[News] Kamar Aiken: Frustrating Season Will Play Into Free Agency Decision

[BR News]

The pending unrestricted free agent said 2016 was 'probably the most frustrating year I've had.' After leading the Ravens in receiving with injuries taking a toll on the position group last season, Aiken's opportunities and production starkly decreased.

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[JamesA119]

I truly believe that he can be an impactful WR. He proved it in 2015. If he goes to New England watch out.

[Minionhunter]

Joe has publicly stated that he wanted Kamar more involved in the offense this year, and implied that he was lobbying, hard, for just that. I think it's a coaching thing. I think most of the receivers like Joe. From reading this the offensive coaching went loopy and didn't recover when Marty was fired. You can find Joe's quote in press conference notes.

I assumed that Kamar was to have an expanded role next year, but this makes me believe that they don't think much of him. They being Marty and Marc, and Joe couldn't pressure them through the media. It's unfortunate because Kamar is one seriously tough dude.

[jsarrocohome@yahoo.com]

Veteran Minimum and dont let him cover punts

[law215]

Aiken went from leading receiver to all but forgotten. He has had some critical drops and that can't happen with a team pushing for the playoffs and have veterans that are better. It was frustrating watching him miss the opportunities he had.

[EdTheMythicalOne]

Have fun being a 4th or 5th WR on another team Kamar. You were a byproduct of being the only healthy WR on the team and you dropped way more passes than were attributed to you by a site that supposedly tracks these things. Your inability to get open and catch passes that hit you in the hands were on display once more. Goodbye.

[Minionhunter]

Kamar, if you do read this, I've really enjoyed watching you and will be sad if you go somewhere else.

[mybuddymac]

I believe Aiken can be very productive for us, similar to that of a Julian Edelman in New England. The problem being is that you have to use him like the Patriots use Edelman, by that I mean put Kamar in the slot and have him work the middle, hit him with little 3-5 yard dig routes and see if he can get some YAC. But again I think our issues lie on putting the ball in the air to often and not on the ground EFFICIENTLY enough.

[Crusader]

Aiken He gone .No good receiver is going to want to come here an want to play for Joe.

[rmcjacket23]

Aiken He gone .No good receiver is going to want to come here an want to play for Joe.

So Boldin and Steve Smith weren't good receivers?

[Ravens8383]

He's not coming back. Ravens won't want to spend the money on him when players like Williams are going to be getting a lot of attention. They will probably draft two WR's this year and hope that one of them can make the team and step in for Smith Sr.

[jsarrocohome@yahoo.com]

I believe Aiken can be very productive for us, similar to that of a Julian Edelman in New England. The problem being is that you have to use him like the Patriots use Edelman, by that I mean put Kamar in the slot and have him work the middle, hit him with little 3-5 yard dig routes and see if he can get some YAC. But again I think our issues lie on putting the ball in the air to often and not on the ground EFFICIENTLY enough.

you kidding kamar and Edelman in the same sentence is crazy Edelman is a great football player kamar not so much

[outkast1]

  31 minutes ago, Crusader said:

Aiken He gone .No good receiver is going to want to come here an want to play for Joe.

So Boldin and Steve Smith weren't good receivers?

They were paid to come to baltimore and Aiken can go to a better team with an accurate QB

[jsarrocohome@yahoo.com]

I truly believe that he can be an impactful WR. He proved it in 2015. If he goes to New England watch out.

I could cover kamar and if he ever got by me while I was tying my shoe he would drop the ball anyway

[outkast1]

Have fun being a 4th or 5th WR on another team Kamar. You were a byproduct of being the only healthy WR on the team and you dropped way more passes than were attributed to you by a site that supposedly tracks these things. Your inability to get open and catch passes that hit you in the hands were on display once more. Goodbye.

He nearly caught every bad pass Joe threw to him and would be much better on another team.

[rmcjacket23]

Just now, outkast1 said:

They were paid to come to baltimore and Aiken can go to a better team with an accurate QB

1. Yes, and Aiken will be paid to come somewhere too. Everybody is paid to come somewhere in the NFL... that doesn't mean anything. Baltimore wasn't the only place that wanted Steve Smith, same for Boldin. They made a choice to come here and play.

2. Aiken could also go to a worse team with a less accurate QB or no QB at all. The first thing Aiken will need to do is find teams interested in having him play for them. He's not Julio Jones... he won't have 32 NFL teams beating down his door to play for them. He doesn't have those kinds of skills. So if there's 2-3 teams that want him, and those teams are the Browns, Rams and Bears, then he will either go play for one of those teams, or he won't play at all. That's how FA works when you're not a highly sought after player.

If I were a betting man, and if I were Aiken himself, I'd focus on two things:

1. Which team will pay me the most

2. Which team do I have the best opportunity to play

I seriously doubt he's in a position to say "I want to play for a winning team with a great QB". That's not really what guys in his situation are looking for out of FA.

[CaliRavenFan]

30 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

So Boldin and Steve Smith weren't good receivers?

Boldin and Smitty came here because of the Ravens not just because of #5. Boldin easily could of came back but didn't want to play for #5 again and everyone could see how pissed Smitty got with #5 this year, especially his final game when #5 came up to him on the Bench and Smitty ignored him completely. Please football gods let us find a sucker team to trade him too..

[rmcjacket23]

Just now, CaliRavenFan said:

Boldin and Smitty came here because of the Ravens not just because of #5. Boldin easily could of came back but didn't want to play for #5 again and everyone could see how pissed Smitty got with #5 this year, especially his final game when #5 came up to him on the Bench and Smitty ignored him completely. Please football gods let us find a sucker team to trade him too..

Yeah this makes no sense whatsoever.

1. What does "came here because of the Ravens mean"? You mean because of the culture? The culture that is largely made up of what #5 does? That culture? You can't have one without the other... they are intertwined.

2. No, Boldin wanted to stay. The Ravens shipped him out because they didn't like his contract. Boldin was on record saying he wanted to stay.

3. Every QB gets pissy with every WR, and vice versa. Go spend some time on the sidelines of any NFL game and you'll see this.

4. Good luck with that trade. I can assure you whatever team he gets traded to will instantly become better than our team, regardless of what team it is.

[Crusader]

  54 minutes ago, Crusader said:

Aiken He gone .No good receiver is going to want to come here an want to play for Joe.

So Boldin and Steve Smith weren't good receivers?

The way Joe has been playing after 2012? Steve came here because of John & Steve worked together at a Pro Bowl. Besides, Ravens can't keep guys now, how can they afford to bring in a No1? They sure as heck can't draft one.

[TheConquerorWorm]

“I’m a starter in this league. I feel like I make a lot of plays and I make plays when they come my way.”

Like dropping a perfectly thrown pass that hit you in square in the numbers against Oakland that would have won the game for us. Or do you mean making plays by watching a returner blow by you for a touchdown on special teams? Any WR that can't beat out a soft, one trick pony like Wallace is not NFL quality.

[rmcjacket23]

Just now, Crusader said:

The way Joe has been playing after 2012? Steve came here because of John & Steve worked together at a Pro Bowl. Besides, Ravens can't keep guys now, how can they afford to bring in a No1? They sure as heck can't draft one.

They'll need to draft one if they really want one... the same way every other team gets a #1. There is rarely a #1 who ends up on the FA market in the entire league. 

Though obviously, the caveat here is that they don't necessarily NEED a #1 WR. No shortage of teams winning SBs without one, and the 2012 Ravens certainly fit that mold.

[Grapple Raven]

This article makes me sad. I think Kamar is a good WR and could offer a lot to this team. Kamar's treatment kind of reminds me of they way they treated Boldin.

[purpledown]

He is gone, a good player but he can be replaced (Chris Moore).

[BoominRaven]

Kamar should have gotten way more reps this year than he did. When we're throwing 50-60 times a game there's no way we couldn't have worked him in to the rotation more

[Ugly Ball]

This article makes me sad. I think Kamar is a good WR and could offer a lot to this team. Kamar's treatment kind of reminds me of they way they treated Boldin.

I kind of got the same impression.
I'd bet Belicheat would find more uses for him.

[Ravens_Flock]

No offense to Kamar, but he doesn't seem to understand, as many players don't. On a team with better, healthier options, he never would have been a starter. He would not be a starter on MOST teams in the NFL. He is a good player, but there is no way he should be starting over our first round pick, Perriman, who was also severely underutilized. If Wallace weren't here, then yeah, I suppose I could see Perriman and Aiken starting, with maybe Camp in the slot. But really, we can and should do a lot better at starting WR than Aiken.

[jsarrocohome@yahoo.com]

Kamar should have gotten way more reps this year than he did. When we're throwing 50-60 times a game there's no way we couldn't have worked him in to the rotation more

If you watched closely he was never open and when he was he dropped to many balls

[Purple Hazard]

No offense to Kamar, but he doesn't seem to understand, as many players don't. On a team with better, healthier options, he never would have been a starter. He would not be a starter on MOST teams in the NFL. He is a good player, but there is no way he should be starting over our first round pick, Perriman, who was also severely underutilized. If Wallace weren't here, then yeah, I suppose I could see Perriman and Aiken starting, with maybe Camp in the slot. But really, we can and should do a lot better at starting WR than Aiken.

My thoughts exactly. Aiken is a pretty good player but he needs to understand that the offense didn't really dominate with him as a starter as well...

[Rav'n Maniac]

I thought it would probably end this way. It's difficult for a player to go from being a starter to being a 4th option in one year. I don't blame him for wanting an opportunity to start.

[BigUgly]

Aiken is a decent possession receiver from the slot, but an inferior option to a 37-year-old Steve Smith Sr.  With his retirement, Aiken instantly becomes the best option there (unless one wants to bet that Campanaro can stay healthy).  Will be interesting to see if the Ravens address WR in the first round of the draft, or do as expected and land an edge rusher.