EdTheMythicalOne

Let's hold the phone on congratulating people on making it as a starter. This is a PRE SEASON depth chart that isn't even being released by the coaching staff. I think we all know who most of the starters will be if they are healthy. There really are only a few roster spots that might be in question. With Matt Elam going down, SS is virtually a lock for Will Hill. I don't even think there is a competition for 1st TE; it will be Crockett Gilmore. I think the guy lining up on the other side of Steve Smith Sr. is also already determined if that guy is 100% healthy. He's a first round pick, you really think he's gonna sit on the bench behind some undrafted free agents from a couple seasons ago? This is a motivation ploy. The only things really up in the air are the order of the depth charts and the special teams returners.

The team that turns the ball over more is usually the team that loses. You don't necessarily have to do that with interceptions. Fumbles work just as well or I would even call strong defensive stands that are 3 and outs turnovers. If you keep the ball out of the other teams offensive hands, you got a great chance to win. I think the key for the defense is to eliminate the myriad mistakes that were made last year that allowed receivers to get wide open with nobody covering them at all. That's not something I've seen on Ravens defense since the early days when Vinny would put up 31 points and the Defense would give up 38. They don't have to be flashy, they just need to be solid. More turnovers wouldn't hurt, but I don't think that is what the focus really has to be.

It seems like every time I am reading something about Schaub it is that he's throwing interceptions and pick sixes. He's become known for throwing picks lately and I don't think that it magically cures itself just because he comes to Baltimore. Something's clearly happened to him. Either he just isn't making the same reads anymore, or he's lost a bit more zip on his arm that was already not exactly a Howitzer canon to begin with. If Flacco goes down, we're in trouble.

I thought Ken Weinman of 1057 The Fan made a accurate and excellent point about Jeremy Butler last night on his show, while on a segment with Clifton Brown "wiseman Raven Insider of CSNBMORE"..

All we keep hearing is coach salivating over Butler, because he catches everything "IN PRACTICE" However I remember a Justin Harper who caught everything in practice then come preseason games couldnt catch a cold.

Great point by Ken Weinman. Ill personally take it further and say I remember Laquan Williams was doing great things in practice then did nothing during preseason games.

So the WR battle will not be decided at "PRACTICE" I dont care, we have seen this before. If the guy cant catch the ball during live game action, practice doesnt really matter.

Thats why I cant wait for preseason games.

This is exactly why I made a post in another thread that I am always excited to see the pre season games. Sure the guys won't be going up against the best players in the league when they step on the field, but it gives us a chance to see what these guys can do in actual game situations. Practice is one thing, the game is another. In camp, you know the guy lining up against you pretty well. You know what he does well and what he doesn't do well. When you go up against another team you have to rely on tape or scouting reports. You don't know what he's got until you face him. I definitely don't really pay much attention to what guys are doing in practice. I mean, I am glad they are looking good as opposed to horrible.

I really do hope Webb and Smith can stay healthy all season long. He's absolutely right and I said the same thing earlier this season. If they are both on the field this year the secondary is going to be massively improved over last season when we had back up safeties trying to play corner. Add in Will Hill at SS with a year of the playbook under his belt and a rangy FS like Lewis and I think this secondary can be pretty solid. With a front 7 like we have, that's all we really need. Too many times last season our team was beaten deep on silly plays that should have never happened. I'm glad the team went out and addressed this area this off season with the additions of Lewis and Arrington.

I think it is always a bit concerning whenever any player misses significant time due to injury. We were originally told this was a knee bruise and nothing serious. Now it is a knee strain. Strains simply take time to heal. I've had two pretty bad ones in my life in my quad and my back and was told both times the best treatment is doing as little as possible with those areas until you heal properly, then you rehab. If you come back too soon you are likely to re-injure the same area and possible hurt it even worse. That being said, there is no rush to get Perriman back out there. Let him heal, he's got plenty of time.

I am a bit concerned about Urschel and Myers having concusstions this early on in camp. Hope they are okay and team is just being cautious with them. It never hurts to be too careful when head injuries might be looming. Hope the guys all heal up soon and can get back out there safely.

Would a Flacco restructure help keep some extra $$$ for the offensive line. This also keeps Flacco upright and able to play up to his abilities, not be running for his life!

It seems almost a given that Joe Flacco is going to have to renegotiate his deal. Most Qb's do this because they know their big contract eats up way too much cap space. It is so much of a given that this will happen that the players want their signing bonuses to be nice. They get a bit up front because they know they will have to shave off a bit at the back end. If the team shows a lot of promise and is pretty much a lock to be a contender in the next few years or so, a lot of NFL QB's will redo their numbers in order to keep a core of the team together. This may not be quite the same situation for a perrenial losing team that never shows any signs of life. Another thing going for the team is if Flacco truly wants to be a Raven for life. If that is the case, players know that they will have to redo deals here and there in order to make that happen. Suggs has done it a number of times, other players have as well but I just can't name them right now. I am sure good veteran players like Yanda would be willing to back end some more of his money as well if he is re-signed in a couple of years to help keep a contending team in order.

hen, maybe this is a personal goal of his. I am sure he has the goal of winning a super bowl as well. What player doesn't want to get a ring? I really hope he does keep himself hungry and shooting to improve. Then I hope that the Ravens can work some cap magic and get this guy along with Yanda under contract. I think Joe Flacco is smart enough to realize that his bread is buttered by having a great offensive line in front of him and will be willing to make a team-friendly concession on his contract as long as he knows where that money is going. Suggs has already re-worked his contract numerous times for this goal and others have in the past. Part of why Ngata is gone is because he wasn't willing to do that at all..or at least not as much as the Ravens had wanted. I understand an NFL player getting whatever they can when they can. They are never really guaranteed tomorrow.

Success can be a dual edged sword. The bad side of it is that now that you've got a reputation for being somebody that can influence or even dictate the outcome of a game, teams will game plan against you specifically. They will find out what you don't do well and then exploit that as much as possible. It has happened to some of the all time greats. Deion Sanders was the best cover corner to play the came in my era. Knock was he couldn't, or simply wouldn't tackle. Teams stopped throwing to his side of the field and started running at him all the time. Our own Ray Lewis got gameplanned against and teams starting sending interior line men specifically out to but a big body on him because he had trouble shedding their blocks. Then as he aged and lost that step that all players do, he became a bit of a liability in pass coverage. Hello tight end slants over the middle and forcing him into man coverage situations against a TE. Sounds like Mosely is everything we had hoped for and his approach will certainly help him. Hope he turns out to be another all time Raven great. We've had some very special guys roll through Baltimore and sometimes I just sit back and think of all of the players we've had here. Not just guys that were Baltimore heroes, but guys that were the BEST at what they do.

I don't know why, but I am always super excited for preseason football because that's when I get to see all of the younger players we drafted and some of the guys that were UDFA signings, and some of the guys we are taking chances on to see what they actually look like in real time. You hear all of the clips when the Ravens sign a player. Of course they are going to say how good that player is. It would really be something if they came out and said, "Yes, we signed Joe Schmo today. He really doesn't do anything well, he's not fast, he's not strong, and he looks lost out there on the field at times, but we needed somebody and he's pretty much the best of what is out there. I just hope he can play some football for us and not stink up the joint too bad." I think it is pretty much a given that Jernigan is for real. We got a teaser from him in the games he played while Ngata was suspended. I like Campanaro but I worry about his durability in this league. But I really want to get a look at guys like Brent Urban, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Zadarius Smith, Kyle Arrington, and Kendrick Lewis as well as the new receiving corps.

Disappointing news for sure because I really wanted to see an improved Matt Elam. This just goes to show you that a football career can never be certain so if you are going to go for it, you need to go at it with everything you've got. You never know when a serious injury will rob you of playing time and who knows how Elam will bounce back. If he struggles when he comes back from this injury he will be left with some nagging thoughts about whether he really gave it his all and if he could have been better. Saying that he needed to take himself "to the next level" tells me that he was sort of taking things for granted. That he was already good enough to be here. The NFL is a different monster than college ball. Of course, this could be a great thing for him. He could take it like a lot of other players do as a wake up call. Rehab that injury, bust his tail when he's healthy to stay in shape, and even though he can't step on a field and play, he can have his butt in the film room and his nose in the playbook. Get well soon Matt!

You have to remember teams let players go for a reason. Sometimes it is simply about the money. When Kansas City had Lewis, they had an unproductive player who struggled against the run and the pass and was hit by nagging injuries. When Houston got him they thought he would be depth but wound up starting and having a good season. Despite his reputation for being a ball hawk; which I think is more that he just has his nose around the ball in more of the ground game as evidenced by his 80 tackles last season, he still struggles in pass coverage. Houston simply wasn't willing to give him a big pay day on a gamble and they have other players waiting in the wings. The Ravens were in need and were willing to take that gamble that last season wasn't a fluke. Glad to hear he has great football IQ and he does have a penchant for creating fumbles, so that always helps. We could really use dependable players and a level of consistency that was completely missing in every facet of the secondary. You don't have to have a bunch of top tier talent as long as everyone is on the same page and can take care of their assignments. This is where I think Lewis will help the most. I am not expecting the second coming of Ed Reed here. But a solid, dependable, stable part of the secondary that will make most of the plays he's supposed to.

I expect Maxx Williams to be the #2 TE for the Ravens this year. He wasn't noted for being a good blocker but I can see him doing a bit of damage in twin TE packages. Blocking though is really more about how much you want it. "Juice's" ability to block was in question coming into the NFL and was thought to be a pass catching FB. In one off season he shed any doubts of just how strong of a lead blocker he can be.

Brandon Williams is just a freak of nature. Glad to see that handstand of his wasn't just some hype/fluke thing and he really is as strong as advertised. Having him come on like he has made us all forget about Terrence Cody and will make us not miss Ngata too much.

Curious to see how Karpon Lewis-Moore can do if healthy and same thing goes for former hockey player Brent Urban. Lewis-Moore has gotten lots of praise for being a stellar player with a lot of potential, but injuries have robbed him of any opportunity to contribute. Urban was praised as well after being drafted last year, but blew out his knee and also wasn't able to get on the field. If either of these guys can show up it would give us some awesome depth along the front line.

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.