[News] Late For Work 2/17: Dennis Pitta Hasn't Given Up Yet

[ellicottraven]

I'm so anxious with our draft pick, I want it finished. I want Ozzie to call me and give his top 10 on our board. I'll settle down at that point! Come on and get the draft over with and give us Bosa, Spence and Shephard (1,2 and 3)!

[rmcjacket23]

1 hour ago, fusuymada said:

Cant settle for what we get this year as our defense is either old or bad. We need to move up and grab Ramsey. Then move back in and grab another first round defensive player if a quality rusher drops down the first round. No doubt Ramsey will be the biggest impact player in this draft and if Ozzie sits still or moves back and takes what he gets, then he will have another losing season and he will be considering a forced retirement. Bisciotti will either sell the team because he can't stand losing or he will demand some sacrifices. Ozzie may be one of those sacrifices, especially since Eric DeCosta has been sitting on the back burner for years, so the team knows exactly what they have when Ozzie goes. Probably the only team in the league set up to allow their GM to retire if he keeps making poor draft decisions. Ozzie said he will retire when it stops being fun. Another losing season means 2 losing seasons in a row and 3 out of 4 that we didn't make the playoffs. That can't constitute a good time. The Front office and coaching staff can't afford to make even 1 mistake this year.

1. I see no possible scenario where we are able to move up into the top 5 to draft a player AND also move back into the first round to grab another player. At a minimum, it would require us to give up our 2017 first round pick. Even if we were to assume that moving up to like pick 3-4 would only cost us our 2016 second rounder, how in the world are we able to move up from a second round pick that we no longer have into the late first round to grab another player? Selling out the 2017 draft to get some more pieces this season doesn't make a whole lot of sense from a team who probably isn't close to contending for a SB in 2016 regardless. We should be focused on getting this team built better for the long-term, not just mortgaging the future for 2016.

2. If Ozzie is going to leave, my guess would be that it will be because he wants to retire, not because he's not having fun. Losing isn't fun, but then again, this isn't the first stretch where Ozzie has lost either. He took over the job mid-season in 2002.

Steve took over full control in 2003, and from 04-07, with both of them at the helm, the team made the playoffs once, won zero playoff games, and had two losing seasons. They went 33-31 in four years, which were basically Steve's first four years, and Ozzie wasn't fired.

Make no bones about it... the FO will make at least one mistake and probably several mistakes, because every FO does every year. And in all likelihood, everybody will retain their jobs even after doing so.

I get that fans are tired of losing (after a whopping one year losing streak... lack perspective much?), but I'd say the urgency from the fans greatly exceeds the urgency from the FO, Steve included.

[RavensDieHard21]

Looking at the pie chart and realizing one more loss would have guaranteed us an opportunity to draft Ramsey makes me sad.  

Me as well based on the fact that we technically lost to JAX and now must cringe until draft day when they take a sliding star that could change our franchise.

[rmcjacket23]

2 minutes ago, RavensDieHard21 said:

Me either! he isn't a sexy pick and might end up being a top LT, but so many analysts have him going between #6 and as far down as #18, that just doesn't sound like a coveted top 10 player. He is well rounded, but I want an immediate game changer, especially since it is more than likely that KO will leave without even receiving an offer and we will attempt to see if Monroe can stay healthy....highly unlikely lol

I think if fans are expecting an immediate gamechanger pick at #6, they should start prepping for disappointment now. In particular, look at the positions we may be targeting and how incredibly difficult it is to get even average production out of that position from a rookie, regardless of where they are drafted.

If we draft Ramsey, I certainly don't expect him to walk in, grab the FS job, and start playing like Ed Reed in year 1. Why? Because that's very, very, very rare. Its entirely possible he plays year 1 as a nickel corner and gets acclimated to the speed of the game.

Same with a LT... just don't expect him to walk onto the field and dominate. A lot of top LTs don't dominate until year 3-4, and some never do. WR is no different.

And what about pass rusher? Are we all just assuming that if we take a pass rusher he's just going to push Suggs or Dumervil to the side and say "hey, I'm the best guy here now"? Suggs didn't even do that. Maybe he outplays them and takes their job, or maybe he plays a McPhee role in year 1. That's a valuable asset to the team certainly, but hardly a year 1 "game changer".

I want a game-changing player with the #6 pick... but I certainly don't care or don't expect him to be a game changer in year 1. Hopefully around Nov/Dec we see flashes of that, but I'm setting reasonable expectations, particularly in a draft class that isn't being heralded for its high-end players. There's no shortage of people grading guys expected to go at #5 very similarly to guys expected to go at #25.

[WNC-Raven]

Would it be the end of the world if the Ravens ponied up to the bar and accepted the repercussions for all of the past errors? Pay Flacco his 28 mil for the year without an extension, cut Pitta before june and absorb the full contract instead of dragging it out for years, make a decision on Monroe and pay what has to be paid if we cut him. I think it is pretty widely thought that we have too many holes and too little money to just rebound this year. People are optimistic for sure but we have  issues with this roster and the future of our team. I always here that the Ravens draft for the future, plan for the future but it seems like their actions only mortgage our future. Am I making it too simplified? I'm sure someone on here will tell me. Thanks

[WNC-Raven]

7 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

I want a game-changing player with the #6 pick... but I certainly don't care or don't expect him to be a game changer in year 1. Hopefully around Nov/Dec we see flashes of that, but I'm setting reasonable expectations, particularly in a draft class that isn't being heralded for its high-end players. There's no shortage of people grading guys expected to go at #5 very similarly to guys expected to go at #25.

I hate to be that guy but that is exactly what I said and was worried about last year when so many underclassmen entered the draft early. It was going to steal from the future and make this year mediocre. Really stinks we finally have a good pick and the class is lackluster.

[rmcjacket23]

2 minutes ago, WNC-Raven said:

Would it be the end of the world if the Ravens ponied up to the bar and accepted the repercussions for all of the past errors? Pay Flacco his 28 mil for the year without an extension, cut Pitta before june and absorb the full contract instead of dragging it out for years, make a decision on Monroe and pay what has to be paid if we cut him. I think it is pretty widely thought that we have too many holes and too little money to just rebound this year. People are optimistic for sure but we have  issues with this roster and the future of our team. I always here that the Ravens draft for the future, plan for the future but it seems like their actions only mortgage our future. Am I making it too simplified? I'm sure someone on here will tell me. Thanks

Well, most of that is possible. 

1. Technically, just isn't due $28M... he is actually only getting paid $18M, but his cap number is $28M. It remains reasonably possible that the Ravens don't touch that number at all.

2. Pitta's situation is tricky because they may just wait for a decision on retirement, which could last until training camp or the summer. They could also be asking him to take a paycut to stick around, which would work also.

3. I think we only cut Monroe if we were to resign KO. Otherwise, I see no reason to cut him.

[ryananth]

  31 minutes ago, WNC-Raven said:

Would it be the end of the world if the Ravens ponied up to the bar and accepted the repercussions for all of the past errors? Pay Flacco his 28 mil for the year without an extension, cut Pitta before june and absorb the full contract instead of dragging it out for years, make a decision on Monroe and pay what has to be paid if we cut him. I think it is pretty widely thought that we have too many holes and too little money to just rebound this year. People are optimistic for sure but we have  issues with this roster and the future of our team. I always here that the Ravens draft for the future, plan for the future but it seems like their actions only mortgage our future. Am I making it too simplified? I'm sure someone on here will tell me. Thanks

Well, most of that is possible. 

1. Technically, just isn't due $28M... he is actually only getting paid $18M, but his cap number is $28M. It remains reasonably possible that the Ravens don't touch that number at all.

2. Pitta's situation is tricky because they may just wait for a decision on retirement, which could last until training camp or the summer. They could also be asking him to take a paycut to stick around, which would work also.

3. I think we only cut Monroe if we were to resign KO. Otherwise, I see no reason to cut him.

If/when Pitta is cut it won't be until after June 1 (a lot less dead money). No way KO will be resigned. Ozzie just trying to build up his value for a higher compensatory pick next season. Why has everyone given up on Monroe? When he was healthy he did a good job. Let's hope he comes back healthy and we find a good LT in the 2nd or 3rd round. I suspect if Ramsey isn't there Ozzie starts trading down. Let's hope Cleveland and Dallas take QBs above us.

[rmcjacket23]

Just now, ryananth said:

If/when Pitta is cut it won't be until after June 1 (a lot less dead money). No way KO will be resigned. Ozzie just trying to build up his value for a higher compensatory pick next season. Why has everyone given up on Monroe? When he was healthy he did a good job. Let's hope he comes back healthy and we find a good LT in the 2nd or 3rd round. I suspect if Ramsey isn't there Ozzie starts trading down. Let's hope Cleveland and Dallas take QBs above us.

1. Yes, less dead money... but only in 2016. You would push significant dead money for Pitta into 2017 by cutting/retiring after June 1. He carries $6.6M in dead money in either scenario... just a matter of whether you take the hit in one year or two years.

2. Comp picks are important, but given that we don't really have any high priced FAs that will be leaving this offseason, we won't get many comp picks in 2017 anyway. KO would probably be the only one, and he'd probably be in the 4th or 5th round range.

[ryananth]

I'm so anxious with our draft pick, I want it finished. I want Ozzie to call me and give his top 10 on our board. I'll settle down at that point! Come on and get the draft over with and give us Bosa, Spence and Shephard (1,2 and 3)!

Forget about Spence in the 2nd...he's becoming the draft darling...I bet he goes in top half of first round.

[757RavensFan]

17 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

1. Yes, less dead money... but only in 2016. You would push significant dead money for Pitta into 2017 by cutting/retiring after June 1. He carries $6.6M in dead money in either scenario... just a matter of whether you take the hit in one year or two years.

2. Comp picks are important, but given that we don't really have any high priced FAs that will be leaving this offseason, we won't get many comp picks in 2017 anyway. KO would probably be the only one, and he'd probably be in the 4th or 5th round range.

 

Typically, we avg 3 to 4 comp picks a year. The first year that comp picks can be traded and wouldn't you know it, KO will probably be our only comp pick we get in 2017.  Go figure. 

[rmcjacket23]

4 minutes ago, 757RavensFan said:

 

Typically, we avg 3 to 4 comp picks a year. The first year that comp picks can be traded and wouldn't you know it, KO will probably be our only comp pick we get in 2017.  Go figure. 

Yup. Unless somehow we've underestimated Upshaw's market and he signs a decent sized deal elsewhere, we're probably staring at 1-2 comp picks at most, and maybe none depending on how FA shakes out.

Might not be great in 2017 either. Got Brandon Williams, Wagner, and Will Hill all up for new deals, and I think we'd probably want to retain all three if possible and affordable.

Edited February 17, 2016 by rmcjacket23

[WNC-Raven]

1 hour ago, rmcjacket23 said:

Well, most of that is possible. 

1. Technically, just isn't due $28M... he is actually only getting paid $18M, but his cap number is $28M. It remains reasonably possible that the Ravens don't touch that number at all.

2. Pitta's situation is tricky because they may just wait for a decision on retirement, which could last until training camp or the summer. They could also be asking him to take a paycut to stick around, which would work also.

3. I think we only cut Monroe if we were to resign KO. Otherwise, I see no reason to cut him.

In your opinion why would they FO wait for Pitta to decide if he wants to retire? It's not like he is going into the Ravens HOF or there is any reason to give him that courtesy. Shouldn't they do what is best for the team and if that means cutting him pre-june to take the 1 time hit and move on? Is there a cost savings for us if a player retires?

I agree if somehow they can sign KO they may keep Monroe as a backup or cut him but if KO walks there is no way we cut Monroe. In that case we all should probably get used to seeing his back-up play 5-8 games next season. If they draft an OT then it may be a good way to transition him in.

[rmcjacket23]

5 minutes ago, WNC-Raven said:

In your opinion why would they FO wait for Pitta to decide if he wants to retire? It's not like he is going into the Ravens HOF or there is any reason to give him that courtesy. Shouldn't they do what is best for the team and if that means cutting him pre-june to take the 1 time hit and move on? Is there a cost savings for us if a player retires?

I agree if somehow they can sign KO they may keep Monroe as a backup or cut him but if KO walks there is no way we cut Monroe. In that case we all should probably get used to seeing his back-up play 5-8 games next season. If they draft an OT then it may be a good way to transition him in.

Hard to tell.

1. Its possible the Ravens are waiting until offseason workouts to see if Pitta can come back and play. In theory, if he gets cleared to play and shows that he can play on the practice field, and you can negotiate a restructured contract that would significantly reduce his cap number (probably while giving him playing time incentives to earn that money back), then you'd probably want to do that. They could retain him at a much cheaper price and let him show that he can come back. The problem is you really can't possibly know this until probably May/June at the earliest, so you'd have to wait until then.

2. There is no cost savings to a retirement vs cutting him currently, though the cap situation depends on how the Ravens view it. They could decide to take all the dead money now or spread it out, depending on timing and how they want it to be structured. There's pros and cons to both sides.

At the very least, there's a 0% chance he goes through the season with his contract as is. He either gets cut, retires, or restructures at a significantly lower rate. There's no shot the Ravens pay him the $5M he's owed this year. 

Again, in theory, you convince him to shave his salary down to maybe $1-2M (with incentives to make it back up), which lowers his cap number by $3-4M in 2016, and give him a chance to come back. If he doesn't, you cut him after the season or during training camp/preseason. That's probably the ideal situation, though maybe the least realistic of them. 

[mettro79]

I agree that quality picks like a LT aren't very popular, but they are usually ones that pay dividends for years to come. If a tackle is the Best Player Available at the #6 spot and he fills a need than why not. However, whose to say we can't address LT later in the draft and address another position early? We were able to scoop KO in the 2nd round at pick 60 so why couldn't we do that again?  I think the draft board will make all the difference.

[OzzieBisciotti]

Unfortunately, Pitta needs to throw in the towel. We need to draft better than we have this year compared to the last five years. While Oz is shaky when he picks after 15, he's usually solid when we have a top 10 pick.

[mearzunkies]

We need KO on this O-line!! IMO

[Swift 1]

10 hours ago, crazyboutravens said:

Thanksgiving night how about a home Monday night game. NFL should stop disrespecting us. How about it Roger. You owe us after last years schedule.

What am I missing? Why would a Raven fan want a Monday night game? If you have season tickets you will not get to bed until almost 2 AM. If you are couch potato fan you probably fell asleep and missed the NFL's version of the WWE in the fourth quarter. If youu managed to stay awake you did not get to bed until after midnight. If you are a player you are set up for a short week.

 

[purpledown]

Pitta needs to retire.