[News] Late For Work 3/11: Did Kelechi Osemele Question Ravens' Appreciation Of Offensive Line?

[rmcjacket23]

1 hour ago, JamesA119 said:

Yanda is significantly older though. Yanda is 31 KO is 25 or 26. In sports players age over night. Yanda may not be great anymore in a few short years. KO on the other hand hasn't even reached his prime.

True, but interior OLine has a longer shelf life than many positions, and it's hard to imagine KO being basically 50% better than Yanda anytime in the future.

For all we know, KOs ceiling may be a Ben Grubbs level. Time will tell.

If prices were equal, I'd have taken KO, but clearly that's not the case.

[hen826957]

@rmcjacket23 yeah, go whatever pays you the most but l hope the Raiders don't cut the guy in 2 to 3 years. He should've stay in Baltimore. The Ravens gave him a great offer. Good luck K.O.

[rmcjacket23]

2 minutes ago, hen826957 said:

@rmcjacket23 yeah, go whatever pays you the most but l hope the Raiders don't cut the guy in 2 to 3 years. He should've stay in Baltimore. The Ravens gave him a great offer. Good luck K.O.

If he gets cut in 2-3 years, it'll be for poor performance, which again could happen anywhere.

[Ravensfansince03]

A few years ago I said that the Raiders would soon be a force to be reckoned with. You can only be an underdog for so long until you come out swinging with a vengeance. Unless of course your the Cleveland Browns, then your just doomed.

[hen826957]

@rmcjacket23 it could also be that they could'nt afford him as well. The Raiders could still cut him even though he been playing well. The might need room for David Carr to get signed and they might have to release K.O. for space. Can you tell me the cap numbers of the 3 years of K.O. contract then we could get and idea if he cut or not? :-)

[Ravensfansince03]

It isn't like he's giving a speech to run for president guys, he's just an average (oversized) guy that elaborated on a question asked on a professional level. Don't take it to heart, and remember that these guys HAVE to get paid. If you work hard, why not go where some team will pay you top dollar to do what you do.

[mettro79]

This isn't anything new for us. We lost a player early in free agency to a team with a ton of cap room. It happens. I'm sure KO was misquoted in some way, but to be honest it really doesn't matter. He chased the money and he's no longer on our team, and he won't be the last to do so. Time to add more solid talent in move on.

[thegooddoc456]

KO is right. Besides Yanda, what else do you have on the O-line? It's a makeshift unit.

[PalmBayRaven]

  12 hours ago, riseNConquer81 said:

He's not wrong. Pointing out how we spent a bunch of money on an amalgamation of 4th and 5th round after thoughts hoping they would be good, doesn't really do much to dispel the point either.

 

Yeah they spent bunch on Yanda, but that's only because they're not dumb enough to let the only good lineman they've lucked up on in a while, get away.

 

The offense is an aftethought in general around here. That's why we have 40 RBs and no clear starter, kamar aiken as a number 1 receiver, and a part time LT that a struggling jags squad was all too happy to get rid of.

Agree! I think this website has detoriarated into a propaganda machine. I'm tired of all the praises about comp picks this comp picks that. What good is a pick when you let him walk after he has been developed?

I want wins. I don't care how many comp picks you get or how much under the salary cap you are. When you draft players and develop them, it should behoove you to keep them. Next season these same writers will come up with excuses why Flacco can't complete a pass. "The O-line" can block for Flacco blah blah blah.

I agree with both statements. What good have the comp picks got us? We are picking #6 for a reason. Over paid for Monroe and the O-line has sucked for years, basically since the Super Bowl run. Joe running for his life until finally injured. Whiffing on draft picks hasn't helped either. We have so many holes to fill it will take more than one draft to fix.

[balfan23]

16 hours ago, billiejean said:

All of the sudden KO is such a terrible person, he's not a team player, he's greedy, and he doesn't care about the Ravens.  All this because he did what was best for himself.  There are no facts to support what you say. You and everyone else just have sour grapes.

Nope - few would begrudge him for doing what was best for himself. People just don't like when former players disrespect their prior team, for doing nothing more than determining that the price another team is will to pay is more than they can afford. 

If there are any sour grapes here, they seem to be coming from KO. 

[balfan23]

5 hours ago, thegooddoc456 said:

KO is right. Besides Yanda, what else do you have on the O-line? It's a makeshift unit.

The only way this turns into a regrettable move for us is if KO becomes a pro bowl LT. That is what his contract would indicate. Do you think that is what he is? Well, it is what he could become, but do you think the odds are better than 50-50? 

The fact that we weren't willing to pay top 5 LT money to a guy who is only truly proven at LG is not an unwillingness to invest, it is an unwillingness to overpay. 

[billiejean]

  17 hours ago, billiejean said:

All of the sudden KO is such a terrible person, he's not a team player, he's greedy, and he doesn't care about the Ravens.  All this because he did what was best for himself.  There are no facts to support what you say. You and everyone else just have sour grapes.

Nope - few would begrudge him for doing what was best for himself. People just don't like when former players disrespect their prior team, for doing nothing more than determining that the price another team is will to pay is more than they can afford. 

If there are any sour grapes here, they seem to be coming from KO. 

maybe you aren't but there are plenty of people on this site that are wallowing in the sour grapes.

[balfan23]

20 minutes ago, billiejean said:

maybe you aren't but there are plenty of people on this site that are wallowing in the sour grapes.

Mostly all I'm seeing are fans reacting negatively to a player who has bad-mouthed his former team. When a player does this, it should surprise no one that there will be backlash from the fan base. 

[Crusader]

Ravens destroyed the secondary and linebacker core might as well destroy the offensive line. This team is such a mess they are no longer even a contender. I would like to say their rebuilding but that would mean signs of progress.

[Crusader]

KO is right. Besides Yanda, what else do you have on the O-line? It's a makeshift unit.

Joe is thinking the same thing.

[RavensFanMania]

On 3/11/2016 at 9:59 AM, salamander said:

Bad choice of words from Osemele. Baltimore made him a great offer but knew other teams with mega bucks would likely nab him out from under us. Ravens certainly do value the offensive line but can't and won't over pay.

The good teams know when to keep and when to let a player walk.  It's not fiscally responsible to over pay a player at any position, let alone guard.  A much easier position to find in the draft and we are very good at developing guards.

[Fastynart]

So what if he did? The Ravens paid a boatload of money to Monroe, who graded as the worst lineman on the Ravens. I like Osemele a lot, but his price is way too high for someone who is often hurt. Just like Ellerbee, whom the Dolphins stupidly overpaid for, Osemele is a great talent but comes with huge risk. He hasn't stayed healthy in years. He has back issues and that is really bad for an offensive lineman. Wish him well, but Urschel will fill the void.

[MYTH420]

Osemele does get injured often. He also grades out way below Yanda , so if you want to pay him as the 10th best G, that's fine. But paying him too Tackle money is ludicrous. He graded out negatively as a LT last year, especially in pass rush situations. Top 10 tackle ? He's not even a top 10 Guard. He is a great player and we will miss him, but you have to be realistic when it comes to the salary cap. That's why I'm all for giving Monroe 1 more year. When he's healthy, he's solid. He's coming into this year healthy, so it's worth it to keep him. The dead money if we cut him is just to much.

[ALPHA]

23 hours ago, PalmBayRaven said:

I agree with both statements. What good have the comp picks got us? We are picking #6 for a reason. Over paid for Monroe and the O-line has sucked for years, basically since the Super Bowl run. Joe running for his life until finally injured. Whiffing on draft picks hasn't helped either. We have so many holes to fill it will take more than one draft to fix.

We're not going to hit on every single draft pick and we were never going to pay top 5 LT money to a guard. If you think the world is ending because our oline sucks don't forget a year ago we almost beat the Pats in the divisional round game, one year ago. Forsett ran for 129 years and we gave up zero sacks, KO didn't do that by himself.

[riseNConquer81]

On 3/11/2016 at 7:39 PM, rmcjacket23 said:

And yet, ironically, the offense has been the better unit than the defense for probably 4 of the last 5 years.

That's not saying much. The defense has been pretty whack. Just because they spent all the money there doesn't mean it was well spent. We haven't drafted well or developed very much new talent. Those failures on the defensive side of the ball combined with the accepted sacrifice of a decent offense is how we ended up 8-8 and 5-11 in two of the last three years. If the offense is better, it's only cuz the defense has lapsed so much.

Edited March 13, 2016 by riseNConquer81

[riseNConquer81]

On 3/11/2016 at 7:59 PM, balfan23 said:

There is a difference between not valuing the O line and deciding not to pay a guy top 5 money to play at a position where he's had all of 4 NFL starts. C'mon KO, just be happy about your new deal and the fact that a team drafted you that helped put you in position to be a part of a championship team.

Not just about KO though. O line is five guys... Look how those five guys we put together.

Yanda is the in house blue chip.

Wagner: late round draft pick, and he's fairly average.

Zuttah: last minute desperation trade of some late picks after none of the other late picks and udfa worked out there.

Monroe: more late round picks in the middle of the season after we couldn't squeeze anything else out of a washed up mckinnie and no one else worked out.

Our o line is typically yanda and a group of cast offs or late round picks.

Outside of yanda, the only good value we've had there were Grubbs and Osemele, and we let both of them walk.

Hard to argue they value the o line with that kind record, they're hardly putting any effort into forming one until it's too late.

[verified]

I think K.O is telling the truth you guys are always crying about the Oline on here

[Tru11]

14 hours ago, verified said:

I think K.O is telling the truth you guys are always crying about the Oline on here

yup pretty much.

at least we havent gotten to the point where thats Pees fault as well lel

Edited March 14, 2016 by Tru11

[BmoreBird22]

Just because the Ravens invest late round picks doesn't mean that they don't value their offensive line. Wagner has been a starter for two years and played stellar in 2014 and the second half of 2015, Ryan Jensen actually played probably far better than anyone could have expected in his starts, and Urschel played, again, surprisingly well in 2014 in his starts.

You all have to consider that the Ravens have done a really great job of developing later round players along the offensive line in recent history. And it's not like they've been scared to spend high, either, with Grubbs, KO, and Oher all being a first or second round pick. 

But again, if you can spend a fifth round pick on a player and have him be a quality starter, wouldn't you do that? Why not use that first round pick on a position of greater need or one that you struggle to develop later talent with?

I don't view this as the Ravens not valuing their offensive line, just rather their confidence in Juan Castillo to develop talent that's given to him, which he's proven to do pretty well with.

[usmccharles]

19 minutes ago, BmoreBird22 said:

Just because the Ravens invest late round picks doesn't mean that they don't value their offensive line. Wagner has been a starter for two years and played stellar in 2014 and the second half of 2015, Ryan Jensen actually played probably far better than anyone could have expected in his starts, and Urschel played, again, surprisingly well in 2014 in his starts.

You all have to consider that the Ravens have done a really great job of developing later round players along the offensive line in recent history. And it's not like they've been scared to spend high, either, with Grubbs, KO, and Oher all being a first or second round pick. 

But again, if you can spend a fifth round pick on a player and have him be a quality starter, wouldn't you do that? Why not use that first round pick on a position of greater need or one that you struggle to develop later talent with?

I don't view this as the Ravens not valuing their offensive line, just rather their confidence in Juan Castillo to develop talent that's given to him, which he's proven to do pretty well with.

This.  And anyone who knows football knows how important the offensive line is.  12 mill Is just too much money to spend on a position that we can develop routinely well. 

[balfan23]

On 3/14/2016 at 7:15 AM, usmccharles said:

This.  And anyone who knows football knows how important the offensive line is.  12 mill Is just too much money to spend on a position that we can develop routinely well. 

People can say what the will about the overall investment in the oline, but the highlighted item is really the only relevant point at this moment. We didn't let KO go because we don't value oline, we let him go because someone else was willing to spend way more money on his position than we (or anyone else) has ever spent on that position. 

[concretejimmy]

If the Raiders want to spend almost 12 mil. on a Guard. They resigned their LT Donald Penn. Ravens offered him more than Yanda from what I understand. Hated to see him go. He was one of my favorite picks from that draft. Every year there's a team with a ton of cap space and holes to fill. Raiders have spent a lot but filled some needs. Can't blame KO for taking the offer, but no need to rub it in. Ogden was very well compensated through out his career in Baltimore.