2013 53 man roster analysis and predictions

[ravensdan]

Sure there is. We didn't sign him to a 2-year deal. That would be more indicative of his security. There's no guarantee he makes the team outside of these three facets:

1. Thompson is suspended
2. Young player throughout the safety corps except Huff.
3. ST play

I mean, you never know who will play out of their mind. If some player plays hard, they can beat out Ihedigbo. There's no guarantee. I'm not saying it will happen. I can't predict that. I'm just not saying the decision is already made.

Well no one is guarantee, but I would say after our marquee players he is the least likely cut and you say outside of those 3 reasons, but they are pretty convincing reasons, along with his solid defensive effort in lieu of pollard down the stretch in addition to his special teams play

Also another name that I wonder if he will be brought back for his special teams contributions is sean considine.

[ravensdan]

OLB:
Terrell Suggs - OLB
Elvis Dumervil - OLB
Courtney Upshaw - OLB/ILB
John Simon - OLB

ILB:
Arthur Brown - ILB
Jameel McClain - ILB
Albert McClellan - ILB
Josh Bynes - ILB

I think we're pretty much set with our LB Corps.

Hall should also be added to this list

[CARavensFan]

Bryan Hall seems to me like another Edgar Jones, where the team just shift him around to fill depth.

 

I would disagree, before he made the move to ILB he was pretty much always a DT. Jones was a guy who could bounce between D-Line and TE, but Hall is having to serioulsy adjust his body-type to move from a 6-0 300lb DT to a 6-0 250-270lb ILB, you can't have that guy shifting between those position all the time.

[Speed Kills]

Sure there is. We didn't sign him to a 2-year deal. That would be more indicative of his security. There's no guarantee he makes the team outside of these three facets: 

 

1. Thompson is suspended

2. Young player throughout the safety corps except Huff.

3. ST play

 

I mean, you never know who will play out of their mind. If some player plays hard, they can beat out Ihedigbo. There's no guarantee. I'm not saying it will happen. I can't predict that. I'm just not saying the decision is already made. 

Even if someone does play out of their mind, the guy started for us and played extremely well for us last year. 0% chance he does not make our roster.

[Yatagarasu]

Not everyone can be a superstar. However guys like Ihedigbo is just as important as a guy like Ray Rice because for his value, he provides depth, veteran presence, and special teams ability, which Harbaugh places high value on.

 

The roster filled with these hard-working and sometimes unappreciated players make the bulk of the NFL and our roster. However, we been depending a lot on our rookies to replace the productions of our departed free agents.

[omar586]

I don't think McClain will make the roster, unfortunately it will b because of his spinal injury,

[omar586]

Ihedigbo is underrated, this guy plays a lot like pollard aka "angry bird", he will b used alot n box.

[Cville-Raven]

Arthur Brown will lead the team in tackles

[Yatagarasu]

Arthur Brown will lead the team in tackles

 

He's in a great position too.

[blitzking33]

I can't wait for this!

 

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/videos/videos/817-Can%E2%80%99t-Miss-Plays-LaQuan-Williams%E2%80%99-Amazing-C/516120fa-f32c-4509-8e71-ddfcd9295268

[Yatagarasu]

I don't think McClain will make the roster, unfortunately it will b because of his spinal injury,

 

He could be an expensive release, but the post-June 1st Cut could help relieve that problem. However, I say let the best ILB start. Jameel McClain played consistently in 2010 and 2011, but 2012 wasn't strong. I assume that if you have a good D-line, then it will make your ILB look better than actuality. Last years' D-line didn't play very well.

[CARavensFan]

He could be an expensive release, but the post-June 1st Cut could help relieve that problem. However, I say let the best ILB start. Jameel McClain played consistently in 2010 and 2011, but 2012 wasn't strong. I assume that if you have a good D-line, then it will make your ILB look better than actuality. Last years' D-line didn't play very well.

 

How many Post-Just 1st designation cuts do we get? For some reason I seem to remember only getting a few (maybe even one) because we already did that when we cut Pollard.

 

Edit: Nevermind I figured it out, in a nutshell designating a player a Post-June 1st cut only moves his porrated bonus to next year's salary cap rather than this year's. So by designating Pollard at Post-June 1st cut any bonuses he was still due would affect next year's cap, thus giving us greater savings for this year.

 

Here's the link I found that helped with this: http://overthecap.com/explaining-the-june-1st-designation/

[RobFuseRaven]

Sure there is. We didn't sign him to a 2-year deal. That would be more indicative of his security. There's no guarantee he makes the team outside of these three facets: 

 

1. Thompson is suspended

2. Young player throughout the safety corps except Huff.

3. ST play

 

I mean, you never know who will play out of their mind. If some player plays hard, they can beat out Ihedigbo. There's no guarantee. I'm not saying it will happen. I can't predict that. I'm just not saying the decision is already made. 

 

While it's not guaranteed he makes the roster, he played really well last year. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, is passionate and a hard hitter. At the very least, he should be a mainstay on specials teams. As evidence by my sig, I am a fan of the way he plays. :P

[PurpleCityLights]

May have to draft another Corner next year l, dont think Web is going to make it throughout the year.

[beanfigger]

May have to draft another Corner next year l, dont think Web is going to make it throughout the year.

 

That would be a huge disappointment.  So you think we'll only get about a year and a half out of him of that 5-year deal?  I desperately hope you're wrong here.

[PurpleCityLights]

That would be a huge disappointment. So you think we'll only get about a year and a half out of him of that 5-year deal? I desperately hope you're wrong here.

Yeah, he still can't even practice at full speed. Its been a whole year so I'm guessing by September nothing will be different.

[rmw10]

Yeah, he still can't even practice at full speed. Its been a whole year so I'm guessing by September nothing will be different.

 

It hasn't been a full year.  He tore his ACL in October.  He was apparently working at OTAs yesterday without hesitation.  Obviously not 100%, but above where he should be.

[The Raven]

Yeah, he still can't even practice at full speed. Its been a whole year so I'm guessing by September nothing will be different.

 

Lmao, so he tears his ACL in October, and because he can't go full speed in May, he won't be able to go full speed in September?

 

Hilarious! Do you think before you post?

[Yatagarasu]

Roster has been updated with the Daryl Smith signing.

 

Looks like if the calculations are correct, we can actually put together a pretty strong roster.

[Moderator 3]

Anyone want to update their picks now that Vonta is gone?

[rmw10]

Anyone want to update their picks now that Vonta is gone?

I keep wanting to do a new one but every time I consider it, someone gets signed or released!

[rmw10]

Since Mod 3 posted, I really wanted to do another one, so here's goes nothing:

 

Quarterback (2):

 

In: Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor

 

Out: Caleb Hanie

 

I just don't see room for 3 QBs on the team with all of the other talent at other positions.  I'm not even convinced that Hanie is that good.  He'll stick around and may push for a spot, but I don't see this being any different than Painter last year.

 

Running Back (4):

 

In: Ray Rice, Bernard Pierce, Anthony Allen, Kyle Juszczyk (FB)

 

Out: Bobby Rainey, Damien Berry

 

I think Allen's ST contributions ultimately lead to him beating out Rainey.  I really like Rainey, but find it hard to justify a spot for a guy that will likely never play, even though he's pretty good.  Because of his size, he can't do general ST duties.  He can do KR/PR, but we already have a plethora of guys who can do that.

 

Wide Receiver (6):

 

In: Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones, Tandon Doss, Deonte Thompson, David Reed, Tommy Streeter

 

Out: Aaron Mellette, LaQuan Williams, Omarius Hines, Gerrard Sheppard, Marcus Rivers, Rashaad Carter, Marlon Brown

 

David Reed earns a spot based on versatility (ST, KR, slot WR) and Tommy Streeter gets a spot based on the different look he gives.  Mellette spends the year on the PS or more likely, "IR."  LaQuan does nothing to stand above any of the other guys so he gets the axe, unfortunately.  Marlon Brown hasn't practiced, so he may head to the IR.

 

Tight End (3):

 

In: Dennis Pitta, Ed Dickson, Billy Bajema

 

Out: Matt Furstenburg, Alex Silvestro

 

I think Bajema has the edge based on his ability to play TE and FB.  However, I think this may be the closest battle of the offseason.  It may not be the most notable, but I think Furst could easily edge out Bajema.  For now though, I'll take the guy with versatility.

 

Offensive Line (9):

 

In: Bryant McKinnie, Kelechi Osemele, Gino Gradkowski, Marshal Yanda, Michael Oher, Jah Reid, AQ Shipley, Ricky Wagner, Ramon Harewood

 

Out: Ryan Jensen, Jack Cornell, Antoine McClain, Rogers Gaines, Joe Unga, Jordan Devey, David Mims, Reggie Stephens

 

No Jensen, what?  Yeah, but I don't think he gets cut.  He's been on the 3rd OL all week at minicamp, while Shipley, Wagner, and Harewood have all been on the 2nd OL.  I think he may be one of those players that we stash for a year, since we don't need 3 Cs on the roster.  I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him beat out Harewood, but for now, Jensen is stashed.

 

Defensive Line (7):

 

In: Haloti Ngata, Arthur Jones, Chris Canty, Brandon Williams, Marcus Spears, Terrence Cody, DeAngelo Tyson

 

Out: Will Pericak, Cody Larsen, Kapron Lewis-Moore (IR)

 

I really like Pericak, but don't think he has too much of a shot with all of our depth.  Cody stays for depth purposes and Tyson has done really well in minicamps so far.  KLM won't be playing this year, but should be a great pick up for 2014 if Arthur Jones ends up leaving.

 

Inside Linebacker (4):

 

In: Daryl Smith, Jameel McClain, Arthur Brown, Josh Bynes

 

Out: Albert McClellan (PUP?), Brandon Copeland, Nigel Carr, Bryan Hall

 

Before you kill me here, I really think that one of McClain, Brown, or McClellan end up on the PUP list to start the year.  Which one?  I have no clue.  It's hard to predict right now, so this is definitely one of those positions that will be ever-changing.  Copeland is also a dark horse to earn a spot.

 

Outside Linebacker (5):

 

In: Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, Courtney Upshaw, Pernell McPhee, John Simon

 

Out: Adrian Hamilton, DJ Bryant, Meshak Williams, Spencer Adkins

 

At OTAs and minicamp, McPhee has been working exclusively at OLB.  He's dropped weight and has been playing fairly well according to reports.  I don't really see too many things that can change at OLB.  Simon will most likely make the roster, but won't get too much playing time this year.

 

Cornerback (6):

 

In: Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, Corey Graham, Chykie Brown, Asa Jackson, Chris Johnson

 

Out: Marc Anthony, Moe Lee

 

The team seems to really like Johnson's leadership qualities, so I'll give him the edge over Anthony right now.  Johnson has apparently gotten a little bit of work at S as well.  Anthony may be another one of those "IR" stashes.  Noticing anything?  I have all 6th and 7th round picks being stashed.  Sounds crazy based on Ozzie's past, but it's my roster prediction, and I do what I want!

 

Safety (4):

 

In: Michael Huff, Matt Elam, James Ihedigbo, Omar Brown

 

Out: Anthony Levine, Gary Walker, Brynden Trawick, Christian Thompson (suspended)

 

Omar Brown and Anthony Levine are pretty interchangeable here.  I think one of the two ends up making the roster, with Gary Walker as a sleeper behind them.  I give the edge to Brown based solely on what I've seen, but Harbaugh has publicly noted his like for Levine, so nothing is forgone.

 

Special Teams (3):

 

In: Justin Tucker, Sam Koch, Morgan Cox

 

Out: None

 

Nothing to note here.

[beanfigger]

Safety (4):

 

In: Michael Huff, Matt Elam, James Ihedigbo, Omar Brown

 

Out: Anthony Levine, Gary Walker, Brynden Trawick, Christian Thompson (suspended)

 

Omar Brown and Anthony Levine are pretty interchangeable here.  I think one of the two ends up making the roster, with Gary Walker as a sleeper behind them.  I give the edge to Brown based solely on what I've seen, but Harbaugh has publicly noted his like for Levine, so nothing is forgone.

 

Great analysis.  That's pretty close to my thoughts, and it is very likely our 53 looks like this.  One question, barring unforeseen injuries, do you think Thompson will push one of our safeties out when he comes back from suspension?  Will he push out someone from another position or will he not get a spot on the 53?  Basically, I'm asking how you would see the 53 playing out if Thompson was not suspended.

[rmw10]

Great analysis. That's pretty close to my thoughts, and it is very likely our 53 looks like this. One question, barring unforeseen injuries, do you think Thompson will push one of our safeties out when he comes back from suspension? Will he push out someone from another position or will he not get a spot on the 53? Basically, I'm asking how you would see the 53 playing out if Thompson was not suspended.

If that were the case, I wouldn't be surprised to see Chris Johnson as the odd man out. It becomes much more feasible to carry 5 CB and 5 S when you have a guy like Huff, who could easily step in and play CB for us.

[arnie_uk]

If upshaw doesn't get his weight under control I could easily see Simon get a lot of snaps because he has all the tools to be one of harbaughs guys. Works hard, in shape, great person by all accounts and harbs rewards that dedication with game time

[BmoreInBmore]

If upshaw doesn't get his weight under control I could easily see Simon get a lot of snaps because he has all the tools to be one of harbaughs guys. Works hard, in shape, great person by all accounts and harbs rewards that dedication with game time

 

No way. Upshaw's biggest knock coming out of college to the Ravens were the questions regarding his ability to transition to a 3-4 outside linebacker role. At Alabama his primary duty was rushing the passer as a result there was very little tape of him in coverage or handling the role of a run defender. He proved a lot of critics wrong last season by stepping in a becoming a force in run defense and holding his own in coverage. Now in his second year I expect to see more growth, as he becomes even more familiar with the playbook and defense. Upshaw's talent was never a question this guy was slated to be picked any where from the middle of the first to the anywhere in the second round.

 

John Simon has way to many question marks, he is a project player who may occasionally get some third down pass rushing looks, but he will be primarily a special teams player. Upshaw has always been a bigger linebacker, but I'm confident our staff and coaches will whip him into shape come training camp. Expect him to be out there on first and second downs for us the majority of the time. We will see a very similar rotation to last years Upshaw Kruger combo, substituting Dumervil for Kruger of course.
 

[arnie_uk]

No way. Upshaw's biggest knock coming out of college to the Ravens were the questions regarding his ability to transition to a 3-4 outside linebacker role. At Alabama his primary duty was rushing the passer as a result there was very little tape of him in coverage or handling the role of a run defender. He proved a lot of critics wrong last season by stepping in a becoming a force in run defense and holding his own in coverage. Now in his second year I expect to see more growth, as he becomes even more familiar with the playbook and defense. Upshaw's talent was never a question this guy was slated to be picked any where from the middle of the first to the anywhere in the second round.
John Simon has way to many question marks, he is a project player who may get some third down pass rushing looks occasionally, but will be primarily a special teams player. Upshaw has always been a bigger linebacker, but I'm confident our staff and coaches will whip him into shape come training camp, and I expect him to be out there on first and second downs for us the majority of the time. Expect to see a very similar rotation to last years Upshaw Kruger combo, substituting Dumervil for Kruger of course.

i do expect that, I never mentioned upshaws abilities for a reason. But if he's overweight hitting the season, harbs won't play him, but will reward the guy behind him working harder.

I didn't say Simon will take his place, but its a huge possibility if he doesn't get his ass in gear.

And Simon and upshaw are very similar coming out, I wouldn't say he's a project at all.

[BmoreInBmore]

i do expect that, I never mentioned upshaws abilities for a reason. But if he's overweight hitting the season, harbs won't play him, but will reward the guy behind him working harder.

I didn't say Simon will take his place, but its a huge possibility if he doesn't get his [profanity deleted] in gear.

And Simon and upshaw are very similar coming out, I wouldn't say he's a project at all.

 

Your lack of faith in my teams trainers, coaches and locker room leaders is disturbing and naïve. Upshaw will be in football shape come training camp. Simon is a project, he won't see very many snaps baring injury to another outside linebacker. Simon has played with his hand in the dirt for his entire college career, this will not be an easy transition for him. He is a rookie who is currently behind Dumervil, Suggs, Upshaw, and Mcphee, no way this guy is stealing snaps from anyone.

[BmoreInBmore]

Though, I do like Simon's potential to develop into a situational pass rusher a few years down the road. I could see him having a similar development to Kruger.

[arnie_uk]

Your lack of faith in my teams trainers, coaches and locker room leaders is disturbing and naïve. Upshaw will be in football shape come training camp. Simon is a project, he won't see very many snaps baring injury to another outside linebacker. Simon has played with his hand in the dirt for his entire college career, this will not be an easy transition for him. He is a rookie who is currently behind Dumervil, Suggs, Upshaw, and Mcphee, no way this guy is stealing snaps from anyone.

in my team? I coukd easily have said the same about you abd flacco. I get the feeling you think your above many here and your opinion is the correct one.

My lack of faith rests purely with Upshaw and what appears to be naivety. A kick up the butt may be what he needs to work hard in the off season