The Young Guns

[SecretAgentMan]

This will be the first of two threads I will make today...

I want to start off and say, I fully support the youth movment. Simply because most of our young talented HAS WON A SB, and has experience in the playoffs. Something most young teams don't have a lot of. This gives us an advantage over most of the NFL teams. Plus, a younger team could lead to a dynasty.

The youth movement is a high risk high reward. It could give us a team that could be contenders year in and year out, or we could crash and burn into the ground. Which is why I like it.

Flacco is the most sucessful young QB of his era. He led his team to a SB in his fifth year. As long as he, and Rice/Pierce are here. We are playoff contenders (so quit whining lol).

We have a young offense, and it's prob the best in the NFL. A great Trio in
Flacco
Rice
Torrey.
The average age of those three is 25 years old. Very young trio.

Depth at WR is also good. Very good actually. I still see us taking a WR in the draft this year.

The Defense is a question mark.
Suggs/Canty are the oldest players there at 30 years old.... That says something.....


The honest truth is... That D has a very bright future...

Upshaw is going to be a great LB. He showed promise last year.
Art Jones is a beast 3-4 end
Webb is established
McPhee might develop behind Canty.

And if Jimmy Smith pans out.... That's going to be scary.

Thomphson is a question mark, but I like his potential.
SS is a need. No doubt.

So, what we have is a very young team. But, it's very talented. The rewards could be immense. The youth movement=better long term future. Which is what Ozzie is aiming for lol. I hate letting fan favorites go. But if it is for the better of the team (cept Pollard. That's still questionable), then I am for it.

Go Ravens
~Irr

[tonyg6996]

Agreed, except I would add that our biggest hole is MLB. I mean we have McClain (who is injured) and then... who exactly?

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='tonyg6996' timestamp='1363219070' post='1394761']
Agreed, except I would add that our biggest hole is MLB. I mean we have McClain (who is injured) and then... who exactly?
[/quote]
I'll get back to you after the draft. We will most likely take a MLB

[Juviebest]

[quote name='Mr. Irrelevant' timestamp='1363219130' post='1394766']

I'll get back to you after the draft. We will most likely take a MLB
[/quote]

I like the thought of putting Upshaw there if we end up with another OLB.

[funky141]

The defense is a big question mark now with the release of Pollard and possibility of Reed going somewhere else as well.
Too many big contributors that have left Baltimore will make it very hard for the 2013 Ravens defense to be stellar.

But that's why you play the games and will see how this off-season pans out. It no secret that its going to be tough for the Ravens to repeat for sure.

[Sunday QB]

I think that there is some great talent to be signed for a bargin. (look at Canty). There are several good fits for this team. The Ravens will find them. We will make good draft picks to.

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='Sunday QB' timestamp='1363219789' post='1394793']
I think that there is some great talent to be signed for a bargin. (look at Canty). There are several good fits for this team. The Ravens will find them. We will make good draft picks to.
[/quote]
Exactly

[Ravenslifer]

I just wish we could somehow get our hands on a few more draft picks, move around the boards and take some impact players. Outside of Boldin and Pollard, there's not a single thing that's happened this offseason that should come as a shock to anyone. We knew Ray and Birk would be gone after the Superbowl, we knew Kruger was going to get paid in FA, we knew there was a good chance Ellerbe would be gone as well. We needed new blood at the ILB position anyway, Kruger is a one dimensional player and would have been overpaid if we'd kept him. And as far as Ed goes, my 4th favorite Raven of all time (after Peter, JO, and Ray), but the man is going on 35 years old - how long does anyone realistically expect him to play, and more importantly, how long can we expect him to play at a high level?

[i bleed purple 52]

I agree fully yes its hard losing players we love but we must retool n reload Ozzie will keep us competitive

[admartian]

I get the whole getting young thing. But it's 50/50 in terms of it working out. If it doesn't; he's going to be questioned for years. IF it does; then Oz looks like a genius (again!). . I sure hope so.

[BloodRaven]

[quote name='tonyg6996' timestamp='1363219070' post='1394761']
Agreed, except I would add that our biggest hole is MLB. I mean we have McClain (who is injured) and then... who exactly?
[/quote]

Josh Bynes, the guy is a downhill force between the tackles, physically and mentally his game is like Bart Scott but with great intangibles.

We've shown we can plug in undrafted linebackers and get good production, if we really shore up the dline the transition for our new starters will be even easier.

[Cville-Raven]

Don't forget about KO and yanda beasting in the interior

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='Cville-Raven' timestamp='1363224415' post='1395051']
Don't forget about KO and yanda beasting in the interior
[/quote]
True, very true.

[GrimCoconut]

Here's my take on this, and it's my best way of rationalizing this whole thing:

As far as I know, we have never drafted an ILB in the 1st round since Ray. We have brought a bunch of guys here as UDFAs, late-round additions, etc. I think the highest LBs we drafted after Ray was Cody & Gooden? Someone can correct me here. My point is, Ray walked onto the field the first day after he became a Raven and led this football team. It's hard to lead a football team when there are various veterans vying for the title of leader. Nobody would take the title of leader with Ray here. With Ray gone, who is the leader? Do we have a fractured team? Is this the reason why Boldin, Pollard, and even possibly Ed Reed are gone/will go is to unify the leadership of the football team? I don't know.

I feel like right now, if we draft a MLB high like in the 1st round, someone such as Arthur Brown or even Manti Te'o, that they can lead this football team. Ray is gone. Pollard is gone. Boldin is gone. Reed may be gone. Suggs is here. Ngata is not the vocal leader like those other guys were, so I don't count him. Look at Canty, who seems to be that type of leader.

What I am saying is, I feel like a MLB will come here and will lead this football team--this defense--like Ray before him. That may be why we never took another Mike high. It may be why we are allowing players to go & cutting some others.

[Cville-Raven]

Ozzie has been on a roll in the second round, can't wait to see who he takes there.

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='Cville-Raven' timestamp='1363226046' post='1395123']
Ozzie has been on a roll in the second round, can't wait to see who he takes there.
[/quote]
Same here

[Alexir]

[u]Young Guns I will be watching in Camp/Pre-Season[/u]
1. Josh Bynes/Albert McClellan- Let's see who wins out the MLB spot (not including draft pick (s))
2. Gino Gradkowski- He needs to win this job out of training camp, we depend on it.
3. Deonte/Tandon/David/Laquan-ONE of them needs to come on the field as a 3rd receiver when we don't have both Dennis and Ed out there.
4. Jimmy Smith-Bro, you look sharp in the red zone vs 49ers, claim your damn spot and stay healthy.
5. Omar/Christian/Emmanuel-Safety dance!


That's about it! I don't expect anything from Harewood, he is a depth guy to me. Asa and Chykie don't necessarily need to prove anything if Webb, Graham and Smith play at a high level. The other guys we need to see something from. Bernard Pierce has won me over already. I guess I could say I wanna see what Tyson can bring?