Favorite Raven of All-Time

[trevorsteadman]

I was reading NFL.com and read Elliot Harrison's best player of each franchise's history and I wanted to get everyone's opinion on it. Elliot said Ray Lewis is the Ravens best franchise player because he was in Baltimore 17 seasons, while Reed was in Baltimore only 11 seasons. Ray Lewis was Super Bowl MVP and Defensive Player of the year. Elliot included Ed Reed in his top-10 players of all-time though.

Who do you all think is the best Baltimore Raven of all time and why? 

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

8 minutes ago, trevorsteadman said:

I was reading NFL.com and read Elliot Harrison's best player of each franchise's history and I wanted to get everyone's opinion on it. Elliot said Ray Lewis is the Ravens best franchise player because he was in Baltimore 17 seasons, while Reed was in Baltimore only 11 seasons. Ray Lewis was Super Bowl MVP and Defensive Player of the year. Elliot included Ed Reed in his top-10 players of all-time though.

Who do you all think is the best Baltimore Raven of all time and why? 

Just a clarification - it was strictly AFC teams and their best defensive player.

[harfordravenfan]

If I could only pick 1, it'd have to be

Ray Lewis 

17 years of being the face of our franchise and one of the best to play at his position 

Man, do I miss the old days when defenses were able to strike fear into offenses

[trevorsteadman]

34 minutes ago, BOLDnPurPnBlacK said:

Just a clarification - it was strictly AFC teams and their best defensive player.

Yeah but I'm sure the NFC will come out with theirs next week. Offseason is slow and the people and NFL Network are trying to string out some of their articles to survive. 

[trevorsteadman]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000670480/article/afcs-best-defenders-ever-picking-one-player-for-each-franchise

Here is the link if anyone is interested in the read. 

[JoeyFlex5]

I'm a contrarian, so while Ray is clearly the best ravens player ever, my personal favorite is Derrick mason. He was so fun to watch, he was little, old, and slow, but he couldn't be stopped, he was so quick and imo he was the greatest route runner to ever play, I've never seen a guy so precise and technical and it was all 2nd nature to him, he could wiggle himself into box out position and outleap guys even though he was little(so many times he would be behind a defender, cut back and slide past the defender to box him out, impressive) and I'll never forget in 07 when he made bellihick cuss him out because he was wearing their defense out and he hopped up and ran his mouth to Bill. He was awesome.

[trevorsteadman]

3 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

I'm a contrarian, so while Ray is clearly the best ravens player ever, my personal favorite is Derrick mason. He was so fun to watch, he was little, old, and slow, but he couldn't be stopped, he was so quick and imo he was the greatest route runner to ever play, I've never seen a guy so precise and technical and it was all 2nd nature to him, he could wiggle himself into box out position and outleap guys even though he was little(so many times he would be behind a defender, cut back and slide past the defender to box him out, impressive) and I'll never forget in 07 when he made bellihick cuss him out because he was wearing their defense out and he hopped up and ran his mouth to Bill. He was awesome.

I did love watching Mason myself. He was that guy that nothing popped out about him besides him always catching the ball and finding a way to get open. 

[757RavensFan]

18 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

I'm a contrarian, so while Ray is clearly the best ravens player ever, my personal favorite is Derrick mason. He was so fun to watch, he was little, old, and slow, but he couldn't be stopped, he was so quick and imo he was the greatest route runner to ever play, I've never seen a guy so precise and technical and it was all 2nd nature to him, he could wiggle himself into box out position and outleap guys even though he was little(so many times he would be behind a defender, cut back and slide past the defender to box him out, impressive) and I'll never forget in 07 when he made bellihick cuss him out because he was wearing their defense out and he hopped up and ran his mouth to Bill. He was awesome.

Replace Lee Evans w/ Derrick Mason and we're probably sitting on 3 Superbowls right now. 

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

My favorite Raven of all time is probably Suggs.

I've been a fan since around '97-'98 but was young at the time. Loved all the Lewis' on the SB team, Jermaine was electric. But again, I was young so it was hard to really know the guys and connect at any meaningful level.

Rays the easy one, and its hard not to pick him or Ed, but Suggs has been here the entirety of my obsessive fandom. Love his swagger, the trash talk, that big old head of his.

McAlister is another favorite.

[757RavensFan]

My favorite Raven of all time is Reed. Even though Ray was the best player we ever had, Reed was the 

most exciting player to watch.  IMO, no other player in the history of our defense had to be accounted for more than Reed. 

[ravensdan]

30 minutes ago, 757RavensFan said:

My favorite Raven of all time is Reed. Even though Ray was the best player we ever had, Reed was the 

most exciting player to watch.  IMO, no other player in the history of our defense had to be accounted for more than Reed. 

I agree with this exactly. Only not just our defense any defense. 

[Jacquouille]

If we're talking about personnal favourite, mine will be Steve Smith.I'm still new to the game, I have never seen Mason, Adalius, Scott or Boulware play, and all I've seen from Reed and Lewis are highlights so my judgement is definitely subjective. But SSS is special, to me, he means something. Anytime I feel inferior now, I see him getting angry and trash talking, and I think about this:

"This is a nail, hit'em in a coffin: you dead! Take your stuff back to Carolina, make sure you mow my lawn too while you're out there, keep it clean for me."

 

The Chills man.

[Moderator 3]

@trevorsteadman Your title says "favorite" but your post is about "best".  It seems we're mostly unsure which we should be discussing. Should we change the title to be inclusive of both?

[Tiznut]

Favorite is a tie between hartwell and bouleware.  Best is Ray and Ed reed 

[The Raven]

Favorite is Marshal Yanda, bar none. To me, he's close to best, too. He's been the best at his position, arguably, since around 2010. Not many other guards have been as dominant as Yanda for so long.

[rmw10]

Favorite of all time just as a person?  Matt Stover.  I was hurt about 7 years ago and I had some time to go up to training camp when it was at McDaniel.  He literally sat and just talked about life with me for about an hour after practice one day.  He was the most genuine and honest guy.

Favorite player to watch?  Ed Reed.  Just to see was he was able to do on the field was incredible.  He was such a playmaker and it was sad to see him fall of the cliff and be cut after going to Houston.

Best player of all time?  Ray Lewis.  As much as I love Reed, Ray had such a profound impact on this team.  A lot of what this team accomplished wouldn't have been possible without him.

[RavensFan34950]

I know he's only been a Raven for 2 years but Steve Smith has been my favorite player since 2005. I will never forget the playoff game he had against Chicago when he absolutely destroyed that great Chicago defense. ever since then he's been my favorite. And now that he's a Raven its a match made in heaven. So yea, Steve Smith is my alltime favorite Raven with Ray Lewis as a close second.

[JoeyFlex5]

4 hours ago, 757RavensFan said:

Replace Lee Evans w/ Derrick Mason and we're probably sitting on 3 Superbowls right now. 

Absolutely. Also, if boldin catches that game winner in Pittsburgh I think we at least go to 3 straight from 2011 to 2013. And If torrey catches it or at least makes an effort to give us another chance, then we very well could have been looking at 4 out of 5.. Crazy to think how close the ravens are to being a unquestioned dynasty yet still so far. Unrelated and hypothetical though lol

 

But yeah, mase all the way. I actually might buy his jersey this season instead of getting a player who likely leaves lol

[757RavensFan]

7 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

Absolutely. Also, if boldin catches that game winner in Pittsburgh I think we at least go to 3 straight from 2011 to 2013. And If torrey catches it or at least makes an effort to give us another chance, then we very well could have been looking at 4 out of 5.. Crazy to think how close the ravens are to being a unquestioned dynasty yet still so far. Unrelated and hypothetical though lol

 

But yeah, mase all the way. I actually might buy his jersey this season instead of getting a player who likely leaves lol

I run those scenarios through my head often.  We were so close to becoming the dynasty of the decade but couldn't make it happen. 

I do think we would have had a problem in the Superbowl vs the Seahawks. 

[Edgar]

Have to say Ray Rice. He fell mightily of course, but what a great football player and really was my favorite Raven for awhile.

[Tru11]

Jamal lewis was my favorite guy on offense to watch because he was such a vicious runner.
he was hitting harder then the defenders he went up against lol.

on defense its a tie between Ed and Ray.
both where ridiculous players making plays all over the field.
cant put 1 for the other although Ray will remain the most iconic raven ever though.
 

[Purple_City39]

48 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

Absolutely. Also, if boldin catches that game winner in Pittsburgh I think we at least go to 3 straight from 2011 to 2013. And If torrey catches it or at least makes an effort to give us another chance, then we very well could have been looking at 4 out of 5.. Crazy to think how close the ravens are to being a unquestioned dynasty yet still so far. Unrelated and hypothetical though lol

 

But yeah, mase all the way. I actually might buy his jersey this season instead of getting a player who likely leaves lol

I remember that as just being a game tying play, not so much a game winner.  And it was also the divisional round.  The Jets were good that year, knocking off both the Peyton led Colts and the Brady led Pats then giving Ben his worst game of the year so there's no guarantee we beat them in the AFC championship.

On topic, my favorite is a tie between Reed, Heap, and Suggs.  Reed was dangerous at all times.  Heap was a true Raven, doing what he was told and doing it well.  And Suggs is probably the most entertaining player to every wear a Ravens jersey, from a personality standpoint

[ravensnj]

I loved to watch Michael McCrary play with his non-stop motor. But, Ray in his early days were the best that I've seen.

[K-Dog]

BEST, is Ed.  No question in my mind.  Ray is just the slightest hair behind.  My reasoning is this... If they mention Ray, the play just ended.  If they mention Ed, the game just changed. It was amazing to watch Ed come out of nowhere and get the ball.  He could have been in the parking lot for all you know, and then all of a sudden the ball is in his hands.

My favorite is probably Ray though.  You all know why.  It has been said a thousand times.

[OLD SCHOOL SMASH BALL]

Reeeeeeeeeeeeeed!

[OLD SCHOOL SMASH BALL]

Favorite player that cracked me up? Between Goose or Shannon Sharpe............in fact Who is the funniest Raven these days? Probably SSS....I would like to see our locker room get loose, have some fun these days.....I feel like its all business lately, as it should be to a point

[redrum52]

Reed.

 

Playmaking ability was other worldly and just the way he went about his business.  He'd show out on the field, but never anything extra and had a silent confidence.  At least that's what I got from him.

 

Heap might have been my favorite on offense.  Incredible heart and wish he was able to win a ring with us.

Edited June 21, 2016 by redrum52

[Winchester]

Tough call. Defense Michael McCrary and Peter Boulware offense Priest Holmes and Brandon Stokley

[Tank 92]

A bunch!  Heap, Haloti, Reed and Jamal top the list for me. All have produced extraordinary memories.

Edited June 22, 2016 by Tank 92

[Tank 92]

An outside and off the wall favorite of mine is Tony Banks. He engineered a stunning comeback against the Jags in 2000 that my oldest son and I got to see live. Hair on fire exciting!  Also Tony's brother happens to be a long time golf buddy of mine.  lol