[News] Late For Work 9/7: Returners And Running Backs Needed In Baltimore. Who's Out There?

[RavensBaltimore]

"The rich get richer"- Really tired of hearing this kinda talk when it comes to the Ravens. We are overall a good drafting team thanks to Ozzie but he misses just as many as he hits and never gets grief for the misses. 2009, 10, 12 and 13 were all sub par years minus a player or two here and there and thats being kind. 2014 was a nice bounce back year especially if certain guys can stay healthy. I dont want to judge this past years draft yet its to early but Perrmian is def concerning , its clear now why MAxx fell as far as he did (just not ready for this level on competition yet) . Carl Davis looks like he good be a nice player. I just think Ozzie get to much credit for the past

"The rich get richer" was about all the picks Ozzie keeps accumulating, not hits or misses. You can pick out plenty of misses from Ozzie, but he has more hits than most GMs, especially considering how late he picks on a yearly basis. He has had a couple sub par drafts in the last 5 years, but we keep losing star players, and we keep winning. He has to be doing something right.

 

There is nothing concerning about Perriman in the long run right now. There's no structural damage and he doesn't have a history of getting injured. He may miss some regular season games, but there is no indication that this injury will affect his career. We're just seeing extreme fan overreaction as impatient people jump to conclusions way too soon. We don't know if Maxx is ready for NFL competition yet. The season hasn't even started.

[hen826957]

@stuckonaboat15 Ozzie can't get every draft pick right unless he could tell the future. There always gonna be a bad pick so as other teams.

[Godfather A]

Jacoby Ford and Cordarelle Patterson are both receivers. Leon Washington is a veteran running back with not much tread.

[bioLarzen]

I really want Ozzie to trade for Cordarrelle Patterson for a 5th rounder or something

 

Since the Vikings are in no need and can utilize Patterson, a meager fifth-rounder doesn't seem to be a realistic trade bait IMHO.

Edited September 7, 2015 by bioLarzen

[hen826957]

I agree with you bioLarzen just thinking it will probably be more than just a 5th rounder. Maybe a player and a draft pick for him.

[bigcatfrank1]

Ross or Jacoby Ford are fine returners but I would rather we pick up Jonas Gray. Also Reggie Wayne would be worth the risk until Perriman makes it back, if he does.

[TheSim]

"The rich get richer"- Really tired of hearing this kinda talk when it comes to the Ravens. We are overall a good drafting team thanks to Ozzie but he misses just as many as he hits and never gets grief for the misses. 2009, 10, 12 and 13 were all sub par years minus a player or two here and there and thats being kind. 2014 was a nice bounce back year especially if certain guys can stay healthy. I dont want to judge this past years draft yet its to early but Perrmian is def concerning , its clear now why MAxx fell as far as he did (just not ready for this level on competition yet) . Carl Davis looks like he good be a nice player. I just think Ozzie get to much credit for the past

 

Plenty of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounders on every team fail; look at the Steelers O-Line woes, or the Pats' inability to draft CBs: even the other great orgs miss on what should be slam dunks.

 

But most teams are lucky to get a reliable starter from any round other than the first three.  Ozzie/Eric regularly get starters from rounds 4 and 5, and find solid backups in later rounds. And the rest of the league pretty much cannot understand how well they do in picking up UDFAs.

 

And while Ozzie gets huge acclaim for his drafting (which to be frank has not been as reliably spectacular as in the first 10 years or so but has still been excellent), the places where he's probably better than anybody else in the entire league is free agency, accumulating comp picks, and cap management.  He regularly finds guys that other teams cut or ignored in FA, brings them here, and then we watch them explode.  Justin Forsett is just the latest.  Will Hill is probably going to be that guy this year.  (Worth mentioning that we've signed both of them to extensions that are probably 50% off what they should be making value-wise).  Kamar Aiken is another guy who will probably provide far more value to us than any of his other teams could have imagined.  And that's just since last year.  

 

As far as Perriman and Williams... relax.  The season hasn't even started yet.  Perriman started every game of his college career.  Williams has only been resting a few weeks and might need a year to catch up fully to NFL speed anyway (Pitta wasn't even that great in his first year, you might remember Ed Dickson was the big rookie TE that year).  Relax.

 

Edited to add: We're carrying over $10m in dead cap weight this season, we're ~$8m under the cap, and yet we're getting picked to go to the SB.  And you want to criticize how Ozzie runs the org?

Edited September 7, 2015 by TheSim

[Legendary Ravens]

I know the decision is final but its makes my stomach queazy when we talk vet RBs and Ray Rice is out there ready to rumble. It just doesn't feel right. The journey continues

[ellicottraven]

Oh how I miss Jacoby not just for the football thrills he could provide but for his personality. He was such a natural.

[cobrajet]

Charles James to the Ravens! Yes, I loved this guy on Hard Knocks!!!!!!!!

[The Greek]

as long as we find someone that will not fumble than i could care less who is our return man is although i am not a fan of using sss since he is the most reliable receiver we have and webb or camponaro due to their bodies being brittle.

[rmcjacket23]

Also, is it just me? - When we're losing by a couple points in the last 2 minutes and our offense is unlikely to get back on the field I used to pray "We have great special teams, it could be a return touchdown, it could be a return touchdown, it could be a return touchdown..." Or so I used to until now. You can win or lose a game on your special teams play.

Just like you can win or lose a bunch of games by defensive play, offensive play, turnovers, etc.

 

We're overvaluing the return game by a lot on these boards, particularly if you're just focusing return TDs. Lets look at some data:

 

In the last two seasons, Jacoby had played 30 games for the Ravens, including playoffs. During that period, he averaged 71 yards per game in KO return yardage. Sounds like a lot right? Well, without perspective, it might be. But if we consider that we are likely getting AT LEAST 3 KOs per game, you're only looking at maybe roughly 10 yards per game difference between what Jacoby gets us and what a touchback gets us. 10 yards per game is basically the equivalent of Joe Flacco completing just one more pass. AND... he's returned two kicks for TDs in the last two seasons... that's one per season. That's better than a lot of folks, but I think we're pretending like he's running 3 or 4 back a year. 2012 was very much outside of the norm for Jacoby in terms of ST TDs... he had four that season despite have four in his entire five year career prior to that.

 

All we need is a guy who doesn't turn the ball over and will take the yardage that is given to him. If you get people to block properly, most returners in this league will have no problem gaining yardage. All this nonsense about how we can't possibly win unless we have a guy who returns ONE kick a year for a TD just doesn't hold up logically.

 

We're not interested in "flash" or "sexy" here.

[Ravensfansince03]

Daniel Brown is back. Can players get moved up from practice squad if say a starting WR gets injured?

[ckarp34]

Lets not forget...Charles James looked nasty when they put him at RB in the backfield...just saying.

[Maryland]

Lol, they have a point. The KR position probably won't get a single returnable ball week 1 in that thin Denver air.

[Puntit]

Titans are bringing in Gray for a look. If they sign him, maybe they'd consider flipping West to us -- something the Browns obviously would never do.

[cbrook1862]

Bring in Gray as rb and Holliday as returner

[HayintheBarn]

I love the Forsett/Steve Smith rivalry.

[Moderator 3]

Daniel Brown is back. Can players get moved up from practice squad if say a starting WR gets injured?

Yes.

[757RavensFan]

So where exactly is Charles James since he's not on the 10 man PS?

[20306cab]

Class act for Jackson to take the high road. Oh yeah, and for the outta work McClain to be so humble.

[TrooRavenFan]

That picture of Torrey, Q and JJ was hard to look at...

[bigcatfrank1]

I was hearing that PS players get paid per game, is that true? SO this allows them to be cut or moved to active at anytime. I would imagine Oz is talking with the likes of Jonas Gray and Montee Ball just to get a feel for the $. I wouldnt be surprised if a call went into Reggie Waynes camp. just to feel the water.

[bigcatfrank1]

I heard Charles is a lock. This is a good find. SO that makes Ross, Charles and Perry as new additions to the Ravens depth. Its not over yet.

[Ravensfansince03]

Yes.

 

cool thanks

[bigcatfrank1]

Fred Jackson or Jonas Gray would be great additions. Give us a Reggie Wayne or a Hakeem Nicks type to slip in for Perriman or any available spot. The thing with those guys is probably salary. You are allowed 2 veterans on the PS now.

[balfan23]

Fred Jackson or Jonas Gray would be great additions. Give us a Reggie Wayne or a Hakeem Nicks type to slip in for Perriman or any available spot. The thing with those guys is probably salary. You are allowed 2 veterans on the PS now.

Jackson is a Seahawk. Gray is working out with Titans tomorrow. 

 

Any replacement for Perriman is short term and whoever it is needs to have some wheels. Neither Wayne nor Nicks qualify. 

[sticks999]

Jacoby Ford is a wonderful guy. He would be a great addition to the locker room as well as being a speeding returned.You want good guys on both sides of the field.No problems with him, it would be a great signing IMO.

[sticks999]

Chills

[runcontrol]

So where exactly is Charles James since he's not on the 10 man PS?

 

I believe with Urban going on IR they have an open roster spot that will either go to James, McGee, or Ross.