Ravens Sign Andre Gurode

[scrock]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1315178390' post='777116']
What are the numbers on this thing? How much coin we talking? (If its somewhere in this thread, I didn't go thru it all). Thx!
[/quote]


its incentive laden, it could be worth up to 3 million

but thats if he starts a certain amount of games or gets a certain amount of snaps, etc

so probably around 1-1.5million

[CapoRocky]

Green Bay beat the Steelers with depth. I feel good about our offense for the first time in years.

[rAvenholiC]

[img]http://content.boards.baltimoreravens.com//public/style_emoticons/default/229031_cheer.gif[/img] Gurode[b][i][size=5][font=comic sans ms,cursive] [color=#800080]is a lovely acquisition! [/color][/font][/size][/i][/b]

[mhead66]

Wow.

Pete Prisco from CBS tweeted: "So now the Ravens have two over-the-hill centers who aren't as good as their reputations..."

(Don't neg me, [b]I didn't say it[/b]... )

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='scrock' timestamp='1315177951' post='777106']
All I'm saying is Bryan Mattison is higher up the pecking order..so if someone gets cut because of this signing its going to be someone lower on the totem pole....yeaaaaaaaaa
[/quote]

Bryan Mattison was higher up the pecking order because he filled in well for Birk. However we now have a form 6 time pro bowler who is backing up Birk.

B Mattison did a hellva job filling in, but the Ravens really don't risk much putting him back on the Practice Squad like he was last year.

If you are looking at this Oline right now, who is B Matt higher then on the pecking order?

He's not above Ried who is the top backup RT.

He probably won't be above LeVoir who can fill in at both OT and Guard.

He won't be aboe Gurode who has proven to be a more then quality starting Center in the NFL and can play both guard positions if needed.

So while Mattison did a great job in becoming a fan favorite with his gridy play and fight, he's far from untouchable.

Especially when you consider, guys like Phillips and McClellan will be special teams guys and could possibly provide snaps on defense even as backups.

How much is your 3rd string Center gonna help you on game day?

[mhead66]

According to Aaron Wilson on Twitter: "Ravens put in a waiver claim on Eagles C Mike McGlynn, but Bengals awarded him over Baltimore, Indianapolis and St. Louis."

Gurode was 2nd choice to Mike McGlynn? He's in his 4th year, but last year was his first as a starter...

[wayne]

I say let Gurode be the starting center vs maulers like Casey Hampton. I would say that Hampton sort of gets the best of Birk with the inside push I have notice he gets against Birk and if I'm not mistaken, Hampton has gotten coverage sacks against us. I remember years back that Gurode was doing such a great job of blocking Hanesworth that Hanesworth got mad and stomped him when his helmet came off.

[PuRock]

Been out all day without news. Come home to this interesting surprise. Quite surprised with the move actually.

[rAvenholiC]

[quote name='scrock' timestamp='1315170984' post='776922']

no way, i dont think so...he's proved himself and he's too useful, he switched from DL to C and did well...hell he might be able to play G too...no way Mattison is cut over Philips or someone else
[/quote]


[size=3]After Saturday’s final roster cut down to 53, all NFL teams were able to sign players to their practice squad, which will serve as the developmental team.[/size]
[size=3]The Ravens have utilized their practice squad in the past. With Matt Birk down due to a knee injury, former practice-squadder Bryan Mattison has taken all the snaps at starting center this preseason.[/size]

[url="http://boards.baltimoreravens.com/topic/40524-blogs-ravens-finalize-practice-squad/"][size=3]http://boards.baltimoreravens.com/topic/40524-blogs-ravens-finalize-practice-squad/[/size][/url]

[The Raven]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1315180374' post='777167']

Bryan Mattison was higher up the pecking order because he filled in well for Birk. However we now have a form 6 time pro bowler who is backing up Birk.

B Mattison did a hellva job filling in, but the Ravens really don't risk much putting him back on the Practice Squad like he was last year.

If you are looking at this Oline right now, who is B Matt higher then on the pecking order?

He's not above Ried who is the top backup RT.

He probably won't be above LeVoir who can fill in at both OT and Guard.

He won't be aboe Gurode who has proven to be a more then quality starting Center in the NFL and can play both guard positions if needed.

So while Mattison did a great job in becoming a fan favorite with his gridy play and fight, he's far from untouchable.

Especially when you consider, guys like Phillips and McClellan will be special teams guys and could possibly provide snaps on defense even as backups.

[b]How much is your 3rd string Center gonna help you on game day?[/b]
[/quote]


That's ignorant. He'll help a whole friggin lot if [u]any[/u] linemen get hurt. Go ask Green Bay about how important depth is (especially at OL), and then ask Pittsburgh about how their lack of depth hurt them. Then come back to the topic.

Well, I guess I was wrong, we did think it was necesary to get another C. After I thought about it, I didn't feel comfortable with Mattison blocking[i] Casey Hampton [/i]or making line audibles yet. He still provides good depth at guard as well.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1315184187' post='777260']


That's ignorant. He'll help a whole friggin lot if [u]any[/u] linemen get hurt. Go ask Green Bay about how important depth is (especially at OL), and then ask Pittsburgh about how their lack of depth hurt them. Then come back to the topic.

Well, I guess I was wrong, we did think it was necesary to get another C. After I thought about it, I didn't feel comfortable with Mattison blocking[i] Casey Hampton [/i]or making line audibles yet. He still provides good depth at guard as well.
[/quote]

No it's not ignorant. It's the same situation as a team only keeping 2 QBs.

What are the odds of both Birk and Gurode going down in the same game? If that happens it's some kind of freak situations, that honest no team in the NFL is prepared for. We are talking about a 3rd string Center here. Not our top backup at OT or OG or C. our 3rd center.

If you can tell me who our 3rd string Center was last year, and how of an impact he was to us on game day, then my whole arguement goes out of the window, and I'll admit to misjudging the situation.

Having Mattison on the practice squad is the same as having him on the team, because if one of those guys go down, he can be signed to the active roster.

He'll still practice with the team, be in meeting with the team and help game plan with the team. He just won't be on the 53 man roster and won't have a change to be on the active roster come game day.

I'm not saying the Ravens will get rid of Mattison all together, but to think that he's overly valuable as a 3rd string Center, especially over guys who will actually help on special teams and maybe on defense, where its common to rotate guys, isn't accurate imo.

We obviously have differing opinions.

[The Raven]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1315184911' post='777280']

No it's not ignorant. It's the same situation as a team only keeping 2 QBs.

What are the odds of both Birk and Gurode going down in the same game? If that happens it's some kind of freak situations, that honest no team in the NFL is prepared for. We are talking about a 3rd string Center here. Not our top backup at OT or OG or C. our 3rd center.

If you can tell me who our 3rd string Center was last year, and how of an impact he was to us on game day, then my whole arguement goes out of the window, and I'll admit to misjudging the situation.

[b]Having Mattison on the practice squad is the same as having him on the team, because if one of those guys go down, he can be signed to the active roster.[/b]

He'll still practice with the team, be in meeting with the team and help game plan with the team. He just won't be on the 53 man roster and won't have a change to be on the active roster come game day.

I'm not saying the Ravens will get rid of Mattison all together, but to think that he's overly valuable as a 3rd string Center, especially over guys who will actually help on special teams and maybe on defense, where its common to rotate guys, isn't accurate imo.

We obviously have differing opinions.
[/quote]

The odds of that are low, but what if Birk tore his ACL and was out for season?

We didn't have a third string center last year, though one would have been nice with Chester's incompetency and Birks injury.

Yeah... cuz he's still eligible for the PS... fairly certain he's not [img]http://content.boards.baltimoreravens.com//public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif[/img]

He's a little more valuable than a third string center, he also provides depth at guard... You can't have too much depth at OL. I still don't think 9 guys is enough depth, but to each his own. We'll get by in the versatility of our players.

Yeah, we definitely have differing opinions

[PurpleReign92]

Steve B is really showing Flacco a lot of love the face of the Francise our QB Joe and now a really well protected one...
Welcome to Bmore both Mcadoo and Gurode..

[grape drank]

everyone keeps calling him depth....I wouldn't be surprised if he's starting by mid season! He's a pro bowler!

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1315185389' post='777289']

The odds of that are low, but what if Birk tore his ACL and was out for season?

We didn't have a third string center last year, though one would have been nice with Chester's incompetency and Birks injury.

[b]Yeah... cuz he's still eligible for the PS... fairly certain he's not [/b][img]http://content.boards.baltimoreravens.com//public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif[/img]

He's a little more valuable than a third string center, he also provides depth at guard... You can't have too much depth at OL. I still don't think 9 guys is enough depth, but to each his own. We'll get by in the versatility of our players.

Yeah, we definitely have differing opinions
[/quote]

Mind telling me why a guy who's only been in the NFL for 3 seasons, who was placed on IR in 2008. Placed on the Practice squad all of 09 and the majority of 10', who only has 2 active games on his resume isn't eligible for the Practice Squad?

Maybe there is something I'm missing.

I though only guys that have been on the PS for 3 years or have had at least 6 games on an active roster weren't eligible for the Practice Squad.

[Ravens>Steelers]

[quote name='scrock' timestamp='1315170872' post='776920']

too much at line? we're thin at OL...I think we only kept 7 or 8 O-lineman....so no, u can never have enough quality depth

[url="http://www.baltimoreravens.com/People/Player_Roster/Depth_Chart.aspx"]http://www.baltimore...epth_Chart.aspx[/url]
[/quote]
what i meant is that it feel like outside of Yanda, Oher, and Grubbs we are trying to move around so many pieces and by doing so we haven't seen our gameday starting OL play all at once. Granted Yanda was recovering from surgery, but i'm sure you understand what i'm trying to say

[PuRock]

[quote name='The Raven' timestamp='1315185389' post='777289']
Yeah... cuz he's still eligible for the PS... fairly certain he's not [img]http://content.boards.baltimoreravens.com//public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif[/img]
[/quote]
[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1315186887' post='777330']

Mind telling me why a guy who's only been in the NFL for 3 seasons, who was placed on IR in 2008. Placed on the Practice squad all of 09 and the majority of 10', who only has 2 active games on his resume isn't eligible for the Practice Squad?

Maybe there is something I'm missing.

I though only guys that have been on the PS for 3 years or have had at least 6 games on an active roster weren't eligible for the Practice Squad.
[/quote]

Well technically with the new CBA a player is eligible for two years in normal circumstances. BUT a player is allowed a 3rd year of eligibility, if the team maintains at least a 53 man roster the entire time he has been on the PS. Not sure if the Ravens have done this or not the past two years.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='PuRock' timestamp='1315187670' post='777345']

Well technically with the new CBA a player is eligible for two years in normal circumstances. BUT a player is allowed a 3rd year of eligibility, if the team maintains at least a 53 man roster the entire time (Which the Ravens will do). Its confusing, but I think Mattison can be placed on the PS for at least 1 more year.
[/quote]

Yea I actually thought about that in mid reply, but thought that Mattison was still eligible, so I just went forward with it.

But yea like you said, the Ravens won't fall below the 53, and if they did, they wouldn't need to stash Mattison on the PS.

[PuRock]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1315187854' post='777350']

Yea I actually thought about that in mid reply, but thought that Mattison was still eligible, so I just went forward with it.

But yea like you said, the Ravens won't fall below the 53, and if they did, they wouldn't need to stash Mattison on the PS.
[/quote]

I actually looked a bit harder and it seems that the Ravens had to maintain a 53 man active roster for the entire time Mattison was on the PS (past two years). If they dipped below 53 and didn't call him up, he is only eligible for two years.

[Militant X 1]

i like this!

~Mili

[mgridda]

[quote name='Ravenseconbeast' timestamp='1315172143' post='776950']
This might mean Matt Birk is cut. Considering Birk stunk last year, and he still isnt fully recovered, getting rid of his high paid salary might reduce our cap.
[/quote]

You're making a claim that Matt Birk stunk last year. If your claim was true, then you would have a good argument. Really, your argument rests on the validity of this claim.

Matt Birk played excellently last year. You say "he stunk." What leads you to this conclusion? The rantings of Mike Preston?

I watched every game (twice) last year and I disagree. Furthermore, I have it upon TWO independent [b]actual analytic[/b] sources (one that looks at every team, and one guy who records and analyzes every single Ravens game and gives the O-line grades -- I mean guys who focus on independent players and their snaps, not National Opinion columnists or Team Opinion columnists like Prisco and Preston) that Matt Birk was the 2nd best Center in the league last year, and the best offensive lineman (by far) on the team last year.

I will take the analysis of guys who actually focus on Matt Birk and grade him on each snap every week rather than the analysis of Prisco who catches maybe 3 - 4 Ravens games in a season and Mike Preston who watches every game but is likely just following the ball like a regular fan.

So....

[mgridda]

I have a feeling Gurode can play G if Grubbs or Yanda go down, too. Ultimately, he's a mauler who's a great run blocker. His pass protection is a meager average and he has had numerous troubles with snapping the ball out of shotgun to Tony Romo. I don't like the idea of Flacco chasing down Footballs like Tony Romo had to, but I really love this move.

Lack of O-line depth is what killed our season last year. When Jared Gaither went down 3 different O-line spots had a new member of the O-line on them and one was a terribly mediocre and weak Chris Chester at RG (which killed our running game).

Here's what Ozzie had to say:

[QUOTE]“We just got better as a team,” said Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome. “To have a successful season, you have to have quality depth across the board. We just added great depth to the interior of our offensive line with Andre.”[/QUOTE]

So yeah, we signed him to be an interior lineman backup. I'm guessing if Grubbs or Yanda go down that he can play guard too. O'Hara is more versatile, but since he has a track record of it he was probably more expensive and less willing to be a backup. Gurode himself is rehabbing from surgery.

The PFF team put Gurode on their NFC Pro Bowl team last year, too. There's not a lot of good centers in the NFC, but he's one above Ryan Kalil. Also said:

[QUOTE]Could very well play his entire career without mastering how to snap the ball in the shotgun formation. But his run blocking is very good at times[/QUOTE]

Also put him as #10 for Centers over the last 3 years. I'd say that's about accurate.

Birk was #2. Also accurate. Love that beauty from Hahvahd.

[berad]

Only PFF would make the claim that Matt Birk was as good (or better) than Nick Mangold.

[mgridda]

[quote name='berad' timestamp='1315191791' post='777463']
Only PFF would make the claim that Matt Birk was as good (or better) than Nick Mangold.
[/quote]

We'll they're not just claiming it. They're substantiating ("backing up" for the rest of you) it as well, which is entirely a different matter. Check out this article here:

http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/07/02/matt-birk-the-forgotten-pro-bowler/

[ellicottraven]

Awesome! Now think about our O-line! I bet 31 other teams would trade their O-line for ours and give up their QB to boot!

[berad]

[quote name='mgridda' timestamp='1315192468' post='777477']

We'll they're not just claiming it. They're substantiating ("backing up" for the rest of you) it as well, which is entirely a different matter. Check out this article here:

[url="http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/07/02/matt-birk-the-forgotten-pro-bowler/"]http://www.profootba...ten-pro-bowler/[/url]
[/quote]

Seen the article and, as with everything, PFF assigns their own criteria when evaluating players. It is still only their opinion, give the tape to someone else and they might rank him entirely different... even with the same point system.

They also said Matt Ryan was the 8th best player in the NFL last season [i](second best QB in the league) [/i]and Birk was 34th. I can't buy that.

[FerrariFan87]

Can't get enough depth... we have to hope McKinnie-Grubbs-Birk-Yanda-Oher gel this week, and fast! I really hate Steelers week.

[RoflDogs]

Great signing, love the move. Insurance in case Birk can't go/ has issues in the future

But Gurode can't play guard, he wasn't athletic enough to be one a few years ago, and age definitely did not improve his athleticism.

Center only, no questions asked

[colljb9]

I like the signing because mattison could definitely be groomed to be a step in guard along with levoir. Gurode gives us depth at center which only helps the versatility of most of the players on our offensive line

[mgridda]

[quote name='berad' timestamp='1315193177' post='777493']

Seen the article and, as with everything, PFF assigns their own criteria when evaluating players. It is still only their opinion, give the tape to someone else and they might rank him entirely different... even with the same point system.

They also said Matt Ryan was the 8th best player in the NFL last season [i](second best QB in the league) [/i]and Birk was 34th. I can't buy that.
[/quote]

But why? Just because it disagrees against your preconceived notions? What if they're right? Why shouldn't they be? And certainly wouldn't you say they've analyzed more tape and watched more games and recorded their analysis more?

I think it's sort of understandable and reasonable for you to have the cognitive dissonance that you do, but it's not uncommon to historical analysis coming with a result that takes people by surprise.

Like a lot of people just couldn't believe that the sun didn't rotate around the earth for many decades. For many many years people just laughed at that idea.