The next playmaker?

[Ravenseconbeast]

Simply put we haven't had one past few years.    A role player? yes, A blue chip player?? yes, a good, but not great ? Yes.    But no 'Play-maker'

 

We've had whole bunch of 'blue chip role players' throughout the draft past 5 years.  But non with a recognizable household name outside of b-more.   Where is our play making pro-bowler?  A guy that completely surprises us and takes away the game?

 

I think its about time we see another 'play-maker'.  Someone that will be a household name for years to come.  A surprise pick that exceeds expectation & be a immediate starting pro-bowl candidate.   

Whose going to surprise us this year?  The last 'great' one was Ngata.  We need someone to step up and be that guy.

 

Matt Elam with +80 tackles and 7 picks?  Arthur Jones with +130 tackles this season?   Brandon Williams that gets 2 men every play and 7 sacks?  Dave Simon with solid +50 tackles and 5 sacks?  Juice with 500 yards, 5 TDs and a probowl FB?

 

GET IT DONE 2013 draft!  RAVENS LETS ROLL!  HIGH EXPECTATIONS BABY

[CARavensFan]

Joe Flacco and Ray Rice have something to say about Ngata being the "last" great one...

 

We know Flacco hasn't been to a Pro Bowl because its too much fun to hate on him, but Rice has been in the conversation as a Top 5 RB for the last few years at least.

[GrimCoconut]

Maybe I'm alone here, but I think it was/is Lardarius Webb.

[GrimCoconut]

Joe Flacco and Ray Rice have something to say about Ngata being the "last" great one...

 

We know Flacco hasn't been to a Pro Bowl because its too much fun to hate on him, but Rice has been in the conversation as a Top 5 RB for the last few years at least.

Yep, them too. If we're talking about since Ngata was drafted. 

 

You can even put Torrey Smith on the list. 

[Ravenseconbeast]

Alot of blue chip players thorough out the draft, but not a great one.  No one that you can claim "Yeah, this guy is the best of the best"

 

I want to see that kind of player step out @ this year's draft.

[itsteekay]

ME :229031_cheer:

[RobFuseRaven]

Torrey Smith, Lardarius Webb. I'd even say Bernard Pierce is a playmaker. In his rookie season he did a lot of good stuff. Kruger and Ellerbe became playmakers. Ellerbe wasn't drafted, but still. I'll add Dennis Pitta too. There were many times that he bailed Joe out of situations with clutch catches.

[Ravenseconbeast]

Torrey Smith, Lardarius Webb. I'd even say Bernard Pierce is a playmaker. In his rookie season he did a lot of good stuff. Kruger and Ellerbe became playmakers. Ellerbe wasn't drafted, but still. I'll add Dennis Pitta too. There were many times that he bailed Joe out of situations with clutch catches.

+1 you.  You're right.  Maybe they'll be the best.

 

-1 for me failing a thread.  *sadface*  

[ravensdan]

I agree. Its flacco rice and webb. All 3 will be pro bowles this year. Also possibly ko.

[The Beak]

IMHO Jacoby wasn't to shabby last year as well especially in the playoffs !!!!!

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

Since Ngata???

Flacco, Rice, Yanda, Webb that in my opinion have already attained that status around the league as top guys at their position.

Torrey and Pitta need to take another step in order to be in that conversation but based on their progress I think they are both well on their way.

And based on potential I think Upshaw, Pierce, and KO all 3 can be in that category from last years draft.

I think its actually a harder task to find a draft where we HAVENT produced a "playmaker," at least by my definition of the word. But maybe thats where the argument is fuzzy...

[usmccharles]

easily would have to be webb.  He was amazing on special teams, almost won us the playoff game against pitsburg with his punt return td that got called back.  No telling what would of happened if he didnt get injured this year. 

[Gordo52]

Webb,T. Smith,Rice, J. Jones all instantly come to mind.

I think Elam and Brown will both be big playmakers. Dumervil as well.

[1/28/01]

Yanda a play maker? Hahahahahaha!

[CARavensFan]

Yanda a play maker? Hahahahahaha!

 

He makes plays happen in the trenches so guys like Jow and Rice can make the big splash plays that make SportsCenter.

[1/28/01]

He makes plays happen in the trenches so guys like Jow and Rice can make the big splash plays that make SportsCenter.

Just to clarify myself and so no one else confuses it here, Yanda is a beast but not a play maker.

[CapoRocky]

On offense, I see Torrey stepping up to be that guy.  On defense, the combination of Suggs and Dumervil will drive QBs crazy.

[Fred Sanford]

Joe Thomas - Generally considered best O-lineman in game.

Adrian Peterson - Generally considered best running back in game.

Calvin Johnson - Generally considered best wide receiver in game.

JJ Watt - Generally considered best d-lineman in game.

Darrelle Revis - Generally considered best DB in game.

Rob Gronkowski/Jimmy Graham/Tony Gonzales - 3 way tie for best TE in game.

Patrick Willis - Generally considered best ILB in game.

DeMarcus Ware - Generally considered best OLB in game.

 

This list of 'play-makers' combined Super Bowl wins: 0

 

Silly thread with several flawed premises.

[flynismo]

 

 

-1 for me failing a thread.  *sadface*  

 

lol for negging yourself!

At least ya can admit a mistake though

[Tyler]

If we are talking about the next "star" to develop on the team, I'm going with someone who never touches the ball, KO. He has multi-pro bowl potential as a left guard and as a rookie, he was a versitile anchor on both sides of the in every game. Call me crazy, but I think him and Yanda will be the 2 best guards In the league very soon.

[Yatagarasu]

Next Playmaker on Offense: 

 

Kelechi Osemele - With McKinnie back, then that would put Kelechi in the driver seat at LG, where he has shown to be an All-Pro like player. I wouldn't be surprised to see both Osmele and Yanda lead the way for our running game and stout against some of the most formidable pass rushers to the point that both get recognized in the Pro-Bowl.

 

Dark Horse on Offense:

 

Ed Dickson - Ed Dickson has been somewhat inconsistent throughout his three years here. It's now year four and the stage is set for him to make most of his opportunity with Anquan Boldin gone. Ed Dickson has shown some production, but needs more to prove his worth. I remember that Caldwell likes to use more double TE sets, which gives Dickson a perfect opportunity to be the third option after Pitta and Smith.

 

Next Playmaker on Defense: 

 

Matt Elam - Elam is already settled in and look to be in for a monster year even though he's a rookie. The Ravens drafted and will tailor the strong safety spot for Elam to excel. It's very encouraging that Elam has already picked up the playbook and was already helping other players to get to their places in rookie minicamp. I wouldn't be surprise if he contest for not only a Pro-Bowl berth, but also Defensive Rookie of the Year.

 

Dark Horse on Defense:

 

Brandon Williams - Williams comes with a blue collar mentality and isn't afraid to get down and dirty. The Nose Tackle spot is a glamorous position, but with Williams tough-minded attitude, he might be a key part that frees up our other players to be playmakers.

[Free Agent]

I just want to know who Dave Simon is.

[CARavensFan]

I just want to know who Dave Simon is.

 

He's the next Leon Sandcastle!!

[Free Agent]

He's the next Leon Sandcastle!!

 

In that case, more power to him.

[BallHawker]

Sam Koch.

[The Raven]

Just to clarify myself and so no one else confuses it here, Yanda is a beast but not a play maker.

 

Yeah, I think it's well established that I'm Yanda's biggest fan boy here, but by no means is he a playmaker. At least he's not a playmaker in the conventional sense. 

[RobFuseRaven]

Sam Koch.

 

Legit. At the end of the Super Bowl with him running back and fourth in the end zone, that was some serious playmaker mentality.

[NaveSenrag]

Legit. At the end of the Super Bowl with him running back and fourth in the end zone, that was some serious playmaker mentality.

It wasn't all about Koch, though. His blockers put in effort, too. It takes a serious playmaker mentality to hold 11 people without getting called even once.

[Yatagarasu]

It wasn't all about Koch, though. His blockers put in effort, too. It takes a serious playmaker mentality to hold 11 people without getting called even once.

 

More like the blockers hold pretty well.

 

It was a calculated decision since holding in the endzone is a safety anyways. Our team used everything including penalties to win the game. That's the difference between a winning or losing the Super Bowl.

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

Just to clarify myself and so no one else confuses it here, Yanda is a beast but not a play maker.

Alot of blue chip players thorough out the draft, but not a great one. No one that you can claim "Yeah, this guy is the best of the best"



I want to see that kind of player step out @ this year's draft.


I brought up Yanda in response to this definition of "playmaker." He was asking for guys where you could say yea hes the best of the best, and quite frankly Yanda belongs in that category. By that criteria - Yanda is. Also, if a "playmaker" is someone who "makes plays" I would say he is as well.

To me, a playmaker is simply a guy who does more than just his role in a scheme, package or specific play. He goes beyond how it was drawn up and can single handedly make the play happen even when the opposition knows what's coming, puts in the perfect plan to stop the play, yet this individual can overcome the perfect opposition to still make a play. I.e. a cornerback who can cover a perfectly run route, with a perfectly thrown ball and bat it away. A pass rusher who beats perfect protection to force a hurry or sack. A QB who breaks out of pressure and completes a pass in double coverage. OR, in this case, a lineman who is capable of halting a perfectly timed rush or dialed up blitz; or can blow open a hole on an expected run play for convert a 3rd and short or for a long run. Yanda certainly has those moments where we break off long runs simply bc he single-handedly mauls the other teams D-line, gets to the second level and makes a block. The gain wasnt anything spectacular by Rice or Pierce, Yanda made the play. Doing it consistantly makes you a playmaker.

If you can consider any player a playmaker you have to also be able to consider their counterpart a playmaker. It takes making a play to stop a playmaker. Doing it consistantly makes you a playmaker.