Kruger's best game of his career

[XxSizzleXx]

[quote name='Gashman' timestamp='1352848689' post='1218482']
Kruger has started to step up, but the way he wears his shirt has to be.some kind of.man card violation.
[/quote]

Why? Looks like a jersey tuck so he can't be grabbed onto.

[i82much]

Just wanted to bump this. Seemed like Kruger had a pretty good game last night, no? Hard to tell since I watched the first half in a bar without sound (and maybe a little distracted by a cute waitress or two) but wanted to see what everybody else thought.

[H8R]

He played very well, and he was a split second away on multiple plays, he could have had a Suggs-esqe performance against Pittsburgh.

[jdynamite]

Kruger has put together back to back Good games. I hope he continues this solid play.

Also upshaw has also been playing well.

[jdynamite]

Kruger still needs to play better against the Run. McClellan did much better job on run stopping situations last night.

[RavensAllTheWay]

I was happy to see him give Mike Adams fits...

[beasy2487]

[quote name='jdynamite' timestamp='1353344162' post='1226049']
Kruger still needs to play better against the Run. McClellan did much better job on run stopping situations last night.
[/quote]

Yea, Kruger is a great speed rusher and he's learning moves to beat linemen but I just don't see him becoming a solid edge setter this year. The just doesn't have the upper body strength right now to set the edge and shed his block. He can do one or the other but against speedy backs he gets beat fairly often. You'll see him back the choice on each play--he'll either stand up the O-lineman/TE to set the edge or try to shoot the gap but faster backs either cut inside when he sets the edge or outside when he shoots the gap... he needs to watch JJ's old film religiously all offseason to figure out a better way to use his size. When he pins his ears back though... watch out.

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='RavensAllTheWay' timestamp='1353344446' post='1226054']
I was happy to see him give Mike Adams fits...
[/quote][quote name='RavensAllTheWay' timestamp='1353344446' post='1226054']
I was happy to see him give Mike Adams fits...
[/quote]
Adams is a bust in my eyes...... Kruger could have his way with him

[GrimCoconut]

Kruger has been playing better but I am still not sold on him. I think he's been improving, though. Definitely willing to give him more time but I am doubtful he returns next year. Not sure he has earned an extension yet, or at least not one worth a lot of money.

[ravensfan160]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1353347761' post='1226122']
Kruger has been playing better but I am still not sold on him. I think he's been improving, though. Definitely willing to give him more time but[b] I am doubtful he returns next year[/b]. Not sure he has earned an extension yet, or at least not one worth a lot of money.
[/quote]
I've been saying that for over a year. There is no way he comes back. Heading into this year a few things could happen.

1) He plays lights out replacing Suggs and earns a huge contract we could not match...Gone

2) He plays okay as a 3rd down pass rusher but doesn't solidify a starting job and goes elsewhere where he can start...Gone

3) He plays terrible and the feeling is mutual that he should move on.


To me he is playing somewhere between #1 and #2. I still don't think he can be a starter on this defense. He is too poor against the run. I see Kruger getting a nice contract from a team that runs a true 4-3 defense. Him on the opposite side of Jared Allen would be beastly IMO.

[757RavensFan]

If he wouldn't have missed on that second sack when he took the wrong angle on Byron, he probably would have gotten the game ball. If he sacks him then, that game is over.

[izvoodoo]

[quote name='ravensfan160' timestamp='1353358908' post='1226325']
I've been saying that for over a year. There is no way he comes back. Heading into this year a few things could happen.

1) He plays lights out replacing Suggs and earns a huge contract we could not match...Gone

2) He plays okay as a 3rd down pass rusher but doesn't solidify a starting job and goes elsewhere where he can start...Gone

3) He plays terrible and the feeling is mutual that he should move on.


To me he is playing somewhere between #1 and #2. I still don't think he can be a starter on this defense. He is too poor against the run. I see Kruger getting a nice contract from a team that runs a true 4-3 defense. Him on the opposite side of Jared Allen would be beastly IMO.
[/quote]
He's probably going to be signed by a 3-4 team simply because he know the system.

[DocMartin]

A lot of fans, me included, were down on Kruger this season, but in last 2 weeks he really showed a lot of improvement. He always plays good against Steelers and last night he was OUTSTANDING. Keep it up Paul, we need you!

[Hardbaugh]

Kruger looks like he is getting more comfortable. He destroyed Adams last night. I felt there were a few holds that weren't called as well.

[Gordo52]

The last 3 weeks he's looked like a new player. I was really impressed with him last night

[hawkprey]

[quote name='ravensfan160' timestamp='1353358908' post='1226325']
I've been saying that for over a year. There is no way he comes back. Heading into this year a few things could happen.

1) He plays lights out replacing Suggs and earns a huge contract we could not match...Gone

2) He plays okay as a 3rd down pass rusher but doesn't solidify a starting job and goes elsewhere where he can start...Gone

3) He plays terrible and the feeling is mutual that he should move on.


To me he is playing somewhere between #1 and #2. I still don't think he can be a starter on this defense. He is too poor against the run. I see Kruger getting a nice contract from a team that runs a true 4-3 defense. Him on the opposite side of Jared Allen would be beastly IMO.
[/quote] We are not getting rid of Kruger. The FO will pay him, even if money is tight. They might have to clear out some contracts for next year, but a young, emerging player at a position of need will not be one of them. Even if Upshaw is the future at OLB, I have a hard time seeing the office let him go.

[Ravensfan23]

The Ravens don't have a Von Miller & Elvis Dummervile or Harrison & Woodley type situations where 2it's guys will take 95%the of the snaps at OLB. So a guy like Kurger won't be a let go. Kurger is basically a starter regardless of what the depth chart says, because they use a rotation.

I told people early on that while this Defense probably wont be top 10 this year, but those young guys would improve as the season wore on. Most of these young guys are seeing sufficient playing time for the first time this year. So they are learning on the fly.

Kurger is one of those guys. He is showing the signs of putting it all together. There was a point in that game where the Steelers had 3 guys blocking Kurger, because he beat a double team to get to Leftwhich. So that's great for Kruger's confidence I think.

[GrimCoconut]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1353364940' post='1226568']
The Ravens don't have a Von Miller & Elvis Dummervile or Harrison & Woodley type situations where 2it's guys will take 95%the of the snaps at OLB. So a guy like Kurger won't be a let go. Kurger is basically a starter regardless of what the depth chart says, because they use a rotation.

I told people early on that while this Defense probably wont be top 10 this year, but those young guys would improve as the season wore on. Most of these young guys are seeing sufficient playing time for the first time this year. So they are learning on the fly.

Kurger is one of those guys. He is showing the signs of putting it all together. There was a point in that game where the Steelers had 3 guys blocking Kurger, because he beat a double team to get to Leftwhich. So that's great for Kruger's confidence I think.
[/quote]
I think Kruger's playing at a high level and I have confidence he can get better. The reason I'm not sure if he returns is due to consistency and also Flacco & Ed Reed & Cary Williams & Michael Oher & all the other holes we have. It's a very 50/50 thing.


Personally, if we can afford him I want him back. Then again, who do we lose to retain him? With all of Reed's problems this year, I would take him back before Kruger. I know nobody knows what will happen with Reed, whether he retires, returns, goes to another team, etc. The same can be said about Lewis except Lewis either returns or retires.

I just don't see it working financially.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1353365719' post='1226598']

I think Kruger's playing at a high level and I have confidence he can get better. The reason I'm not sure if he returns is due to consistency and also Flacco & Ed Reed & Cary Williams & Michael Oher & all the other holes we have. It's a very 50/50 thing.


Personally, if we can afford him I want him back. Then again, who do we lose to retain him? With all of Reed's problems this year, I would take him back before Kruger. I know nobody knows what will happen with Reed, whether he retires, returns, goes to another team, etc. The same can be said about Lewis except Lewis either returns or retires.

I just don't see it working financially.
[/quote]

I don't see Kruger getting big money. But i could see him getting a nice contract to stay. Oher will get a fair contract, but not elite tackle money. Birk, Williams and Mckinnie will all be gone next year and their successors are seemingly on the roster. So the money freed up with them will be more then enough to extend Oher imo. Remember he's not a FA until '14. So no real pressure to get it done

There are only 5 guys up UFA that i feel will be taken care of, or at least be top priorities. Joe, Ed, Cary Kurger and Ellerbe. Ellerbe will be taken care of, because much like McClain, their wont be much of a market for him imo.

Kurger falls into the same category imo. There won't be a huge market for him, but if he feels like Nakamura and just wants to start, he'll probably walk. But i don't see it. He'll be given a decent deal and stay.

Cary is really the wild card imo, because the guy is seemingly getting better each game and with the injuries surrounding the secondary, his gamble with the FO seems to be paying off for him. I can see Cary getting a nice contract.

I put Ray and Ed in the same book, much like you. First let me say, Ray will return this year, but i feel when the Ravens win the SB this year, both guys will walk away. I feel both guys are still playing for that ring and for Ed, what better story then to win the big one in your hometown.

Of course Joe will be taken care of. I just dont see Kruger leaving.

[GrimCoconut]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1353372401' post='1226706']


I don't see Kruger getting big money. But i could see him getting a nice contract to stay. Oher will get a fair contract, but not elite tackle money. Birk, Williams and Mckinnie will all be gone next year and their successors are seemingly on the roster. So the money freed up with them will be more then enough to extend Oher imo. Remember he's not a FA until '14. So no real pressure to get it done

There are only 5 guys up UFA that i feel will be taken care of, or at least be top priorities. Joe, Ed, Cary Kurger and Ellerbe. Ellerbe will be taken care of, because much like McClain, their wont be much of a market for him imo.

Kurger falls into the same category imo. There won't be a huge market for him, but if he feels like Nakamura and just wants to start, he'll probably walk. But i don't see it. He'll be given a decent deal and stay.

Cary is really the wild card imo, because the guy is seemingly getting better each game and with the injuries surrounding the secondary, his gamble with the FO seems to be paying off for him. I can see Cary getting a nice contract.

I put Ray and Ed in the same book, much like you. First let me say, Ray will return this year, but i feel when the Ravens win the SB this year, both guys will walk away. I feel both guys are still playing for that ring and for Ed, what better story then to win the big one in your hometown.

Of course Joe will be taken care of. I just dont see Kruger leaving.
[/quote]
I agree with your list of The Big 5. I also took into account the fact that those big OL contracts could/probably will be gone next year. Even then, I am deeply concerned with our ability to retain all these players. But remember that we have quite a few RFAs next year, and those tenders (whatever they may be) will affect our cap.

Where's Brian McFarland (not sure if I spelled that right) when we need him? I'm really curious as to what our cap looks like next year.

Also, what do you propose for Reed? I believe the Ravens have a legit shot, a very good one, to win this year. With that said, it's the NFL. What will we do if we don't? I can't see Reed walking. I see us pulling a Ray Lewis. Let the market price him and go from there.

[Gordo52]

I'd love to resign him. I dont think we'll be able to though

[TehRaginRaven]

I think he did very good against oakland this guy is becoming a true defensive weapon

[Ravensfan23]

. [quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1353372703' post='1226707']

I agree with your list of The Big 5. I also took into account the fact that those big OL contracts could/probably will be gone next year. Even then, I am deeply concerned with our ability to retain all these players. But remember that we have quite a few RFAs next year, and those tenders (whatever they may be) will affect our cap.

Where's Brian McFarland (not sure if I spelled that right) when we need him? I'm really curious as to what our cap looks like next year.

Also, what do you propose for Reed? I believe the Ravens have a legit shot, a very good one, to win this year. With that said, it's the NFL. What will we do if we don't? I can't see Reed walking. I see us pulling a Ray Lewis. Let the market price him and go from there.
[/quote]

I agree with you. It's hard to see Ed not being here unless he just walks away. I can't see Ed getting big money, from anyone and just like you said the Ravens will allow the market to humble him. So if there is no ring, Ed will be backm but at a lower number then he's even playing at right now.

Right now this is a young team and i see them getting even younger. As much as i hate to say it or see it, Boldin might be gone, especially if they get that Super Bowl win. Boldin carries the offense a lot, so i know why you might disagree here. However, I think regardless of how the season turns out, Cam will be replaced. I feel the Ravens will probably promote Caldwell, to keep that familiarity with the personnel. This will put things into Flacco's hands more, but more importantly, the offense will be about mismatches more then Cam's offense is. Because of this, guys like Jones, Doss and LQW will actually have a role, plus the TEs wkll be used more.

So i said all that to say, that Ray, Ed, Boldin, Birk, Williams and McKinne, will probably all be gone
imo. Not sure how much money that is, but i definitely see this team getting younger, and a guy like Kurger will be a good part of that imo

[ravensfan160]

[quote name='hawkprey' timestamp='1353361762' post='1226462']
We are not getting rid of Kruger. The FO will pay him, even if money is tight. They might have to clear out some contracts for next year, but a young, emerging player at a position of need will not be one of them. Even if Upshaw is the future at OLB, I have a hard time seeing the office let him go.
[/quote]
Kruger is playing well now but as dominant as he was against the Steelers he still came off the field quite a bit.

That said he is a young pass rusher and those guys get paid. Did you see what Mark Anderson got from the Bills? We've got to give Joe a $10 million raise. I don't see us affording it.

I wish I am wrong. I've been a fan of Kruger since his days at Utah. Hopefully he will be here a long time I am just being realistic.

[GrimCoconut]

[quote name='ravensfan160' timestamp='1353381949' post='1226894']
Kruger is playing well now but as dominant as he was against the Steelers he still came off the field quite a bit.

That said he is a young pass rusher and those guys get paid. Did you see what Mark Anderson got from the Bills? We've got to give Joe a $10 million raise. I don't see us affording it.

I wish I am wrong. I've been a fan of Kruger since his days at Utah. Hopefully he will be here a long time I am just being realistic.
[/quote]
Anderson got 19.5 million with 8 million guaranteed. That averages to be 4.875. That's not that bad, really. Our own JJ got 19 million with 10 million guaranteed. Then again, JJ isn't a true pass rusher and he also is older and that was last year's price, not this year's so it's bound to increase. Right now I can see him asking between 5-6 milion. I think people need to ask themselves if we think we can afford Kruger, Cary Williams, Flacco, Ed Reed as well as our tenders for our RFAs and any other unrestricted free agents we may want to acquire in addition to our draft class. I think I remember someone saying the franchise tag for the QB is $17 million? If we're currently $15 million under the cap for 2013, that means we'll be short $2 million if we had to tag Flacco, or am I mistaken here?

[BloodRaven]

I don't see us keeping him regardless of the the season he has, either he'll revert back to playing like crap and we move on with Upshaw or he'll continue as he is and place himself out of our price range.

[jdynamite]

[quote name='ravensfan160' timestamp='1353358908' post='1226325']

I've been saying that for over a year. There is no way he comes back. Heading into this year a few things could happen.

1) He plays lights out replacing Suggs and earns a huge contract we could not match...Gone

2) He plays okay as a 3rd down pass rusher but doesn't solidify a starting job and goes elsewhere where he can start...Gone

3) He plays terrible and the feeling is mutual that he should move on.


To me he is playing somewhere between #1 and #2. I still don't think he can be a starter on this defense. He is too poor against the run. I see Kruger getting a nice contract from a team that runs a true 4-3 defense. Him on the opposite side of Jared Allen would be beastly IMO.
[/quote]

Kruger isn't even better than Brian Robison to start opposite of Jared Allen if he were to go to the Vikings...

[D_UP]

Kruger played well lastnight. The pressure he was getting was great, his get off as well.

[Ravensfan23]

My whole thing with Kruger is, the Ravens put a lot of time and energy in developing him. They have been searching for that player that can rush opposite Suggs for years, and Kruger is proving to be that guy. Stud? Not by a long shot, but if the last couple weeks are any indication and that stretch of 4 straight games with a sack last season are any indications, he's good enough to command a presence out there on a pass rush basis.

Suggs, Ngata, nor McPhee are 100% right now. I would only imagine how much better Kruger would be, if he's able to defeat 1 on 1 consistently with those guys getting healthy. Kruger was a hair away from a 4 sack performance against the Steelers. I don't care if Adams is a rookie or not, that's impressive.

Also consider the fact that, over the last 2-3 games, the secondary has been playing a lot more press man coverage, instead of that soft zone. If they can continue to play that aggressive style and limit the free releases off the LOS, throwing off the timing of routes, that would lead to more opportunities to get to the QB.

Paul Kruger has double digit sack potential and the Ravens have been looking for that guy to pair with Suggs for a long time. I don't see them just letting him walk now that they've developed that guy.

Remember, Ozzie always talks about never having enough pass rush and Corners. Unless Kruger walks for more money, I don't see him leaving.

[beasy2487]

To be fair, regarding the debate, there are plenty games left to be played for Kruger to prove whether or not he deserves a new contract.