The Necessary Cuts

[Gordo52]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1360013968' post='1345183']
Who do you want the Ravens to part ways with in order to keep under the cap?
[/quote]
I don't have all the numbers I need, plus FA'S/Retirements. I don't know. I don't want to lose anybody even though I know alot of our players won't be back next year.

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='Ravens<3' timestamp='1360014485' post='1345198']
I don't have all the numbers I need, plus FA'S/Retirements. I don't know. I don't want to lose anybody even though I know alot of our players won't be back next year.
[/quote]

I posted all the major FAs on the poll.

[Gordo52]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1360014902' post='1345219']
I posted all the major FAs on the poll.
[/quote]
So it's basically who I don't think will/shouldn't come back next year, not cuts?
Kruger,Cary,Kemo,Bynes,Mckinnie,Ihedigbo

[arnie_uk]

[quote name='Purple_ICE 81' timestamp='1360005118' post='1344925']

How do you know? , its not just him a few NFL network insiders have reported it. La Canfora has said the Ravens may start the offseason over the cap. I really dont care and hope they are all wrong, I just deem them more trust worthy. It seems like every year us fans think the cap situation is better than it really is, and only Ozzie Newsome knows the real situation...like I said in a previous post we will all find out in the state of the Ravens address in a week or 2.
[/quote]because Brian McFarland n russel street report has never been more than a mil or two out, he has sources inside the building for the info not made public, like oher reaching escalators in his deal pushing his cap number to over 5 mil etc.

He's always right and there's about a 20 mil difference between his number and adam s.

[marylandmike12]

please don't ged rid of pitta i just bought a 100 dollar jersey of him

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='Ravens<3' timestamp='1360016290' post='1345273']
So it's basically who I don't think will/shouldn't come back next year, not cuts?
Kruger,Cary,Kemo,Bynes,Mckinnie,Ihedigbo
[/quote]

I agree with your assessment, with the exception of Kruger. I think Bisciotti will have enough money in the piggy bank to retain the young star after cutting the pork.

[CorvusCorax]

Everything falls on Flacco's contract. I can see a nice 6-7 year contract offer being made. Everything fringes on his offer. He certainly deserves that. For some of the notable players:

Cary Williams: Loss - A team will give him a nice offer we can't handle

Ed Reed: We'll make an offer and he'll test the market. Won't be surprised to see him go to another team. It happens.

Paul Kruger: A player we must keep. However, he'll command a lot of money and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a huge payday at another team.

Dannel Ellerbe: Another player we must do what we can to keep. I see Ellerbe staying here in Baltimore

[Gordo52]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1360018515' post='1345339']
I agree with your assessment, with the exception of Kruger. I think Bisciotti will have enough money in the piggy bank to retain the young star after cutting the pork.
[/quote]
I'd love to have him back, just so see how it would be possible.

[Purple_ICE 81]

[quote name='arnie_uk' timestamp='1360017806' post='1345318']
because Brian McFarland n russel street report has never been more than a mil or two out, he has sources inside the building for the info not made public, like oher reaching escalators in his deal pushing his cap number to over 5 mil etc.

He's always right and there's about a 20 mil difference between his number and adam s.
[/quote]
Ohers escalators were on several sites a week or so ago as well as Corey Grahams, and Im a fan of Russell Street Report but I doubt McFarland has inside resources it doesnt say he does anywhere, although he is very intelegent on the subject of salary cap. BUT all I am saying is that maybe Schefter knows something we dont. Im just planning for the worse and according to Adam Schefter...and he has yet to change his statement-the Ravens are 5 million over the cap BEFORE even signing Flacco. I really hope he is wrong and hope the cap will be at $110M...but Schefter is a top insider who talks to team reps and agents all the time...you cant assume he is ultimately wrong and Mcfarland-a fan and unprofessional cap expert is right. I think it is best to just wait and see what Ozzie and company have to say about it, they have the writing on the wall literally haha.

[RayRicefan2720]

[quote name='shootyoup' timestamp='1359960019' post='1343825']
Just putting this out there for discussion, would cutting Suggs or Rice help our cap at all? I DONT want to see Suggs go, but if the FO has reason to believe he won't be the same player, we can't pay him his huge salary. In regards to Rice, I think rb is the most overvalued position as the line does most the work anyways. If cutting Rice meant bringing back Reed, Ellerbe, Flacco, and keeping Boldin, I would do it. Pierce is not the blocker or receiver that Rice is, but he is just as good a runner.
[/quote]

To be honest, I just don't see cutting someone as young as Rice who still has more potential (I believe he does) to bring back Reed (someone who I believe is on the downplay of his career) who will retire within a year or two. Just doesn't make sense to me.

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='RayRicefan2720' timestamp='1360019940' post='1345383']
To be honest, I just don't see cutting someone as young as Rice who still has more potential (I believe he does) to bring back Reed (someone who I believe is on the downplay of his career) who will retire within a year or two. Just doesn't make sense to me.
[/quote]

Reed will be gone regardless.

[PDO]

Lewis is retiring.

Birk will probably retire.

Is there anyway we could restructure Boldin, Suggs, Ngata and Jacoby (thus keeping all of them?) while re-signing Elerbe, Kruger and Reed? And of course Joe....

I don't think that's enough cap space, but I do remember Joe saying he would take more money later in the contract for when the cap is supposed to go up. Suggs should have all kinds of good will built up given they didn't dock him so maybe he'd be open to it to try and win again...

[Footman DCXLV]

I don't want to see anybody cut to sign him. I'm more concerned about who we won't be able to re-sign as a result. The big four are Reed, Kruger, Ellerbe, and Williams. Although I don't think Cary Williams has gotten enough respect for how well he's played, specifically from the second half of the season on, he's the one I'd be most comfortable without, only because we have some depth at the position. Graham was one of the free agent gems that we always seem to find, Jimmy has been getting more involved, Chykie Brown is getting better, and Webb will be coming back next year. If we don't have Cary next year, it shouldn't hurt us as much as some of the other guys.
That leaves Kruger, Ellerbe, and Reed. I think we need to bring Reed back, if at all possible. Losing the leadership of Ray and Ed in the same season might just take us too long to overcome. Ellerbe might be the most underrated guy on this roster. He made the stop that won the Super Bowl for us by getting Frank Gore out of bounds on the five-yard-line when Reed missed him. Especially with Ray not coming back, it would be bad for us to lose another inside linebacker. I think it's more likely that we re-sign Ellerbe than Kruger, just because he'll cost less. But, that's a toss-up, too. He's evolved into a really great pass-rusher, when the only other guy who can consistently get there is coming off multiple injuries. He had 4.5 sacks in the postseason alone.
Maybe a retirement by Birk, or even McKinnie, could free up a little and help us minimize the losses.

[flaccopoe]

It seems like Cary Williams will be among the first players to be let go, due to his brash personality and NE comments.

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='flaccopoe' timestamp='1360131028' post='1347414']
It seems like Cary Williams will be among the first players to be let go, due to his brash personality and NE comments.
[/quote]
He's a bum anyway... Jimmy>>>>> Cary.
Jimmy made the defensive play of the game

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='Mr. Irrelevant' timestamp='1360131630' post='1347421']
He's a bum anyway... Jimmy>>>>> Cary.
Jimmy made the defensive play of the game
[/quote]

I wouldn't go that far! He did contribute to the Super Bowl win!

[Ravenseconbeast]

[quote name='Mr. Irrelevant' timestamp='1360131630' post='1347421']

He's a bum anyway... Jimmy>>>>> Cary.
Jimmy made the defensive play of the game
[/quote]

Cary filled in admirably taking Lardarius Webb's spot #1 spot. Cary was money last season being #2. Jimmy has been made of glass so far. I say making cary into a scapegoat is easy. But after thinking about it, he did what was asked of him, and he has done the job well in the post-season. All you ask of him.

[Ravenseconbeast]

Flaccopoe, you forgot a major player we can actually cut.

Jamael McClain. His been in the dump as soon as he got paid, then got injured. I can see us doing fine w/o him. His playing way too soft and his hand turned into butter.

[Ravenseconbeast]

Also add Bobbie Williams to this list.

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='Ravenseconbeast' timestamp='1360132682' post='1347431']
Flaccopoe, you forgot a major player we can actually cut.

Jamael McClain. His been in the dump as soon as he got paid, then got injured. I can see us doing fine w/o him. His playing way too soft and his hand turned into butter.
[/quote]

Good point! I'd like to see how he can recover from his wounds, however.

[BloodRaven]

A lot of those RFA's are coming back.

[flynismo]

Kind of off topic, but I didnt realize how heartbreaking it was going to be knowing that I'll never see another Ray Lewis dance, or hear him fire up the team. Knew it was going to suck, but man, this hurts.

On topic, let Cary, Kemo and McKinney walk for sure. Then we need to strongly consider J. McClain's future. Hopefully someone can restructure to give us a little breathing room for a year. I also think Birk's time is up.

[Bltravens]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1360136229' post='1347451']
Kind of off topic, but I didnt realize how heartbreaking it was going to be knowing that I'll never see another Ray Lewis dance, or hear him fire up the team. Knew it was going to suck, but man, this hurts.

On topic, let Cary, Kemo and McKinney walk for sure. Then we need to strongly consider J. McClain's future. Hopefully someone can restructure to give us a little breathing room for a year. I also think Birk's time is up.
[/quote]
I'd let McClain walk depending on the cap hit we would take. He was pretty brutal all year and now he's coming off a spinal cord injury. Fill the spot next to Ellerbe with a young undersized, quick ILB with a nose for the ball.

[GrimCoconut]

I forget how much we would save, but it's peanuts if we cut McClain. While I would like to see McClain cut, I just don't think it's a Ravens move. Losing Ray & with Ellerbe a FA & Ellerbe's injury history, it might be a risk. We need ILB & OLB depth in the draft. I can see McClain gone. Same with both Williams', McKinnie, & maybe Birk but he might have some more in the tank.

[flaccopoe]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1360161642' post='1347610']
I forget how much we would save, but it's peanuts if we cut McClain. While I would like to see McClain cut, I just don't think it's a Ravens move. Losing Ray & with Ellerbe a FA & Ellerbe's injury history, it might be a risk. We need ILB & OLB depth in the draft. I can see McClain gone. Same with both Williams', McKinnie, & maybe Birk but he might have some more in the tank.
[/quote]

I'd like to keep McClain too, simply because he's a bargain. If he fails to live up to his role next season, it will be no problem to drop him.

[wayne]

We are keeping Reed......... willing to bet my life savings we will retain Ed Reed!

[HoldingCall]

[quote name='shootyoup' timestamp='1359960019' post='1343825']
Just putting this out there for discussion, would cutting Suggs or Rice help our cap at all? I DONT want to see Suggs go, but if the FO has reason to believe he won't be the same player, we can't pay him his huge salary. In regards to Rice, [b]I think rb is the most overvalued position as the line does most the work anyways.[/b] If cutting Rice meant bringing back Reed, Ellerbe, Flacco, and keeping Boldin, I would do it. Pierce is not the blocker or receiver that Rice is, but he is just as good a runner.
[/quote]

[HoldingCall]

[quote name='shootyoup' timestamp='1359960019' post='1343825']
Just putting this out there for discussion, would cutting Suggs or Rice help our cap at all? I DONT want to see Suggs go, but if the FO has reason to believe he won't be the same player, we can't pay him his huge salary. In regards to Rice, [b]I think rb is the most overvalued position as the line does most the work anyways.[/b] If cutting Rice meant bringing back Reed, Ellerbe, Flacco, and keeping Boldin, I would do it. Pierce is not the blocker or receiver that Rice is, but he is just as good a runner.
[/quote]

The part about the OL applies to everyone in the backfield. Remember how average Joe Flacco looked before the OL got it right? The team does have Bobby Rainey to consider as a Rice replacement but like Pierce, it's a question of durability. There is no doubt the team will need to sacrifice players for a Flacco deal and may pay a price for it. I can see others teams lining up and waiting for the carnage to begin so they can pick up valuable players.

I think the FO will use a tag on Joe and continuing evaluating after other moves are made to see if and how he maintains.

[HoldingCall]

[quote name='HaX' timestamp='1359960208' post='1343833']
I don't think we'll get rid of pitta
[/quote]

Flacco is not the same quality QB without Pitta and Bolden.

[jaege]

[quote name='Purple_ICE 81' timestamp='1359995928' post='1344593']
Theres no way. Adam Schefter reported we are already over the cap. So if we wanted to franchise Flacco @ $15M we would have to clear out 18M or so depending on how far we are over the cap limit BEFORE we could even sign him. We might lose Boldin, we might lose Ngata or Suggs, and its going to be hard to retain Reed, Kruger, Ellerbe, and those others we have. Its gonna be a rough offseason.
[/quote]


But Joe's agent said that they were willing to be as cap friendly as possible, maybe taking 8 mill this year and letting the amount escalate in later seasons.


If I had my choice, trying to keep to some level of realism and sticking to your list, I would want to keep Pitta, Boldin, Ellerbe and Kruger (although I doubt we can keep Kruger) and Jacoby Jones. I would hate seeing Reed in another uniform but I think he is going to want too much money.