[News] Courtney Upshaw Wants To Do More Of Everything In Contract Year

[BR News]

The edge-setting linebacker is looking to expand his repertoire as a pass rusher in a contract season.

View the full article

[OrganisedChaos2]

Upshaw doesn't need sacks to be an impactful player, having said that the hit he had on Roethlissberger was worth at least 5 sacks.

[Arch Mage]

We know the pattern with the Ravens; there is always a starting linebacker who becomes the odd man out when the Ravens look at whom they have to keep. I guess we wish for such a great year from Upshaw that he more than prices himself out of the Ravens future plans. Let's get one more great year from him.

[BSHUAlumni]

First sack since 2013...what about the sack on Big Ben in the playoff game against the Steelers earlier this year??? Ben wasn't the same after that.

[boldtown]

if upshaw only played in the steelers games... i'd be okay with that. i would suspect him to start lighting up the opposition with some tough hits. this his third year in a four year contract. it's pivotal year. it will either be extension, trade. should the ravens play him through the fourth year. he may, most likely, become the next kruger and mcphee.

[Krabcake]

Unsung rock on our defense

[ellicottraven]

If all Upshaw does is land another crushing blow on Roethlisberger, he would've earned his keep and a new contract! He is a quintessential Raven, stout and unsung!

[Legendary Ravens]

This dude is Serious... A Hard Rock of the Defense. I see him putting in the work. Watching lineman cringe after Upshaw and the departed McPhee hit them was something else. I like Upshaw's game a lot. Stats don't have to justify his play... and After reading these comments we are all on the same page. We all see it.

[Jerome C]

He was the first Raven I thought of when I listened to Billick's speech on sacrifices. Very important and unselfish player, I hope he gets to stay a Raven for a while!

[harfordravenfan]

Upshaw is a great blue collar player much like jj. I hope we manage to keep him but in same sense... I hope he explodes this year making it hard to afford him

[stixfix69]

I always was a fan of his, he has the JJ mentality, just get it done without the hype...Blue collar under-rated LBer IMO...and i want him back....

[Drew P]

I dont get it he gets slapped with a fine for hitting too hard? While the Squeelers didnt have to forfeit a draft pick for sore loser Tomlin stepping onto the field of play?

[stixfix69]

And he is the true Predator look a like on the team....

[ellicottraven]

Upshaw is a shy and unassuming man. He is the one guy I would hate to piss off frankly. These quiet types have a really heavy hand!

[Bohica5]

It will be Upshaw's last year with us and i predict it will be his best so he can get paid.....if you watch our games he is just mostly standing around and getting blocked out of plays......he has had his moments but they are few and far between............

[757RavensFan]

First sack since 2013...what about the sack on Big Ben in the playoff game against the Steelers earlier this year??? Ben wasn't the same after that.

 

They called roughing the passer on that play, so his sack didn't count.  So from a stats standpoint, his last sack was in 2013.

[Bruce_Almty]

I like Courtney ... he's quietly AWESOME.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Bruce_Almty

[vazfynst1]

I love upshaw he stays out of trouble and does the dirty work for our team.

[Mystigo_Dragon]

Don't get too "Beastie", Court,... we may not be able to afford ya and we're 2 year away from another ring!

2016 is the season we get it!

[JoeyFlex5]

i am an upshaw fan, no arguments about a lack of sacks or his draft status can convince me otherwise, he is a massive part of our identity on defense and nobody in the league does his job quite as well as he does, and to top it all off he is one of most physically imposing LB's in the game, offensive players do not look forward to getting hit or jammed up by this guy. i think it finally comes together for him this year, as he has had 2 seasons straight where he has not had to overwork himself to stay at a playing weight, he is at his physical peak, and the game has slowed down tremendously to him, i think he finally lives up to that draft status, and he may not have many sacks, but i think hes gonna be an absolute machine for us this season, he may never pass 3-4 sacks, but i think he gets some int's, forces some fumbles, renders a few TE's useless at the LOS, knocks some guys out cold, ya know, old school linebacker stuff.

[smolina2o1]

I really do hope we get to keep Upshaw, he's got a shot at becoming the next beast that Baltimore grooms and cashes in somewhere else. It's the nature of the NFL sometimes and the Ravens always find a way to survive through it, but theres something about Upshaw's I can't ignore, to me he just stands out more than Kruger, Art Jones and McPhee. He's still very young, came from Alabama and honestly I truly believed that if Suggs was gonna retire that Upshaw would be a new leader for the next generation of great Raven defensive players. He was a rookie on our Super Bowl squad and he could easily transition what he may have learned from Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Suggs cuz he's one of the few players we have that can actually say they played alongside them. Just think Upshaw and Mosely would be the new Ray Lewis and Suggs. #wishfulthinking

[RavenzOz]

Upshaw is a beast, no doubt about it, and to date has been more of an "enabler" than a "stats-man".

 

And there is a certain irony here:

 

- If he racks up "stats" this year, he may get priced out of the Ravens, but if he chases the big money he will likely end up at some team of also-rans who habitually overpay for the "stats"

 

- If he remains an enabler, and posts limited "stats" he may still get priced out of the Ravens (less likely though), but would end up at a team that know his true value, one of those teams who are perenially in the hunt, a team like us.

 

sorry, I am probably stating the obvious

Edited August 12, 2015 by RavenzOz

[Dorota]

Courtney is a beast and I love him for what he does. He doesn't get the flashy plays and the stats, but he gets his job done and helps others do their. Stats aren't everything and in Baltimore, he's acknowledged for that. Obviously, he deserves a pay day, but it just makes next year scarier with him, Yanda, Osmele and Tucker all in need of a new contract. Still hope he gets some sacks, especially against Steelers. Though the last one didn't count for stats, the hit on Roethlisberger was extremely satisfying. I'd watch it over and over. In fact, I did just that.

[DrinkmoreBeer]

I just don't get why Upshaw is criticized for fulfilling his role. Upshaw stuffs the run on 1st and 2nd down, so Dumervil can come in on 3rd down and get the sack. What is wrong with that? I don't hear Doom getting criticized for not being a run-stuffer. Upshaw does the dirty work so Doom can get the glory.

[Bob21043]

Exactly, Jarrett Johnson never lit up the sack numbers either. He just set the edge and took care of the run (very well). Upshaw performs and executes the same way - no flash, very consistent; (and effective), just not very flashy or exciting.

[concretejimmy]

I watched a video of him hitting the tackling dummies. He was destroying it compared to the other lineman. He was practically lifting it off the ground. I nicknamed him MACK as in truck.

[757RavensFan]

Bump!

Upshaw, here's your chance to show that youre more than run support. #Hunt