The Vent Thread 2014 Draft

[T3hRaven]

I think we saw last year that at least having a semblance of a run game is important. Otherwise teams just Blitz all the time.

 

I don't think Shipley, Gradkowski, and Oher helped turn teams off of that either.

[ravensnick]

I don't think Shipley, Gradkowski, and Oher helped turn teams off of that either.

Or Mckinnie for half the year. God, that line was terrible.

[Mahatma_Sloth]

quality not quantity

we shall see what is what ppl just need to stop saying we didn't draft O

[flynismo]

I think we saw last year that at least having a semblance of a run game is important. Otherwise teams just Blitz all the time.

yep, very true. by crap run game, I meant maybe we can at least get to the mid or high 3s per carry

[Ravensfan23]

and if we get an injury again and someone like Wagner or Sutton don't step up we've done nothing to improve.

We have only improved slightly, not even to cover for an injury or poor play.

But how would a rookie or two over the first 3 rounds change that and what OT are you drafting that wouldn't have been a reach where we are picking. It's pointless to select a guy if you don't feel he's talented enough. You're not gonna draft a OG or C high just for depth so at some point you gotta be realistic. If you don't think KO is responding well to rehab or you think Yanda might be close to done, then yes you grab a interior guy high. But if you don't then you add 4th, 5th and 6th round guys for depth and insurance against injury. I don't know if you noticed but we've dedicated a total of 7 draft picks to add talent to the oline over the last 2 years. Traded 2 picks for Monroe, 1 for Shipley, 1 for Zuttah and drafted 3 interior olineman. Now if you question the talent we are adding that another issue, but I think it's crazy to think the FO isn't adding talent.

There is no guarantee that any RT you draft in round 2 or 3 would step up anymore then Wanger. Jack Mewhort, Justin Britt, Morgan Moses and Billy Turner who you picking? Those are the guys the Ravens could have got in either 2 or 3 based on where we picked. Mewhort is probably more of a C/G like Jensen, maybe a bit better but are u using a 2nd rounder to upgrade your backup position? Britt was said to be greatly over drafted. Mayock had a 5th round grade on him. Mayock doesn't know all, but he's usually pretty good. I like Moses but he's more of a roadgrader at RT that doesn't fit the bill of what we're looking for there. Turner is raw and honestly not even as good as Wagner imo. So if you were to select a OT in rounds 2 or 3 are you really confident that you've upgraded that position. If not then why not jump at a chance to potentially upgrade a position you just lost Art Jones at?

[gabefergy]

But how would a rookie or two over the first 3 rounds change that and what OT are you drafting that wouldn't have been a reach where we are picking. It's pointless to select a guy if you don't feel he's talented enough. You're not gonna draft a OG or C high just for depth so at some point you gotta be realistic. If you don't think KO is responding well to rehab or you think Uganda might be close to done, then yes you grab a interior guy high. But if you don't then you add 4th, 5th and 6th round guys for depth and insurance against injury. I don't know if you noticed but we've dedicated a total of 7 draft picks to add talent to the oline over the last 2 years. Traded 2 picks for Monroe, 1 for Shipley, 1 for Zuttah and drafted 3 interior olineman. Now if you question the talent we are adding that another issue, but I think it's crazy to think the FO isn't adding talent.

There is no guarantee that any RT you draft in round 2 or 3 would step up anymore then Wanger. Jack Mewhort, Justin Britt, Morgan Moses and Billy Turner who you picking? Those are the guys the Ravens could have got in either 2 or 3 based on where we picked. Mewhort is probably more of a C/G like Jensen, maybe a bit better but are u using a 2nd rounder to upgrade your backup position? Britt was said to be greatly over drafted. Mayock had a 5th round grade on him. Mayock doesn't know all, but he's usually pretty good. I like Moses but he's more of a roadgrader at RT that doesn't fit the bill of what we're looking for there. Turner is raw and honestly not even as good as Wagner imo. So if you were to select a OT in rounds 2 or 3 are you really confident that you've upgraded that position. If not then why not jump at a chance to potentially upgrade a position you just lost Art Jones at?

I'd take Moses every day of the week at pick 48.

[flynismo]

I know I'm in the minority, but don't like Moses. Glad we passed on him.

[The Raven]

I know I'm in the minority, but don't like Moses. Glad we passed on him.

 

Same. He's Michael Oher 2.0, and I don't see anything to suggest otherwise.

[Ravensfan23]

I'd take Moses every day of the week at pick 48.

Honestly I would too. But only reason i wouldn't is because he doesn't best fit the ZBS can he adjust, I think so but if you aren't really comfortable with his ability to adjust to the ZBS you probablyaren't going that route in round 2. If this was 2012 he's probably the pick.

[flynismo]

Honestly I would too. But only reason i wouldn't is because he doesn't best fit the ZBS can he adjust, I think so but if you aren't really comfortable with his ability to adjust to the ZBS you probablyaren't going that route in round 2. If this was 2012 he's probably the pick.

I thought we only bring in defensive players from Bama with our first 3 picks? Lol

this is getting way too civil for a vent thread, enough with this sensible conversation...I want tears and blood!

[gabefergy]

Same. He's Michael Oher 2.0, and I don't see anything to suggest otherwise.

How about the long arms.

[ravensnick]

Honestly I would too. But only reason i wouldn't is because he doesn't best fit the ZBS can he adjust, I think so but if you aren't really comfortable with his ability to adjust to the ZBS you probablyaren't going that route in round 2. If this was 2012 he's probably the pick.

JAck Mehwort got picked by the Colts over Moses for a reason. I'm thinking the pros had him lower than us.

[ravensnick]

Is he really a back with the vision required to be an effective zone runner?  I have questions about that too.

Rice is definitely not your prototypical ZBS runner. 

[Tank 92]

your assuming ko with a back injury and pitta with a hip injury come back to pre injury form. Id rather not leave that to chance.

Need I remind you daniels was cut by Houston for failing a medical, Smith more or less just had the worst year of this career, Zuttah is the definition of average, which is actually probably a big step up from gino.

We are banking on injured players returning to full health, aging one year stop gap recovers. If either flacco or rice more or less don't have the best year of their careers here I can see this offense being one of the worst in the league again, although not as bad as last year.

If they are a top unit, im assuming rice is a stud again, we get no injuries and Flacco has a career year. If that happens, with the defence, on paper at least, we should be in with a shot at a superbowl.

 

 

What's with the negative waves Moriarty?  Yeah, I am making some assumptions, but I like the odds of those assumptions being correct. Both KO and Pitta are gamers, I think they will be fine. Smitty has a chip on his shoulder and will be playing like his hair is on fire.........I like that thought.  Zuttah?  Let's be honest, Hooty Brown would be an upgrade at C.  

And I think if those pieces are there and come together, The Flacco will have a career season.  

 

Call me silly, I'm an optimist to the point of reasonable assumption.

[The Raven]

How about the long arms.

 

Alright, that is the one thing he has that Oher doesn't. Way to nit pick

[gabefergy]

Alright, that is the one thing he has that Oher doesn't. Way to nit pick

Well you asked haha. Kouandjio is the guy that reminds me of Oher. Moses is bigger and much longer.

[flynismo]

How about the long arms.

Not to mention an IQ somewhere above pocket lint. lol....sorry, but since Oher is no longer a Raven, he's fair game

[ravensnick]

Honestly I would too. But only reason i wouldn't is because he doesn't best fit the ZBS can he adjust, I think so but if you aren't really comfortable with his ability to adjust to the ZBS you probablyaren't going that route in round 2. If this was 2012 he's probably the pick.

Apparently no team in the NFL would take him in the 2nd.

[The Raven]

Well you asked haha. Kouandjio is the guy that reminds me of Oher. Moses is bigger and much longer.

 

I'll give you that.

[Ravensfan23]

Apparently no team in the NFL would take him in the 2nd.

That's why I don't get paid to do this, but sometimes teams just get off wrong including Ozzie. If the draft were a science then every team would get it right every year because there would be a formula to follow.

[Bltravens]

Rice is definitely not your prototypical ZBS runner. 

He's not even your non prototype that you can work with.  He needs a power scheme with Gs pulling or FBs blasting straight ahead.  He hasn't the patience for zone blocking.

Pierce stays healthy all season and Im fairly certain they go 50/50 and Pierce becomes the bellcow in the playoffs.

[T3hRaven]

He's not even your non prototype that you can work with.  He needs a power scheme with Gs pulling or FBs blasting straight ahead.  He hasn't the patience for zone blocking.

Pierce stays healthy all season and Im fairly certain they go 50/50 and Pierce becomes the bellcow in the playoffs.

 

Yeah I thought that thing that made him actually good that one year, besides the great OL, was that holes were more defined. 

[BmoreBird22]

I'd take Moses every day of the week at pick 48.

I've heard he's basically Bryant McKinnie reincarnate 

[BmoreBird22]

I know I'm in the minority, but don't like Moses. Glad we passed on him.

I didn't want him

[gabefergy]

I've heard he's basically Bryant McKinnie reincarnate

Not at all. The size comp is there, beyond that they are completely different. Moses actually works and plays hard.

[BmoreBird22]

Not at all. The size comp is there, beyond that they are completely different. Moses actually works and plays hard.

The reason I heard the comparison is because apparently his work ethic was bad

[gabefergy]

The reason I heard the comparison is because apparently his work ethic was bad

Not true at all.

[jazz1988]

He's not even your non prototype that you can work with.  He needs a power scheme with Gs pulling or FBs blasting straight ahead.  He hasn't the patience for zone blocking.

Pierce stays healthy all season and Im fairly certain they go 50/50 and Pierce becomes the bellcow in the playoffs.

 

2010  was probably the year where Ray Rice was more of a patience runner than anything but for some reason he got away from that. I think Ray Rice would fit in a zone blocking scheme pretty well and we have been running it for the past two years.

[usmccharles]

2010  was probably the year where Ray Rice was more of a patience runner than anything but for some reason he got away from that. I think Ray Rice would fit in a zone blocking scheme pretty well and we have been running it for the past two years.

I feel the reason he got away from patience is the lack of holes that were created.  I think he felt a little barry sanders syndrome, he has to make it happen, our oline was not good last year.  I dont think rice has ever been that rb that will completely change a game by himself, ive pushed for a long time he needs to be more of a receiving rb, him in chip kellys offense would be awesome. 

[Poes Crows]

Sticking with the same "contrarian" theme,

 

Oz has excelled as greatly these past 2 years as he did the previous 17.  He's a "lifer" and has done no wrong.  They'll carry him out before the reigns are passed!!! And even then they'll deify him like a catholic saint with his own sarcophagus right there in the G.M.'s box at M & T Bank Stadium.

 

Personally, I'm a little miffed that Ozzie hasn't held a press conference to apologize to the fans, ownership, and the future generations of fans and ownership he's done wrong with this draft. It's obvious that this was a colossal failure as evidenced by every expert making it clear Oz doesn't know what he's doing. It would be one thing if the guy had an irrefutable track record building winning football teams, but c'mon this is Ozzie Newsome we're talking about, not some legend of the game both on and off the field.

As the saying goes, "Defense doesn't win championships, rookie WRs and RBs do." Followed closely by, "Please consult forum posters for draft advice. The higher the post count, the better the mock." So please Ozzie (and Eric you take notes), it's time to do us all a favor and hang up this little short term "NFL" experiment you've been testing for the past 36 years. It's just not working out.