[News] Late For Work 5/26: Let's Be Honest About Marc Trestman's Influence On Offense

[BR News]

Competition between Za’Darius, Upshaw. Steelers a vulnerable division winner. Yanda 5th-best NFL player.

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[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

I hope Oz gets some extensions worked out soon. Yanda and Tucker for sure and possibly K.O.

[budman]

NO way Yanda walks. Oz and company too smart to let that happen. It's going to be very expensive but in the end he stays.

[757RavensFan]

Ozzie and staff have stated on numerous occassions, they will not pay a player for what he did in the past but what their potential is for the future.  With that being said, at 31 Yanda's best years are probably beyond him and does Ozzie break his rule and pay Yanda top money?

[MissRay27]

I hope Yanda can stay, but Ngata was sent packing, who would have thought it! Tucker is a no brainer.

Prayers to Melvin and his family.

[stixfix69]

Yanda has shown no signs of slowing down, he is still a beast, and i just think with him knowing this will be his last big contract he just wants to get his fair market value....He has been a true raven, having restructured once before to help with our cap in the past....He is the heart and soul of the O-line, Oz in this case, just pay the man....

[Raven_Don]

If I had to choose today on who I would rather keep... it would have to be K.O. though NFL Guards can play well into their 30's as the position relies more so on skill and functional strength than it does athleticism.. so it would be safe to assume that Yanda can play at a high level for at least the next 4 to 5 years where as K.O can give you the next 8 years at a high level... without question Yanda is the best lineman on the team and he greatly improve your chances to win a championship now... at times you gotta play now and as you plan for the future...

[stixfix69]

I hope we can keep KO, and Yanda, but KO is inline for a big payday, i just hope he is wanting to stay a Raven, and take what Oz can offer him, but we just lose stud players to teams who have the cap space to over pay....

[757RavensFan]

 Melvin had one bad game.  Unfortunately it was vs the Pats.  Prior to that game he was getting very high praise and well deserved.

[b93333]

If history is any guide we won't know about Yanda's future until later this summer. In any event he is locked up for this season. It will basically come down to Yanda's decision to either remain a Raven for life... or go for the last possible dollar. If it's the latter, plan "B" will be to extend KO and groom a more economic option at RG. That's what Ozzie does.

[stixfix69]

Melvin did a great job for us, and the Pats had to pull every trick in the book to beat us....I expect Melvin to be so much better this year, with a full set of OTA's, and camp....He is my #4 CB going into it....

[Space11jams]

i think we extend Yanda's deal so that he can retire as a raven and KO and Tucker get's new deals.

[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

Melvin  had one bad game.  Unfortunately it was vs the Pats.  Prior to that game he was getting very high praise and well deserved.

TRUE.....and unfortunately the whole second half of that game the Ravens pass rush was nill and we gave Brady all the time to pick his targets. Melvin is a good player and is better for playing in the hand-full of games he played in.

[bioLarzen]

I don't think that just because Trestman had Cutler throw a lot of intermediate passes to Bennett and short ones and screens to Forte means that he will want Flacco to do the same. His stragtegy in Chicago was very probably largely influenced by the fact tha Cutler wasn't a trustable deep passer - while Flacco is. So, if he has trustable deep targets - ones like Torrey used to be - I don't think he'll refrain from deep passes every now and then - and definitely more frequently than in Chicago.

[ellicottraven]

If our draft picks turn out to be who we think they can be, I truly believe we are the best overall team in the entire NFL. Offense, Defense and Special Teams. With that in mind, a Super Bowl win isn't necessarily out of order or a pipe dream. A few things need to happen however: we need to stay relatively healthy, coaching needs to be on point, the players have to believe in each other. If those things happen, I believe we will be SB champions in 2015 (without cheating)!

[ellicottraven]

Melvin did a great job for us, and the Pats had to pull every trick in the book to beat us....I expect Melvin to be so much better this year, with a full set of OTA's, and camp....He is my #4 CB going into it....

I fully agree. Everybody is entitled to a bad game. Unfortunately Melvin's came at an inopportune time for us. However, at 6'3" and with confidence gained, I believe our secondary of Jimmy, Webb, Arrington, Melvin and Walker will be awesome. We have 3 outside CBs with height, length and speed in Jimmy, Melvin and Walker, with 2 amazing slot corners in Webby and Arrington! Not to mention our secret weapons in the secondary this year - Will Hill and Kendrick Lewis!

[bioLarzen]

He had one bad game.  Unfortunately it was vs the Pats.  Prior to that game he was getting very high praise and well deserved.

 

I would even say it would have been unfair to expect him to go out, half a season after being a PS guy in Tampa Bay, and beat Brady. He did all he could - but he had to work against what Brady is the best at. I think Melvin had a terrific first (half a) season with us and delivered when and where we needed help the most. If his first half a season is in any way indicative, I'm afraid it's not gonna be much of a contest between him and Asa this pre-season... I'm expecting him to clearly overtake Asa on the depth chart. I definitely thing we MAY have found the next Cary Williams in him: a guy who seems to be buried in practice squads and then he suddenly erupts...

[bioLarzen]

TRUE.....and unfortunately the whole second half of that game the Ravens pass rush was nill and we gave Brady all the time to pick his targets. Melvin is a good player and is better for playing in the hand-full of games he played in.

 

We knew all along it would be that way: Brady's number one weapon is to identify the weakest link in the secondary, and then keep throwing at it - if it's a CB, to a wideout, if it's a safety, to Gronkowski (or Welker when he was still there). He did it to poor Cary Williams during that great win Week#3 of the Super Bowl season (the "manure chant" game ) - kept throwing at Cary snap after snap. Now it was poor Melvin.

 

But hey, his still so young. most of his career is probably still ahead of him.

[merryjman]

Lots of tricky contract stuff upcoming for next year. If we release Pitta after June 1, cap hit splits (I think) between the next 2 seasons. Dead Ray Rice money will be freed up in the cap and that sorta offsets Pitta. Flacco is gonna have to be re-negotiated. KO's rookie contract expires and it will be tough to keep him and Yanda both, which is a shame because they're the best guard tandem in the NFL. I think Dumervil's contract is back-loaded also, so he is a renegotiate-or-cut guy too

[AsianRice]

If you play or know anything about sport, you can't expect a PS or T4 backup player to produce like a starter; it's like putting me to play in Div 1 college sport. Melvin has been doing great and well surpassing expectation. His first NFL start against HOF Brady isn't pretty but the Pats have to pull all the tricks out of their ends to beat our beat up, handicapped secondary. Sky is limit for Melvin; I'm excited how he transform to a starter corner. Go get them! Melvin.....

[Purple&BlackHeart]

Rashaan Melvin did all he could last year. He will be fine this year adding quailty depth to the CB position and will develop quite nicely. My condolences to both he and his family, its always tough losing a loved one especially when you have to watch them slowly die. I myself have lost 2 uncles I was really close with to cancer and I can tell you it was the watching and the knowing that their days are growing shorter and their pain is growing stronger. All we can do is be strong for our families and never forget the good times we shared with our loved ones no matter how short their time on this earth may have seemed.

 

All the best Rashaan, stay strong.

[LNB]

Sending condolences and best wishes to Rashaan and his family. Very impressed with how far Rashaan advanced in short time. He is a Raven through and through. Take care of yourself, Rashaan, get that shoulder well, and we look forward to seeing you back on the field soon!

[Purple&BlackHeart]

Cmon we already know what the deal is. This is the AFC North the toughest, hardest, grittiest, blue collar division in the NFL hands down. Even the Browns will play you hard(tho they don't win a lot). This will be a an epic cut throat battle as usual. (not for the weak at heart and fair weathered fans) Any of the top 3 teams can take it, but this year with this roster of perfectly blended youth and vets, fear the Raven not just in the AFC North but in the entire NFL.

[Purple&BlackHeart]

If you don't know you better ask somebody. Nobody forces Ozzies hand and nobody knows what Ozzie is going to do. We can spend a whole year talking about how we should keep Yanda (who I love to death) or keep K.O. (who grows better each week) or keep both or try and sign Tucker (best kicker in the league) or keep Will Hil ( love his mentality because all he wants to do is hit and make plays) but at the end of the day Oz and Co. will always put the team first by making sure contracts are fair for the organiztion and postions are competitve despite team favorites and elite players.

 

If you don't believe the words I say to be true then ask a guy like Haloti Ngata how Ozzie does it.

[Purple&BlackHeart]

I have all the confidence in the world in Marc Trestman as a offensive cordenator. He has none of the stress of being a head coach can focus on the offense and is great with working with quarterbacks, except Jay Cutler (cant help them all). He knows the deal work with what was already working because its not broken. Then add his own twist on to it, with all the weapons and depth I think the sky's the limit on the plays he can execute with this team. Joe will have fun working with somebody who has the same personality as he and they will get along phenomenally. I just hope Trestman can actually stick around for more than a year because I think Joe may be tired of remembering so many offensive coordinators names.

[Popeye the sailor man]

I'm not knowing Marc Trestman that well, I'm assuming that he a very good OC as well as a former Head Coach of the Chicago Bears, he did a very good job considering whom he had playing for him In Chicago, the important thing Is that Joe Flacco had 4 of these OC's in the last 4 years and still has his mind focused straight ahead, he supports Trestman as his OC and everyone else seems to follow. I'm hoping that this OC is the beginning of a long relationship for the Ravens and not just a standby till next season. I'm trusting In Ozzie and John Harbough that they know what they are doing and doing what's best for Baltimore and what's best for business, I see the Ravens as a serious thread to the North Division unlike we've ever seen before. I see them winning games with high point totals and not just barely getting wins. I'm hoping that the Ravens front office can find a way to keep Yanda, K.O. and the many others from walking away to another team, why do I get this feeling that Ngata will be a Raven again next season and I still see the Ravens winning 4-6 Super Bowls in the future, possibly before Joe Flacco retires, about those Patriots, they beat us because they CHEATED and Brady has the gall to say he didn't, even though he was suspended for the first 4 games, he got off easily and still denies It and will appeal the decision, Man what a cry baby he is.

[huntrgathrr]

This is the most talent the Ravens have ever had on offense...at every position. They will be a nightmare to defend. The receivers are particularly talented, big and fast. When Flacco has time he is a beast and behind this O line he will have all day.

I fully expect Trestman to have a lot of fun with these guys. They will do everything well. Expect a well balanced offense that capitalizes on a defense's weakness. This should be an offense that just doesn't get stopped very often.

[rmcjacket23]

I'm not knowing Marc Trestman that well, I'm assuming that he a very good OC as well as a former Head Coach of the Chicago Bears, he did a very good job considering whom he had playing for him In Chicago, the important thing Is that Joe Flacco had 4 of these OC's in the last 4 years and still has his mind focused straight ahead, he supports Trestman as his OC and everyone else seems to follow. I'm hoping that this OC is the beginning of a long relationship for the Ravens and not just a standby till next season. I'm trusting In Ozzie and John Harbough that they know what they are doing and doing what's best for Baltimore and what's best for business, I see the Ravens as a serious thread to the North Division unlike we've ever seen before. I see them winning games with high point totals and not just barely getting wins. I'm hoping that the Ravens front office can find a way to keep Yanda, K.O. and the many others from walking away to another team, why do I get this feeling that Ngata will be a Raven again next season and I still see the Ravens winning 4-6 Super Bowls in the future, possibly before Joe Flacco retires, about those Patriots, they beat us because they CHEATED and Brady has the galls to say he didn't, even though he was suspended for the first 4 games, he got off easily and still denies It and will appeal the decision, Man what a cry baby he is.

I think 4-6 SBs would be a stretch. The best of the best franchises win 4-6 SBs over the course of 2-3 decades. Winning even 2 SBs with Flacco would be an amazing success with the franchise, and I'd say expecting anything more than 3 in a 15 year span is very difficult.

[Tenacious Faulker]

RE: Trestmans Ofense - I've been saying the same thing as Hensley for months now. The Ravens wanted to keep as much of Kubiak's offense as possible and Trestman is the man for it. His scheme is very similar - Zone Blocking and play-action off of a strong run game - just like Kubiak. He's sure to have some minor differences and will add his own little flair, but even though he says he's not a Kubiak Clone (and I agree), it might appear so on the field to most fans.

[Tenacious Faulker]

Re: Upshaw vs Smith - Unless Upshaw really screws up or is that much of a liability in the pass game, he'll get McPhee's snaps. He was fine in passing situations last season in a limited run nailing Big Ben hard twice. Granted they were flagged, but those were suspect calls imo. He's going to work on tightening up his game so those 50/50 calls don't happen anymore and he's shown steady improvement. He should have little trouble fending off the rookie this year.