Free Agent Safety Options

[TSizzle00]

But then you leave a big hole at CB by moving Webb.  Do you really want Jimmy Smith, Corey Graham, and Chykie Brown to be the top 3 corners?  It's highly unlikely that a draft pick would step in right away.  Although FS is definitely a weakness, I think you create a bigger hole by moving our starting CB.

 

While Webb played Safety in college he is a man-man CB. Nearly all of the big plays he gave up this season was playing in zone. Doubt moving him to FS will fix that.

[Free Agent]

While Webb played Safety in college he is a man-man CB. Nearly all of the big plays he gave up this season was playing in zone. Doubt moving him to FS will fix that.

 

Great point. Webb is much more suited for man coverage. Plus, he'll hopefully be back to be his old self next year, which would give us a shutdown tandem with him and Jimmy.

[A Fish Called Yanda]

But then you leave a big hole at CB by moving Webb.  Do you really want Jimmy Smith, Corey Graham, and Chykie Brown to be the top 3 corners?  It's highly unlikely that a draft pick would step in right away.  Although FS is definitely a weakness, I think you create a bigger hole by moving our starting CB.

 

I agree that you are leaving a big hole, but at least we have the option.  If a FA FS comes a long that looks good, sign him and move Elam to SS.  If a FA CB comes a long that looks good, sign him, move Webb to FS and Elam to SS.

 

I highly doubt that would actually happen - and we'd likely have to pay more for a FA CB than a FA FS (so many abbreviations, ugh), but always nice to have options :D

[Sami84]

people are knocking my gung ho approach with getting byrd. Im sorry but i dont see anyone in our secondary thats even close to the level of byrd. Also if you guys haven't checked other teams rosters, you will notice we arent actualy blessed with upper tier talent.

 

A guy like Byrd is a game changer. Im kinda shocked you think guys that are basically fabian washington standards are more worthwhile.

[rmw10]

people are knocking my gung ho approach with getting byrd. Im sorry but i dont see anyone in our secondary thats even close to the level of byrd. Also if you guys haven't checked other teams rosters, you will notice we arent actualy blessed with upper tier talent.

 

A guy like Byrd is a game changer. Im kinda shocked you think guys that are basically fabian washington standards are more worthwhile.

 

I'm sure everyone here would love to have both Byrd and Mack.  The problem is that we can't afford either of them, let alone both.

[BmoreBird22]

people are knocking my gung ho approach with getting byrd. Im sorry but i dont see anyone in our secondary thats even close to the level of byrd. Also if you guys haven't checked other teams rosters, you will notice we arent actualy blessed with upper tier talent.
 
A guy like Byrd is a game changer. Im kinda shocked you think guys that are basically fabian washington standards are more worthwhile.

He's likely to get the franchise tag for the second consecutive season.

[BmoreBird22]

I'm sure everyone here would love to have both Byrd and Mack.  The problem is that we can't afford either of them, let alone both.

While I'm not suggesting either will be affordable, I wouldn't be surprised to see some surprise defensive moves made to clear up cap space.
With that said, I still could not see the Ravens paying Byrd, even if they could. The offense needs way too much help.

[Sami84]

I'm sure everyone here would love to have both Byrd and Mack.  The problem is that we can't afford either of them, let alone both.

 

yes we can. ONE of them. Cut Suggs and restructure webb among other cuts ( mclain etc)

[Sami84]

While I'm not suggesting either will be affordable, I wouldn't be surprised to see some surprise defensive moves made to clear up cap space.
With that said, I still could not see the Ravens paying Byrd, even if they could. The offense needs way too much help.

 

The offense will be fully loaded in the draft. Would not shock me if the first 2 picks are round 1WR round 2 TE or Round 1 TE Round 2 WR

[rmw10]

yes we can. ONE of them. Cut Suggs and restructure webb among other cuts ( mclain etc)

 

And by doing that, you create more holes and put even more constraints on money by giving out big contracts.  It's going to be hard enough re-signing our guys as it is.  Signing someone like Byrd or Mack severely limits our depth.

[gabefergy]

While I'm not suggesting either will be affordable, I wouldn't be surprised to see some surprise defensive moves made to clear up cap space.
With that said, I still could not see the Ravens paying Byrd, even if they could. The offense needs way too much help.

Suggs could be cut to make some room, but I doubt it would be to sign a high priced FA. That's not how Ozzie does things. We have quite a few FAs of our own that would be higher priorities.

[Sami84]

we save 7.5 million by cutting suggs. Suggs is past his prime Byrd is in his prime.

 

Its pretty easy in my view. 

 

Unless ozzie has a late 90's style draft we are not going to be that good in the new few years thanks to the bad contracts we have handed out to players who have dissapointed us since 

[BmoreBird22]

The offense will be fully loaded in the draft. Would not shock me if the first 2 picks are round 1WR round 2 TE or Round 1 TE Round 2 WR

I actually see it going WR then TE

[gabefergy]

we save 7.5 million by cutting suggs. Suggs is past his prime Byrd is in his prime.

Its pretty easy in my view.

Unless ozzie has a late 90's style draft we are not going to be that good in the new few years thanks to the bad contracts we have handed out to players who have dissapointed us since

When was the last time Ozzie signed a big name FA that is looking for top dollars?

Like i said, if Suggs is cut it will be to sign out own FAs.

[jazz1988]

we save 7.5 million by cutting suggs. Suggs is past his prime Byrd is in his prime.

 

Its pretty easy in my view. 

 

Unless ozzie has a late 90's style draft we are not going to be that good in the new few years thanks to the bad contracts we have handed out to players who have dissapointed us since 

 

Its really not that serious and I don't agree with nothing you have said. Byrd wants to be the highest paid safety in the league im sorry but he's just not worth it in my opinion especially since he looking to get paid around 10 million per year or more.

[SizzleSuggs55]

No way we try to sign Byrd. Im a fan, but he wants to be the highest paid safety in football. not gonna happen.

[MightyRaven]

I think i would take Major Wright who might be a free agent

[Guest Im An Ozzie Newsome Guy]

I think i would take Major Wright who might be a free agent

 

Wright is a strong safety.

 

Anyways, since Jarius Byrd is going to want to huge contract (and seeing how that's out of the Ravens reach), there's really no other, free agent options at free safety that will make an immediate impact (since guys like Antoine Bethea and Donte Whitner probably aren't worth the price they'll be asking for).

 

Baltimore's best bet is to move Matt Elam to SS (as this is Ihedigbo's best chance to get a decent payday, elsewhere) and just see what either Omar Brown or a re-signed Corey Graham can do at FS. Because, besides Haha Clinton-Dix, no rookie free safety is most likely capable of being a day-1 starter; then again, some other team will have a chance to draft Clinton-Dix before he falls to the Ravens in the second-round. At best, we can only hope that there's someone, in the latter part of the draft, that can develop to eventually be a starter (although, I prefer not dealing with another "Christian Thompson" situation).

[Guest Mr. Nobody]

all this makes me believe it even harder that we should've drafted Cyprien last year; he played SS for the Jags this year, but could've been a nice fit for us at FS; given that he was considered a FS coming into the draft, he would've given us a smoother transition to the position than we had all year

[gabefergy]

Wright is a strong safety.

Anyways, since Jarius Byrd is going to want to huge contract (and seeing how that's out of the Ravens reach), there's really no other, free agent options at free safety that will make an immediate impact (since guys like Antoine Bethea and Donte Whitner probably aren't worth the price they'll be asking for).

Baltimore's best bet is to move Matt Elam to SS (as this is Ihedigbo's best chance to get a decent payday, elsewhere) and just see what either Omar Brown or a re-signed Corey Graham can do at FS. Because, besides Haha Clinton-Dix, no rookie free safety is most likely capable of being a day-1 starter; then again, some other team will have a chance to draft Clinton-Dix before he falls to the Ravens in the second-round. At best, we can only hope that there's someone, in the latter part of the draft, that can develop to eventually be a starter (although, I prefer not dealing with another "Christian Thompson" situation).

Calvin Pryor, look him up.

[uhhhh]

I would stop being a Ravens fan if we signed this <butt>hole!

I'll never forget the late hit he made on Heap, when he was with the patriots, which also was a helmet to helmet hit that took Heap out of the game.

It's that we don't use profanity on our board, because I'd like to call him something worse than that.

[Militant X 1]

But then you leave a big hole at CB by moving Webb.  Do you really want Jimmy Smith, Corey Graham, and Chykie Brown to be the top 3 corners?  It's highly unlikely that a draft pick would step in right away.  Although FS is definitely a weakness, I think you create a bigger hole by moving our starting CB.

 

Not necessarily!  Webb has played safety at Nicholls St.  I can definitely see Webb at the FS spot back there ball hawking and Jimmy Smith and Corey Graham as the starting CB's.  As far as Chykie Brown goes?  We still have Asa Jackson on the roster as well.  That doesn't mean that we don't go out and acquire another tall, speedy CB either through the draft, or free agency. 

 

#Mili

[gabefergy]

Webb is still a very good corner in this league. I said before it would be foolish to move him to FS and still feel the same. His role at CB is of greater impact than what he may be able to do at FS. He's also getting paid like a top CB. That has to be taken into account too.

[Dubs]

I would add Ryan Mundy to the list of those to consider. He had a very underrated year for the Giants defense and I think he is more than adequate as a stop gap for two or three years

[Militant X 1]

Webb is still a very good corner in this league. I said before it would be foolish to move him to FS and still feel the same. His role at CB is of greater impact than what he may be able to do at FS. He's also getting paid like a top CB. That has to be taken into account too.

That's your opinion but not necessarily true in mine Gabe.  While I definitely agree with you that Webb is still a good CB in the league; he has also played some Safety before.  I believe that he even expressed in the past how he wouldn't mind playing it again and how he had to adjust to being a CB.  The reality is that Webb's coming off of 2 torn ACL's....all of that stopping and going, planting and cutting as a CB puts more stress on the knees than playing in the outfield as a Safety.  We'll see what the Ravens do down the line with the secondary.

 

#Mili

[ravens533]

I am confused a little. Why is everyone looking for answers besides getting James Ihedigbo resigned? He seemed to do good in the position. Granted he did not set the world on fire with INTs but he also did not let many receivers get behind him.

[Guest Im An Ozzie Newsome Guy]

I am confused a little. Why is everyone looking for answers besides getting James Ihedigbo resigned? He seemed to do good in the position. Granted he did not set the world on fire with INTs but he also did not let many receivers get behind him.

 

Because, for one, James Ihedigbo is still a strong safety and the idea is to get Matt Elam shifted-over to SS, as it's his natural position. Now, granted, Ihedigbo overachieved in 2013; no one thought that he was going to be capable of replacing Bernard Pollard and actually outplay Pollard's performance from 2012 (thanks in large part to not committing as many costly penalties).

 

Also, most expect James Ihedigbo will get a nice contract from some team that is in need for a quality strong safety. In fact, the guy has never made more than a million dollars in a year, I believe.

 

Thus, it's believed that Elam will be the only starting safety from this year that will return next season. Plus, it only makes sense to get him to play closer to the line, now that there will be no other SS on the team. And, with that, that's why the Ravens need a new free safety.

 

While it would nice for Diggz to return, we all saw that Elam's biggest flaw is covering deep and the easiest way to fix that is to shift him over to strong safety, as I mentioned earlier.

[rmw10]

Not necessarily!  Webb has played safety at Nicholls St.  I can definitely see Webb at the FS spot back there ball hawking and Jimmy Smith and Corey Graham as the starting CB's.  As far as Chykie Brown goes?  We still have Asa Jackson on the roster as well.  That doesn't mean that we don't go out and acquire another tall, speedy CB either through the draft, or free agency. 

 

#Mili

 

While I could see Webb back there, I don't think it's feasible.  I certainly would not trust Graham as out starting corner and Asa as our 3rd corner.  Then, you mentioned the draft, and I don't think it's realistic to think we'd find someone that can step right in out of a mid round selection, since we're almost certainly not going to take one high.  We've seen countless drafted corners struggle for years.  Now, in free agency, it's going to be more expensive to find a CB than it would be a FS.  Moving Webb just creates too many holes and calls for too many other things to go right to work out.

[Ravensfan23]

Digg did a lot for this secondary. He was one of the definite leaders and did a good job with the communication of the defense for the rest of the secondary. I'd love to have him back, but I'm not sure we go that route. I think that Elam at SS is a good move and I'd love to have a true FS who can be interchangeable with Elam, but like most I'm not sure if there is a option out there that would be better then re-signing Digg.

 

I think the route we'll go is the same as we did with Huff. Sign a veteran FS who was cut and draft a young guy like Terrence Brooks to eventually take over that spot if not be a day 1 starter. If there isn't a guy who is cut then it'll be one of those 2nd tier options that Ozzie loves to sign. A guy who can come in and be steady but isn't viewed as a long term option.

[dhstandard]

Wouldn't mind seeing Lardarius tested out at FS if we can't find anyone suitable through free agency or the draft (though I don't particularly like the idea of him having to tackle players down the field).  He was pretty darn bad as a corner this year, he was beat numerous times on play-action passes and doesn't look anywhere near his 2011 form.

 

However, that move would leave us fairly light on corners, so we'd have to pick up one or two players there for insurance anyway, so it may be better to just look at people accustomed to playing FS.  It would also be really expensive to have him as FS, since generally safeties make a lot less than corners.

 

 

Not worth it to move him there.  But I don't know what you mean about Webb tackling.  He is a pretty darn good tackler and makes plays in the run game fairly often.  He may not be big, but he knows how to  wrap up.