Report: LT Eugene Monroe one of Ravens' priorities

[HoldingCall]

This "report" was "compiled" before the 2013 season.  It's dated. If they really are "evaluating" these players the ranking needs adjustment.  There are guys on the list that were despised and cut by their teams.  There's other guys that are clearly ranked far too low. 

 

Anyone that believes Monroe is top 8 could make these lists for Bleacher Report!

Agreed! that report was over a year ago but he is credited with being in the neighborhood of a top 10. The question is, what is he worth to the offense? I hope the tag isn't used but it remains an option.

[hawkprey]

Agreed! that report was over a year ago but he is credited with being in the neighborhood of a top 10. The question is, what is he worth to the offense? I hope the tag isn't used but it remains an option.

Neighborhood of top 10 is "above average starter". Monroe will get good money because we don't undershoot our top guys to save some change. But he won't get a mega-deal either because he's not that kind of player. 

[HoldingCall]

The problem here is the lack of offensive line depth at the position. We have no capable real quality backup for Monroe or Oher for that matter. Moving players around  will only dilute the overall quality as seen in the first part of 2012 when McKinnie was benched. Unless there is an NFL ready LT in the draft, you get what you pay for so what will it be? 

 

Pitta was dealt fairly so lets keep it going and field a quality team in 14.

[HoldingCall]

Neighborhood of top 10 is "above average starter". Monroe will get good money because we don't undershoot our top guys to save some change. But he won't get a mega-deal either because he's not that kind of player. 

That's all we can hope for.

[FerrariFan87]

I'd sign him to a 5-year/$45M deal with around $20M guaranteed. That would be cap-friendly and be a significant, fair raise for Monroe... hope we retain him so we won't have to go OT in the first round.

[Dnyce215]

I'd sign him to a 5-year/$45M deal with around $20M guaranteed. That would be cap-friendly and be a significant, fair raise for Monroe... hope we retain him so we won't have to go OT in the first round.

I would do a 5 year 50 million, give him a 21 million guaranteed. Give him an escalator clause to work for the money. Cap friendly pay rate

[izvoodoo]

Considering the tag for LT is 11m, I see 45 for 5 yrs (9m) as too low, unless he's rated above his true worth and is not as good as given credit for.

It's comparable to Joe Staley and Russell Okung, and I think that's a good spot for him.  If he's under the tag we have more leverage.  But he might get 50.

 

I just want to keep him.  I don't want to try to find another LT.

[52520Andrew]

At a position where teams will overpay for solid, LT is probably the most valuable position on the team with the exception of QB. Monroe is a top 10 LT in his prime while Daryl Smith is a ILB who is falling out of his. Daryl Smith brings intangibles a lot like Lewis did but that is not as important as protecting our investment in Flacco. His blindside is the most important area to protect and Flacco can not take a pounding like he did on that O-line again. But just because an entire unit was bad does not mean that one part can't be good. Oher played pretty bad at RT and the inside of the line with the exception of Yanda was just as bad if not worse. I am not saying Monroe was perfect but he plays a position where teams overpay for solid and Monroe is better than solid. He is the first franchise LT that we have had since Ogden and Ozzie likes Monroe enough that he gave up a 4th and a 5th rounder to obtain him. The fact that Ozzie would let such a player walk in free agency if the price is not completely insane would not be a smart move in my opinion. I get where some people are coming from in saying that he should not be overvalued but he is the most important FA we have and we need to protect our $120 million dollar investment the best way we can. Anybody else wonder what could have been had Flacco not injured his knee? Do we want to let the best QB we have ever had, take another pounding behind a bad line? If not, then we must address the most important position of said line and bring in at least another person as well as let Kubiak do his thing as OC to get this line straightened out. 

 

Daryl Smith is important and is underrated even on these threads by some people. I really hope we can find a way to re-sign both he and Monroe. But Daryl Smith's run defense was not great and we have Arthur Brown who could replace his production. We need a solid run stuffer at ILB and while Daryl Smith is very important, his leadership can also be replaced, maybe by a FA FS on a short deal to help our young guys out in the secondary. Who would we get at LT if we lose Monroe? Albert is injured too often to be worth a massive deal and the top 3 tackles in the draft are probably going in the top 10 let alone falling to us. Collins is good on the Bengals but we would have to win a bidding war with whoever else needs a tackle in order to get him and he is still unproven. While Smith is important, I would not put him as more important than Monroe IMO.

[HoldingCall]

At a position where teams will overpay for solid, LT is probably the most valuable position on the team with the exception of QB. Monroe is a top 10 LT in his prime while Daryl Smith is a ILB who is falling out of his. Daryl Smith brings intangibles a lot like Lewis did but that is not as important as protecting our investment in Flacco. His blindside is the most important area to protect and Flacco can not take a pounding like he did on that O-line again. But just because an entire unit was bad does not mean that one part can't be good. Oher played pretty bad at RT and the inside of the line with the exception of Yanda was just as bad if not worse. I am not saying Monroe was perfect but he plays a position where teams overpay for solid and Monroe is better than solid. He is the first franchise LT that we have had since Ogden and Ozzie likes Monroe enough that he gave up a 4th and a 5th rounder to obtain him. The fact that Ozzie would let such a player walk in free agency if the price is not completely insane would not be a smart move in my opinion. I get where some people are coming from in saying that he should not be overvalued but he is the most important FA we have and we need to protect our $120 million dollar investment the best way we can. Anybody else wonder what could have been had Flacco not injured his knee? Do we want to let the best QB we have ever had, take another pounding behind a bad line? If not, then we must address the most important position of said line and bring in at least another person as well as let Kubiak do his thing as OC to get this line straightened out. 

 

Daryl Smith is important and is underrated even on these threads by some people. I really hope we can find a way to re-sign both he and Monroe. But Daryl Smith's run defense was not great and we have Arthur Brown who could replace his production. We need a solid run stuffer at ILB and while Daryl Smith is very important, his leadership can also be replaced, maybe by a FA FS on a short deal to help our young guys out in the secondary. Who would we get at LT if we lose Monroe? Albert is injured too often to be worth a massive deal and the top 3 tackles in the draft are probably going in the top 10 let alone falling to us. Collins is good on the Bengals but we would have to win a bidding war with whoever else needs a tackle in order to get him and he is still unproven. While Smith is important, I would not put him as more important than Monroe IMO.

 

Yes Monroe is most important! Also, the Raven doesn't currently have a viable backup on the bench, at least not one that I can think of.

[HoldingCall]

I would do a 5 year 50 million, give him a 21 million guaranteed. Give him an escalator clause to work for the money. Cap friendly pay rate

That's close! I wonder what he is asking and what is being offered because it is said they are far apart.

[HoldingCall]

Funny how most of the board thought he'd sign for under 7 million.

If true, that's just funny!

[CapoRocky]

I said 5 years, 55 M, but hope that the bonus and other incentives might make it closer to 50 M.  Still, we are not going to waste 2 picks and not make a major attempt to resign him.  One thing is for certain, Monroe is not going to come cheap.

[BloodRaven]

At 10+ million a year he no longer becomes good value and we may have to look elsewhere. It's not like he's the missing piece, he might block his man but Flacco is still going to get crushed. The entire oline has to be rebuilt.

[RavensNation14]

We just signed Flacco to a mega deal and we need to give him a solid starter at LT. If we don't resign Monroe I don't know who else we will sign and they will cost quite a bit of money. Im completely fine with giving Monroe $10-11 million a year for 5 years, but make it cap friendly and give him around $21 million guaranteed. I think both sides are going to get a deal done and we won't have to slap the tag on him. 

[PolishRifle]

We just signed Flacco to a mega deal and we need to give him a solid starter at LT. If we don't resign Monroe I don't know who else we will sign and they will cost quite a bit of money. Im completely fine with giving Monroe $10-11 million a year for 5 years, but make it cap friendly and give him around $21 million guaranteed. I think both sides are going to get a deal done and we won't have to slap the tag on him. 

 

It's hard to find a franchise LT outside the top 10. I don't think we will end up this high in the draft for a long time. The way the NFL is right now, a franchise LT, just like a franchise QB, are the two type of players nobody should have a problem overpaying for.

Pay him whatever he wants.

[BloodRaven]

The best LT in the world isn't going to protect Flacco if half the oline is crap, teams don't just rush from the blindside.

[Tank 92]

The best LT in the world isn't going to protect Flacco if half the oline is crap, teams don't just rush from the blindside.

 

 

Even if it requires compromising acquisitions at other positions, the O line will be fixed.  Bank on it. 

[HoldingCall]

The best LT in the world isn't going to protect Flacco if half the oline is crap, teams don't just rush from the blindside.

Ozzie said that he wanted to beef up the interior of the line so expect more "possible" additions there. I say possible because whoever is brought in will have to prove himself worthy.

[izvoodoo]

Ozzie said that he wanted to beef up the interior of the line so expect more "possible" additions there. I say possible because whoever is brought in will have to prove himself worthy.

That was before Kubiak got hired.  Not saying it isn't true, but plans may be different now.  Who knows.

[BloodRaven]

Ozzie said that he wanted to beef up the interior of the line so expect more "possible" additions there. I say possible because whoever is brought in will have to prove himself worthy.

 

That was before Kubiak got hired.  Not saying it isn't true, but plans may be different now.  Who knows.

 

You can find linemen with size and athleticism, guys like KO with upside. 

[HoldingCall]

It's comparable to Joe Staley and Russell Okung, and I think that's a good spot for him.  If he's under the tag we have more leverage.  But he might get 50.

 

I just want to keep him.  I don't want to try to find another LT.

I'm with you there! Hopefully they will not need to find another. I am also concerned about OL depth and hope some of the younger dudes can fill that role. If they cannot then I think its time for some of them that's been here for the past few years to walk.

[izvoodoo]

You can find linemen with size and athleticism, guys like KO with upside. 

im absolutely on your side, I'm just saying Kubiak being hired may alter priorities.  Typically zone guys are average sized but very athletic.

[Ravenslifer]

At 10+ million a year he no longer becomes good value and we may have to look elsewhere. It's not like he's the missing piece, he might block his man but Flacco is still going to get crushed. The entire oline has to be rebuilt.

 

Agreed, but the problem we may run into is that all three of the top LTs in this draft get selected in the top 10.  I'm glad they resigned Pitta, but Monroe to me is most likely the only commodity at left tackle we're going to even have a shot at.  We might have to overpay him slightly to keep him, and in fact I think we most probably will, and I could live with that if the alternative is we shove Oher back out there at LT next season.

[BloodRaven]

Agreed, but the problem we may run into is that all three of the top LTs in this draft get selected in the top 10.  I'm glad they resigned Pitta, but Monroe to me is most likely the only commodity at left tackle we're going to even have a shot at.  We might have to overpay him slightly to keep him, and in fact I think we most probably will, and I could live with that if the alternative is we shove Oher back out there at LT next season.

 

Compared to Monroe, some of the free agent tackles such as Albert, Veldheer, Collins and Saffold are serviceable tackles at a more cap friendly price tag.

 

Edit: I'm not saying we should pass on Monroe, just that it should be considered.

[Ravenslifer]

Compared to Monroe, some of the free agent tackles such as Albert, Veldheer, Collins and Saffold are serviceable tackles at a more cap friendly price tag.

 

Edit: I'm not saying we should pass on Monroe, just that it should be considered.

 

I forgot about the other FA tackles (except Veldheer because I see about a .01 percent chance the Raiders let him get away), but that's pretty much my line of thinking - if not Monroe or another FA tackle, we're going to have to trade up because I don't expect any of the LT prospects in the draft class to still be there at 17, and that is my big concern.

[BmoreBird22]

 

Compared to Monroe, some of the free agent tackles such as Albert, Veldheer, Collins and Saffold are serviceable tackles at a more cap friendly price tag.

 

Edit: I'm not saying we should pass on Monroe, just that it should be considered.

I'm sure they would be more cap friendly, but you get what you pay for with these guys. They aren't as good as Monroe, so could we afford the risk? I'm not sure Collins escapes Miami or Cincy, and Valdheer is not going to get out of Oakland, so do we really want to try for one of the others? I hope not.

[EnVy_CaLiBeR]

If they don't tag him, I'm sure it's out of confidence that they can get something done before FA hits. Hell, they might be further along than we think on contract talks. You never know. 

 

I just seriously doubt Ozzie is going to give up a 4th and a fifth rounder for a 1 year rental. Hard to find a top tackle and only at 26 years old. 

[Poes Crows]

 

 

I'm sure they would be more cap friendly, but you get what you pay for with these guys. They aren't as good as Monroe, so could we afford the risk? I'm not sure Collins escapes Miami or Cincy, and Valdheer is not going to get out of Oakland, so do we really want to try for one of the others? I hope not.

 

 

Veldheer is the guy this fan wants.  If you're gonna pay, pay there.

 

Monroe sucks. McKinnie is a Free Agent...........lace his contract with weight and performance incentives, get him back and go from there.

 

We are not going to be a much better team than last year. We can target the LT of the future in this draft or next year's draft. Would rather do that than let Oz try to score on a Receiver with the top pick.  Oz is clearly having trouble evaluating the passing game.

 

If you're gonna fix the whole OLine this year. Veldheer.

[52520Andrew]

Oakland might be dumb but they are not dumb enough to let Veldheer go. I would be shocked if they don't re-sign him with all the cap space that they have.

[SecretAgentMan]

Veldheer is the guy this fan wants.  If you're gonna pay, pay there.

 

Monroe sucks. McKinnie is a Free Agent...........lace his contract with weight and performance incentives, get him back and go from there.

 

We are not going to be a much better team than last year. We can target the LT of the future in this draft or next year's draft. Would rather do that than let Oz try to score on a Receiver with the top pick.  Oz is clearly having trouble evaluating the passing game.

 

If you're gonna fix the whole OLine this year. Veldheer.

Ha. No.  

 

Bryant is over the hill...... Monroe graded out as a top 10 LT, one of the few good players on the line last year.