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

[whobilly]

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.

I hope you are correct with the edge rusher. Can't take another wasted #1 WR pick like Mark Clayton or Perriman.

[whobilly]

He's going to the team that over pays him. It's that simple.

[Edug27]

Tough one here. I think he is and can continue to be a really effective wideout when used properly. Really good possession receiver, can help move the chains, and more often than not he'll impress you with his strength and hands. But he's not much of a playmaker... not fast and doesn't get the best seperation (something Joe needs), some noticeable drops... and we have young guys who can probably be the same or better given the time. 

[kevraves]

wallace, aiken, pitta, perriman...but Joe has to be on point...their were games...outta of desperation he was getting those guys hammered. If watson comes back Joe will have a decent core to throw too if you add waller.

[RavenManiac#7]

  16 hours ago, 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.

You're absolutely right, jacket, as usual, especially given two realities. One, Ozzie just has not shown the ability to draft a true #1 wr. Permian is, probably, his best stab at one, and it remains to be seen if he can overcome his difficulties in running good pass routes and improving his hands. But, only more time will tell. And, second, even in the extremely rare event that a #1 receiver Would show up in FA, and I'm not even sure who will be available this year, we almost certainly will not be in a position cap-wise to make a serious play at him. Much more likely, Ozzie will stay true to form and try to sign an older has been, on the downside of his career, who is a castoff, cut from some other team in the league. Yeah, Ozzie did get us Boldin and Mason, I believe, but he brought in far more ineffective FAs than those two, who were good, but not true #1s. Wouldn't you agree?

[RavenManiac#7]

Oh, and jacket, I forgot to mention that I agree, once again, with you that it isn't a positive necessity that a team needs a true #1 receiver to win the Super Bowl. You were 100% correct in pointing out that we did it without one, as other teams have done as well. But, boy oh boy, wouldn't it be nice to Finally see our beloved team actually have one on our roster?

[RavenManiac#7]

  17 hours 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?

Of course they were, jacket. You and I and, I suspect, even Crusader knows that. While I will Always respect, and defend, Everyone's right o voice their opinions on this website, sometimes I think that it's quite obvious that there are numerous regular contributors that tend to have a somewhat negative overall tendency in the vast majority of their posts. Not that I'm purposely labeling Crusader as one of them. I'll gladly leave that up to each individual's opinion. For what it's worth, I have Always found yours to be wise and insightful, even on the very rare occasions that I have not agreed with them. I Do look forward to reading yours. And I commend you for researching your points you make rather than just throwing them out there. Wish that happened more frequently.

[Space11jams]

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

not true

[Purple Dawg 96]

Triple " S " retirement the Ravens can just move everyone up and keep Kamar?! No?!

[sizzlingdoom]

Kamar is not even average. Made a couple catches this year and also dropped a couple Big ones. One bounced off his chest that cost us a potential W. We all know how big that W would've been. I don't care what anyone says, he was striaght up AWFUL, and I mean AWFUL covering kicks. O yeah, he also was mainly responsible for the punt return TD in that game. He was able to bring us the LOSS vs Washington in many ways. Thanks for your hard work. We will be better off without him though. And boo hoo people, he'll make a million$+ to go play football somewhere else. Really really hope we don't resign him. He is a below average wr, and a terrible special teamer. Fact

[EdTheMythicalOne]

On 1/2/2017 at 7:21 PM, outkast1 said:

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

We must've been watching two different teams then.

Let's remember a few things:

1) He never made an catch in the NFL before coming to the Ravens. Buffalo had him and turned him loose. New England had him and turned him loose.

2) He caught the ball by default in 2015 because he literally was the only healthy body on the field at the time. He wasn't the number one guy in that season. A healthy Perriman (would have started over him) and Steve Smith did start over him. His other receiving mates were (and kudos to you if these names are instant recall for you) Jeremy Butler (where is he now? Caught 2 whole passes for 11 yards for SD), Chris Matthews (where is he now? IR for 2016), Marlon Brown (where is he now? On the IR for the Broncos. Why did we let him go? Because he kept getting hurt and couldn't get open.) Chris Givens (where is he now? Didn't even play in 2016.) Jeremy Ross (who? and where is he now? Caught 4 passes for 37 yards, 1TD for Arizona), Kaelin Clay (Where is he now: IR for 2016), and of course Campanaro who couldnt' stay on the field.

3) Any wonder he had his best season ever when he was the only guy on the field?

4) Stop comparing Ravens to Ravens. This is a guy who is a roster bubble guy on any other team that doesn't have a huge need at WR. If he was better than Steve Smith Sr., Mike Wallace, or a healthy Perriman, he would have been getting snaps over these guys. I can see a WR hungry team like the Jets (if they let Marshall go) or the Browns giving him a shot at being a starter.

 

[1stStateRaven]

Aiken has heart. He Plays Like A Raven, and stands up when his number is called. I'd also say he's the closest type of WR we have that is similar to what Boldin brought to the offense. I sure hope he sticks around, and is given more touches.

[redrum52]

On 1/2/2017 at 6:58 PM, rmcjacket23 said:

So Boldin and Steve Smith weren't good receivers?

Boldin was traded for.  

[rmcjacket23]

1 minute ago, redrum52 said:

Boldin was traded for.  

And signed an extension here, which he didn't have to...

[redrum52]

4 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

And signed an extension here, which he didn't have to...

I would assume he was traded here with the understanding he would get a new contract.  That was the whole reason the Cards traded him because he wasn't getting a new deal with them.  If the teams willing to pay you around what you want, why would you move again?

[Ravensfansince03]

Let Aiken walk..... Draft a big WR.

[Ravensfansince03]

Aiken has heart. He Plays Like A Raven, and stands up when his number is called. I'd also say he's the closest type of WR we have that is similar to what Boldin brought to the offense. I sure hope he sticks around, and is given more touches.

☝🏽 this is exactly why this offense has been mediocre. Settling for mediocre WR's that rarely get open.

We need playmakers. Not play waiters.

[cobrajet]

  On 1/3/2017 at 7:30 AM, BigUgly said:

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.

I hope you are correct with the edge rusher. Can't take another wasted #1 WR pick like Mark Clayton or Perriman.

I agree, unless they are ones like AJ Green or Julio Jones which were no-brainer WR picks.

[jdynamite]

I got nothing against Kamar Aiken, but when he spoke out earlier this season about his disappointments and frustrations I felt it was pointless unless he went out and proved to coaches that he deserved to be on the field and make plays. 

I know people got caught up in the Aiken hype just as they got caught up in the dare I say it Marlontron hype  both had their stellar year when the Receiving corps where either injury riddled and/or transitioning. 

Aiken is journeyman special teamed that was forced into a starting role last year.  

Not sure why he's so pumped to be a free agent. 

[jdynamite]

10 hours ago, EdTheMythicalOne said:

We must've been watching two different teams then.

Let's remember a few things:

1) He never made an catch in the NFL before coming to the Ravens. Buffalo had him and turned him loose. New England had him and turned him loose.

2) He caught the ball by default in 2015 because he literally was the only healthy body on the field at the time. He wasn't the number one guy in that season. A healthy Perriman (would have started over him) and Steve Smith did start over him. His other receiving mates were (and kudos to you if these names are instant recall for you) Jeremy Butler (where is he now? Caught 2 whole passes for 11 yards for SD), Chris Matthews (where is he now? IR for 2016), Marlon Brown (where is he now? On the IR for the Broncos. Why did we let him go? Because he kept getting hurt and couldn't get open.) Chris Givens (where is he now? Didn't even play in 2016.) Jeremy Ross (who? and where is he now? Caught 4 passes for 37 yards, 1TD for Arizona), Kaelin Clay (Where is he now: IR for 2016), and of course Campanaro who couldnt' stay on the field.

3) Any wonder he had his best season ever when he was the only guy on the field?

4) Stop comparing Ravens to Ravens. This is a guy who is a roster bubble guy on any other team that doesn't have a huge need at WR. If he was better than Steve Smith Sr., Mike Wallace, or a healthy Perriman, he would have been getting snaps over these guys. I can see a WR hungry team like the Jets (if they let Marshall go) or the Browns giving him a shot at being a starter.

 

👆👆. Said perfectly. 

[jdynamite]

On 1/2/2017 at 6:25 PM, rmcjacket23 said:

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.

I literally just wrote this on Facebook post for this article. I wrote Aiken's most likely suitors would be Browns, Bears, 49ers and Rams outside of them he's back to a special teamer and 4th option. 

It really surprise me how people are arguing on there as if Aiken is an All Pro. 

I envisioned Aiken, being a chain-mover on third downs having a role similar to Kelley Washington back in 09'. 

[bigcatfrank1]

Yeah well if you catch the ball when its thrown to you, then you will get another pass. Thats how it goes in the NFL.

[bigcatfrank1]

  On 1/2/2017 at 6:02 PM, EdTheMythicalOne said:

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.

DId you just say he " nearly" caught every bad pass that Joe threw TO him? Do you know what you just said? That is the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard. Man, good receivers make their Qb look like Gold. They catch everything. It doesn't matter, as long as the ball is in reach it is caught. We need playmakers. This is why Pitta was the leading receiver on the team...He makes the catch. Steve Smith Sr. was right behind him. It wasn't our Passing game that lost the season for us, that's for sure.
As far as Aiken goes, he had his fair share of "bad drops". He needs to be a Play maker, not a pass wisher. Catch the ball, make yards and you will get more. That is what happens in the NFL. Joe gave 4200 yds up to whoever wanted them this past year....you want em...go get em.

[Militant X 1]

On 1/2/2017 at 8:02 PM, Grapple Raven said:

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.

The man went from being a main receivers with a few TD's last season to a nobody this season.  What a drop off!

On 1/2/2017 at 9:22 PM, Ugly Ball said:

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

He'd use him properly and have Aiken looking like a pro bowl receiver.

On 1/3/2017 at 9:31 AM, whobilly said:

He's going to the team that over pays him. It's that simple.

Nothing wrong with that!  Go get that $$$.

[Chuckx999]

He should leave, go to a winning team. Kiss an 8W & 8L team good bye.
People deserve better.

[ellicottraven]

"The Ravens quite simply had an abundance of talent at the position"! How ironic...