MERGED: "Feelings" on How Free Agency is Going So Far

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1332020943' post='1025901']

That someone doesn't have to be an overpriced FA. More snaps for Kruger and McPhee, a healthier Haloti, and Kindle and/or a rookie would be fine.
[/quote]

Too bad we didn't draft Odrick in 2010 rather than trade down and take Kindle.

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='Ed_Reed20' timestamp='1332021792' post='1025933']

Me neither. Aarn Wilson claimed it was a thigh injury. There's been no word of surgery, so it's probably an injury that will simply heal with time.
[/quote]

I guess if he rests it over the off season it will be better by training camp.

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='1/28/01' timestamp='1332032534' post='1026168']
We should sell the team to Alaska and call it quits. I love ladies field hockey. Gonna follow that now!
[/quote]

I'd love to watch the Ravens cheerleaders play field hockey..lol.

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='Ravenslifer' timestamp='1332091690' post='1026704']

I think Boldin is here through the 2013 season - he had 1 year left on his original deal with Arizona, then signed a 3-year extension. But I agree with what you're saying - soon there will be money coming off the books, good or bad, and we will be able to spend more if we want to.
[/quote]

I hope that in 2 more years Doss has become better than Boldin.

[rlh445]

Arrrrgh! You know what guys? People have a right to not be happy with how it's going. They're not saying they want to sell the team to Alaska (extreme hyperbole does not a case make, 1/28 ) but even though every year this happens doesn't mean that we should just sit back and say, 'Yay! We're not doing anything in free agency again this year! Woo hooo!,'. I mean, I wonder why the three teams who've actually been to the big game in the past few years aren't doing anything, and yet we do this every year and have yet to go back?

Every year we lose guys and people are like, 'Meh, we didn't need 'em anyway, we'll just fill right back up!,' and than during the season are complaining about how we shouldn't have let whomever go. To devalue what a JJ or a Redding or Grubbs brought to the team just to make ourselves feel better about them rolling out of town (I mean in Grubbs case, for an extra 3 million?! What the heck?!) is about as constructive as MikeMike advocating for us to get out our wallets and start paying every FA on the market. I guess the point is, a little less extremism on either side of general fan thoughts on how the Ravens handle the off-season would be much appreciated.

[wizard1]

Like it or not-we have issues and unfortunately they are the same issues year in and year out. Now we will have to scramble to plug huge holes left by Grubbs, Redding,and Zb et all. Why not just pay them what they are worth? I will tell you why-because we are a frugal franchise. Nobody gets the big bucks in Baltimore. We cling to the old payers ttill they drop-Birk another 3 year deal? Ha he doesn't have 3 years. He was talking about retiriing last year. Come on Man! and lets not start with this draft baloney I'm still fuming about drafting 2 TEs back to back which hasn't excately been idealistic and don't get me started on Sergio Kindle-what an awesome pick that was.Why don't we go get Wes Welker-so he is expensive but what a great go to guy for the innacurate Flacco. The fact is marquis players avoid Baltimore because we wont pay marquis $$$ Plain and simple. Everybody ready for another year like the last 5-I hope so-get ready its getting close to scramble time in Baltimore.

[Blex64]

[quote name='wizard1' timestamp='1332100848' post='1026868']
Like it or not-we have issues and unfortunately they are the same issues year in and year out. Now we will have to scramble to plug huge holes left by Grubbs, Redding,and Zb et all. Why not just pay them what they are worth? I will tell you why-because we are a frugal franchise. Nobody gets the big bucks in Baltimore. We cling to the old payers ttill they drop-Birk another 3 year deal? Ha he doesn't have 3 years. He was talking about retiriing last year. Come on Man! and lets not start with this draft baloney I'm still fuming about drafting 2 TEs back to back which hasn't excately been idealistic and don't get me started on Sergio Kindle-what an awesome pick that was.Why don't we go get Wes Welker-so he is expensive but what a great go to guy for the innacurate Flacco. The fact is marquis players avoid Baltimore because we wont pay marquis $$$ Plain and simple. Everybody ready for another year like the last 5-I hope so-get ready its getting close to scramble time in Baltimore.
[/quote]

I'd refute your points but everyone knows you'll ignore anything anyone tells you.

[hawkprey]

[quote name='wizard1' timestamp='1332100848' post='1026868']
Like it or not-we have issues and unfortunately they are the same issues year in and year out. Now we will have to scramble to plug huge holes left by Grubbs, Redding,and Zb et all. Why not just pay them what they are worth? I will tell you why-because we are a frugal franchise. Nobody gets the big bucks in Baltimore. We cling to the old payers ttill they drop-Birk another 3 year deal? Ha he doesn't have 3 years. He was talking about retiriing last year. Come on Man! and lets not start with this draft baloney I'm still fuming about drafting 2 TEs back to back which hasn't excately been idealistic and don't get me started on Sergio Kindle-what an awesome pick that was.Why don't we go get Wes Welker-so he is expensive but what a great go to guy for the innacurate Flacco. The fact is marquis players avoid Baltimore because we wont pay marquis $$$ Plain and simple. Everybody ready for another year like the last 5-I hope so-get ready its getting close to scramble time in Baltimore.
[/quote]
We cling to old players? What are you talking about? We just let old players walk. Grubbs was the only real loss, but we actually can't afford him anymore after giving Yanda a not-so-frugal payday last year. Not paying players a ridiculous amount of money is why this organization succeeds. Name the last Super Bowl-winning team that paid a free agent big bucks.

We didn't pay Zibby, Redding, and Nakamura "what they're worth" because they're not worth anything. Teams take our defensive players because the coaching and HOF veterans make them look like they're worth more than they are.

[hawkprey]

[quote name='Blex64' timestamp='1332101163' post='1026871']

I'd refute your points but everyone knows you'll ignore anything anyone tells you.
[/quote]
Aw man, I didn't know...

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

[quote name='wizard1' timestamp='1332100848' post='1026868']
Like it or not-we have issues and unfortunately they are the same issues year in and year out. Now we will have to scramble to plug huge holes left by Grubbs, Redding,and Zb et all. Why not just pay them what they are worth? I will tell you why-because we are a frugal franchise. Nobody gets the big bucks in Baltimore. We cling to the old payers ttill they drop-Birk another 3 year deal? Ha he doesn't have 3 years. He was talking about retiriing last year. Come on Man! and lets not start with this draft baloney I'm still fuming about drafting 2 TEs back to back which hasn't excately been idealistic and don't get me started on Sergio Kindle-what an awesome pick that was.Why don't we go get Wes Welker-so he is expensive but what a great go to guy for the innacurate Flacco. The fact is marquis players avoid Baltimore because we wont pay marquis $$$ Plain and simple. Everybody ready for another year like the last 5-I hope so-get ready its getting close to scramble time in Baltimore.
[/quote]

We don't sign big money "superstars" because we draft our own. We don't have an unlimited cap number and in case you haven't noticed, Ozzie is really good at making the stopgap signings work. Redding, JJ, Zbi and Nakamura haven't left huge gaps. They've either already been replaced or won't be difficult to replace. Grubbs is a big loss but it's not like the sky is falling.

[wizard1]

[quote name='Blex64' timestamp='1332101163' post='1026871']

I'd refute your points but everyone knows you'll ignore anything anyone tells you.
[/quote]
It doesn't matter if you refute my points-they are mostly rhetorical and stated purely as observational and not meant to offend .

[Blex64]

[quote name='wizard1' timestamp='1332102129' post='1026880']
It doesn't matter if you refute my points-they are mostly rhetorical and stated purely as observational and not meant to offend .
[/quote]

Observational? The only gap we have is at Left Guard. Losing backups doesn't leave a void, and Redding and JJ have talented young players to step up behind them. Between Jones, McPhee, Kruger, and Kindle I'm sure we'll be fine.



Why am I feeding him?

[The Raven]

[quote name='wizard1' timestamp='1332100848' post='1026868']
Like it or not-we have issues and unfortunately they are the same issues year in and year out. Now we will have to scramble to plug huge holes left by Grubbs, Redding,and Zb et all. Why not just pay them what they are worth? I will tell you why-because we are a frugal franchise. Nobody gets the big bucks in Baltimore. We cling to the old payers ttill they drop-Birk another 3 year deal? Ha he doesn't have 3 years. He was talking about retiriing last year. Come on Man! and lets not start with this draft baloney I'm still fuming about drafting 2 TEs back to back which hasn't excately been idealistic and don't get me started on Sergio Kindle-what an awesome pick that was.Why don't we go get Wes Welker-so he is expensive but what a great go to guy for the innacurate Flacco. The fact is marquis players avoid Baltimore because we wont pay marquis $$$ Plain and simple. Everybody ready for another year like the last 5-I hope so-get ready its getting close to scramble time in Baltimore.
[/quote]

Well, to the comment about Birk, I believe the contract is 3 years because it would be a more cap friendly deal.

I'm not gonna bother with the rest of that [i]<deleted>[/i] post. Welcome back. [img]http://content.boards.baltimoreravens.com//public/style_emoticons/default/dry.png[/img]

[jaege]

Feeling, huh?

I feel sorry to see most of these guys go. Although I understand why they made that decision, and why we let them go. Some wanted more opportunity to play, some wanted better money, either of which is an honest and reasonable desire. I wish them all luck in their new positions on their new teams.

[jaege]

[quote name='wizard1' timestamp='1332100848' post='1026868']
Like it or not-we have issues and unfortunately they are the same issues year in and year out. Now we will have to scramble to plug huge holes left by Grubbs, Redding,and Zb et all. Why not just pay them what they are worth? I will tell you why-because we are a frugal franchise. Nobody gets the big bucks in Baltimore. We cling to the old payers ttill they drop-Birk another 3 year deal? Ha he doesn't have 3 years. He was talking about retiriing last year. Come on Man! and lets not start with this draft baloney I'm still fuming about drafting 2 TEs back to back which hasn't excately been idealistic and don't get me started on Sergio Kindle-what an awesome pick that was.Why don't we go get Wes Welker-so he is expensive but what a great go to guy for the innacurate Flacco. The fact is marquis players avoid Baltimore because we wont pay marquis $$$ Plain and simple. Everybody ready for another year like the last 5-I hope so-get ready its getting close to scramble time in Baltimore.
[/quote]


Frugal? Really? We are closer to the cap than most other teams. How is that frugal? Can't spend what we do not have. Where are we supposed to get the money to pay these "marquis" players? You do understand what the cap is right? Can't spend above it.

[Dudeman]

I will say that this year has been quieter than usual in that we haven't signed anyone at all. I also really preferred the draft being before free agency. But oh well, its not a big deal. I think in the end whatever will happen will be because its the only way that it can happen. By that I mean, alls well that ends well.

[redrum52]

Not worried and feeling no way. It's like Ozzie knows what's going to happen, let's the dumb teams over spend while he just does his research. Always makes low key big signings. An example of this was the Redding move, didn't get much attention but I knew he'd do well on the team. We needed a center he got Birk. If the move needs to be made he will make it, other than that its patience. The most recent move I didn't like was the Foxworth signing. I said from the start he was over paid, but for the most part he hits. Could be wrong but didn't we get Cary and Carr in the same trade?

[Dudeman]

[quote name='wizard1' timestamp='1332100848' post='1026868']
Like it or not-we have issues and unfortunately they are the same issues year in and year out. Now we will have to scramble to plug huge holes left by Grubbs, Redding,and Zb et all. Why not just pay them what they are worth? I will tell you why-because we are a frugal franchise. Nobody gets the big bucks in Baltimore. We cling to the old payers ttill they drop-Birk another 3 year deal? Ha he doesn't have 3 years. He was talking about retiriing last year. Come on Man! and lets not start with this draft baloney I'm still fuming about drafting 2 TEs back to back which hasn't excately been idealistic and don't get me started on Sergio Kindle-what an awesome pick that was.Why don't we go get Wes Welker-so he is expensive but what a great go to guy for the innacurate Flacco. The fact is marquis players avoid Baltimore because we wont pay marquis $$$ Plain and simple. Everybody ready for another year like the last 5-I hope so-get ready its getting close to scramble time in Baltimore.
[/quote]


Man there are so many things [i]<I disagree with>. [/i]I really shouldn't be replying to this at all.

But to say we have NO marquis players is completely erroenous. We have Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and soon to be Ray Rice earning MEGA MONEY. We have starters that are about to break into the top 10 pay of their respective positions in Flacco, Webb, Yanda, and maybe Oher as well.

Conversely being close to the cap means we have spent almost all the available budget for players. Make no mistake that we need to sign some of our own free agents as well. If you want to call a franchise frugal then look at the Bengals, all that money under the cap, letting players go, not picking up a "blue chip player" in free agency, and probably drafting all the wrong players should be the definition of frugal.

[i]<Deleted>[/i]

[SuRihtanil]

Personally I am glad we let so many go we have many young guys I want to see take the field. As for signing non ravens from FA I dunno not many great steals out there to be had. I think the Ravens now will do any signing to fill spots after the draft... I am pretty content with the way things are going. I am more looking forward to this years draft than FA! I knew we weren't gonna sign big in the FA not enough cap.

[cbay52]

So no news on McClain signing with the Broncos after his visit three days ago. I'm hoping he stays in Baltimore. During the season he did a great job filling in for Ray and the difference between Ellerbe in the first half and McClain in the second half of the championship game was obvious. The guys talented, young, a fighter, loves the city and is only getting better. Please oh please, Oz, give this man a deal.

Edit: Anyone have any news on him after his trip to the Broncos? I'm not finding anything. Also as I understand it, if another team does make him an offer, Baltimore will have the option to match it in order to keep him? I'm really bad at free agency. My appologies.

[Sizzlebshu]

[quote name='CapoRocky' timestamp='1332093216' post='1026759']

I'd love to watch the Ravens cheerleaders play field hockey..lol.
[/quote]
I'd love them in the LFL

[Radinho84]

i was a little emotional during the week but after thinking a lot about what happened i am not worried at all right now.

all the guys that left (expect of grubbs) where suppused to leave and we wouldn´t have resigned them anyway. grubbs hurts but we can replace him.

we build by the draft and like a lot of guys said before are a team that is already on a high level. we don´t have the space nor do we have the need for big time free agents. we have to sign our own guys. by the start of the season we will be fine and ready for a playoff run the 5th!!!!!!! time in a row....

[Yatagarasu]

I feel like this year, we were on the free agency loser sides since we lost 3 quality starters, and didn't sign anyone worthwhile yet,

However, we can still be on the winning side of free agency if we resign Flacco, Rice, and Webb to long term contracts, which is far better than overpaying anyone like Tampa Bay and Dallas. I'll happily use that 7 million cap to lock those three up and call it a day. However, playing the waiting game sucks because everyone knows the longer you wait the higher the price goes up with the crazy contracts players are landing. Signing Webb to something similar to Carr will be great because I can tell you next year, the top CB are probably going for $11 Millions, I wonder who... Crazy Mike Brown. Flacco's market is all over the place because he's between that tier 1 (Rogers, Rivers, Brees, Manning, Brady) and tier 2 (Schaub, Sanchez, Ryan, Fitzpatrick, Smith). Sanchez really drove up the market with his absurd $13 Million contract. Flacco will get more than Sanchez, but not more than Super Winner Eli Manning. $14.5 Million is good enough and be a down deal. Peyton's contract will not help much cause I can guarantee a team will drop the bank ($20 Million per year). Maybe the 49ers get Manning for a reasonable price ($16 Million), which will help us to lock Flacco in that $14-15 Million range). Rice is going to be long one, but as soon as Forte and McCoy's contracts are done, that will give us the framework. Adrian Peterson's contract is absurd, so is Chris Johnson. Ray Rice wants that type of money, then i say let's just franchise him twice. I wonder if Chris Johnson has another slipup year, will he get cut?

I know that all those massive signing, half of them will be cut after 2 years.


Looks like we have to hit our draft well, which I have faith with Ozzie's recent track record (Post 2008, because the past is past and Ozzie learns from past mistakes: ex Boller)

[rice-ricebaby]

you look at all the teams that usually make alot of FA signings, these are teams that never win anything... as long as we take care of key players and draft well we will be fine, we always seem to find value late in FA as well.............in ozzie we trust

[usmccharles]

[quote name='rice-ricebaby' timestamp='1332166210' post='1027469']you look at all the teams that usually make alot of FA signings, these are teams that never win anything... as long as we take care of key players and draft well we will be fine, we always seem to find value late in FA as well.............in ozzie we trust[/quote]

I normaly would agree with this, but im a littleraly worried. Losing key starters and expecting to fill all those voids with the draft is unsetteling, not saying those draft picks would be busts, but rarely does a rookie make a huge impact rookie year, let alone 3+ rookies. I agree with jim harbaugh about liking how the free agency was after the draft last year. Jugding the offseason is based on what did we do to get better, and i havent seen anything yet that makes us better.

[CapoRocky]

For those who are still complaining about not signing players. Just remember that we still need to sign Webb, McClain, Williams, and Ellerbe and several other players if they don't leave in FA. I don't think we will have any money left over.

[usmccharles]

[quote name='CapoRocky' timestamp='1332168228' post='1027525']For those who are still complaining about not signing players. Just remember that we still need to sign Webb, McClain, Williams, and Ellerbe and several other players if they don't leave in FA. I don't think we will have any money left over.[/quote] I agree, but we havent signed them yet. When i say we havent signed anyone, im not just talking about getting FAs, im talking about bringing back our key guys, webb especially

[CapoRocky]

[quote name='usmccharles' timestamp='1332169352' post='1027549']
I agree, but we havent signed them yet. When i say we havent signed anyone, im not just talking about getting FAs, im talking about bringing back our key guys, webb especially
[/quote]

I agree with you.

[GrimCoconut]

I like our FA so far. Very Ravens FA. We are letting the market set the price for guys like McClain, Flacco, & Webb. It's the right move.

I will be happy if we address LG organically or through FA. I don't want to address it through the draft. If we go FA, Brown & Steinbach are still available I believe. I really wanted McNeil and he hasn't signed anywhere yet. We paid McKinnie's bonus, so it's doubtful we get him. The longer he is out there, the better for us.

[ravensdfan]

I feel like perhaps I should clarify. I am not worried that we did not seek out the big value FAs. I'm not even worried that a lot of our guys went out the door. I'm concerned about the Grubbs situation, mainly because there really is no "next man up" to be had at the moment. Not sure I have a lot of confidence in a rookie G. I might not even be worried at all if we did not have the schedule we have next season. It's a fairly tough one on face value.

What does concern me is that Grubbs dumped us for what amounted to $3 mil and a signing bonus while I read of numerous other teams' players restructuring and offering hometown discounts. Do you know the Steelers did not lose one single person to FA? Now, you can argue that our guys had more value, but...really...no one wanted a single Steeler? Or did they just decide to stay there?

One season does not make it a trend so perhaps it is just coincidental and the nature of this particular FA but it does concern me a bit.

I am excited to see McPhee get more snaps and I do believe Kruger has a lot of potential. For Kindle it is put up or get out IMO. I want to see Doss/Williams get their shot at that #3 position rather than trying to bring in another FA WR even on the cheap unless they are more for ST. We need a G though. And a good one because our O line really suffered without Grubbs.