[News] Late For Work 3/24: Could RB Ezekiel Elliott Be Dark-Horse Pick For Ravens?

[BR News]

DC Comic mock draft. Playing ‘good cop, bad cop’ with Monroe? New touchback rule could backfire.

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[RavensDieHard21]

The touchback rule is dumb! They want to eliminate the kick off and already did a good job at minimizing injuries by moving it up to the 30, but now kickers won't want to give up the extra 5 free yards by doing so, which as Gano feels, I do as well. Many high kicks will lead to big collisions down field. Just a feeling

[Bat-mite]

Yeah, I'm not diggin' on this touchback thing. They want to eliminate returns. Then change the rule so that there is no more kickoff and start each new possession at the 20. Kickers will just change their velocity, force a return. Seems like a no-brainer.

[RavensDieHard21]

I am also absolutely hating our mocks with Stanley and Elliot. We are essentially in win now mode with the hopes of retaining valuable players for the future. Stanley won't immediately start and I just don't see him being worth the 6th pick. Just look at many of the recent top tackles that were hyped up and have failed to look like top 5-10 picks. Jake Matthews, Robinson, Joeckel, Fisher, etc. None of those guys look like Joe Thomas or Tyron Smith lol It just shows that even though they are going at early slots, doesn't mean they are worth it. Elliot will be a stud at the pro level and while I'll be pretty upset that we didn't address our other major holes, I still see him making a big splash in our offense. He is a legit top 10 talent, but I don't see him as being quite on the level of Gurley though. Ultimate outcome of our first pick is we get a game changer on defense that will be a huge contributor for +10 years, such as a Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, Jack, or even Hargreaves, maybe if all the planets align we could get the true elite LT in Tunsil, but just a month away.

[rmcjacket23]

8 minutes ago, Bat-mite said:

Yeah, I'm not diggin' on this touchback thing. They want to eliminate returns. Then change the rule so that there is no more kickoff and start each new possession at the 20. Kickers will just change their velocity, force a return. Seems like a no-brainer.

Only really works if you can consistently cover the kick though.

If Kickers start kicking the ball between the 5-10 yard line, and the other team is getting back to the 25-30 yard line on returns, you're better off kicking it in the stands.

[rmcjacket23]

3 minutes ago, RavensDieHard21 said:

I am also absolutely hating our mocks with Stanley and Elliot. We are essentially in win now mode with the hopes of retaining valuable players for the future. Stanley won't immediately start and I just don't see him being worth the 6th pick. Just look at many of the recent top tackles that were hyped up and have failed to look like top 5-10 picks. Jake Matthews, Robinson, Joeckel, Fisher, etc. None of those guys look like Joe Thomas or Tyron Smith lol It just shows that even though they are going at early slots, doesn't mean they are worth it. Elliot will be a stud at the pro level and while I'll be pretty upset that we didn't address our other major holes, I still see him making a big splash in our offense. He is a legit top 10 talent, but I don't see him as being quite on the level of Gurley though. Ultimate outcome of our first pick is we get a game changer on defense that will be a huge contributor for +10 years, such as a Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, Jack, or even Hargreaves, maybe if all the planets align we could get the true elite LT in Tunsil, but just a month away.

1. I certainly don't think we are anywhere close to "win now" mode.

2. Stanley could easily immediately start... could lead to us departing with Monroe, or at the very least, he could start as Guard in year 1, as many top LTs have.

3. Sure, a lot of those tackles haven't lived up. But then again, most of the top tackles in the league did, and they were very high draft picks as well. Generally speaking, its going to cost you a first round pick to get a quality LT in this league, and most of the time, a high first round pick.

[crazyboutravens]

Just what we need is another running back. What a silly article.

[crazyboutravens]

We need to go defense early in the draft. Not a OT or RB.

[jravens1313]

This is what we call a headline with no substance. Typical media tactics. Way to create a buzz Todd McShay.

[Bruce_Almty]

I am also absolutely hating our mocks with Stanley and Elliot. We are essentially in win now mode with the hopes of retaining valuable players for the future. Stanley won't immediately start and I just don't see him being worth the 6th pick. Just look at many of the recent top tackles that were hyped up and have failed to look like top 5-10 picks. Jake Matthews, Robinson, Joeckel, Fisher, etc. None of those guys look like Joe Thomas or Tyron Smith lol It just shows that even though they are going at early slots, doesn't mean they are worth it. Elliot will be a stud at the pro level and while I'll be pretty upset that we didn't address our other major holes, I still see him making a big splash in our offense. He is a legit top 10 talent, but I don't see him as being quite on the level of Gurley though. Ultimate outcome of our first pick is we get a game changer on defense that will be a huge contributor for +10 years, such as a Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, Jack, or even Hargreaves, maybe if all the planets align we could get the true elite LT in Tunsil, but just a month away.

We all knew beating the Steelers at the end of the season was gonna cost us a game-changer pick.

[jravens1313]

And Graham Gano plays for the Panthers.

All these old Ravens becoming starters makes life confusing. Jerry Rosberg is the best kicking coach in the NFL.

[The Negotiator]

Elliot is where we need to go, he is an awesome back who can block in pass protection and catch out of the back field. Ravens love to run the ball and he could be better then Jamal Lewis are best running back in franchise history. There will still be good pass rushers in early second round. Get Elliot and we are set for years!!!!

[rmcjacket23]

4 minutes ago, Bruce_Almty said:

We all knew beating the Steelers at the end of the season was gonna cost us a game-changer pick.

At this point, there's maybe 1 or 2 true "gamechangers" in this draft entirely, and we were never going to pick that high.

And of course there's the usual caveat of every year there's a guy or two who everybody thinks is a "gamechanger" who simply turns out to be just another guy.

[757RavensFan]

10 minutes ago, Bruce_Almty said:

We all knew beating the Steelers at the end of the season was gonna cost us a game-changer pick.

And I wouldn't change it for the world.  Two of your 5 wins vs your hated rival.  There's always a silver lining.   

[billiejean]

33 minutes ago, jravens1313 said:

And Graham Gano plays for the Panthers.

All these old Ravens becoming starters makes life confusing. Jerry Rosberg is the best kicking coach in the NFL.

Rosberg isn't a kicking coach. Randy Brown (kicking specialist) is the guy who handles that aspect of special teams. 

Edited March 24, 2016 by billiejean

[WNC-Raven]

The touchback rule is dumb! They want to eliminate the kick off and already did a good job at minimizing injuries by moving it up to the 30, but now kickers won't want to give up the extra 5 free yards by doing so, which as Gano feels, I do as well. Many high kicks will lead to big collisions down field. Just a feeling

My first thought as well. More high hanging kicks that will cause head popping hits for the poor souls that dont fair catch it. Are the people running the NFL really this short sighted?

[bioLarzen]

28 minutes ago, jravens1313 said:

And Graham Gano plays for the Panthers.

All these old Ravens becoming starters makes life confusing. Jerry Rosberg is the best kicking coach in the NFL.

Well, he also played for the Redskins, and wasn't a huge fan favourite there..

And anyway, Rosburg only had him for one pre-season. He's a good coach of course - but still

Edited March 24, 2016 by bioLarzen

[surfdude]

My 2 cents Ravens should take the kid from Florida. Secondary is a major concern. Weddle & Webb are over 30. Jimmy Smith is injury prone. Need a stud in a bad way.

[RavensDieHard21]

  27 minutes ago, RavensDieHard21 said:

I am also absolutely hating our mocks with Stanley and Elliot. We are essentially in win now mode with the hopes of retaining valuable players for the future. Stanley won't immediately start and I just don't see him being worth the 6th pick. Just look at many of the recent top tackles that were hyped up and have failed to look like top 5-10 picks. Jake Matthews, Robinson, Joeckel, Fisher, etc. None of those guys look like Joe Thomas or Tyron Smith lol It just shows that even though they are going at early slots, doesn't mean they are worth it. Elliot will be a stud at the pro level and while I'll be pretty upset that we didn't address our other major holes, I still see him making a big splash in our offense. He is a legit top 10 talent, but I don't see him as being quite on the level of Gurley though. Ultimate outcome of our first pick is we get a game changer on defense that will be a huge contributor for +10 years, such as a Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, Jack, or even Hargreaves, maybe if all the planets align we could get the true elite LT in Tunsil, but just a month away.

1. I certainly don't think we are anywhere close to "win now" mode.

2. Stanley could easily immediately start... could lead to us departing with Monroe, or at the very least, he could start as Guard in year 1, as many top LTs have.

3. Sure, a lot of those tackles haven't lived up. But then again, most of the top tackles in the league did, and they were very high draft picks as well. Generally speaking, its going to cost you a first round pick to get a quality LT in this league, and most of the time, a high first round pick.

1.) What would you suggest the mindset of the FO is right now? Breaking our approach to FA and potentially sacrificing a high comp pick to fill holes with aged vets--not saying they're bad pick ups because I love us getting Weddle, but you have to see how our roster has changed since 2014 when we were a major contender to now. We have lost quite a few key players from that year--McPhee, Smith, KO, Hill, Smith, Ngata--and our leaders and top guys are on their way out within the next few years, such as Suggs, SSS, Doom, Yanda, potentially Williams and Wagner via FA, and whatnot. The claim I am making is that our roster is mostly comprised of good/ above average talent with a few aging stars, e.g., Suggs, Doom, Yanda, and SSS, and some emerging stars we hope will be here for awhile like Jimmy Smith, Weddle, Williams and Mosley. As I see it, one good draft could catapult us right back into playoff contention, but if we draft more project players or guys that might blossom in 2-3 years then we will miss a critical window of putting the best players on the field at the same time.
2.) Stanley I think will have a great chance to start in the future, but I don't assume he will be a lock to be great, as opposed to Tunsil who every person under the sun recognizes won't have any of those setbacks. If we get our best positioning in 15 years in the first round then I am looking for a plug and play star that help immediately contribute to the team, which would make me covet Jack, Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, and potentially even Hargreaves over Stanley.

[bioLarzen]

4 minutes ago, surfdude said:

My 2 cents Ravens should take the kid from Florida. Secondary is a major concern. Weddle & Webb are over 30. Jimmy Smith is injury prone. Need a stud in a bad way.

Te question is when (if you mean Cyrus Jones). Many mocks put him in the late first round or the top coupőle of picks in the second. So, while he almost surely isn't worth a #6 pick, he may easily be gone by the time we're on the clock in the second round. Maybe, if we trade down from #6 to the mid-first round ranger, or trade up for him...

Edited March 24, 2016 by bioLarzen

[RavensDieHard21]

  27 minutes ago, RavensDieHard21 said:

I am also absolutely hating our mocks with Stanley and Elliot. We are essentially in win now mode with the hopes of retaining valuable players for the future. Stanley won't immediately start and I just don't see him being worth the 6th pick. Just look at many of the recent top tackles that were hyped up and have failed to look like top 5-10 picks. Jake Matthews, Robinson, Joeckel, Fisher, etc. None of those guys look like Joe Thomas or Tyron Smith lol It just shows that even though they are going at early slots, doesn't mean they are worth it. Elliot will be a stud at the pro level and while I'll be pretty upset that we didn't address our other major holes, I still see him making a big splash in our offense. He is a legit top 10 talent, but I don't see him as being quite on the level of Gurley though. Ultimate outcome of our first pick is we get a game changer on defense that will be a huge contributor for +10 years, such as a Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, Jack, or even Hargreaves, maybe if all the planets align we could get the true elite LT in Tunsil, but just a month away.

We all knew beating the Steelers at the end of the season was gonna cost us a game-changer pick.

It was sweet to sweep them so I still don't mind the win. I just hate our tie with Jags favoring the Jags based on SOS, despite the fact that they technically beat us. Every mock has them taking Jack and I really want us to get him so, worst case scenario, many of the top 5 defensive prospects will be plucked

[bioLarzen]

4 minutes ago, RavensDieHard21 said:

as opposed to Tunsil who every person under the sun recognizes won't have any of those setbacks.

That is, of course, impossible to predict. The switch from college level to the and NFL is always a huge unknown. There were tons of players who, despite declared "NFL-ready" by the best analysts, never made the sitcw - or the opposite. Tunsil will, probably, be a very good OT, but it's not a lock. Remember, Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel were both heralded as truly NFL-ready players with all the upside and hardly any risk - and neither of them ar on the way to become what they were projected to...

 

I read a great analysis a couple of weeks back that concluded that the two most risky positions to pick very high are pass rusher and OT - these seem to be the two positions where it's the hardest - if possible at all - to predict how successfully the guys will make the jump from the college level and the NFL.

[rmcjacket23]

4 minutes ago, RavensDieHard21 said:

1.) What would you suggest the mindset of the FO is right now? Breaking our approach to FA and potentially sacrificing a high comp pick to fill holes with aged vets--not saying they're bad pick ups because I love us getting Weddle, but you have to see how our roster has changed since 2014 when we were a major contender to now. We have lost quite a few key players from that year--McPhee, Smith, KO, Hill, Smith, Ngata--and our leaders and top guys are on their way out within the next few years, such as Suggs, SSS, Doom, Yanda, potentially Williams and Wagner via FA, and whatnot. The claim I am making is that our roster is mostly comprised of good/ above average talent with a few aging stars, e.g., Suggs, Doom, Yanda, and SSS, and some emerging stars we hope will be here for awhile like Jimmy Smith, Weddle, Williams and Mosley. As I see it, one good draft could catapult us right back into playoff contention, but if we draft more project players or guys that might blossom in 2-3 years then we will miss a critical window of putting the best players on the field at the same time.
2.) Stanley I think will have a great chance to start in the future, but I don't assume he will be a lock to be great, as opposed to Tunsil who every person under the sun recognizes won't have any of those setbacks. If we get our best positioning in 15 years in the first round then I am looking for a plug and play star that help immediately contribute to the team, which would make me covet Jack, Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, and potentially even Hargreaves over Stanley.

I think its a mindset that's not much different than the last several seasons... add some veterans in FA to fill some gaps, and use the draft to get more long term deals.

I never bought the hype around comp picks, mostly because comp picks don't typically generate good football players. They probably knew before they even lost KO that they may not get the benefit of his comp pick, because unlike prior years, this was one year where we basically only had one quality FA who was leaving. In prior years, we had 2-3 or even more FAs who could qualify for substantial comp picks (hence how we got so many this year). I think the FO is smart enough to know that we have several holes to fill on this team (far too many to address simply through the draft), which is obvious for a 5-11 team, and that keeping a 4th round comp pick for 2017 doesn't help us to address multiple holes on the team. At best, it would likely allow us to address ONE hole, and not for at least another year.

Frankly, I don't feel that our FO has done a lot differently than in years past. We are not shopping at the top of the market for high dollar FA signings, and we are still looking to the draft to replace players. We signed some guys earlier than we usually do, but that's partially an indictment of the market of certain positions.

The slight difference is that this team was pretty bad last season, and as such, there are more holes to fill...more holes than usual from our perspective. This time last offseason, we were coming off a successful, playoff season that watched us come dangerously close to beating the SB champs. If that happened, who knows what would have happened after that, but we had a 50/50 shot of playing in February. So even though we lost a few players, the FO probably wasn't thinking "gosh, we've got to get like 10 better players in here", because based on the prior season, there really wasn't much reason to think that.

When you go 5-11, some things are done differently. Doesn't require a major strategy shift, but just some tweaks.

[noleafclover613]

My 2 cents Ravens should take the kid from Florida. Secondary is a major concern. Weddle & Webb are over 30. Jimmy Smith is injury prone. Need a stud in a bad way.

I wouldn't say Smith is injury prone. He stayed healthy last year, while still recovering from the injury two years ago. Also, his buddy Wright played some fantastic games for us down the stretch. I'm not saying CB is not a need for us, but we have a few holes we need to fill and I just think the pick could be used better in other positions from higher rated players than Hargreaves. I am all for VH3, and if we had a lower pick (10-13), I would definitely jump on it. However, picking at six means that one of three things is bound to happen - Bosa, Buckner or Jack will fall to us. I am personally hoping for Jack, but I think getting the best at any of these important positions is far more important than getting the second best at another spot (even though some have him as the #1 CB, let's be real, Ramsey is the #1 CB and S in the draft).

Let's not forget, VH3 got smoked by Alabama's Cooper and Ridley in two straight years. Performing this way against a pro style offense and NFL caliber players, combined with measurable info (height, weight, speed, jump, arm length, etc), I do not see a nearly top five pick being spent on this player.

[PurplenBlackFan2392]

I just hope we can win more than Five games this year, I'm a comic book fan (Marvel over DC) but enjoy both so I Love that pick of cyborg! I say with that 6th pick we draft THe LT from Notre Dame. We Need to Protect Flacco!

[PurplenBlackFan2392]

  37 minutes ago, Bruce_Almty said:

  51 minutes ago, RavensDieHard21 said:

I am also absolutely hating our mocks with Stanley and Elliot. We are essentially in win now mode with the hopes of retaining valuable players for the future. Stanley won't immediately start and I just don't see him being worth the 6th pick. Just look at many of the recent top tackles that were hyped up and have failed to look like top 5-10 picks. Jake Matthews, Robinson, Joeckel, Fisher, etc. None of those guys look like Joe Thomas or Tyron Smith lol It just shows that even though they are going at early slots, doesn't mean they are worth it. Elliot will be a stud at the pro level and while I'll be pretty upset that we didn't address our other major holes, I still see him making a big splash in our offense. He is a legit top 10 talent, but I don't see him as being quite on the level of Gurley though. Ultimate outcome of our first pick is we get a game changer on defense that will be a huge contributor for +10 years, such as a Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, Jack, or even Hargreaves, maybe if all the planets align we could get the true elite LT in Tunsil, but just a month away.

We all knew beating the Steelers at the end of the season was gonna cost us a game-changer pick.

It was sweet to sweep them so I still don't mind the win. I just hate our tie with Jags favoring the Jags based on SOS, despite the fact that they technically beat us. Every mock has them taking Jack and I really want us to get him so, worst case scenario, many of the top 5 defensive prospects will be plucked

Sweeping the Steelers was well Worth it!

[rmcjacket23]

12 minutes ago, RavensDieHard21 said:

1.) What would you suggest the mindset of the FO is right now? Breaking our approach to FA and potentially sacrificing a high comp pick to fill holes with aged vets--not saying they're bad pick ups because I love us getting Weddle, but you have to see how our roster has changed since 2014 when we were a major contender to now. We have lost quite a few key players from that year--McPhee, Smith, KO, Hill, Smith, Ngata--and our leaders and top guys are on their way out within the next few years, such as Suggs, SSS, Doom, Yanda, potentially Williams and Wagner via FA, and whatnot. The claim I am making is that our roster is mostly comprised of good/ above average talent with a few aging stars, e.g., Suggs, Doom, Yanda, and SSS, and some emerging stars we hope will be here for awhile like Jimmy Smith, Weddle, Williams and Mosley. As I see it, one good draft could catapult us right back into playoff contention, but if we draft more project players or guys that might blossom in 2-3 years then we will miss a critical window of putting the best players on the field at the same time.
2.) Stanley I think will have a great chance to start in the future, but I don't assume he will be a lock to be great, as opposed to Tunsil who every person under the sun recognizes won't have any of those setbacks. If we get our best positioning in 15 years in the first round then I am looking for a plug and play star that help immediately contribute to the team, which would make me covet Jack, Ramsey, Bosa, Buckner, and potentially even Hargreaves over Stanley.

As far as draft-able player evaluations, I don't make guarantees. There's question marks about every player you named. Frankly, I'm not all that interested in a plug and play guy. If he is, great. 

I want a great player for the next decade. If it takes them 1-2 years to start that decade, I'm good with that.

Given the tough transition that tackles and secondary players specifically have in making the year 1 transition to the NFL, regardless of where they are drafted, I'd consider guys like Stanley, Ramsey and Hargreaves to be "riskier" picks in year 1 than some of the other defensive players. They might be better long term, but I wouldn't have high expectations that Hargreaves or Ramsey will be game changers in year 1. There's a steep learning curve for even the best corners and secondary players.

[Brunson529]

Hell yeah..It would stun the entire league. We need a Pro Bowl RB and Ezekiel has Pro Bowler written all over him. I would not keep any of the current RBs except Buck Allen and Forsett. I think the remainder of the draft could be devoted to Defense.

[PolishRifle]

Batman was still available. The Ravens go BPA. When will people learn?

[surfdude]

  23 minutes ago, surfdude said:

My 2 cents Ravens should take the kid from Florida. Secondary is a major concern. Weddle & Webb are over 30. Jimmy Smith is injury prone. Need a stud in a bad way.

Te question is when (if you mean Cyrus Jones). Many mocks put him in the late first round or the top coupőle of picks in the second. So, while he almost surely isn't worth a #6 pick, he may easily be gone by the time we're on the clock in the second round. Maybe, if we trade down from #6 to the mid-first round ranger, or trade up for him...

I mean Hargreaves. No Bosa !!!!