Next Up: Ravens Free Agents--Who goes? Who stays?

[IceDevilHH81]

It`s so quiet around Mangold that it concerns me … maybe he isn`t 100% healthy. If he is fine I would love him … could be the next Matt Birk for our team!

[Edug27]

I'm sure Dunlap will be an option here. But I think we address the offensive line during the draft. Also ... start believing in Perriman and Moore!! Been screaming this from the start.

[PurpleCity5]

I'm relieved that this happened. I honestly think the Ravens have a plan and this cut maybe contributed to what they're trying to do. I don't think Zuttah is going to fit in with this OL scheme. They want a big and physical OL, that doesn't match Zuttah and with four of the five roster positions set (They had their eye on keeping Wagner taken into accout) that only meant that Zuttah was the odd-man out. I think Jensen is very well in the cards, he seems to fit the Ravens mold off an OL and has been in the development cycle for long enough. 

I bid farewell to Zuttah. 

[52520Andrew]

Yeah I get moving on from Zuttah but we already have a hole at RT and I am not sold that our in house candidates are that good at either position. The way the line currently is, I don't see the offense doing any better than they did last year and there is certainly room to drop.

[jazz1988]

Getting more stronger and physical at the center  position doesn't  necessarily equal to getting better at the position. 

[jazz1988]

15 minutes ago, Edug27 said:

I'm sure Dunlap will be an option here. But I think we address the offensive line during the draft. Also ... start believing in Perriman and Moore!! Been screaming this from the start.

I doubt The Ravens have interest in King Dunlap since his  off the field issue is too related to domestic violence .

[LosT_in_TranSlatioN]

2 minutes ago, 52520Andrew said:

Yeah I get moving on from Zuttah but we already have a hole at RT and I am not sold that our in house candidates are that good at either position. The way the line currently is, I don't see the offense doing any better than they did last year and there is certainly room to drop.

I think Dunlap here is inevitable. We want to get bigger and stronger at oline. Well he certainly fits the "bigger" part. 

Idk what we are gonna do about center though. 

[purpletide]

1 minute ago, jazz1988 said:

Getting more stronger and physical at the center  position doesn't  necessarily equal to getting better at the position. 

Could work better for what we want our offense to be next year. Hopefully we're shifting more towards the run game.

[LosT_in_TranSlatioN]

Just now, jazz1988 said:

I doubt The Ravens have interest in King Dunlap since his  off the field issue is too related to domestic violence .

Ah. Forgot about that. Then nevermind, no way in hell he comes here. 

[52520Andrew]

Just now, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

I think Dunlap here is inevitable. We want to get bigger and stronger at oline. Well he certainly fits the "bigger" part. 

Idk what we are gonna do about center though. 

I just hope we add a couple people because the line as stands is worse than last year and that is before the injury and not nearly as deep.

Not really sold on Dunlap, injured fairly often and given our luck with guys staying healthy...

[LosT_in_TranSlatioN]

1 minute ago, 52520Andrew said:

I just hope we add a couple people because the line as stands is worse than last year and that is before the injury and not nearly as deep.

Not really sold on Dunlap, injured fairly often and given our luck with guys staying healthy...

Austin Pasztor? He's coming from the Browns, had a good season, and might want to stay within the division like Josh Sitton did?

[Number23]

I don't know about cutting Zuttah now. Considering how few linemen are left on the marker, I don't know if we can find an upgrade there or get anyone to produce for cheaper. Now we've got 2 holes on the O-line and a relatively weak O-line class in the draft which seems like trouble.

[trevorsteadman]

4 minutes ago, Number23 said:

I don't know about cutting Zuttah now. Considering how few linemen are left on the marker, I don't know if we can find an upgrade there or get anyone to produce for cheaper. Now we've got 2 holes on the O-line and a relatively weak O-line class in the draft which seems like trouble.

There is still another free agency period that hasn't started yet..............

[52520Andrew]

4 minutes ago, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

Austin Pasztor? He's coming from the Browns, had a good season, and might want to stay within the division like Josh Sitton did?

It might have to be addressed in the draft at this point which stinks given the talent at CB and Pass Rush. Either that or we ignore it this year and focus on it next offseason but that doesn't seem to fit with the win now mentality the Ravens seem to be preaching

[usmccharles]

37 minutes ago, Edug27 said:

I'm sure Dunlap will be an option here. But I think we address the offensive line during the draft. Also ... start believing in Perriman and Moore!! Been screaming this from the start.

He has shown nothing to show to give us to believe in him, but that's understandable considering where he was drafted.  He has potential...like a lot of players

[Cawtious]

9 minutes ago, trevorsteadman said:

There is still another free agency period that hasn't started yet..............

And with the lack of C options out there for others looking.........Jensen is still an RFA........Bills are going to be shopping.  Jensen's versatility may land him someplace they are looking for a G/C.  Seattle comes to mind.  Green Bay as well......

John Urschel may end up with the job. 

[Edgar]

22 minutes ago, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

I think Dunlap here is inevitable. We want to get bigger and stronger at oline. Well he certainly fits the "bigger" part. 

Idk what we are gonna do about center though. 

Elflein in round two or Toth later 

[JoeyFlex5]

59 minutes ago, redrum52 said:

Would love to see the response when Jimmy and Claiborne both miss a 3 game stretch, playing patty cake on the sideline.  I don't know where everyone is getting this idea that Claiborne is this savior at CB either.  A little confusing considering he's just started showing potential, was considered a bust by most fans and can't even stay healthy.  That's exactly what we need in this secondary is another unreliable cb.

I don't see where anyone thinks Claiborne is a savior. The common opinion seems to be that he's a big upgrade from any option at cb2, injury risk or not, and that is 100% true. It's better to go with a quality cb who has been injured, than to go with an absolute nobody.

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

I dont think we'd be releasing Zuttah without a solid back up plan, or without very good reason to think that someone in house is going to be a better fit for whatever changes we may make to our blocking concepts.

Jensen and Urschel are the obvious in house options.

Dont sleep on Matt Skura. They gave him a big salary increase toward the end of the season. Not something you typically see with PS players. Went under the radar, for obvious reasons, and it doesnt necessarily mean he's ready, they view him as an immediate option, or that he'll work out.... but its worth noting.

And then of course there's Mangold still out there.

 

I know draft is an option, but i just cant see why they'd release Zuttah now if they were looking to the draft for his replacement since theres no guarantee they get their guy (if they have a guy that is). 

This tells me one of a couple things.... theyre planning to sign his replacement with near certainty (Mangold, or some other unknown at this point), they're confident an in house replacement is a better fit (Jensen, Urschel, Skura), or they absolutely needed the cap space to make some other, unrelated signing (Claiborne?). 

Expect a signing to be announced soon.

[The Raven]

37 minutes ago, jazz1988 said:

Getting more stronger and physical at the center  position doesn't  necessarily equal to getting better at the position. 

Not necessarily, but in this case, yeah. Offensive line is about moving people. Zuttah is the kind of guy that gets moved. Stronger and more physical is frequently a good thing so long as they aren't total plodders. 

Y'all underestimate just how much Zuttah hamstrung our run game. People like to say Zuttah wasn't bad, he wasn't always getting blown up. But here's the thing: If you aren't moving someone, you're in the way, and if you're in the way, you're a liability in the run game. Get that word straight: liability. And center is the one position you can't afford to have a liability in the run game. He never got any kind of push.

If not getting blown up is the criteria for not being bad, then good offensive line play can finally be declared dead in the NFL.

Zuttah's pass protection wasn't bad, really, so I'll give y'all that, but Gino Gradkowski is probably the only center I've seen in the NFL that was worse at run blocking.

Edited March 15 by The Raven

[Ravens4Real]

3 hours ago, trevorsteadman said:

I think the same. If the Ravens had another shut down corner like Claiborne I think the Ravens start going into elite territory on defense. I know the pass rush sucks and still needs improvement, but that secondary is dangerous. Especially if the Ravens were able to convince Webb to come back (highly unlikely but still in talks). 

 

15 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

I don't see where anyone thinks Claiborne is a savior. The common opinion seems to be that he's a big upgrade from any option at cb2, injury risk or not, and that is 100% true. It's better to go with a quality cb who has been injured, than to go with an absolute nobody.

 

This is the post that redrum and I were talking about. And yes, he does make it seem like Claiborne would be the miracle cure to our woes on defense. 

People read things out of context whenever we were having a valid conversation that he isn't some miracle to our secondary. He's an injury prone player who decided to show up some this year. On top of being hurt for a large portion of said year.

Edited March 15 by Ravens4Real

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

1 hour ago, hn68wb4 said:

There is literally no olinemen left on the market worth signing, honestly a draft pick would be better than any of them and as Zrebiec reported, we are not tied to Mangold at all, who would be the only serviceable option.

well BWill was a goner until he wasnt. Jefferson was casually mentioned as a target, until right before we signed him and it was reported we were aggressively pursuing him.

We tend to keep things close to the vest. Just bc they dont know we're in on someone doesnt mean we actually arent.

Not saying we definitely are either. Just pointing out that Zreibec not knowing about it doesnt give me confidence one way or the other.

 

But as i said... cutting Zuttah now really only makes sense in a couple scenarios. Either signing a replacement is imminent, they see other guys on the roster as equal or better within the context of the changes we'll be making to the OL (Jensen, Skura, Urschel), or we needed the cap space to sign someone else.

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

4 minutes ago, Ravens4Real said:

 

 

This is the post that redrum and I were talking about. And yes, he does make it seem like Claiborne would be the miracle cure to our woes on defense. 

Some of you guys needs to comprehend the conversation some people are having here and try not to jump down others throats.

"Shutdown" may have been a strong term to use... but the rest isnt really. We were already great in the secondary last year when Jimmy played and no one really even decent outside Jimmy and Tavon.

Claiborne, when healthy, was a HUGE upgrade over anyone on the roster last year. Health is obviously a huge question mark, but when you compare what similarly talented players are getting paid, what's left on the market, and the quality of players in a similar price range -- Claiborne could be a great addition.

Adding Jefferson to Weddle, and allowing Tavon to play the slot by putting Claiborne at LCB would make our secondary down right scary when those 5 would be on the field together.

 

Its not about being a savior or overrating him. It's just that, for a modest price, we could potentially bring in a guy that at his best is probably a top 15 CB1 playing CB2. There's risk, and question marks around it for sure, but for the price tag the potential upside is enormous. That's all. And if it were to work, id expect us to have one of the best, if not the very best, secondaries in the league.

[JoeyFlex5]

10 minutes ago, Ravens4Real said:

 

 

This is the post that redrum and I were talking about. And yes, he does make it seem like Claiborne would be the miracle cure to our woes on defense. 

Some of you guys needs to comprehend the conversation some people are having here and try not to jump down others throats.

Well for years now we've fielded a very competitive defense with only one corner and the biggest weakness was cb2 the whole time. Filling that hole at cb2 goes an extremely long way at making our defense very good, especially with a damn good safety tandem we've established the past 2 offseasons. Whether one of them gets hurt or not, it's still a massive upgrade over anyone we have at cb2

[Ravens4Real]

1 minute ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

Well for years now we've fielded a very competitive defense with only one corner and the biggest weakness was cb2 the whole time. Filling that hole at cb2 goes an extremely long way at making our defense very good, especially with a damn good safety tandem we've established the past 2 offseasons. Whether one of them gets hurt or not, it's still a massive upgrade over anyone we have at cb2

I wasn't commenting on him being a decent number 2. We were commenting on a poster calling him a shut down CB. Which he certainly is not. 

[bravensfan52]

1 hour ago, LosT_in_TranSlatioN said:

Austin Pasztor? He's coming from the Browns, had a good season, and might want to stay within the division like Josh Sitton did?

Oh god no. He was terrible in jax

[allblackraven]

This all looks to me like the Ravens think they have RT in Lewis, with Jensen at C (if he signs the tender) and Urschel at LG. 

And I still expect OL early in the draft.

[hen826957]

1 minute ago, allblackraven said:

This all looks to me like the Ravens think they have RT in Lewis, with Jensen at C (if he signs the tender) and Urschel at LG. 

And I still expect OL early in the draft.

If they draft O-line, it should be around 3rd-5th rounds. Ozzie is good finding those those late gems at o-line such as Marshal Yanda, and Rick Wagner was. I will use the first round either Wr/Passrusher/Corner and the 2nd round either Corner/Passrusher. 

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

1 hour ago, jazz1988 said:

Getting more stronger and physical at the center  position doesn't  necessarily equal to getting better at the position. 

Keeping Zuttah as the starter means definitely not getting better.

And if we're making the switch to our blocking concepts that i think we will, Zuttahs strengths become almost obsolete and his weaknesses will be highlighted even more than they were last season. Cant implement an inside, smashmouth run game if your Center allows 320 lb mammoths to hit the RB behind the line of scrimmage almost every play.

Quickest way to kill a quick, rhythm passing game with deep PA shots sprinkled in, is to get immediate pressure up the middle.

Zuttah generates 0 push in the run game unless hes pulling or out in space (which is why he was ok in a majority stretch zone run game, which indications are we're getting away from); and is a turnstile when it comes to big, strong pass rushing DT's -- which most of our AFCN foes have.

Sometimes you just gotta rip the bandaid off. Let it heal the right way.

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

10 minutes ago, allblackraven said:

This all looks to me like the Ravens think they have RT in Lewis, with Jensen at C (if he signs the tender) and Urschel at LG. 

And I still expect OL early in the draft.

idk about all that.

What gives you that indication specifically?? Considering they didnt feel Urschel or Jensen could be the 2nd option at guard last year... seems odd they'd be set with either of them starting there next year.

I could see De'ondre Wesley or Hurst being the options at RT ahead of moving Lewis over.

And Skura's a guy to keep an eye on for the C position. Made a pretty sizable investment to keep him on the PS last year (relatively speaking of course).