[News] Baltimore Ravens Rumor Mill

[sman555555]

we need to start making moves

[Jfravens]

We're a great team! and great teams not always need's big moves..

[FearTheBird]

We need a return specialist and start rebuilding the O'line in FA. Let the Wizard of Oz draft the rest.

[Adriano]

We are going to lose McClain today, hes metting with the broncos ;(

[bmorervns27]

Anybody think there is a chance that the Ravens front office is holding out for Kamerion Wimbley? He is supposed to be release anytime from the Raiders. If he didn't cost too much I would like to see him in a Ravens uniform opposite Suggs.

[Adriano]

I hope the Saints release Vilma, and we get him for a good price

[TheRavenNest]

does anyone know the "State of the Ravens" at this point..any good news out there yet?????

[acnusmc]

I trust in Oz so I'm guessing his plan for a 3rd WR for our team is either the draft or promoting Williams/Doss. I say this because what is left on the WR market is pathetic. But I trust in Oz. Got a feeling McClain doesn't come back from Denver.
On a separate note, for DT/DE needs, Justin Banaan is back on the market. Former Raven who knows our system. Could be a good fit at a very discounted price.

[SuRihtanil]

[quote name='TheRavenNest' timestamp='1331897531' post='1023958']
does anyone know the "State of the Ravens" at this point..any good news out there yet?????
[/quote]

Good news is we still have our best players and cap room

[TheRavenNest]

Is anyone else out there amazed at the money being thrown around out there?? i personally like to know where some of these teams who are making multiple Multi-Million dollar deals are getting the cash ??

[Adriano]

Boomingraven I agree, we keep seeing a rumour or two about who we will pick up, then with in seconds that person signed with another team. McClain will sign with Denver today, JJ, red, and Greedy G is gone. They need to sign a good free agent soon before there all gone! They have 10mil or so to play with, so play! Im sure im going to see someone write "in Oz we trust" or "whats the rush", but when you see or team loose more players, and we sign guys that are past there prime who drop balls in big games...then you will agree! Im puzzled that we cant re sign a beast like McClain! He stepped up in a big way as a leader when Lewis was out...We cant depend on a Rookies next season if we want to win a championship.

[jravens13]

Mathis is older and wiser than most of these guys in free agency chasing the money. He knows that he doesn't have that much left in the NFL and he will never get to do it again when he's done. Why not go to a contender and try to win one?

[jravens13]

@TheRavenNest They have the money this year, but they won't next year...

[rmcjacket23]

I hope we don't attempt to sign Vilma, he's pretty much guaranteed to be suspended.

[ricebowl]

Adriano:

Please name one team that has signed a bunch of free agents and went on to win the Super Bowl. You can't do it because it is impossible. Remember last year? We didn't sign any big name free agents and waited for the market to settle. Then we picked up Leach and Pollard who came in and contributed in a big way. It is very possible to get quality free agent players after the market dies down. That's why the Ravens are always good and teams like the Redskins, who buy up every free agent in sight, are always watching the playoffs from home. You build a quality team through the draft, not free agency.

[ricebowl]

We lost JJ but his replacement, Kruger (maybe Kindle) is already on the team. Redding's replacement is already on the team in Art Jones (along with McPhee in pass rushing situations). Grubbs is the only player we have lost who we don't have the immediate replacement for, which is why Mathis is the in building. If we lose McClain to the Broncos, Ellerbe is on the roster and with the second round tender the Ravens gave him, it is clear they think highly of him coming into this season.

Everyone needs to chill out about not signing a bunch of overpriced free agents!

[Amatmaju]

McKinnie Has Very Positive Meeting
Carroll County Times - March 15
Bryant McKinnie tweeted...

ummmmmm....he's under contract. Does Aaron mean Brandon McKinney??

[ricebowl]

Amatmaju:

There were talks of bringing in Eric Winston from the Texans to play right tackle. That would then move Oher to left tackle and McKinnnie would have been cut. That doesn't appear to be the case anymore. That's what Aaron Wilson was talking about.

[ricebowl]

OK balfan23:

Why would we pay to keep any of the "big 4" as you put it if other teams are going to over pay for them? 4 years 19 million for JJ? I love the guy but as a 31 year old outside linebacker he is not worth close to 5 million a year. Grubbs left Baltimore to make a couple million more. Pure greed on his part. Redding's deal wasn't huge but Jones and McPhee provide the same (if not more) production at a quarter of the price.

We will see what McClain signs for IF he leaves. If he gets a giant contract from the Broncos than I think everyone shouldn't get to upset he left. He is a good linebacker, but still struggles in pass coverage and is no where near giant contract level. If the Broncos sign him to a competetive deal that the Raven's could have easily afforded, then people have a right to gripe about it.

[ricebowl]

Also in terms of sounding boring on a blog site about: the Raven's are a boring team when it comes to free agency and the draft. They don't make big splashes in free agency. They don't trade all their picks away to move up in the draft like Falcons last year and Redskins this year. If anything they trade back in the draft to get more picks, a far less exciting move. That is why when people want to us to make big exciting moves, other fans roll their eyes and say "in Oz we trust". That's they way the Ravens have been run since 1996 and as long as Ozzie is in charge, that's how it will always be done.

[devilsadvocate1]

Just for recent historical perspective, last year many were upset that we didn't get Asomugha or keep Josh Williams. That starting CB combo, while being good, received $19.5 million in salary this past year. Our big 3 of CBs (Williams, Webb, Smith) cost us $1.2 million and were equally good or better. Why the hell wouldn't we trust Ozzie?

[Ravens in The Dena]

Every year this happens, We know the Ravens just like other top tier organization are not going to get into bidding wars with other teams, it has always been building thru the draft, and getting the right player at the right price.

[ricebowl]

I never touched your post rating baltfan.. couldn't care less about a rating on blog post. I'm just trying to make my point about signing free agents and how overrated it is. Everyone seems to forget around this time how good the Ravens are at drafting. We have so many inhouse options to replace players that leave, rather than overspending for free agents.
Even losing McClain isn't that big of a loss in my opinion. If, and I understand this is a big if, Ellerbe gets his act together, he is a much better LB than McClain. Just as good against the run and better dropping into coverage. Plus, if Hightower is sitting there at the end of the first round, I think Ozzie will jump all over him. Even if he is not there, the Ravens know how to coach up linebackers. Both McClain and Ellerbe were undrafted free agents.

[Purplepanda]

[quote name='ricebowl' timestamp='1331901309' post='1023977']
We lost JJ but his replacement, Kruger (maybe Kindle) is already on the team. Redding's replacement is already on the team in Art Jones (along with McPhee in pass rushing situations). Grubbs is the only player we have lost who we don't have the immediate replacement for, which is why Mathis is the in building. If we lose McClain to the Broncos, Ellerbe is on the roster and with the second round tender the Ravens gave him, it is clear they think highly of him coming into this season.

Everyone needs to chill out about not signing a bunch of overpriced free agents!
[/quote]

Ricebowl, it was suppose to be kindle who will replace JJ, but he was a dud. This season will be his last try to prove that he can be part of this OP defense. And about Kruger, yes he is a legit pass rusher but I do not think he can replace the run defense that JJ was so good at. Kruger will be strugglin in the run defense, or maybe he will be working on it during the training camp.

[balfan23]

I make a comment, stating that I hope we don't lose McClain and I'm somehow now someone that thinks we should spend like the Redskins or that it is smart to try to land the biggest name FA on the market year after year. .

[jrs034]

just waiting now for a update saying the Ravens have signed Mathis

[jravens13]

From Eagles G @EvanMathis69: "Ravens have offered a nice deal. I'm flying back to Arizona to think about it and discuss it with my family."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ezaAMcCy3u4

[Postapocalypse Raven]

Not the news we wanted to hear.

[J.O.14]

Only thing we can do is to wait and see what mathis wants to do, atleast we know we have made an offer, and i like his comments, so hopefully he chooses us.

Now for everyone complaining on us not signing anybody, CALMMMM DOWNNNN. How many playoff apperances have the Redskins made recently??? What about Tampa Bay??? The Chargers haven't done much either!! The point is that the teams who do all this spending usually end up failing anyway. The players we are losing are set to be replaced with DRAFT PICKS. Teams are not built through Free Agency people. We will be just fine, Free Agency won't win us a super bowl...

[jravens13]

I think it means he's probably gonna sign with us. He just needs to work out the details with his family.