Is Matt Elam a bust?

[GrimCoconut]

I think SS. He's playing nickel out of necessity, not because he's good at it.

I actually have liked what I've seen from him as a nickel. I think he could do it. It's hard to really tell because he's all over the place, but I think he could definitely find a home at nickel.

[DefensiveMind]

Glad Elam is starting to get some love! Hope he keeps up the good play

[rmw10]

He's been much better these past 2 games, but I've also seen a lot less of him, which may or may not be a good thing.  He could be a guy that just thrives in a smaller role, which I'm hoping isn't the case.  It's a step in the right direction at least.

[Ravens1991]

Now that I think about it I would prefer to have him be a nickel. Add another physical prescrnsr closer to the line of scrimmage. We can have Brooks and Hill both go play deep. They can go support the run well if need be.

[FlocksGottaFeed]

Glad Elam is starting to get some love! Hope he keeps up the good play

Elam has never been a bust. Once Jimmy is back, along with newly seasoned DB - OMG. Just hold the faith. He's talented and big game legit. If the last game didn't silence the doubters - nothing will. Sometimes I think the banter is just an unappreciated back-hand to Oz, really (One of winning-est GMs in NFL History).That's hard to swallow for some.

 

No problem. In Oz we still Trust.

 

GO Ravens! Beat the all!!! 

[AsianRice]

I actually really like him as a nickel back. I think it could be his ideal position. I think it helps him think less and play more to his strengths. His tackling has improved, but I think so has his coverage.

I really think he'd be a good nickel back with time.

I agree; let him work slowly into SS.  It starts it with nickel back.....

[JoeyFlex5]

he was thinking too much after playing so many different roles and being force fed too much responsibility, he has finally been allowed to settle into a position without too high of a snap count and a consistent role. that over thinking and that stress of not having the confidence of "been there, done that" affected his ability to focus, and thus affected his physical performance, such as bad form in tackling, bad angles, and trying to make up for his bad plays by trying too hard to make splash plays. 

 

he just needed to settle down, learn one position, and take it slow from there, and we are starting to see it, he played an excellent game saturday night, and i love his splash play potential, he seems to have a knack for punching the ball out, we just can never seem to recover them when he strips it. 

 

if we can beat NE and elam has another good game, then he is gonna be finally stacking good performances, that confidence, and familiarity with his new role, is going to help him improve his game by leaps and bounds. you all wrote him off too early, i was close to writing him off as well and i was one of his most avid supporters, but i still held out hope, and he is starting to show why we needed to keep hoping for him.

[JoeyFlex5]

He's been much better these past 2 games, but I've also seen a lot less of him, which may or may not be a good thing.  He could be a guy that just thrives in a smaller role, which I'm hoping isn't the case.  It's a step in the right direction at least.

i dont really think its the case, i just think too much was forced on him, and if he gets the opportunity to take it slow and steadily pick up all the pieces from a small role like he has now, and expand slowly into a starting SS role maybe like by week 10 next season, then he will be ok, he doesnt seem to be the brightest at his young age, but that is the case with many players who turned into studs, some examples would be jimmy, suggs, upshaw, i think he will be fine if we allow him to continue to take it slow.

[RaineV1]

I do think Elam is a bit of a bust as first round players go, especially when you compare him to some of the players that went after he did. However, that doesn't mean he can't be a useful piece to the defense, and it seems they finally found a good, consistent role for him.

[KBoum]

Lately I really liked his zone coverage underneath covering the curl. Seems like the only underneath completed passes were on Mosley. Elam did a pretty good job covering it then secure the check downs and not give the 1st down on a few occasions.

 

I don't think Elam's got the speed, vision, footwork, height to play single high or two deep but he's been pretty good underneath.

Hill, Stewart and Miles did a pretty good job in 2 high until the big completion to A. Brown. which was against Tampa 2 betweek Daryl Smith and Miles or Stewart.... D.Smith can't make that play so the safety had to react faster imo.

 

If the Ravens continue to use Elam that way he could be a good asset. He's more of a close to the line, zone nickleback.

He needs to work on his man to man skills but I would use him blitzing, stuff the run and zone underneath right now to be honest.

[tolucaraven]

Complete bust..rewatched the NE game missed tackle after mistackle and was benched in the 2nd half. Worst first round pick excluding Boller. Adding a real safety is team priority number 1. If he Wasnt a first rounder he would likely make the team next season.

[jimmypowder]

A safety that cannot tackle will not last in the NFL .Don't be surprised if they cut him if he

doesn't show anything in training camp next season .

I know he's a 1st rounder but there is no talent here ,not even a flicker of it .

It is the worst 1st round pick since Boller .

[Sami84]

Complete bust..rewatched the NE game missed tackle after mistackle and was benched in the 2nd half. Worst first round pick excluding Boller. Adding a real safety is team priority number 1. If he Wasnt a first rounder he would likely make the team next season.

Outside of the legendary 2012 gaff rahim moore is a very good FS.

How about him at FS

Will Hill atSS

Draft a corner in the 2nd round

(I want a WR or TE in the first)

[T3hRaven]

When all is said and done, Matt Elam will be in the running for Ozzie's worst draft pick.  I'm fairly confident in labeling him a total bust at this point.  We haven't even seen flashes from this kid.  What a waste.

[rmw10]

When all is said and done, Matt Elam will be in the running for Ozzie's worst draft pick.  I'm fairly confident in labeling him a total bust at this point.  We haven't even seen flashes from this kid.  What a waste.

 

I'm with you.  One of the few times I feel comfortable labeling someone after year 2.  He just doesn't have it.

[Moderator 3]

I'll give him at least half of 2015 before using the B word.

[Sami84]

I knew it all along. I could see he wasnt nfl material and purely a college flash over substance type player. I even couldnt stand his eatgreedy crap and was attacked in a thread for it. All i said was he was a much worse version of pollard in every sense and was too small. Pollard could hit with such ferocity that you would wonder..what would have happened to the brittle amendola if pollard laid one on him...yup he wouldnt be in the game..

Duwan landry had a fine season this year ..say what you want about landry and pollard..they were at there best borderline pro bowlers...they occasionally had stinkers but they were great players for us.

[Sami84]

I'll give him at least half of 2015 before using the B word.

Hes a midget who isnt fast and has zero instincts..

When pees talked about troy and oz in the war room mentioning the loss of reed and saying your our guy i cringed...

[AsianRice]

what a waste of 1st rounder.......

 

Hopefully, we'll find a legit safety in this year draft....

[Sami84]

The draft should be dedicated to corners and wide recievers...

[jimmypowder]

The draft should be dedicated to corners and wide recievers...

Add a tight end .

Hopefully we can get safety help via free agency

If we can get the secondary straightened out and a great reciever pick,we are a potential

super bowl team

[blitzking33]

what a waste of 1st rounder.......

 

Hopefully, we'll find a legit safety in this year draft....

I still got hopes for Brooks at FS and Hill at SS...

Brooks is NFL material.. just need to get the mental aspect up to speed. Hopefully that gets accomplished this offseason.

[52N19]

I hope the ravens don't waste a roster spot on elam just because of his draft position. Its amazing what a poor tackler he is.

[FlackAttack]

lol this dude is textbook definition of a bust. he was drafted apparently because of his "tackling skills" LOL. what a joke. dude couldn't even tackle danny amendola, who is what.. 5'8, 160 lbs? get rid of 'em ASAP.

Edited January 13, 2015 by FlackAttack

[Static]

I still got hopes for Brooks at FS and Hill at SS...

Brooks is NFL material.. just need to get the mental aspect up to speed. Hopefully that gets accomplished this offseason.

 

I have extremely high hopes for Brooks. He himself put Elam on the bench quite a few times. He is 12x the tackler and enforcer that Elam is.

 

Someone tell me the last time Elam laid somebody out?

[Bltravens]

He's somehow gotten worse the longer he's in the NFL...which makes no sense. That missed tackle on Amendola was awful.  Amendola is as soft and fragile as they come at WR.  Elam should have annihilated Amendola and driven him back face up.  Know who you're tackling.  He went at Amendola like he was Marshawn Lynch.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Bltravens

[jdynamite]

We all gave up on Jimmy Smith before. Db is the hardest transition in the NFL and even the "elite" player still struggle (Patrick Peterson gave up 7 or 8 TDs this year as the second highest paid DB in the league). Usually after Three years, they have it down.

Too many people on here gave up on Jimmy Smith because of an ankle injury and him getting beat on some double moves with limited playing time.

CB is more of a transition than Safety in league due to nature of coverages, speed, new rules in NFL vs college coverage rules. Safeties due cover slots more now and days but safeties learning curve are different since they can see the field more than a corner that's always going with a WR in battle.

I get in the debates at work and on Facebook all the time with people about corners like Peterson for instance. Yes he gave up TDs but the cardinals played man coverage literally 90% of the time and blitz heavy. Peterson gambles too much believing he can make plays. He needs to work on his technique and settle for deflections more.

Even with Revis Saturday people were saying awww he overrated S.Smith catching balls, getting penalties. I'm like yeah everybody gives up catches and TDs. But he plays great press man, uses his body well, and is very sneaky/ cleaver with positioning and hand play.

DBs now are at a real disadvantage with how little contact can be made.

[Purple_ICE 81]

Still too early to deem him a full on bust. I'd say if he shows no improvement next season and goes down a similar path of miss tackles, coverages, and getting benched than he will be as close as you can be to the B word.

[jdynamite]

So far I'll sum up Elam's first 2 years with this comparison. Elam has been the Safety version of Terrence Cody, high pick underperforming ( also not doing what he was know for doing well in college good in pros ) mount cody basically made it impossible to run on Bama, he was blocking FGs, NFL Cody gets pushed back off the ball more often than expected. Elam in college, hard-hitting safety, none for tackling . Had a nose for the ball causing fumbles recovering fumbles, appeared to be very confident as a player. NFL Elam misses too many tackles, stops before the final whistle blows too often, seems lost and unsure on the field, shows no football IQ.

Elam's rookie year I tempored my expectations. I figured hey he will blow some coverages on the backend I'm sure but he's bound to make some game-changing hard hits, maybe some batted balls even an interception or 2. Since he was playing more FS and I felt his strength was more playing up on line as a SS-hybrid.

Fast forward to this season, during the offseason articles were written about him calling defenses looking so much better, more confident in his approach, I never saw that on the field even at the start of the season. His reaction always seems delayed like he's thinking to much, he rarely ever wraps up when he goes to tackle, he's always going up high, or comes up and hesitates. Due to various secondary injuries he had to play some CB, some nickel back also ( didn't expect much there ) but I expect my safety to be a sure tackler.

Many of the safeties from that class has looked just as bad and were either benched at some point this season or finished the season benched.

[drdoub]

I know hindsight is agonizing for a fan/ exec but our 2013 1st and 2nd round picks were poor and really not in line with our defense scheme. Have not given up on brown but I am not at all impressed with Matt Elam.

Just think, here is what some fans were suggesting in the 2013 draft

Trade out of first

2-Keenan Allen wr ( was the closest wr coming out of college similar to bolden who got us the SB)

2-TJ McDonald SS ( big safety to cover big TE who give us tough mismatches)

Get extra 3rd