Casey Rabach Fails Physical

[Ravensfan23]

Rabach is definitely an upgrade over Chester, and would actually be a solid starter if need be. He wouldn't be all pro or anything like that, but he'd definitely be serviceable this year.

Matt Birk flirted with retirement after last season and that might just be his fate this year. If he's forced to have another surgery, he might just decide to call it a career, which would suck for us.

[scrock]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1312321973' post='732303']
Rabach is definitely an upgrade over Chester, and would actually be a solid starter if need be. He wouldn't be all pro or anything like that, but he'd definitely be serviceable this year.

Matt Birk flirted with retirement after last season and that might just be his fate this year. If he's forced to have another surgery, he might just decide to call it a career, which would suck for us.
[/quote]

if he has surgery he's likely out for a year anyway

[izvoodoo]

[quote name='scrock' timestamp='1312322104' post='732307']
if he has surgery he's likely out for a year anyway
[/quote]

It's not that kind of surgery, it's arthroscopic, so it's more of a cleanup, should be back before the start of the season, but give his age may be the bye.

[CapoRocky]

He will be back after getting scoped but how effective will he be is a better question?

[scrock]

Well in any case, i would say he's days as a viable starter are limited, if he has to have the surgery maybe he gets back and can play without draining the knee every week

Birk seems like a warrior and he'll probably play thru pain but how much longer he can hold up? its a good thing we got Rabach..he can start too

[ellicottraven]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1312280290' post='731642']
A backup and nothing more. Even though I think it was one of the best moves made, the Ravens lost their top backup on the oline when we allowed Chester to sign with Washington.

Rabach has experience at both guard and center. It's not about him coming on board and taking us over the top, every FA signing isn't meant to do that.

Right now, Cousins is the only guy I can see backing up at Guard who has NFL experience. Our top option at Center, although promising, is a rookie who went undrafted.

So bringing in Rabach to help provide some quality depth to the interior of the line, won't be a sexy move, but it'll be an efficient one.
[/quote]

Also today with the news trickling in on the possibility of Birk potentially needing arthroscopic surgery on his knee, it is also possible they see him as a potential center till Birk is back... I am hoping that Birk may not need to miss any games though.

The rest of your reaasoning I completely agree with...

[POE]

RavensInsider Aaron Wilson
by 1WinningDrive
Matt Birk is going to have arthroscopic knee surgery and should be back in a few weeks, according to his agent, Joe Linta.

There you have it! There is a reason for everything but hopefully he can get healthy enough for the season opener.

[Ed_Reed20]

Rabach could very well start Week 1 and beyond.

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

Jamison Henley tweeted that Birk should be out little longer than two weeks. [url="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2011/08/birk_sidelined_for_about_two_weeks_after_knee_scope.html"]Here's a link to an article about it.[/url]

[PuRock]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1312384998' post='733468']
Rabach could very well start Week 1 and beyond.
[/quote]

I'm actually expected it. I think there is a lot more than meets to eye with Birk's knee.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='PuRock' timestamp='1312386752' post='733498']
I'm actually expected it. I think there is a lot more than meets to eye with Birk's knee.
[/quote]

I feel the same way. Considering what he had to deal with last season, and with the knee still being an issue now, I'll be mildly surprised if Birk can return before the bye.

[scrock]

[quote name='POE' timestamp='1312384303' post='733461']
RavensInsider Aaron Wilson
by 1WinningDrive
Matt Birk is going to have arthroscopic knee surgery and should be back in a few weeks, according to his agent, Joe Linta.

There you have it! There is a reason for everything but hopefully he can get healthy enough for the season opener.
[/quote]

Hope Birk gets back soon, heal up man we need u

[JO_75]

Sounds like Rabach may end up being our starter not just this season, but next season as well. Let's hope our undrafted Centers can show something to be able to be our Future Center in about 2 years.

[POE]

[quote name='JO_75' timestamp='1312396807' post='733666']
Sounds like Rabach may end up being our starter not just this season, but next season as well. Let's hope our undrafted Centers can show something to be able to be our Future Center in about 2 years.
[/quote]
If you guys remember back to last preseason it was our boy Cody that had the same procedure done around this same time frame and he wasn't out too long. The difference being age and wear and tear but he could return sooner than expected.

[Token]

He apparently has failed his physical

jamisonhensley Jamison Hensley
Source tells Mike Preston: Casey Rabach fails his physical for #Ravens http://bsun.md/ndKp2F

[UMDan]

Now we gotta look for someone else? Ugh. Does that nullify Rabach's contract?

[bauer77]

[quote name='Token' timestamp='1312400359' post='733742']
He apparently has failed his physical

jamisonhensley Jamison Hensley
Source tells Mike Preston: Casey Rabach fails his physical for #Ravens http://bsun.md/ndKp2F
[/quote]



You beat me to it man lol.

Looks like we will be back to the drawing board....heres an interesting one. kind of old, but Olin Kreutz anyone?

[T3hRaven]

[quote name='bauer77' timestamp='1312400514' post='733750']
You beat me to it man lol.

Looks like we will be back to the drawing board....heres an interesting one. kind of old, but Olin Kreutz anyone?
[/quote]

Kreutz was the Bears best OL last year, he's certainly a good option. The Bears seemed quite upset that he was let go, so he could be a good pickup. I know I don't want to start the season with Ryan Bartholomew as the center, it's far too soon to throw a UDFA under the bus.

Hopefully Birk will be ready by the start of the season though, he's really our best option at this point.

[arnie_uk]

what happens now? is the agreement with rabach terminated just? do we have to pay him anything? or take a cap hit?

[bauer77]

[quote name='UMDan' timestamp='1312400492' post='733746']
Now we gotta look for someone else? Ugh. Does that nullify Rabach's contract?
[/quote]


I just tweeted at jamisonhensley and yes that nullify's his contract. we gotta look elsewhere now. hopefully Birk's injury isnt serious.

[T3hRaven]

Hensley also mentioned Shaun O'Hara. While he's also getting up there in age, he'd be a decent starter in Birk's absence. Him or Kreutz would both be fine in my book.

[arnie_uk]

[quote]I just tweeted at jamisonhensley and yes that nullify's his contract. we gotta look elsewhere now. hopefully Birk's injury isnt serious[/quote]

so no effect on our cap? i think we got to get olin, or who else is out there? we all no birk is retiring at the end of the season, olin would have a few more years in him and could groom bartholomew who would eventually take over.. but the price would be the question, cant afford top dollar for 2 of the best centres in the game

[jimmysmith3]

What about the 49ers centre from last year? Might be Casey Wiegmann, not sure but he's a veteran FA and I think he is a solid player as well.

[bauer77]

[quote name='arnie_uk' timestamp='1312401073' post='733761']
so no effect on our cap? i think we got to get olin, or who else is out there? we all no birk is retiring at the end of the season, olin would have a few more years in him and could groom bartholomew who would eventually take over.. but the price would be the question, cant afford top dollar for 2 of the best centres in the game
[/quote]


No i dont believe there is any effect on our cap, cause it basically never happened now since he failed his physical.

Olin is only a year younger than Birk, so idk how many years he would have left. Probably like 2 or 3, which by that time, hopefully someone like Bartholomew or Barnes could take over. Another guy we could look at is Shaun O'Hara.

[JO_75]

Well our offensive line just went from great to good.

I would hate to have to have a Battle for our starting Center job be between Undrafted Rookies, I'm all for letting the young guys play but not when it comes to undrafted rookies. I think Tim Barnes & Bartholomew could become great Centers for us one day, but that one day is about 2 years from now.

Than again, who knows maybe one of them will shine in Camp and we get our future center now.

[scrock]

Crap, Rabach failed his physical...Hope Birk heals quickly

[Runnin Raven]

Pretty worried about Center now. Even if we bring in a guy like Kreutz he's got 1 month to learn the offense and be ready for the Steelers.

[scrock]

They told Rabach he would be ready maybe in 2 to 3 weeks, so we could still sign him potentially..but we still need someone to come in and learn all the calls and plays

If Birk is back in 2 to 3 weeks like they say we should be okay, but still we need a backup

[JO_75]

Most of the Centers are taken, those of which who are Free Agents.

The only ones I would consider is, Olin Kreutz or Shaun O'Hara.

Is there someone we can trade for? Not drafting a Center to ensure some future at Center is hurting us right now.

[T3hRaven]

Kreutz apparently turned down a $4 million offer from the Bears for a year, so picking him up could be out of our price range.

O'Hara was released, so is he still getting paid some by the Giants? If he's getting paid enough by them, maybe he'll come here on a one year contract, similar to what Housh did last season.