We all know what happens. We had better draft another Jim Brown real soon or Mornhinweg with just continue to call one bad play or another.

Inability to get a yard when you really need it is a hallmark of the West Coast Offense and the Zone Blocking Scheme.  The former doesn't typically commit to the run, and will more likely rely on a quick pass - it has been a hallmark of the Andy Reid offenses, which Harbs is most familiar with.  I'm generally a fan of zone blocking in the right scheme, but it is a very reactive, east-west approach:  O-lineman steps in a direction, and doesn't really know who he is going to block until the defense slants, bulls, or stunts.  

Our offense is a hybrid of West Coast and Zone Blocking.  That yard will continue to be hard to come by.  That's why we need a bigger center.  When in doubt, QB sneak and pray.

I think the problem is that we don't have the players to actually run a West Coast offense.

The West Coast relies on accurate, timed passes, quick hitters that can supplement the run game. You also need a bit of a mobile, meaning more agile, QB that can move around in the pocket a bit to extend a play. This is why guys like Alex Smith can actually put up decent numbers and win you games even though he's not known for having a cannon arm. Joe Flacco doesn't have great timing, doesn't have great touch, and isn't exactly agile.

Secondly, it relies heavily on Tight Ends. Since it does your TE's need to be playmakers. While Pitta is excellent in actually getting open in zone coverage and has very good hands, he's not a playmaker. I think he'd be a good #2 move TE option at this point in his career. Hopefully Maxx Williams is the guy we think he is. Because the short pass replaces your run, your TE's can get away with not being the best run blockers in the world.

Third, your receivers don't have to be fast. They don't have to be huge. They need to have good hands and do something NONE of the Ravens WR can do, and that is get separation. We run HORRIBLE routes. How can you run a spread formation with no backs and get nobody open? Yes, this actually happened several times last season.

Lastly, you need an O-line that can pass protect. Most of our line is not good at that. They are plow ahead maulers and not guys that back pedal well.

Ditch the zone run/west coast garbage. We do not have the right talent to run it. Go power run, twin TE, playaction. This is the single most important thing the Ravens can do to win next season and it won't cost them a single penny to do it.

  12 hours ago, whobilly said:

  12 hours ago, good_n_purple said:

  On 2/2/2017 at 4:42 PM, b93333 said:

"Baltimore invested three draft picks" to improve the pass rush. What we saw was opposing QB's having all day to pass... especially in the 4th quarter with the game on the line. Not much of an investment as it turned out.

Yup...no return on investment. I don't know what they were thinking with Correa. Let him stay in his natural position. It's not his fault the coaches/scouts did not see the need for an inside LB. Kaufusi was a dud in training camp until his injury. No moves, just bull-rush which probably worked in college. Pros? Not so much.

Judon is encouraging but needs to work on his strength, and as a lot of rookies do probably hit the wall in a long season.

KC.....our new Arthur Brown. CP(Can't Play)

Glad we took him over KC over
Spence- best pass rusher in the draft ( and Bosa) - O no! he took X in college though...nobody's ever done that
Also glad we took KC over Michael Thomas and Sterling Shepard...the two best wrs in the whole draft. We could've taken any 3 of those obvious big dawgs...and ironically enough...they are both huge areas of need!! Instead we took a hustle player from Boise State without an NFL position that can't even play special teams.......WOW!
"In Ozzie we WHAT?" We might've heard our last of that phrase. Hopefully not, but it's certainly heading that way

Hang on a second. This post is a bit disingenuous. First of all, we're not really sure what we've got with KC. The Ravens moved him all over the field so that didn't help his learning curve and then he gets injured. I am not sold on him, but I doubt he's the impact guy the Ravens were looking for.

Now for the disingenuous part:

Joey Bosa was the 4th pick overall in the draft. The Ravens didn't pick until 6th where they got Ronnie Stanley. They didn't pass over Bosa to get KC. That's just silly.

Now, you can certainly make a case for Spence because he would have been there for the Ravens to pick if they wanted him at the #6 spot in the second round. Thomas and Sheppard were also there if the Ravens wanted them at #6, but they gambled on trading down and getting KC and two more draft picks.

I think the Ravens are shooting themselves in the foot with trying to make KC a middle linebacker. We need edge rushers big time. They need to work with him and develop him there. I think he's probably an option to take over Dumervil's spot in the defense. A smaller speed rush guy can get it done.

This is finally an article I've read on here in quite some time that actually makes some sense. It makes a point and backs it up with some solid evidence.

Brandon Marshall is a great receiver that when teamed up with a good QB can make a lot of things happen. He's a proven producer with yards and touchdowns. I don't think he's washed up at all. He's an emotional guy and what the Jets had at QB last season was a joke. Team him up with a healthier and protected Joe Flacco who does tend to try to let his wideouts make plays for him ("jump ball Joe" as much as I hate seeing it) and he is easily a legitimate #1 target here. I made a post on here about the Ravens not having guys at WR that score the football. The last guy to have double digit TDs in a season was.....Torrey Smith in 2014. Prior to that it was 1996 with Michael Jackson! Because that was "Thriller" baby with Vinny "Testarossa" at QB having probably one of, if not the best, seasons of his career. If Marshall is cut the Ravens better be the first ones on the phone and lock him in a room like they did with Wallace.

Torrey Smith...love the guy and I think he'd get some sort of resurrection to his career coming back home. This is where it all started, he still does a lot of work in this community even though he's on the West Coast. There's a new coach in town, probably will be a new QB for sure, things are gonna change. Torrey coming back home....I think that's a recipe for good success. I don't think he'll be that 1,000 yard 10 TD guy again, but he can be a very good option and a speed threat that people can't sleep on. And what's wrong with getting a few more PI calls? They move the chains and extend drives. It will all be about money on this move. Right player, right price.

If I have the choice between getting Brandon Marshall in house with Torrey Smith or keeping Wallace and then bringing in....who knows....I like The Marshall option.

It is time to declare Marshall law in Baltimore!

I worry about guys with speed questions playing CB. We can't keep Jimmy Smith on the field so this guy might wind up being our #1 CB and if he can't deal with top flight speed in college, guess what, in the NFL that speed is even greater and there are more of those guys.

I do think we need a physical, press/zone type player but we've seen what having a lack of speed does. This team was destroyed by big plays late in games and it was a recurring trend for the past few seasons.

Taking a guy that played CB all his life and moving him to safety as your 1st rounder is a big gamble. If it was a lower pick I would say go for it, it is worth it.

Not saying he's a bad player, I just personally think we need a speedy guy that is AGILE and not falling on his butt every other play like some other guys we have. It would also be nice to have a guy around 6'1'' or 6'2".

A lot of articles mentioning a lot of names and very few of them end up being correct. Was Correa or Kafusi on anyone's radar last year as potential 2nd and 3rd round picks?

Thing is, with as many needs as this team has the Ravens can pretty much go anywhere with their first round pick and go best player available and fill a need as well. I am not sure if that is really a luxury, but the Ravens need to start nailing there top end picks again. Stanley was a step in the right direction but I don't think much of Correa. It was a confusing pick and makes me think it was a knee jerk reaction and the player they really wanted was picked off. I think they gambled that Myles Jack would drop to them.

How about a good one? I mean...sometimes these questions answer themselves.

Couple of points here. First off, the Ravens don't really want to tip their hand before the draft because it "might" give other teams an idea of what type of lineman they'd pick in the draft and where they might be picking him.

First thing's first though. The Ravens have to figure out what type of team they are. This line proved time and time again with the running backs we have that we are not a stretch to the outside zone running team. This team ran the ball much better when Dixon and West were running North and South with Ducasse (known for always being a road grader and not much of a pass protector) in at RG.

We don't have that shifty/speedy scat back like Forsett anymore. I don't think the Ravens will draft a guy like that in the first round. I think they're looking for the next Jamal Lewis. A guy fast enough, but one that can pound the rock and is hard to bring down. If this is the case, we need some big uglies up front.

I know Yanda wants to go back to RG next season, but I think for the team he should move to LG. RG should either be Alex Lewis (or Lewis at RT if, and I think it is a strong possibility, Wagner walks via FA). I think it is much easier to find a plug and play road grader at RG than it is to find another good LG. Heck, we could put Ducasse back there again and see if some rookie/youngster can beat him for that spot.

I know many people probably don't know this guy or think much of him, but Matt Skura is a guy I think that could make some noise at C. Zuttah played through a lot of injuries last season and if healthy he's decent, but the Ravens better be looking for his replacement like...right now.

11 hours ago, whobilly said:

Considering that Wallace is our only legit NFL receiver on the roster I'd say it's him.

Until he gets cut. I think we got the last "good" season out of Wallace that he had left in him. He showed some flashes here and there, but take a look at his game by game stats. He had two back to back 100 yard games (only because of 1 big play in each game) and if you take those receptions out he's got very unimpressive numbers. After those back to back big games his numbers tanked big time. Was that because of a combination of Joe Flacco not being healthy enough from the leg and shoulder issue and an offensive line that struggled in pass protection? Was it because Wallace couldn't get regular separation despite his speed?

He's owed a lot of money next year so I can't see him sticking around unless there's a renegotiation going on. It is a tricky situation because Wallace is your only really proven weapon but he's not a number 1 now. I think the Ravens will see what becomes available on the open market and make a move. I know a lot of people do not like Brandon Marshall, but if you win and keep him happy he is a proven producer. He's a size mismatch and he scores the football, something none of our Ravens receivers do much of. When is the last time you saw a Ravens WR have double digit touchdowns? It was Torrey Smith in 2014. Prior to that? Michael Jackson in 1996! If the Ravens can get Marshall, they cut Wallace unless he renegotiates on a more team friendly number. Some team out there might look at his 1000 yards and be willing to give him a big pay day. I'd say let some other team pay him then. We've got plenty of younger speed burner types and there is also the draft.

I enjoy Bisciotti's run as owner of this team and his philosophy of never really having a "rebuilding" season and that this team should be competitive every season. They've been far from that for the last couple of seasons now. It may be time to stop supplementing this squad with aging wideouts that would have no business being a main target for any other team in the NFL and actually let your drafted talent develop.

7 hours ago, rmcjacket23 said:

We won't come close to that level of cap space.

If we don't have that kind of cap space then how would they re-sign Williams in the first place? You do know that 40-50 million isn't all due in 1 year, right? That would be over a course of about 4-5 years. I think that around 10 mil/per can go to better places considering who we have on the team behind Williams and that I don't think Williams is a game changing type player at NT. Maybe in a 4-3 he'd do better but I don't think he's worth what the open market will likely give him considering there are some teams out there with needs to fill and money to spend big.

Williams wants to get paid but I am not sure he's as much of a force as Damon Harrison is or if he's worth that much money. Unlike some posters I have seen instances, often even, where Brandon collapses the pocket on a pass or even gets a free rush. The issue is it never amounts to much. He usually never finishes. Finding a run-plugging only NT shouldn't be too hard and in my opinion they are a dime a dozen. What you need is a guy that can disrupt plays. Ngata was that in his prime. Ngata was pretty quick for a guy as massive as he was and strong to boot. Williams is just strong. He's not agile or very fast even for his size.

I like Williams and I think he's a good player, I don't think he's an elite player though. He seems like he wants to be paid and that's his right. I just don't think he should be paid in Baltimore. I think we've got the talent behind him to plug in and play and not miss him too much. We've got Pierce, Henry, and Carl Davis all waiting in line.

40-50 million can be spread around to make a lot of areas on the team better.

I can't see taking a TE in the first round for this team despite the fact that I think there will be an opening for one. Watson will probably be cut, Pitta I can't see sticking around despite his contract, Gillmore may not be able to get on the field, Waller is a bubble roster guy simply because he can't catch, and that leaves you a banged up Maxx Williams, a block first slow footed and 2x PED popped Nick Boyle.

TE is not exactly the position you think of when you think of game breakers. Now, there are some of those one in blue moon type players like a Tony Gonzalez, an Ozzie Newsome, a Gronk, a Shannon Sharpe, but to draft a TE this high he's got to be one of those kinds of players. I don't know if Howard is that.

We didn't have a whole lot of trouble with short yard passes, we couldn't get much going down the field.

A "complimentary" receiver. How hard is that to define. Why does the article writer follow that up by asking, "Does that mean a number one target...?"

Um...no. You call that a "primary" target or a "number one receiver."

A "complimentary" guy is a guy that is a second or third guy on your depth chart. A chain mover type like this is what Boldin has been in the last few years as what little speed he had has slipped. A sure handed guy that makes tough catches and isn't easy to tackle. Or maybe it is that guy they are hoping Keenan Reynolds and Campanaro can be.

Since we lost Smith, Wallace may be gone, and Aiken is all but sure to go, that doesn't leave the Ravens with a #1 guy, so to compliment that...?

Maybe they want a guy that will come in and say, "Hey, you look really good in that uniform. What a nice helmet and I love this logo. Boy, the new grass field here in Baltimore is great. Coach Harbaugh wears some good cologne. Ozzie Newsome is so smart."

So what this means is we'll see a lot of confusion on the side lines as Roman wants to run, Marty wants to pass, and Harbaugh can't make up his mind and we end up wasting a timeout at a stupid time in the game like always.

The edge rush is certainly an area of pressing need due to a number of factors.

1) Dumervil being cut can save us around $6-7 million, he's come off a major injury, and he's getting up there in age. I'm not saying he's done completely, but for those reasons I don't think he's the same impact player he was in his prime and probably won't be again unless in the right system. Despite our lack of depth here I say that money needs to be invested elsewhere.

2) Suggs isn't going to play forever and in recent years he's been injury prone. He'll play until he decides he doesn't want to anymore and he will be a Raven until that time comes, but I think he's got 1-2 more years max and he's at the stage now where he should be rotated more.

3) Correa is going to be moved to ILB mainly due to the unfortunate loss of Orr due to injury retirement. I don't think Correa was going to be a terror on the edge anyway and he's really behind the 8 ball on becoming a middle backer because you are responsible for a lot more than just pin your ears back and rush every down.

4) Judon was good when he played so I think he can be pretty good, but Z. Smith took a big step backward.

We've got a lot of needs to address and not all of them can be solved in the draft. This is what Ozzie and the front office get paid to do. They need to figure out what their biggest needs are and the best way to address them in the draft/free agency. I think the Ravens will play safety net here. They will sign a veteran with the intention of them starting and they will draft some edge players maybe in the second round or later.

On 1/5/2017 at 6:16 AM, law215 said:

I know its early but Correa and Kafusi are probably not players the caliber of Myles Jack (LB),Spence (pass rusher), Vonn Bell (S), Derrick Henry (RB), Sterling Sheppard(WR), Howard (CB) that he passed on in the second round.

 

Are you not aware that Jack didn't actually do much of anything and played very sparingly on a team as poor as the Jaguars? So they didn't get a whole lot out of their 2nd round pick either. Then there's that whole knee issue. It is only a matter of when and nobody seems to agree about when that knee will wear down and be bone on bone, but everyone agrees it will happen and he'll need microfracture surgery to repair it which will cost him a year of playing time at the very least.

On 1/5/2017 at 7:36 AM, PsychoRaven52 said:

THIS! SO MUCH THIS! The whole "running back by committee" approach has never really worked, less the Falcons situation with 2 premiere backs. Every back needs consecutive/consistent carries to get hot and make these explosive plays. The more touches they get, the more comfortable they get with the ebb and flow of the game. Sure depth is necessary and rest/subs are needed. But we need 1 starting RB, and I think Dixon could be it next season. West would be a great back up/sub/short yardage back, while Dixon has 3 down RB potential.

Pair that with an improved O-Line and dedication to run the ball 30-40 times a game (better play calling/scheme), and improvements to the pass rush and secondary, and we'd be playoff bound.

Oh, and please do not let Aiken hit the FA. If he was actually used as a starter this season, rather than an occasional piece, we'd have been a lot more productive. I love SSS as much as the next fan, but Aiken's season 2 years ago, when he was the primary WR, sold me on his ability. Offset him with the speed we now have and he's the next Q... Just sayin'...

Apparently you don't recall the Thunder and Lightning days of the Giants with Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs.

Aiken is hot garbage. If he gets a big contract at all give him a mask to wear because he's robbing somebody. The year he was the starter, he was one of the only guys that had a pulse that didn't walk in off the street that year. When you are the only offensive option, you're gonna see a lot of passes.

On 12/20/2016 at 8:19 PM, DomMcRaven said:

Those PFT comments though!

PFT is a total joke. Nobody there; including Florio himself, seems to understand even the most basic fundamentals of writing. They insert their own biases in what they write all the time and report that as part of their story. They allow their own social and political views to creep into articles as well. There could not be a more misleading name for a site.

There is certainly no "professionalism" there in "PRO"

They certainly talk about a lot of things, so they at least got that right, but football only seems to really be discussed when they aren't too busy blabbering on about their own views.

Did I mention they don't list the team as the Washington Redskins on their PFT site, but then they do on their sister site Pro Football Rumors? What kind of idiotic hypocrisy is that? Way to take a stand there.

On 1/3/2017 at 9:24 PM, DomMcRaven said:

It's Goodell we're talking about. 

It depends on who you are and who your friends are I am certain. Jones has played good boy and jumped through hoops for the NFL going to the Rookie Symposium for at least a couple of years now. And what has it been now, a whole year or two that has passed since he last beat up a woman? He's made such progress!

I was around for the Dexter Manley days. That might be before a lot of people's time that are Ravens fans because he was a Redskins and Bucs player well before the Ravens came to town. Manley was a premier edge rusher at DE. We're talking Lawrence Taylor like ability here. He wasn't just good, he was one of the best ever and had things worked out differently for him I bet there might be a new all time sacks leader. There was a problem though. Dexter liked his cocaine....a lot. He got suspended I think about 7 times, was kicked out of football "for life" but got reinstated, then got suspended again. Eventually he wound up in the CFL where guess what? He was kicked out of it for doing cocaine.

So how did Dexter keep getting all these chances?

1) He was, when he was actually on the field, an amazing and superior talent.

2) He had lots of friends in high places. When Joe Gibbs vouches for you at the time he was manning the Skins, that carried a lot of weight.

3) Having exciting players in the NFL makes everybody money.

If Manley was a sub in player and special teams ace he would have been gone a long time ago.

On 1/5/2017 at 7:15 PM, JO_75 said:

The Aldon Smith treatment, then when Gregory applies for reinstatement Goodell will take his good old time and never tell him if he'll be reinstated or not.

There is nothing stating that the commissioner is on any time table to reinstate a player that was KICKED OUT OF THE LEAGUE for doing something wrong, and usually repeatedly. If you read an article about Aldon Smith's situation and the antics and attitude he was displaying in that piece I'd say he's not ready for anything but some serious mental help. If players don't like the disciplinary action from the NFL here are a few things they can do:

1) Don't play in the NFL. Actually get an education while you are at college so you can do something once your NFL career is over.

2) Bargain better at the CBA meetings, get better representation. There is a reason why it is called collective bargaining and if you do not like the disciplinary actions of the NFL then lobby to change them. I guess that's not as important as lobbying for getting more money though, huh?

3) This is perhaps the best and most important piece of advice for all of you NFL players out there and I will borrow it from Jim Carey's character in Liar,liar, "Stop breaking the law [colorful metaphor]!" You know, maybe you could stop beating up women. Stop driving while blitzed out of your mind on alcohol and/or weed. Stop driving around with an arsenal in your vehicle. Stop pushing around security guards, fighting police officers, and stop spitting on people. If you do engage in such activities not only are you proving you don't deserve the privilege of playing a game for thousands and millions of dollars, but you also don't belong in society in general. Be a good, law abiding citizen and you'll be amazed how you won't have to deal with waiting around for the Commissioner of the NFL to tell you whether or not you've been enough of a good boy to be let back in the league.

  2 hours ago, Ravenous_Ravens said:

  3 hours ago, Raven1995 said:

  On 1/7/2017 at 4:46 PM, purpledown said:

Not a Jimmy Smith fan, dont think he would have made a difference in the defense and its decline. That and he cant be counted on anyway,.

I don't like Jimmy Smith getting hurt either, but him missing the 2nd half of the Giants game, the jets game, Patriot's game and the 2nd Pittsburgh game showed he is a huge difference maker thanks to Ozzie not drafting a Quality DB in 6 years.

Umm, serious? Guess Tray Walker and Tavon Young were no good? Unfortunate incident made that number 1, but Young is a baller no doubt.

No excuses to not draft at least 2-3 CB's this next draft and finally fill this glaring need. It is a secondary deep draft from what I've heard as well, best take advantage of what is available.

Wonder what our D would have been like with Tray Walker.

Chances are he would have been serving some suspensions in his future. There is a reason why this site and the team stopped adorning his jersey number during the season. It happens to do with the circumstances around his death.

Couple of things here and other posters have pointed some of what I have to say out already.

First of all, I should certainly hope this defense is better than it was in 2015 when almost every starter on the team was on IR. So I would attribute a lot of the defense's improvement to simply having the healthy bodies back. Before 2015 Pees' defenses have ranked no less than 12th and I think as high as 3rd in that Superbowl run.

Secondly, stats just show you numbers. They don't show the whole story. The Ravens defense was very stingy...until the game was on the line later in the 4th quarter. How many times did we see this defense nearly shut out a team for a half or three quarters only to blow the lead giving up chunks of big plays in the second half or fourth quarter?

Third, while getting a starting caliber and starting cornerback would be nice, what we really need to do is address the elephant in the room. That would be two 30 something edge rushers coming off of major injuries and an interior pass rush that's all but vanished from sight. Jernigan did what he always does, shows a flash for a couple games and then he disappears. The D-line wore down at the end of the season and late in games. You can have the best secondary in the game and they aren't going to be able to cover receivers for more than 5-6 seconds...unless you are playing against the Ravens receivers....but that's a different topic.

So this defense had some issues other than Jimmy Smith getting hurt, which is a recurring trend now mind you. We need disruptive edge rushers again and a beast up the middle. Brandon Williams is a very good player, but I think the emergence of a player like Pierce plus the chance to see a healthy Carl Davis and Willie Henry are what we need to improve up front.