Ravens sign S Kendrick Lewis

[A Fish Called Yanda]

i would rather hope it motivates him to play significantly better

 

regarding the signing... i really don't know much about this guy, last season stats look good... atleast he can step in while brooks gets healthy and if he prooves himself, even better

 

We've seen this before too many times - Elam is going to show a glimmer of hope next year, then the year after he's going to be a Pro Bowl safety who subsequently gets signed by another team for a lot of money.

[GrimCoconut]

I have mixed feelings on this one. I need to see the contract details. How much did we give him and what's the guaranteed? First we don't give Will Hill a high tender and now we uncharacteristically sign a free agent to a long term deal, a player who wasn't cut. This isn't a typical Ravens signing.

It makes me wonder our future plans for guys like Hill, Brooks and Elam. Not that I mind us signing a safety. It was our biggest weakness.

[sflegend89]

Still waiting on contract details but this looks like a quality addition to the secondary. Like others have said easily an upgrade over Stewart and Elam. Texans fans were sad to see him go and wanted him to re-sign there, fans don't get upset over a "crap" player who was only on your team for one season leaving.. if he was half as bad as our pal Sami84 made him out to be then Texans fans would be saying "good riddance".

 

I think Lewis will start for us and be solid.. not outstanding, but solid. He won't be whiffing on tackles like Elam and he will play the ball in the air better than Stewart who had issues tracking the ball (But to be fair Stewart was getting better at the very end of the year). At just 26 I think we can get the best years of his career out of him in this 3 year span and I certainly wouldn't be surprised if he continues his upward trending performance from last year.

Edited March 14, 2015 by sflegend89

[Gordo52]

Didn't he miss 14 tackles

Really now?

[Ravenseconbeast]

Im sure our FO did their research, but i mean........Kendrick Lewis.

 

Guess ill see what he does on field before judging him.

[The Mom Gene]

Actually Ihedigbo was a  better cover safety than Pollard and it wasn't penalty machine like Pollard was. He overall gave us the same thing Pollard did but was  just a upgrade in the coverage department and he was cheaper. 

Absolutely...  I'd like to go back and see how many flags Pollard took for Personal Foul or Unnecessary roughness...

[Sizzlebshu]

I have mixed feelings on this one. I need to see the contract details. How much did we give him and what's the guaranteed? First we don't give Will Hill a high tender and now we uncharacteristically sign a free agent to a long term deal, a player who wasn't cut. This isn't a typical Ravens signing.

It makes me wonder our future plans for guys like Hill, Brooks and Elam. Not that I mind us signing a safety. It was our biggest weakness.

It's a depth signing is my guess. Elam is gone barring the light turning on. Brooks is a lost cause for half this year and hill is a risk to leave with another team or via ban

[Guest]

Actually Ihedigbo was a  better cover safety than Pollard and it wasn't penalty machine like Pollard was. He overall gave us the same thing Pollard did but was  just a upgrade in the coverage department and he was cheaper. 

 

If Ihedigbo was all that why didn't we retain him?  Are you saying the Front Office thought Hill, Elam, Stewart, Miles and Trawick made a better Safety Squad?  You can't be saying that right? You're not saying that are you? 

 

Especially since Ihedigbo was actually cheaper than Bernard Pierce. Have to give you credit for that part because I looked it up. He was dirt cheap. Still is, even on IR for the Lions.  Though  being cheaper than BP is not really surprising to me and I don't think it surprised the Raven Front Office either.

 

There's a lot to being an effective Safety in the NFL.  It's a very complex position. There's huge responsibility. There's intelligence and instinct.  There's physicality and there's effective understanding of all that and more.  In my opinion, other than Quarterback it is the most demanding position in the game and maybe even more so. It is a complex position made doubly difficult by the change in League Rules regarding "Defenseless Players".  It's also clear to me that fans both do not really understand it and undervalue Safety Play and that some Front Offices do the same, the Raven's among them.  

 

Bernard Pollard knew the inherent math. He was part of the Order that knew.  Did you know that Pollard was only flagged for one penalty in 2012 that lead to a touchdown by the other team?  Did you know that was the only game the Raven's lost in regard to Pollard penalties?  FYI that game we were smoked by the Houston Texans, Pollard's play had little to do with that loss.  He was putting the rear leg into it and laying down the law, another part of a Safeties job that is not going to disappear entirely and if it does the team will be softer.  Did you know that the Ravens lost more games in which Ihedgibo committed penalites in 2013 than in Pollard's penalized games in 2012?  (Browns and Bengals).  Do you know what Pollard did to the Cheating Patriots in the 2012 AFC Championship, with broken ribs?

 

The following may sound arrogant, but it's not offered other than as an illustration in organizational understanding.  As they greet in the Masonic Orders, to those within their circle "Do you know?"

Edited March 15, 2015 by Danny D

[The Mom Gene]

If Ihedigbo was all that why didn't we retain him?  Are you saying the Front Office thought Hill, Elam, Stewart, Miles and Trawick made a better Safety Squad?  You can't be saying that right? You're not saying that are you? 

 

....... Insert remainder of text... didn't want to repost the entire comment...

 

The following may sound arrogant, but it's not offered other than as illustration.  As they greet in the Masonic Orders, to those within their circle "Do you know?"

Thanks...  Great post

[Sizzlebshu]

What seriously pisses me off is we had the chance to get rahim Moore is someone the Texans signed over Lewis and we signed lewis for what can only be financial or medical reasons

Smh

[sflegend89]

Here's a little head to head comparison with Stewart who was hilariously labelled a "high impact" safety after he signed with the Broncos. Rarely do I actually laugh out loud from reading an ESPN headline but I think that marks the first time Darian Stewart and "high impact" were ever in the same sentence. Stewart is solid, fairly consistent... but high impact? That's a joke and a half.

 

Darian Stewart 2014: 16 games played, 53 tackles, 1 FF, 1 INT, 4 passes defended, 2 stuffs

 

Kendrick Lewis 2014: 16 games played, 84 tackles, 3 FF, 2 INT's, 1 TD, 6 passes defended, 4 stuffs

 

 

Lewis was better in ever statistical category, over 30 more tackles, contributed to 3 more turnovers, more passes defended, oh yeah and he had a pick 6 while we're talking about "high impact". Do stats mean everything? no. But they certainly point in the direction of the truth more often than not.

[Puntit]

Im sure our FO did their research, but i mean........Kendrick Lewis.

 

Guess ill see what he does on field before judging him.

Ozzie has historically done pretty well with guys named Lewis... Anyway we don't need this guy to be the next Ed Reed, just an upgrade over Stewart for this to have been a good signing.

[Sizzlebshu]

Here's a little head to head comparison with Stewart who was hilariously labelled a "high impact" safety after he signed with the Broncos. Rarely do I actually laugh out loud from reading an ESPN headline but I think that marks the first time Darian Stewart and "high impact" were ever in the same sentence. Stewart is solid, fairly consistent... but high impact? That's a joke and a half.

Darian Stewart 2014: 16 games played, 53 tackles, 1 FF, 1 INT, 4 passes defended, 2 stuffs

Kendrick Lewis 2014: 16 games played, 84 tackles, 3 FF, 2 INT's, 1 TD, 6 passes defended, 4 stuffs

Lewis was better in ever statistical category, over 30 more tackles, contributed to 3 more turnovers, more passes defended, oh yeah and he had a pick 6 while we're talking about "high impact". Do stats mean everything? no. But they certainly point in the direction of the truth more often than not.

There are lies, damned lies, and statistics

[Puntit]

If Ihedigbo was all that why didn't we retain him?  Are you saying the Front Office thought Hill, Elam, Stewart, Miles and Trawick made a better Safety Squad?  You can't be saying that right? You're not saying that are you? 

 

Especially since Ihedigbo was actually cheaper than Bernard Pierce. Have to give you credit for that part because I looked it up. He was dirt cheap. Still is, even on IR for the Lions.  Though  being cheaper than BP is not really surprising to me and I don't think it surprised the Raven Front Office either.

 

There's a lot to being an effective Safety in the NFL.  It's a very complex position. There's huge responsibility. There's intelligence and instinct.  There's physicality and there's effective understanding of all that and more.  In my opinion, other than Quarterback it is the most demanding position in the game and maybe even more so. It is a complex position made doubly difficult by the change in League Rules regarding "Defenseless Players".  It's also clear to me that fans both do not really understand it and undervalue Safety Play and that some Front Offices do the same, the Raven's among them.  

 

Bernard Pollard knew the inherent math. He was part of the Order that knew.  Did you know that Pollard was only flagged for one penalty in 2012 that lead to a touchdown by the other team?  Did you know that was the only game the Raven's lost in regard to Pollard penalties?  FYI that game we were smoked by the Houston Texans, Pollard's play had little to do with that loss.  He was putting the rear leg into it and laying down the law, another part of a Safeties job that is not going to disappear entirely.  Did you know that the Ravens lost more games in which Ihedgibo committed penalites in 2013 than in Pollard's penalized games in 2012?  (Browns and Bengals).  Do you know what Pollard did to the Cheating Patriots in the 2012 AFC Championship, with broken ribs?

 

The following may sound arrogant, but it's not offered other than as an illustration in organizational understanding.  As they greet in the Masonic Orders, to those within their circle "Do you know?"

Pollard was cut for three reasons. (1) he lost a step and wasn't that fast to start with. He was a guy who hit hard but couldn't cover. (2) he was part of the undercurrent they felt was undermining the coaches ability in the locker room. It not really an accident how many different teams he will have played on. (3) the NFL telegraphed that they were changing the rules and a lot of the hits that made Pollard the weapon he was were no longer going to be tolerated.

[Guest]

Absolutely...  I'd like to go back and see how many flags Pollard took for Personal Foul or Unnecessary roughness...

 

It was three in 2011

 

Eight in 2012.......all Fifteen yard, one marked off for 11 due to proximity to the goal line. One must remember this was the beginning of the "Defensive Player" push.

 

Four in 2013 as a Titan playing 16 games...........it was Five but one was offsetting

[The Mom Gene]

What seriously pisses me off is we had the chance to get rahim Moore is someone the Texans signed over Lewis and we signed lewis for what can only be financial or medical reasons

Smh

Someone earlier said it best...  Moore probably would have not signed in Baltimore for the one reason alone that would have haunted him...  the burning he took from Jacoby on that Mile High Miracle...  it may have only been one, but it was a big one.  The contract numbers for Moore and Lewis seem to be the same... or similar. 

[pep_meister]

taking forever for some contract details...

[Guest]

The rules had already changed, the players were adjusting to them.

 

I know of the "day off" rescinded.  But I get your point, it was 2012, "There was disunion and disruption of a team undermining management's ability to impart the necessary discipline and wisdom to venture forth and win at the highest levels."  

 

These are men, not children. They are football players, you gotta pick your spots.

Pollard was cut for three reasons. (1) he lost a step and wasn't that fast to start with. He was a guy who hit hard but couldn't cover. (2) he was part of the undercurrent they felt was undermining the coaches ability in the locker room. It not really an accident how many different teams he will have played on. (3) the NFL telegraphed that they were changing the rules and a lot of the hits that made Pollard the weapon he was were no longer going to be tolerated.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Danny D

[jazz1988]

If Ihedigbo was all that why didn't we retain him?  Are you saying the Front Office thought Hill, Elam, Stewart, Miles and Trawick made a better Safety Squad?  You can't be saying that right? You're not saying that are you? 

 

 

 

The reason why Ihedigbo wasn't retain was because The Ravens wanted Matt Elam (aka their first rounder) to start at strong safety since Elam is supposely more comfortable playing near the line of scrimmage. .  Will Hill is a  better safety than Pollard and Ihedigbo and way more versatile as well. You not really going  to ask safeties like Pollard to cover  tight ends like Gronk or Gresham and you definitely can say the same for Ihedigbo. Will Hill on the other hand has a  better chance of being successful covering tight ends like Gronk or Gresham .

 

 

 Matt Elam was better in this rookie year but just regressed  last year but the Kendrick signing should help with making our secondary more versatile in my opinion.

[ellicottraven]

urgh..awful

 

you guys clearly don't watch him…he's worse then darien stewart

 

hes crap

It is okay to be a contrarian, but to be that just for the heck of it, come on man/woman!

[Sizzlebshu]

Someone earlier said it best... Moore probably would have not signed in Baltimore for the one reason alone that would have haunted him... the burning he took from Jacoby on that Mile High Miracle... it may have only been one, but it was a big one. The contract numbers for Moore and Lewis seem to be the same... or similar.

If the numbers are the same and Baltimore did not even make the attempt than Ozzie screwed up barring a medical issue

Don't forget rahim moored situation was no different than Jacobs

[GrimCoconut]

I think people are wrong on Moore possibly not signing here because of that play. There's no way a player will turn down a contract because of that.

[RaineV1]

I have mixed feelings on this one. I need to see the contract details. How much did we give him and what's the guaranteed? First we don't give Will Hill a high tender and now we uncharacteristically sign a free agent to a long term deal, a player who wasn't cut. This isn't a typical Ravens signing.

It makes me wonder our future plans for guys like Hill, Brooks and Elam. Not that I mind us signing a safety. It was our biggest weakness.

I think Ozzie likely believes at least one of those three (Brooks, Elam, and Hill) can be a long term, viable starter for the Ravens. He's simply not willing to roll the dice on two of them sticking around for the long term and doesn't think the Ravens are in a good position to get one of the few really good safeties in the draft. With Lewis, the odds of the Ravens having a good pair of safeties the next few seasons is greatly improved.

[Guest]

The reason why Ihedigbo wasn't retain was because The Ravens wanted Matt Elam (aka their first rounder) to start at strong safety since Elam is supposely more comfortable playing near the line of scrimmage. .  Will Hill is a  better safety than Pollard and Ihedigbo and way more versatile as well. You not really going  to ask safeties like Pollard to cover  tight ends like Gronk or Gresham and you definitely can say the same for Ihedigbo. Will Hill on the other hand has a  better chance of being successful covering tight ends like Gronk or Gresham .

 

 

 Matt Elam was better in this rookie year but just regressed  last year but the Kendrick signing should help with making our secondary more versatile in my opinion.

 

I've been looking at Kendrick and the more I look the more I like.  We'll see what he signed for.

 

We are just going to disagree upon Pollard but its history now, he's both older and hurt.  What we have to avoid is future mistakes when we have established a complimentary core and to do that Dead Money has to be effectively addressed.  We need to be the team on the doorstep every year, not the Cheating Squad from the Northeast.  

[A Fish Called Yanda]

I think Ozzie likely believes at least one of those three (Brooks, Elam, and Hill) can be a long term, viable starter for the Ravens. He's simply not willing to roll the dice on two of them sticking around for the long term and doesn't think the Ravens are in a good position to get one of the few really good safeties in the draft. With Lewis, the odds of the Ravens having a good pair of safeties the next few seasons is greatly improved.

 

I'd place my money squarely on Hill - dude has balled out but unfortunately has had quite a few off the field issues.

[Tyler]

I think people are wrong on Moore possibly not signing here because of that play. There's no way a player will turn down a contract because of that.

If I remember correctly, a certain Texans receiver made a pretty big mistake in a divisional game against this Ravens team, and ultimately resulted in him being booed out of town. You'd be crazy if you told me he went on to help that team In Baltimore win their second super bowl with that exact play that he made on Rahim Moore that everyone is talking about!

[Pirate88]

If Ihedigbo was all that why didn't we retain him?  Are you saying the Front Office thought Hill, Elam, Stewart, Miles and Trawick made a better Safety Squad?  You can't be saying that right? You're not saying that are you? 

 

Especially since Ihedigbo was actually cheaper than Bernard Pierce. Have to give you credit for that part because I looked it up. He was dirt cheap. Still is, even on IR for the Lions.  Though  being cheaper than BP is not really surprising to me and I don't think it surprised the Raven Front Office either.

 

There's a lot to being an effective Safety in the NFL.  It's a very complex position. There's huge responsibility. There's intelligence and instinct.  There's physicality and there's effective understanding of all that and more.  In my opinion, other than Quarterback it is the most demanding position in the game and maybe even more so. It is a complex position made doubly difficult by the change in League Rules regarding "Defenseless Players".  It's also clear to me that fans both do not really understand it and undervalue Safety Play and that some Front Offices do the same, the Raven's among them.  

 

Bernard Pollard knew the inherent math. He was part of the Order that knew.  Did you know that Pollard was only flagged for one penalty in 2012 that lead to a touchdown by the other team?  Did you know that was the only game the Raven's lost in regard to Pollard penalties?  FYI that game we were smoked by the Houston Texans, Pollard's play had little to do with that loss.  He was putting the rear leg into it and laying down the law, another part of a Safeties job that is not going to disappear entirely and if it does the team will be softer.  Did you know that the Ravens lost more games in which Ihedgibo committed penalites in 2013 than in Pollard's penalized games in 2012?  (Browns and Bengals).  Do you know what Pollard did to the Cheating Patriots in the 2012 AFC Championship, with broken ribs?

 

The following may sound arrogant, but it's not offered other than as an illustration in organizational understanding.  As they greet in the Masonic Orders, to those within their circle "Do you know?"

I was at that game and the patsie WRs RBs and TEs were terrified of Pollard. BTW they were also scared of Ellerbe who had the athleticism to drop and cover like a strong safety and layed viscous hits like the LB he was. That's why Sean Weatherspoon was my #1 free agent priority for the $$. Dayrl Smith is beginning to look like a LB that will be bout 35 by playoff time. Coverage took a big hit losing Ellerbe. A LB like Him Mosley Willis Bowman Weatherspoon Daryl Washington and Kuechly are tremendousy valuable to helping safety's and even cornerbacks in coverage for the targets they take from the QB and the fear they strike. Pollard hit like a LB and terrorized Bradys receivers. Most fans don't realize though that Ellerbe played a big role terrorizing the Patsies short to intermediate throws where Brady thrives. My opinion, To beat them we will need either an enforcer at safety or LB that can cover like a safety and strike fear in receivers over the middle where Bradys and other elite rythym QBs thrive.We can't let Gronk control the middle like he did or those little slots Edelman and Amendola running free unchallenged. Lewis I don't think is a game changing move. For the $$ I wanted Weatherspoon.

[ravensnick]

I was at that game and the patsie WRs RBs and TEs were terrified of Pollard. BTW they were also scared of Ellerbe who had the athleticism to drop and cover like a strong safety and layed viscous hits like the LB he was. That's why Sean Weatherspoon was my #1 free agent priority for the $$. Dayrl Smith is beginning to look like a LB that will be bout 35 by playoff time. Coverage took a big hit losing Ellerbe. A LB like Him Mosley Willis Bowman Weatherspoon Daryl Washington and Kuechly are tremendousy valuable to helping safety's and even cornerbacks in coverage for the targets they take from the QB and the fear they strike. Pollard hit like a LB and terrorized Bradys receivers. Most fans don't realize though that Ellerbe played a big role terrorizing the Patsies short to intermediate throws where Brady thrives. My opinion, To beat them we will need either an enforcer at safety or LB that can cover like a safety and strike fear in receivers over the middle where Bradys and other elite rythym QBs thrive.We can't let Gronk control the middle like he did or those little slots Edelman and Amendola running free unchallenged. Lewis I don't think is a game changing move. For the $$ I wanted Weatherspoon.

Please don't mention Ellerbe with those guys. Just watch him in Miami. He looks god awful and they had an amazing d-line and some solid CBs. That being said you have a good point. We do need a coverage LB for the future with Brown's apparent bust and Smith's age. 

[JO_75]

I have mixed feelings on this one. I need to see the contract details. How much did we give him and what's the guaranteed? First we don't give Will Hill a high tender and now we uncharacteristically sign a free agent to a long term deal, a player who wasn't cut. This isn't a typical Ravens signing.

It makes me wonder our future plans for guys like Hill, Brooks and Elam. Not that I mind us signing a safety. It was our biggest weakness.

 

Well since Brooks will be on the PUP list to start the season, Lewis gives us a FS who can play right away solving that issue. Hill plays SS and as long as he doesn't get swiped by another team, I like our Safety situation. As for Brooks, my theory is he may end up being our Nickel corner when he returns giving us solid corner depth and being groomed to play corner opposite of Jimmy when Webb's contract no longer becomes affordable. 

Edited March 15, 2015 by JO_75

[Guest]

I was at that game and the patsie WRs RBs and TEs were terrified of Pollard. BTW they were also scared of Ellerbe who had the athleticism to drop and cover like a strong safety and layed viscous hits like the LB he was. That's why Sean Weatherspoon was my #1 free agent priority for the $$. Dayrl Smith is beginning to look like a LB that will be bout 35 by playoff time. Coverage took a big hit losing Ellerbe. A LB like Him Mosley Willis Bowman Weatherspoon Daryl Washington and Kuechly are tremendousy valuable to helping safety's and even cornerbacks in coverage for the targets they take from the QB and the fear they strike. Pollard hit like a LB and terrorized Bradys receivers. Most fans don't realize though that Ellerbe played a big role terrorizing the Patsies short to intermediate throws where Brady thrives. My opinion, To beat them we will need either an enforcer at safety or LB that can cover like a safety and strike fear in receivers over the middle where Bradys and other elite rythym QBs thrive.We can't let Gronk control the middle like he did or those little slots Edelman and Amendola running free unchallenged. Lewis I don't think is a game changing move. For the $$ I wanted Weatherspoon.

 

Very nice...You know...I've got the 2012 AFC Championship on tape and you've just inspired me to relieve the moment again. Who'd of thunk it was such a transitional moment.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Danny D