I Dont Think Wr Should Be Our Priority This Draft...

[rezarxt]

I really think we need to go other places than WR in the draft. All this Torrey Smith talk is nice and all but Id prefer we draft Oline in the first round. Check out this Boldin video and tell me that we dont have a solid #1. Mason can give us the number 2 we need for this season. Draft another WR maybe in the later rounds to compete with D. Reed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8cpsgyPe2A

[bmorefan444]

I love this guys mentality and he's still one heck of a WR but he's not running people over like he use to.
We just need some youth in there.

Great video though. Gotta say that Boldin looks better in Purple.
Skip to 1:20 for the action to start.

[jus'_crAzy]

[quote name='bmorefan444' timestamp='1298471919' post='644088']
I love this guys mentality and he's still one heck of a WR but he's not running people over like he use to.
We just need some youth in there.

Great video though. Gotta say that Boldin looks better in Purple.
Skip to 1:20 for the action to start.
[/quote]
Lies. He's not running over people like he used to cuz he barely got the ball.

And yes, by "barely" I mean only 60 catches. That is "barely" for a guy who's used to 90+/season.

I can remember many plays where he ran over his defender to stretch for the first down.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='jus'_crAzy' timestamp='1298475994' post='644107']
Lies. He's not running over people like he used to cuz he barely got the ball.

And yes, by "barely" I mean only 60 catches. That is "barely" for a guy who's used to 90+/season.

I can remember many plays where he ran over his defender to stretch for the first down.
[/quote]

Boldin is still difficult to bring down but doesn't bounce off tackles like he did just four seasons ago. Still, that he was seemingly rarely worked into the game-plan so often last season was really disappointing.

To the OP's point, having Q isn't enough. Mason is no longer a good #2 WR. I'll continue point to the fact he was completely shut down in the play-offs and routinely erased during the season by good corners.

Reed has potential but the team still needs a talented WR to not only compete with him but push Mason for snaps as the season goes on. And more than likely, that player is going to have to be drafted in 1st, 2nd or 3rd round.

In whichever round a WR is taken, I want to see Reed and a rookie WR emerge the same way Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown did in Pittsburgh last season.

[Bltravens]

If we go into another season where Joe is throwing Mason 70 comeback routes again we are in trouble.

[rezarxt]

We need youth for sure. But is this the draft to get younger at WR? Is that our most pressing need? I know ozzie doesnt draft on need. If we cant protect Joe however, you see he loses much of his confidence in the pocket. If Joe isnt slinging the ball around confidently, it doesnt matter if Jerry Rice is running routes for us. Just my opinion and why I think we need to sure up our Oline.

[Romo Ravens]

If we sign Gaither, that immediately fixes our issues if he's healthy. If we part ways, we do have more pressing needs in the first round of the draft because there isn't a huge drop off in terms of talent at the Tackle position. If we don't go that route, we can still sign a Veteran to fill that hole for a season or two.

Like ER20 said, Mason isn't even a number two anymore. That hurts us because David Reed is unproven. We can't have Boldin being the number one without any depth or experience behind him. If Mason stays, Housh and Stallworth are likely out. It's just my opinion but I don't even want those two anymore. We can't keep going on and on with stop gap, Veteran WR's. It just can't happen in this era where the offense needs to be potent to keep up. We need players who can excel after the catch, and younger players in this draft can offer that

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='rezarxt' timestamp='1298480591' post='644141']
We need youth for sure. But is this the draft to get younger at WR? Is that our most pressing need? I know ozzie doesnt draft on need. If we cant protect Joe however, you see he loses much of his confidence in the pocket. If Joe isnt slinging the ball around confidently, it doesnt matter if Jerry Rice is running routes for us. Just my opinion and why I think we need to sure up our Oline.
[/quote]

Yes, this is the draft to get younger at WR. I don't feel WR is most pressing need but I'd be more than happy if it was addressed in the 1st round.

Ozzie [i]does[/i] draft with needs in mind. I really don't know why some people think he doesn't.

Simply re-signing Gaither and Yanda would shore up the o-line for the immediate future. If Gaither isn't brought back(Yanda is a lock to return in my opinion), like Romo said, a starting-caliber left tackle can be drafted beyond the 1st round.

[edreedfromtheu]

[quote name='rezarxt' timestamp='1298471346' post='644079']
I really think we need to go other places than WR in the draft. All this Torrey Smith talk is nice and all but Id prefer we draft Oline in the first round. Check out this Boldin video and tell me that we dont have a solid #1. Mason can give us the number 2 we need for this season. Draft another WR maybe in the later rounds to compete with D. Reed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8cpsgyPe2A
[/quote]

Anything can be said with a "highlight" video. Shoot, I could show you clips of Randy Hymes and make him look like the best receiver to play in the NFL. But not many people thought much of him.

Anquan doesn't need a bigger role. His role is to play receiver, and he did that. But he needs his QB to open his eyes and get him the ball when he's open.

I completely agree with you that WR isn't the place to go in the draft. IF they wanted to draft a receiver, then they should have drafted Dez Bryant in the 1st round last year instead of trying to "outsmart" everyone and take Sergio freaking Kindle. I don't care how bad Dallas's season went last year, Dez Bryant proved he was the stud most people though he would be.

This year, the draft has got to get as many linebackers as possible. After Ray... the position looks pretty weak.

Hopefully they get a defensive end in free agency like Ray Edwards from the Vikings.

[grape drank]

someone wasn't paying attention this season. Boldin, Mason, and Housh are not deep threats, so the safeties don't bail out as much, leaving more defenders to cover our shorts routes. If we have a deep threat we can open up certain areas. Boldin had his best seasons with Larry Fitzgerald because Larry would clear out entire zones leaving Boldin wide open in the middle.

Thats why if we get a guy like Jon Baldwin, Boldin will still be our leading receiver ( as thats why he wanted to leave Arizona in the first place), but Baldwin will open up some areas underneath due to his deep threat ability.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='edreedfromtheu' timestamp='1298483697' post='644165']
Anything can be said with a "highlight" video. Shoot, I could show you clips of Randy Hymes and make him look like the best receiver to play in the NFL. But not many people thought much of him.

Anquan doesn't need a bigger role. His role is to play receiver, and he did that. But he needs his QB to open his eyes and get him the ball when he's open.

[b]I completely agree with you that WR isn't the place to go in the draft. IF they wanted to draft a receiver, then they should have drafted Dez Bryant in the 1st round last year instead of trying to "outsmart" everyone and take Sergio freaking Kindle. I don't care how bad Dallas's season went last year, Dez Bryant proved he was the stud most people though he would be.

This year, the draft has got to get as many linebackers as possible. After Ray... the position looks pretty weak.

Hopefully they get a defensive end in free agency like Ray Edwards from the Vikings.[/b]
[/quote]

What are you talking about? The team, if I remember correctly, had five picks going into the draft, none of which were in the 3rd or 4th round. So should they have anticipated Dallas jumping ahead of them and traded away more picks just to move up one spot? I don't think so.

A rush LB to compliment Suggs and an ILB to team with Ray(assuming the team isn't comfortable moving forward with Jameel and Ellerbe) are the only LB positions of need. "As many LBs as possible" would make little sense.

Edwards doesn't fit the 3-4.

[Militant X 1]

[quote name='grape drank' timestamp='1298483787' post='644167']
someone wasn't paying attention this season. [b]Boldin, Mason, and Housh are not deep threats[/b], so the safeties don't bail out as much, leaving more defenders to cover our shorts routes. [b]If we have a deep threat we can open up certain areas. Boldin had his best seasons with Larry Fitzgerald because Larry would clear out entire zones leaving Boldin wide open in the middle[/b].

Thats why if we get a guy like Jon Baldwin, Boldin will still be our leading receiver ( as thats why he wanted to leave Arizona in the first place), but Baldwin will open up some areas underneath due to his deep threat ability.
[/quote]

umm...Boldin was able to get deep a few times this past season. however, the Ravens need that speed WR on the field that takes some of the double-team pressure off of Boldin. Stallworth has that speed but was not used properly in a Cam led system (i.e. no slants, no deep routes and not enough screens or drag routes etc.).

[JO_75]

I somewhat agree, and the only reason I agree is that I think we should go back to be a run first team majority of the time. If Rice is getting good yards on the ground than we are killing the clock and have no need to pass. Though WR has to be addressed at some point during the draft, 1st round, 2nd, 3rd or any round but we have to find some youth at WR this off-season.

[Corvus]

The bottom line is we will draft the best player still on Ozzie and DeCosta's board. I happen to think it will be a DE/OLB or a WR...at least that is my hope but I will support whoever we do draft in round 1...

[Bltravens]

[quote name='edreedfromtheu' timestamp='1298483697' post='644165']

I completely agree with you that WR isn't the place to go in the draft. IF they wanted to draft a receiver, then they should have drafted Dez Bryant in the 1st round last year instead of trying to "outsmart" everyone and take Sergio freaking Kindle. I don't care how bad Dallas's season went last year, Dez Bryant proved he was the stud most people though he would be.

This year, the draft has got to get as many linebackers as possible. After Ray... the position looks pretty weak.

Hopefully they get a defensive end in free agency like Ray Edwards from the Vikings.
[/quote]
Yes we tried to outsmart everyone by taking a top 15 talent who had some character issues...wait isn't that thing thing with Dez too, he has character issues was a top 15 talent, shocker. It had nothing to do with Denver giving us half their draft for our pick.

And again, yes lets get a 260 pound 43 DE to play 34 DE for us and watch him get wasted inside, better yet lets sign him to a huge deal and hope for the best that he can stand up and play 34 OLB for us even though he's never done it before.

[Alexir]

DE, OLB (depending on Amazon), MLB, C, SS , I would put above WR. Not in that order but lets see what Reed can do for us. Lets run 2 tight end sets. Lets see what this Hardy kid can do when he is healthy.

[berad]

[quote name='Alexir' timestamp='1298490354' post='644208']
DE, OLB (depending on Amazon), MLB, C, SS , I would put above WR. Not in that order but lets see what Reed can do for us. Lets run 2 tight end sets. Lets see what this Hardy kid can do when he is healthy.
[/quote]

Agreed. We've got a ton of targets, already. Between Heap, Pitta, Dickson, Boldin, Mason [i](presumably)[/i], Reed, etc we should be okay. A burner would be nice but shouldn't be a top priority.

We should be more concerned with solidifying the OL depth and the defensive front, specifically OLB and MLB, as you said. And, with the abundance of DE talent in this draft, I hope the Ravens pick up a good, big 3-4 end.

[Romo Ravens]

[quote name='Alexir' timestamp='1298490354' post='644208']
DE, OLB (depending on Amazon), MLB, C, SS , I would put above WR. Not in that order but lets see what Reed can do for us. Lets run 2 tight end sets. Lets see what this Hardy kid can do when he is healthy.
[/quote]

Well if you look at it, there won't be any MLB's, C's or SS's who we can draft at 26. DE and OLB of course, but if Aldon Smith, JJ Watt, Cameron Jordan, Robert Quinn and some of the other talented prospects aren't there, then it's Baldwin all the way.

I'm a fan on Hardy, but he shouldn't deter the team from drafting a first or second round WR. He'll more than likely be cut anyway.

[justifythegame]

[quote name='rezarxt' timestamp='1298471346' post='644079']
I really think we need to go other places than WR in the draft. All this Torrey Smith talk is nice and all but Id prefer we draft Oline in the first round. Check out this Boldin video and tell me that we dont have a solid #1. Mason can give us the number 2 we need for this season. Draft another WR maybe in the later rounds to compete with D. Reed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8cpsgyPe2A
[/quote]
It doesn't mattter who you add or draft, Joe Flacco's first read is always Ray Rice. Boldin made those plays in Arizona because Warner got him the ball like 100 times. You get the ball to Boldin a career low 60 times what do expect to happen? It wouldn't have mattered if it was Andre Johnson

[Romo Ravens]

[quote name='justifythegame' timestamp='1298492663' post='644234']
It doesn't mattter who you add or draft, Joe Flacco's first read is always Ray Rice. Boldin made those plays in Arizona because Warner got him the ball like 100 times. You get the ball to Boldin a career low 60 times what do expect to happen? It wouldn't have mattered if it was Andre Johnson
[/quote]

You mean Rice is his [i]last[/i] read. When all else fails, Flacco checks down. What's wrong with that? Do you want a four INT game from him every Sunday because he forces the ball to the WR?

Why do people keep saying that. Once again, Mason put up two 1,000 yard seasons with Flacco. He even had 80 catches when Joe was a rookie. Boldin has lost a step. Point, blank, period.

[berad]

[quote name='justifythegame' timestamp='1298492663' post='644234']
It doesn't mattter who you add or draft, [b]Joe Flacco's first read is always Ray Rice.[/b] Boldin made those plays in Arizona because Warner got him the ball like 100 times. You get the ball to Boldin a career low 60 times what do expect to happen? It wouldn't have mattered if it was Andre Johnson
[/quote]

Untrue.

[quote name='Romo Ravens' timestamp='1298492972' post='644243']
You mean Rice is his [i]last[/i] read. When all else fails, Flacco checks down. What's wrong with that? [b]Do you want a four INT game from him every Sunday because he forces the ball to the WR? [/b]

Why do people keep saying that. Once again, Mason put up two 1,000 yard seasons with Flacco. He even had 80 catches when Joe was a rookie. Boldin has lost a step. Point, blank, period.
[/quote]

No, please! Once in three years was more than enough!

Yep, all of our top wide-outs have lost some of their game. That's the risk of grouping all those veteran, high-mileage guys together. And, when they don't come through in the most important game of the year, it's a huge letdown.

[justifythegame]

[quote name='Romo Ravens' timestamp='1298492972' post='644243']
You mean Rice is his [i]last[/i] read. When all else fails, Flacco checks down. What's wrong with that? Do you want a four INT game from him every Sunday because he forces the ball to the WR?

Why do people keep saying that. Once again, Mason put up two 1,000 yard seasons with Flacco. He even had 80 catches when Joe was a rookie. Boldin has lost a step. Point, blank, period.
[/quote]
Boldin has not lost a step. I was jumping up and down everytime Boldin was open last year, instead Flacco was looking at the wrong receiver and then dumping it off to Rice or heap. The 2nd half of the season teams put their #1 cbs on mason (their coach said specifically they were more worried about mason because he is flaccos go to guy) and #2 cbs on boldin. In the last 2 steelers games (i watched them with a couple steelers fans) and they were yelling at the tv because boldin was wide open and for some reason they put ike taylor on mason. But it turned out to be a great idea because Flacco threw to mason and dumped it off to everyone except the wide open boldin and the ravens lost the games.

rice is not his last read, he is afraid to look downfield and is ready to dump it off to rice in a heartbeat instead of trying to make a play. if you don't want to believe that opinion fine, look at the stats, ray rice has been the leading receiver on the ravens each of the last 2 seasons.

[Alexir]

[quote name='berad' timestamp='1298491648' post='644219']
Agreed. We've got a ton of targets, already. Between Heap, Pitta, Dickson, Boldin, Mason [i](presumably)[/i], Reed, etc we should be okay. A burner would be nice but shouldn't be a top priority.

We should be more concerned with solidifying the OL depth and the defensive front, specifically OLB and MLB, as you said. And, with the abundance of DE talent in this draft, I hope the Ravens pick up a good, big 3-4 end.
[/quote]

I mean if Dallas Clark can line up in the slot, I am sure Dickson, Heap, or Pitta can too. I just don't like the idea of drafting a WR in the first round. An area that the organization has struggled in. Rather take a defender or Center.

[berad]

[quote name='justifythegame' timestamp='1298493441' post='644251']
rice is not his last read, he is afraid to look downfield and is ready to dump it off to rice in a heartbeat instead of trying to make a play. if you don't want to believe that opinion fine, [b]look at the stats, ray rice has been the leading receiver on the ravens each of the last 2 seasons.[/b]
[/quote]

You need to look at them. Rice wasn't. And Flacco WANTED to throw downfield, that's ludicrous. Only problem was that his OL couldn't protect for that long, receivers couldn't get open, or the OC went conservative on him - or a combination of all three.

[quote name='Alexir' timestamp='1298493526' post='644254']
I mean if Dallas Clark can line up in the slot, I am sure Dickson, Heap, or Pitta can too. I just don't like the idea of drafting a WR in the first round. An area that the organization has struggled in. Rather take a defender or Center.
[/quote]

Very true. Not sure how many C's are deserving of a first-rounder, this year, but they've rarely let us down with first-round defenders.

[justifythegame]

anyone the ravens draft will be deemed a bust like mark clayton (who got released and became bardford's #1 WR), doesn't matter who u add, flacco won't use them.

[justifythegame]

[quote name='berad' timestamp='1298493755' post='644258']
You need to look at them. Rice wasn't.
[/quote]
no u need to look at them, he was. 78 n 63, 141 receptions last 2 years.

[berad]

[quote name='justifythegame' timestamp='1298493817' post='644260']
no u need to look at them, he was.
[/quote]

Well, last year, Boldin had more catches and yards than Rice. So I don't know what you're talking about. I assume you were talking about receptions, though?

[quote name='justifythegame' timestamp='1298493817' post='644260']
no u need to look at them, he was. 78 n 63, 141 receptions last 2 years.
[/quote]

Okay, so you're talking about the two years combined. Yes, he led the team in receptions - but that's immaterial. He didn't, last year. And over the past three years, Derrick Mason leads the team. You can twist that statistic to make it say whatever you want.

[justifythegame]

[quote name='berad' timestamp='1298493755' post='644258']
You need to look at them. Rice wasn't. And Flacco WANTED to throw downfield, that's ludicrous. Only problem was that his OL couldn't protect for that long, receivers couldn't get open, or the OC went conservative on him - or a combination of all three.



[/quote]
Aaron rodgers has arguably the worst protection in the nfl, that doesnt stop him from making those throws, and he doesn't have half the talent at receiver

[Bltravens]

[quote name='justifythegame' timestamp='1298494164' post='644268']
Aaron rodgers has arguably the worst protection in the nfl, that doesnt stop him from making those throws, and [b]he doesn't have half the talent at receiver[/b]
[/quote]
I reeeeeeeally beg to differ on that one.

[berad]

[quote name='justifythegame' timestamp='1298494164' post='644268']
Aaron rodgers has arguably the worst protection in the nfl, that doesnt stop him from making those throws, and he doesn't have half the talent at receiver
[/quote]

I'd take Jennings, Driver, Nelson, Jones, and Finley over Boldin, Mason, Housh, Stallworth, and Heap any day.

Rodgers OL was bad last year, he wasn't sacked or hit nearly as much. His sack percentage was a full 1.5% less than Flacco's. Rodgers functioned under a much more aggressive offense, with better receivers and a better OL.