Welcome to Baltimore Eric Weddle!

[spitfire418]

3 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

1. You don't have to cut to 53 for another 5+ months, so we have more potential starters than just 53, because you don't know who those 53 are. Some of those starters aren't even on the team right now.

2. Case Keenum is a starter. So was Matt Schaub. Being one doesn't make you a good player. Kendrick Lewis starting for this team or any other team means he was one of the better safeties on that team, but that doesn't make him a good safety or even a top 64 safety. Last season, I'd be at least a half dozen teams had 3-4 safeties on their roster better than any starter on our team not named Will Hill.

Being a starter doesn't make you good.

3. I've seen no flashes of anything from Brooks, and every time somebody says that I ask them what they saw and I hear nothing. I didn't see speed, I didn't see coverage or ball skills or even what looked like an understanding of positioning. Frankly, him getting cut (Elam also) is as likely as him starting this season in my eyes.

Sure, Elam showed flashes. And if that was the last thing I saw from him, I'd agree. But then I watched him play all of 2014 like somebody who was terrified to tackle, and I immediately lost interest. Regression is a bad thing.

1. Most of our starters are on the team. We may get some more free agents, probably just one more free agent if that (Mike Wallace maybe). Then there is the draft and who knows if any will start yet. Our first rounders usually always start which makes no sense when a guy that was drafted later could be a good starter as well and not get a chance. We pick at 6 this year so it makes more sense to start him, but still...

2. Being a starter obviously means something. How can you tell me that we know everyone besides Hill can't be a starting safety? That's ridiculous lol.

3. I'm sorry, you called me uneducated earlier so I'm going to have to call you blind if you haven't seen any speed or flashes from Terrence Brooks. Elam has flashed as well. That statement is 100% false. Period.

Don't know what happened to him in 2014, but are we just going to give up on a young first round safety because of one bad year where he was put a positions he wasn't used to playing like corner, etc. Come on man.

2 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

Implies that there was a choice...

Obviously...

[Underdogsontop!]

3 minutes ago, GrimCoconut said:

I'm starting to see why other fans think we're whiners. Everyone says FS is an issue and agrees it's a major area of weakness yet they complain when Ozzie addresses it. Like he's supposed to go and trade for Earl Thomas, Joe Thomas, Von Miller, and JJ Watt for a 5th, 6th, 7th, and a 4th. 

If Ozzie relied on who we have and we struggled people would say Ozzie trusted his guys too much again and they'd be right. Now people want to call signing Weddle a questionable move? 

I don't get it. We needed a FS. Weddle was a Hell of a FS. Perhaps he needed a change of scenery, perhaps not. Was this move necessary? Yeah, it was.

I was just thinking the same thing! Dam if Ozzie does and dam if he don't?. Can't please everyone, but I'm pretty sure Ozzie's not really worried about pleasing everyone anyways. People will complain no matter what. I'm happy though, and will be happy if we could get Mike Wallace for cheap!

[DomMcRaven]

2 hours ago, Raven'evermore said:

 What is this now, 3 ticked off veteran players we've stolen because they we're unhappy their prior teams in the last four years now?  First Doom, then Sr. and now Weddle?  Welcome to the Ravens!

Hope this trend continues. 

J.J. Watt, what say you?

[spitfire418]

27 minutes ago, GrimCoconut said:

I'm starting to see why other fans think we're whiners. Everyone says FS is an issue and agrees it's a major area of weakness yet they complain when Ozzie addresses it. Like he's supposed to go and trade for Earl Thomas, Joe Thomas, Von Miller, and JJ Watt for a 5th, 6th, 7th, and a 4th. 

If Ozzie relied on who we have and we struggled people would say Ozzie trusted his guys too much again and they'd be right. Now people want to call signing Weddle a questionable move? 

I don't get it. We needed a FS. Weddle was a Hell of a FS. Perhaps he needed a change of scenery, perhaps not. Was this move necessary? Yeah, it was.

Personally, I'm not complaining about the safety position. I honestly think we had and now really have too many safeties on our roster, plus their is good safety class in the draft this year. People expect us to find another Ed Reed in the draft every time we get a safety, which isn't going to happen. Plus you said Weddle "WAS" a hell of a FS. Yeah he was a good FS. He's now 31 years old and has noticeably regressed as of late, which naturally happens when a player gets older. Everyone has their own opinion on the move so how can one of us say the move was right or wrong. We can't. Nobody can. We'll just have to see if it works out for the better or worse.

Edited March 14, 2016 by spitfire418

[ravensdan]

2 hours ago, Clmraven said:

This is a good signing. Just because we have quantity at safety doesn't mean we have quality, Weddle is quality. And even if Webb looks good at safety or Brooks sees the light, that doesn't mean they'll be rotting on the bench, there is such a thing as having more than 2 safety's on the field at a time.

Glad to see this finally posted. Gives us some versatility and ability to disguise things here with weddle, hill and Webb on the field together. You can even move Hill down to play "lb" with Mosley. Lots of options. 

 

Keep lewis and Brooks for back up. Maybe we can get a conditional 7 for Elam. 

[PurpleCity5]

1 hour ago, BmoreBird22 said:

I'd have to imagine two things happen-

1. Webb takes a pay cut (which I saw happening anyway with a top three safety cap hit)

2. Then Ravens utilize more three safety sets with uncertainty still looming at corner. 

I really love the move 

Its hard to imagine Webb will stick at that 9.5M cap hit with Weddle signing here. It's pretty much assumed that he's not starting at FS, I could see him in that S/SlotCB role, but its too much of a price to pay with his cap hit, then again Oz did say that Webb will stay at his cap hit, I just think that maybe this changes a few things. 

[ravensdan]

One more point I'd like to make about this "logjam" at safety. Kind of like the "logjam" at olb a couple years ago. And there's "no way" to get these guys in the field. You don't just plan for what's right in front of your face. That's not a plan at all. You have to see a few moves down the road. Plan a plan b plan c. I don't think anyone is saying there's a "logjam" of pass rushers anymore. 

[ludy51]

27 minutes ago, GrimCoconut said:

I'm starting to see why other fans think we're whiners. Everyone says FS is an issue and agrees it's a major area of weakness yet they complain when Ozzie addresses it. Like he's supposed to go and trade for Earl Thomas, Joe Thomas, Von Miller, and JJ Watt for a 5th, 6th, 7th, and a 4th. 

If Ozzie relied on who we have and we struggled people would say Ozzie trusted his guys too much again and they'd be right. Now people want to call signing Weddle a questionable move? 

I don't get it. We needed a FS. Weddle was a Hell of a FS. Perhaps he needed a change of scenery, perhaps not. Was this move necessary? Yeah, it was.

Eh. Every fan base has bad whiners. Add in the fact that this is a internet board, you've got a bad mix

[sflegend89]

43 minutes ago, GrimCoconut said:

I'm starting to see why other fans think we're whiners. Everyone says FS is an issue and agrees it's a major area of weakness yet they complain when Ozzie addresses it. Like he's supposed to go and trade for Earl Thomas, Joe Thomas, Von Miller, and JJ Watt for a 5th, 6th, 7th, and a 4th. 

If Ozzie relied on who we have and we struggled people would say Ozzie trusted his guys too much again and they'd be right. Now people want to call signing Weddle a questionable move? 

I don't get it. We needed a FS. Weddle was a Hell of a FS. Perhaps he needed a change of scenery, perhaps not. Was this move necessary? Yeah, it was.

 

Agreed. If we traded for Darrelle Revis somebody would complain about him being 30... you can't win. The educated fans know how valuable this signing is, Weddle is one of the best safeties in the NFL, bar none. You have 39 year old Charles Woodson flying around making plays and people are complaining about Weddle being almost a decade younger and already being considered "too old"... I'm not saying Weddle is in his absolute prime but he's still a damn good football player with plenty of juice left, Weddle slightly passed his absolute prime is still better than 95% of safeties in the entire NFL. 

Not every FA you sign can be a 25 year old perennial pro bowler, those are the guys like Malik Jackson signing 85 Million Dollar contracts. If you look at the entire FA class and eliminate the guys that are out of our price range (Jackon, Olivier, KO, ect.) Weddle is the #1 player we could've possibly landed. I don't know how anyone could complain about Ozzie making a blockbuster signing for one of the best players at his position in the NFL at a major position of need.

Edited March 14, 2016 by sflegend89

[rmcjacket23]

23 minutes ago, spitfire418 said:

1. Most of our starters are on the team. We may get some more free agents, probably just one more free agent if that (Mike Wallace maybe). Then there is the draft and who knows if any will start yet. Our first rounders usually always start which makes no sense when a guy that was drafted later could be a good starter as well and not get a chance. We pick at 6 this year so it makes more sense to start him, but still...

2. Being a starter obviously means something. How can you tell me that we know everyone besides Hill can't be a starting safety? That's ridiculous lol.

3. I'm sorry, you called me uneducated earlier so I'm going to have to call you blind if you haven't seen any speed or flashes from Terrence Brooks. Elam has flashed as well. That statement is 100% false. Period.

Don't know what happened to him in 2014, but are we just going to give up on a young first round safety because of one bad year where he was put a positions he wasn't used to playing like corner, etc. Come on man.

Obviously...

Yeah, this is the bait I was waiting for...

1. We've had plenty of early picks who don't start right away. Ironically, Matt Elam was one of those guys. Few remember that he actually lost his training camp battle with Ihedigbo for the starting SS job. It was only after we realized how bad Michael Huff was that Elam became a starter.

2. I can't tell you they can't be starting safeties, nor can you tell me they can be until they actually are. It's not up to you or I to decide...that's for the coaches. They're the ones watching all the practices we arent, they're the ones who are exponentially more qualified than anybody you or I will ever know to make those judgments. Despite what fans think, they aren't in fact qualified to put together a football team.

Not like there's some sort of coaching conspiracy to hold the cheap labor back, because that is the exact opposite of what a NFL franchise would want. As I said earlier, the FO doesn't have the luxury of just throwing guys out on the field in real games to see whether they are good or not. Fans can say to do that, because fans have no risk in doing so. Coaches can't risk losing games to find out if a 3rd round safety can play. There's other times to determine that.

3. About what I'd expect...no real substance behind the Brooks has shown flashes claims. Just more of the "o you must not be watching", the classic response when there's no substance.

4. Give up on him? Maybe. Won't be from one season though. It's be an average rookie season, a horrific sophomore season, and a third season where he didn't play. If he were a 4th or 5th rounder, he might have been gone already. If he struggles in preseason, then it'll basically have been nearly three years since he's an average player. If that'd not a good enough reason to cut somebody, it'll be hard to find a better one.

He's got one year left to prove himself...he doesn't get an eternity to develop on this team. He's got one more shot...up to him and nobody else what he does with it.

Note that all my references about Elam have nothing to do with the position he plays, because I simply don't care. I care about tackling, and he was horrendous at it. Position doesn't matter when it comes to tackling.

[atomicfront]

4 hours ago, PurpleCity5 said:

FWIW, cutting Webb could make sense. I mean his cap hit is mean and it seems certain he won't be beating out Weddle for the starting job. He also doesn't have the ability to play on the outside. It makes sense cutting him, Lewis I can imagine being on ST or getting cut, but I would say ST, his cap hit is rather small. 

I don't think you would cut Webb.  He plays decent enough Corner.  You need quality reserves.  So when someone gets injured your season isn't over.  Cutting Webb only save 3.5 million.   I don't understand all this cut this guy, cut that guy.  We need more depth.   Elam can play special team and so could Will Hill.  Webb can return punts.  

[atomicfront]

47 minutes ago, Underdogsontop! said:

I was just thinking the same thing! Dam if Ozzie does and dam if he don't?. Can't please everyone, but I'm pretty sure Ozzie's not really worried about pleasing everyone anyways. People will complain no matter what. I'm happy though, and will be happy if we could get Mike Wallace for cheap!

Ozzie is trying to stay an NFL GM.  Another 5-11 season and he could be unemployed.  I don't know if Weddle is the answer but I prefer on spending a bunch on a couple of quality guys than the usual signing 5 or 6 guys for a couple million who are all terrible.  

[LosT_in_TranSlatioN]

I'm sorry I got fed up Ozzie. You're brilliant. 

[Deflated Football]

4 minutes ago, atomicfront said:

Ozzie is trying to stay an NFL GM.  Another 5-11 season and he could be unemployed.  I don't know if Weddle is the answer but I prefer on spending a bunch on a couple of quality guys than the usual signing 5 or 6 guys for a couple million who are all terrible.  

Because having a Pro Bowl roster on IR for most of the season was totally Ozzie's fault...

[atomicfront]

2 hours ago, FGSB said:

As long as he can still play, I don't have a problem.

What I don't get it where this puts Webb, Elam, and Brooks.

Not bashing Ozzie, I just don't understand how we fit all these safeties somewhere. Even if Webb splits nickle with someone, that leaves a 1st round pick and a 3rd round pick the odd men out which makes for a very disappointing use of high draft picks. Maybe Elam gets traded and Brooks becomes the guy after Weddle starts to decline? Someone make sense of this for me please

Elam was the 32nd player taken. That is a second round pick this year.   I don't see what that has anything to do with whether he plays or not now.  He hasn't played like a first round player.  He was injured all of last year.   He will most likely be gone after this season anyway.   Bad pick.  You deal with it and move on. I don't think Elam has anything much in trade value.  

[atomicfront]

3 minutes ago, Deflated Football said:

Because having a Pro Bowl roster on IR for most of the season was totally Ozzie's fault...

I have no idea what you are responding to in my post.  

[GrimCoconut]

35 minutes ago, spitfire418 said:

Personally, I'm not complaining about the safety position. I honestly think we had and now really have too many safeties on our roster, plus their is good safety class in the draft this year. People expect us to find another Ed Reed in the draft every time we get a safety, which isn't going to happen. Plus you said Weddle "WAS" a hell of a FS. Yeah he was a good FS. He's now 31 years old and has noticeably regressed as of late, which naturally happens when a player gets older. Everyone has their own opinion on the move so how can one of us say the move was right or wrong. We can't. Nobody can. We'll just have to see if it works out for the better or worse.

I'm not saying this move makes us an elite defense or anything and I'm not saying you're wrong or anyone else is wrong. Nobody's opinion is wrong. I agree that we'll have to see how it works out. I'm hoping and expecting it to be good, but there's always a risk involved. 

[Deflated Football]

3 minutes ago, atomicfront said:

I have no idea what you are responding to in my post.  

You're implying that the 5-11 season was his fault. 

[spitfire418]

33 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

Yeah, this is the bait I was waiting for...

1. We've had plenty of early picks who don't start right away. Ironically, Matt Elam was one of those guys. Few remember that he actually lost his training camp battle with Ihedigbo for the starting SS job. It was only after we realized how bad Michael Huff was that Elam became a starter.

2. I can't tell you they can't be starting safeties, nor can you tell me they can be until they actually are. It's not up to you or I to decide...that's for the coaches. They're the ones watching all the practices we arent, they're the ones who are exponentially more qualified than anybody you or I will ever know to make those judgments. Despite what fans think, they aren't in fact qualified to put together a football team.

Not like there's some sort of coaching conspiracy to hold the cheap labor back, because that is the exact opposite of what a NFL franchise would want. As I said earlier, the FO doesn't have the luxury of just throwing guys out on the field in real games to see whether they are good or not. Fans can say to do that, because fans have no risk in doing so. Coaches can't risk losing games to find out if a 3rd round safety can play. There's other times to determine that.

3. About what I'd expect...no real substance behind the Brooks has shown flashes claims. Just more of the "o you must not be watching", the classic response when there's no substance.

4. Give up on him? Maybe. Won't be from one season though. It's be an average rookie season, a horrific sophomore season, and a third season where he didn't play. If he were a 4th or 5th rounder, he might have been gone already. If he struggles in preseason, then it'll basically have been nearly three years since he's an average player. If that'd not a good enough reason to cut somebody, it'll be hard to find a better one.

He's got one year left to prove himself...he doesn't get an eternity to develop on this team. He's got one more shot...up to him and nobody else what he does with it.

Note that all my references about Elam have nothing to do with the position he plays, because I simply don't care. I care about tackling, and he was horrendous at it. Position doesn't matter when it comes to tackling.

You were waiting for bait? lol this is sad. This is my last response to you because I'm honestly just wasting my time with this. You call me uneducated and say you were waiting for me to post some bait, etc. Like... really? I just wanted to let the forum know of my opinion on this move and relieve some of my disappointment on the signing even though I'm aware of the pros that come out of it. So... you say Elam started over Huff his rookie year just because Huff was bad. Then why couldn't someone start over Lewis this year when he was just as bad? Being a high pick gives players a better chance to start, it really does. The teams draft guys high because they see lots of potential in those players and see them as starters even if they might be worse than guys drafted later. Elam is young and still has potential, just as Brooks does. You must really hate Brooks or have something against him because you say that you've seen him show no flashes in his very short amount of playing time. Nobody in the whole Ravens organization would agree with you on that one. You need to come down to earth a little man and stop acting like you're such an educated Ravens fan and know everything. I'm a die-hard Ravens fan and sports fan in general. I probably know just as much as you do about football so don't call me uneducated and act like you were waiting for me to post some "bait".

Edited March 14, 2016 by spitfire418

[atomicfront]

2 minutes ago, Deflated Football said:

You're implying that the 5-11 season was his fault. 

I did not say that at all.  I said another 5-11 season and he could be unemployed so he is going to go all in on next season. 

[gooftroop]

I can see not being thrilled (I'm okay with it, not jumping up and down) with the signing, based on concerns about what Weddle may or may not have left. But to think that we'll miss Lewis, or gave up too early on Elam? C'mon...

[rmcjacket23]

2 minutes ago, spitfire418 said:

You were waiting for bait? lol this is sad. This is my last response to you because I'm honestly just wasting my time with this. You call me uneducated and say you were waiting for me to post some bait, etc. Like... really? I just wanted to let the forum know of my opinion on this move and relieve some of my disappoint on the signing even though I'm aware of the pros that come out of it. So... you say Elam started over Huff his rookie year just because Huff was bad. Then why couldn't someone start over Lewis this year when he was just as bad? Being a high pick gives players a better chance to start, it really does. The teams draft guys high because they see lots of potential in those players and see them as starters even if they might be worse than guys drafted later. Elam is young and still has potential, just as Brooks does. You must really hate Brooks or have something against him because you say that you've seen him show no flashes in his very short amount of playing time. Nobody in the whole Ravens organization would agree with you on that one. You need to come down to earth a little man and stop acting like you're such an educated Ravens fan and know everything. I'm a die-hard Ravens fan and sports fan in general. I probably know just as much as you do about football so don't call me uneducated and act like you were waiting for me to post some "bait".

Someone could. That someone is Weddle or Webb. The reason they are both here playing safety now is a direct indication of how the FO feels about Brooks prospects of being a major contributor.

I don't have to hate on any player...I just follow the actions of the FO. In a matter of two months, they converted a corner to FS (taking away from a position we were already weaker at) and signed another one for $6M a year.

But I guess I'm supposed to pretend like the FO is high on him. 

Follow the actions. They tell you all you need to know. Remember, the coaches and FO see everything you do and everything you don't when it comes to player evaluation.

[rmcjacket23]

7 minutes ago, atomicfront said:

I did not say that at all.  I said another 5-11 season and he could be unemployed so he is going to go all in on next season. 

Doubtful. He's survived many bad seasons before, some of them in a short period of time.

He likely will only be unemployed if he wants to be. No indications his job is in jeopardy.

[RavensFanOfLA]

overall i am happy about this signing only thing ive heard from SD fans is that he continuously drops picks

[ludy51]

14 minutes ago, gooftroop said:

I can see not being thrilled (I'm okay with it, not jumping up and down)

When I read the news I actually did jump up and down. Fist time that's ever happened with me.

[LosT_in_TranSlatioN]

2 hours ago, GrimCoconut said:

If you've got the money to buy yourself a filet mignon from Ruth's Chris, there's no need to go to Outback. 

Ribeye from Ruth's Chris. Though Outback is good value. 

8 minutes ago, RavensFanOfLA said:

overall i am happy about this signing only thing ive heard from SD fans is that he continuously drops picks

Better than allowing completions. 

[Yoonkeem]

yeye beard man

[Cillmatic]

Dare I say it but I think our secondary might be elite now... Near shutdown cornerback in Jimmy, and beast safeties in Hill & Weddle; the only other thing we could do is draft another corner like VH3 however I think pass rush might be more needed at this point.

[Cillmatic]

I just realized we may potentially field a secondary consisting of Jimmy, Weddle, Hill and VH3...

[K-Dog]

31 is my only eyebrow raise.  Not even concerned really, just raising one eyebrow. 

I didn't know much about the guy before today, but surfing around the web and youtube I like this guy.
He is no Ed, but he could well be a game changer.