[News] Courtney Upshaw Aiming For More Sacks

[BR News]

The outside linebacker is heading into a contract year, and the Ravens see him providing more pass rush.

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[Bohica5]

Upshaw is so gone after next year....we already have young pass rushers lined up out the door....If you watch every play on defense(I do and upshaw has had his moments but is not consistent nor does he dominate the position) i really don't see him as being resigned by us.

[January J]

I voted for him in the poll to be the breakout player of the year. just got that feeling. I really see him filling in for McPhee well and knocking down Atleast 5 or 6 sacks, hopefully more.

[Nick04263]

Getting more sacks is great and all but not if it compromises your edge setting responsibility. Over pursuing the QB can get you in trouble (Especially with the better QBs). Being in a contract year can either up your game across the board because the effort goes up OR it can put you on an island due to selfish mistakes. We will see what Upshaw does.

[Nick04263]

We just need a couple more helmet to chest shots on Big Ben. That was one sweet hit.

[huntrgathrr]

Upshaw is a rock setting the edge. If he turns into a sack machine then we probably won't be able to afford him next year. So for that reason I hope he doesn't rack up too many sacks. Let Sizzle and Doom handle the sacks. Plus we get a pretty good push up the middle with Jernigan and Williams. The high quality depth in the defensive front seven continues this year. There are so many players rotating (at least 11-12) that the individual stats are usually watered down. That's fine with me.

[757RavensFan]

Just give Upshaw the opportunity to level Rothleisberger again like he did last season!!

[757RavensFan]

Didn't realize we were 2nd in the league w/ 49 total sacks. 

[Krabcake]

That hit needs to be a vine so that it loops over and over again nonstop.

[ravensrock007]

Hunt!

[budman]

Very underrated by others. Front off ice loves him. He has done a very good job for us. Come free agency, he will have many suitors.

[bnyce52]

I'm fine with all the sacks going to the guys under contract. I really don't want us losing Courtney to free agency a year from now. That guy plays like a Raven. Roll tide!

[Purple&BlackHeart]

The "Dirty Man" he doesn't get enough of the respect and credit he deserves but he plays his role damn good. He also doesn't complain about not getting the glory, he just goes out and plays like a raven.

Thank you sir for being a team player, go do your thing Courtney!!!!

[fusuymada]

I know people will think I'm a jerk for saying this but follow my logic and if you disagree then let me know (like I have to tell u that). If Upshaw is being used to increase his skills so he can get a big contract somewhere, then why play him over Za'Darius Smith who will be here five more years. Increase the skill of the players who are here. I never understood that, from Cary Williams, to Kruger, even McPhee. They spent all that time on the practice squad to spend one year on the team to move on. Maybe when Williams was here he should have been playing over Chris Carr, or why wasn't McPhee playing over Kruger, or Upshaw over McPhee. Why keep allowing players to sit until their final year and then give them one year to play when we would benefit by playing the newer guys and then the other guys would still be here because they wouldn't be on the last year of their rookie contract shining making money for someone else. Just seems like we do that over and over. Clearly Ozzie has the talent to find the guys, let's find a way to get them on the field and productive before the final year of their contract.

[peppy57]

Here is a possible reason to give that guy in his contract year a boost, to sell him to the highest bidder for higher level compensation picks, the level of player leaving directly dictates the level of com. pic we get in return. This allows us to get a better player with rookie pay scale, all comes back to the money.

[ellicottraven]

Upshaw is a very valuable Raven regardless of whether he gets sacks or not. If he does, it helps us this year for sure and him next year and land us a compensatory pick in 2017. But, if he doesn't it helps us keep him at a fair price. We win either way with Upshaw.

[GeeWallee]

The problem is that you can't PAY every Player what they want, deserve or expect.

The F.O. knows full well they are going to lose key players in Free Agency each year.

You keep the best and try to keep acquiring talent to surround the marquee Players.

I do hope, that Upshaw will have a good and productive year.

[January J]

I know people will think I'm a jerk for saying this but follow my logic and if you disagree then let me know (like I have to tell u that). If Upshaw is being used to increase his skills so he can get a big contract somewhere, then why play him over Za'Darius Smith who will be here five more years. Increase the skill of the players who are here. I never understood that, from Cary Williams, to Kruger, even McPhee. They spent all that time on the practice squad to spend one year on the team to move on. Maybe when Williams was here he should have been playing over Chris Carr, or why wasn't McPhee playing over Kruger, or Upshaw over McPhee. Why keep allowing players to sit until their final year and then give them one year to play when we would benefit by playing the newer guys and then the other guys would still be here because they wouldn't be on the last year of their rookie contract shining making money for someone else. Just seems like we do that over and over. Clearly Ozzie has the talent to find the guys, let's find a way to get them on the field and productive before the final year of their contract.

I see what you mean about grooming a guy that's more likely to be here in the future - but hey if upshaw is goin to play his tail off this year to earn that $$, I say we let him do his thing. It's a win now league- and if he produces well enough for us this year to price himself out of baltimore? More power to him- see ya later and thanks for the memories. We have no problem letting guys go when they cost too much, esp when we already have the replacement. infact I think Ozzie actually gets some satisfaction out of it and it's kind of like a mutual respect. Atleast that's the way I saw it with McPhee. But you gotta go with who's producing NOW , regardless of where they will be next year.

[4evermore23]

Upshaw get his weight right to b more faster he can dominate

[4evermore23]

The u drafted class looks almost as promising as the drafted class this yr we shouldnt have a problem replacing upshaw if he has a monster yr and also cant wait to see a full pre season of kapron lewis more and brent urban we forget about them so much potential just cant stay healthy fingers crossed this yr

[stixfix69]

I really hope we resign Upshaw, he doesn't get the press he deserves due to no sacks, but he is a beast in the run game, and is actually the starting OLBer opposite Suggs, as Doom is used basically as a pass rushing specialist....Very underrated OLBer who does the dirty work, and never complains....Plays like a Raven....

[ozrave]

@fusuymada, maybe it's to create an aberration in the final year. Ravens that move to other teams seldom maintain their level of performance in the final year. It might be, though I don't have the data to check, that they revert to performance levels of their other years served.

If that boost happens in the final year, the FO will know its continuity, more than other teams.

[TXRavensFan]

I really hope we resign Upshaw, he doesn't get the press he deserves due to no sacks, but he is a beast in the run game, and is actually the starting OLBer opposite Suggs, as Doom is used basically as a pass rushing specialist....Very underrated OLBer who does the dirty work, and never complains....Plays like a Raven....

 

Kind of reminiscent of another Raven - one who recently retired.

[GO_Ravens]

I think with more opportunities to rush the passer Upshaw will become a beast at it because he is so powerful and he has good leverage due to his average height. Kind of like James Harrison in his prime.

[JoeyFlex5]

to be completely honest, i know this wont be a popular opinion, but i think upshaw is better at this job than JJ. not by much, but i do think hes better, and has more room to grow.

i think his ceiling is about 6 sacks per season and thats if hes getting most of the snaps on obvious passing downs, but thats not terrible for a guy who plays the run and stuffs TE's at the line as well as he does. i hope we get to keep him here because i think if we lose him we will be feeling the effects in a bad way. upshaw and ZD smith could be a solid OLB duo for years to come, both violent and physical players, upshaw having hulkish strength and great discipline and ZD being the more flexible and athletic guy, i see ZD as a pretty pro ready guy and id like to see these 2 grow together

[FloridalovesRavens]

We train these guys to be beasts rtyand then lose them to other teams because of salary cap issues. Sure wish we could find a way to keep them. We have lost some really great players in the last few years and it really gets depressing after a while. Go Ravens.

[stixfix69]

Personally i think we are kind of lucky he isn't beasting it as a sack master, it should make a contract doable....And if Smith pans out, they could be our bookend OLBers in a few years...And if DePriest does what i think he can do, 3/4 of our LBer corp could be Bama players down the road....

[TorryGundy]

He does the job Double j did and almost as effective but doesent get the credit for being a really good edge setter. I think he is a tremndous ball player and I hope he gets some sacks so more people can realize that he is a special football player.

[hen826957]

I just hope he will have a good year instead of a great year so that we could have a chance to afford him. I'm okay with Upshaw to have 4.5 or 5 sacks but not 7 or 8 sacks. I don't want him to be another Pernell McPhee to have a big year on his last deal of his contract but I'm okay if he wait till next year to have a great year if we sign him LOL.

[Joey Flac]

He does the job Double j did and almost as effective but doesent get the credit for being a really good edge setter. I think he is a tremndous ball player and I hope he gets some sacks so more people can realize that he is a special football player.

 

Amen to that! Upshaw is a tone setter on the defense. Without the set-up there is no chance for the big sack when he comes out on third down or 2nd and long... 

 

I saw someone call him "situational" on the boards, when he plays the snaps for Dumervil to come in on pass rush situations and go for the KO.