[News] Late For Work 1/23: Is There A True No. 1 WR Out There For Ravens Like Julio Jones?

[BR News]

The play that injured Zachary Orr's back and led to finding his life-threatening condition. Boston man arrested after pulling alarm in Steelers hotel at 4 a.m. Ravens' AFC North rival ousted from playoffs.

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[bioLarzen]

Julio Jones... Can't help remembering the YUUUUGE pack of picks the Falcons gave up to trade up and snatch Julio Jones. And the chances Ozzie will ever even consider such a trade... Never.

I'm not saying he's wrong - it was a huge risk of the Falcons that could have crippled their development for years if Jones doesn't turn out to be the star he is now. I'm just trying to gauge the chances of the Ravens getting an elite WR through the draft. Our "luck" is that the year we had a top-10 pick was the year where there was no elite WR in the draft...

And even if we got a WR like Jones... with the dismal offensive play calling we saw this season, he would hardly be anything close to what he is in Atlanta...

And talking about Atlanta... another thing I can't help remembering is how we could have had Shanahan as the new OC replacing Kubiak, but went with Trestman instead...

[Chuckx999]

If Jerry Rice or Raymond Berry were both 21 and in the draft Ozzie wouldn't pick them. He just can't pick offensive players, that's why we don't have any good ones. Only "past" defensive players have won the big games for us and those players are long gone. We need SPEED everywhere.

[MadStorkSociety]

Julio Jones... Can't help remembering the YUUUUGE pack of picks the Falcons gave up to trade up and snatch Julio Jones. And the chances Ozzie will ever even consider such a trade... Never.

I'm not saying he's wrong - it was a huge risk of the Falcons that could have crippled their development for years if Jones doesn't turn out to be the star he is now. I'm just trying to gauge the chances of the Ravens getting an elite WR through the draft. Our "luck" is that the year we had a top-10 pick was the year where there was no elite WR in the draft...

And even if we got a WR like Jones... with the dismal offensive play calling we saw this season, he would hardly be anything close to what he is in Atlanta...

And talking about Atlanta... another thing I can't help remembering is how we could have had Shanahan as the new OC replacing Kubiak, but went with Trestman instead...

yes, especially that last paragraph.

[Minionhunter]

  22 minutes ago, bioLarzen said:

Julio Jones... Can't help remembering the YUUUUGE pack of picks the Falcons gave up to trade up and snatch Julio Jones. And the chances Ozzie will ever even consider such a trade... Never.

I'm not saying he's wrong - it was a huge risk of the Falcons that could have crippled their development for years if Jones doesn't turn out to be the star he is now. I'm just trying to gauge the chances of the Ravens getting an elite WR through the draft. Our "luck" is that the year we had a top-10 pick was the year where there was no elite WR in the draft...

And even if we got a WR like Jones... with the dismal offensive play calling we saw this season, he would hardly be anything close to what he is in Atlanta...

And talking about Atlanta... another thing I can't help remembering is how we could have had Shanahan as the new OC replacing Kubiak, but went with Trestman instead...

yes, especially that last paragraph.

When will people stop this nonsense with Shanahan replacing Gary. Kyle was already hired by Atlanta by the time Gary informed John he was leaving. There was no way we could have gotten Kyle. Anyone spouting this is revisionist history. Yes, it would have been great to get him, but we didn't have a shot due to the timing of Gary leaving and Elway blindsiding John and the Ravens. We could have and should have gotten someone other than Trestman, but we didn't have a shot at Kyle.

[Minionhunter]

What people should be debating is if we should have gone after Alex Mack when his agent was pushing us to do so. Either the first time when he stayed (Browns kept him on matched offer) or the second time.

[fusuymada]

There is a lot of talk about Hogan and how he came from nowhere and fooled everyone but only Bellicek in his great super wisdom could see it. I could see from day 1 in training camp on hard knocks that this guy was special. Because he didn't meet the race, size, weight, height, background for what a #1 receiver should be, no one gave him a shot. All he could do is get open (known as 7-11 because he was always open), make catches, make people miss, have a great attitude and worked his butt off. Now if it is that hard for the "EXPERTS" to figure this guy out, then a lot of owners are paying pure idiots to scout their teams. I said when I saw him on Hard Knocks I knew he was going to be another Victor Cruz. Too little emphasis is put on football players and too much is put in sabermetrics, pie charts, and excel spreadsheets where all the superstars numbers line up and the losers don't. Except that is showing to be a joke. They have athletes in a combine doing things that do not directly relate to football, they put far too much time and effort into whether or not there is some small black mark against a kid in college meaning he can't play football, The NFL is hiring based on ethics and sabermetrics and at this point have zero understanding of how either effects the success of a professional player so drafts are more shots in the dark, darts thrown at a board than actual decision making that bears any sort of fruit.

We always talk about those we thought would make it that were busts, and those we gave no chance that are superstars. There are way too many of both of them to put any faith in how NFL teams draft players.

[JetLife94]

27 minutes ago, Minionhunter said:

What people should be debating is if we should have gone after Alex Mack when his agent was pushing us to do so. Either the first time when he stayed (Browns kept him on matched offer) or the second time.

Harbs said zuttah is a serviceable Center with veteran expierence. Essentially saying why replace something that's not broken. How sad.

[RavenManiac#7]

What people should be debating is if we should have gone after Alex Mack when his agent was pushing us to do so. Either the first time when he stayed (Browns kept him on matched offer) or the second time.

Amen. Center, which was a huge strength when Birk was here, has been a weakness since he retired. I, Big time, wanted us to get Mack. I am fast losing faith with "In Ozzie we trust". In fact, I think that I, actually, Have lost faith with it. Just too many high round draft choice misses. That, and what I've come to believe is his failed strategy of hoarding mid round draft choices. I've come to believe that he has to move to a quality verses quantity philosophy in the draft, but with his all too often whiffs in those early rounds, I'm not so sure that he can be successful with that either. I am Not a Flacco basher but, after watching Matt Ryan, I've come to believe that Ozzie should have listened to Bisciotti and moved up for Ryan instead of insisting that Flacco was the right guy for us. After years of denying it, I'm now at the point where I believe that Ryan is the better QB of the two.

[RavenROC]

Betteridge's law of headlines...no

[Minionhunter]

  43 minutes ago, Minionhunter said:

What people should be debating is if we should have gone after Alex Mack when his agent was pushing us to do so. Either the first time when he stayed (Browns kept him on matched offer) or the second time.

Amen. Center, which was a huge strength when Birk was here, has been a weakness since he retired. I, Big time, wanted us to get Mack. I am fast losing faith with "In Ozzie we trust". In fact, I think that I, actually, Have lost faith with it. Just too many high round draft choice misses. That, and what I've come to believe is his failed strategy of hoarding mid round draft choices. I've come to believe that he has to move to a quality verses quantity philosophy in the draft, but with his all too often whiffs in those early rounds, I'm not so sure that he can be successful with that either. I am Not a Flacco basher but, after watching Matt Ryan, I've come to believe that Ozzie should have listened to Bisciotti and moved up for Ryan instead of insisting that Flacco was the right guy for us. After years of denying it, I'm now at the point where I believe that Ryan is the better QB of the two.

Matt Ryan plays in a dome with elite WR and TE his whole carrear and only now is he getting to the superbowl. Do you really think he could have done that in Baltimore with the WR cast that Joe has had? How many drops in the endzone can you count in playoff games that cost us trips to the super bowl? Think Ryan is who he is without Julio Jones, Roddy White, and that amazing TE who retired that I can't remember his name now? How does Ryan do in the cold and the wind? Meh, dome team QB with crazy WR/TE talent, plus a great OC and OL.

So many people discount how much a factor the OL is when judging the QB. Lets chat again next year after we look at the Ravens OL when they are not being crippled by Castillo. Those stats are all the proof needed that his dismissal this year was long overdue.

[Minionhunter]

  43 minutes ago, Minionhunter said:

What people should be debating is if we should have gone after Alex Mack when his agent was pushing us to do so. Either the first time when he stayed (Browns kept him on matched offer) or the second time.

Amen. Center, which was a huge strength when Birk was here, has been a weakness since he retired. I, Big time, wanted us to get Mack. I am fast losing faith with "In Ozzie we trust". In fact, I think that I, actually, Have lost faith with it. Just too many high round draft choice misses. That, and what I've come to believe is his failed strategy of hoarding mid round draft choices. I've come to believe that he has to move to a quality verses quantity philosophy in the draft, but with his all too often whiffs in those early rounds, I'm not so sure that he can be successful with that either. I am Not a Flacco basher but, after watching Matt Ryan, I've come to believe that Ozzie should have listened to Bisciotti and moved up for Ryan instead of insisting that Flacco was the right guy for us. After years of denying it, I'm now at the point where I believe that Ryan is the better QB of the two.

But yeah, I still remember his agent saying that we could lock up a probowl center who will be healthy and dominant in the prime of his career.

Then this year watched as teams like the Falcons and Patriots just outright robbed first round talent from Cleveland for nothing or next to nothing. Huh, which teams are in the super bowl? I'm saying it now as a joke because I'm just noticing it as I write this, but look who took Cleveland's castoffs and notice when they are playing. I wish there were a few more chances to rob them. It is why their moneyball approach in the NFL won't work, you can't replace elite first round talent with a bunch of low round picks, and especially not immediately without a good development program.

[TheRavengers]

27 minutes ago, RavenManiac#7 said:

Amen. Center, which was a huge strength when Birk was here, has been a weakness since he retired. I, Big time, wanted us to get Mack. I am fast losing faith with "In Ozzie we trust". In fact, I think that I, actually, Have lost faith with it. Just too many high round draft choice misses. That, and what I've come to believe is his failed strategy of hoarding mid round draft choices. I've come to believe that he has to move to a quality verses quantity philosophy in the draft, but with his all too often whiffs in those early rounds, I'm not so sure that he can be successful with that either. I am Not a Flacco basher but, after watching Matt Ryan, I've come to believe that Ozzie should have listened to Bisciotti and moved up for Ryan instead of insisting that Flacco was the right guy for us. After years of denying it, I'm now at the point where I believe that Ryan is the better QB of the two.

Ryan may be better stat wise, but who got to the Super Bowl first between him and Joe? Even better, yesterday was only Ryan's 3rd win in the postseason and the Falcons hadn't won a postseason game with Ryan at the helm until 2012, ironically the year we won our 2nd ring so the Falcons are 3-4 in the postseason in the Matt Ryan era. Meanwhile the Ravens are 10-5 in the Flacco era.

Another thing, Ryan's had several great playmakers around him all the time, whereas we haven't but a staunch defense to keep it up. The Falcons' D in that period has been rather so-so.

[whobilly]

So now we are admitting that Perriman is not a number one receiver?

[whobilly]

When you pick a guy #1 he BETTER be a Number One Receiver. WHIFF!!!

[RowdyMan52]

We should sign Kenny Still or go after Brandon Marshall!! I would draft Corey Davis and this offense with the addition of some linemen would take a dramatic turn in the right direction.. Let's face it the teams that were in the playoff's this year and the teams playing for the super bowl have really good wr's period!! We done the patch jobs now let's actually make it count this offseason..

[Ravens nation 20]

I like Ju Ju Smith Schuster the most in the draft. He has size speed and good hands. I think he can become a really good #1 receiver. And also don't give up on perriman.

[leziRav]

  42 minutes ago, RavenManiac#7 said:

  1 hour ago, Minionhunter said:

What people should be debating is if we should have gone after Alex Mack when his agent was pushing us to do so. Either the first time when he stayed (Browns kept him on matched offer) or the second time.

Amen. Center, which was a huge strength when Birk was here, has been a weakness since he retired. I, Big time, wanted us to get Mack. I am fast losing faith with "In Ozzie we trust". In fact, I think that I, actually, Have lost faith with it. Just too many high round draft choice misses. That, and what I've come to believe is his failed strategy of hoarding mid round draft choices. I've come to believe that he has to move to a quality verses quantity philosophy in the draft, but with his all too often whiffs in those early rounds, I'm not so sure that he can be successful with that either. I am Not a Flacco basher but, after watching Matt Ryan, I've come to believe that Ozzie should have listened to Bisciotti and moved up for Ryan instead of insisting that Flacco was the right guy for us. After years of denying it, I'm now at the point where I believe that Ryan is the better QB of the two.

Matt Ryan plays in a dome with elite WR and TE his whole carrear and only now is he getting to the superbowl. Do you really think he could have done that in Baltimore with the WR cast that Joe has had? How many drops in the endzone can you count in playoff games that cost us trips to the super bowl? Think Ryan is who he is without Julio Jones, Roddy White, and that amazing TE who retired that I can't remember his name now? How does Ryan do in the cold and the wind? Meh, dome team QB with crazy WR/TE talent, plus a great OC and OL.

So many people discount how much a factor the OL is when judging the QB. Lets chat again next year after we look at the Ravens OL when they are not being crippled by Castillo. Those stats are all the proof needed that his dismissal this year was long overdue.

100% agree. That TE name is Tony Gonzalez, HoF career. Give Flacco a good OL, good WRs and a good OC, then we all know what will happen, 11 TD, 0 INT and a SB when he had a good OL, Anquan, Torrey, healthy Pitta, Jacoby and Jim Caldwell as OC. Then look at his number when he had Kubiac as OC. I am not saying Joe is like Brady, P. Manning, Aaron or Drew but he is a good QB and Matt Ryan is not much better than him. They are in the same class.

[leziRav]

So now we are admitting that Perriman is not a number one receiver?

He is not playing like a number one WR now, maybe he could turn out to be number one WR. So far the coaching are not happy about his progress. He seems to be a slow learner. Looks like everything is slow with him except his speed. His injuries are slow to recover. Maybe we should give him time to figure out NFL. Meanwhile we look for a number 1 WR in free agent till he is ready.

[The Greek]

patriots put anybody out there and they get it done. i am very envious of their system. 39 y.o qb playing like he is 10 years younger and our 9 year qb is confused as hell. go falcons!!

[ellicottraven]

First off, I think we need to use free agency with reckless abandon this year. The window is closing fast for current senior players on the team. This is the year to get a couple of high value free agents unlike in previous years waiting for the best available value with the fear of losing potential comp picks. They need to be bold because the status quo strategy hasn't generated enough playmakers.

Second, Julio Jones is a beast but with a frame and athleticism very similar our own Perriman. For starters, I would mandate that Perriman watches that play and similar plays by other #1 receivers every day till training camp begins so he understands that is what 1st round receivers do for a living!

Perriman is entirely capable of being that receiver for us, but he has to buy in and believe in himself. The coaches have to do a great job in creating plays that help Perriman ease into that role and Joe has to deliver the ball accurately and with timing to him so he can build confidence to begin playing like an elite receiver.

Lastly, to do that and more it is almost imperative that Joe gets together with his existing receivers to develop timing of their routes and chemistry with each one of his receivers well before training camp begins in 2017. Joe has to get good just as much as the receivers we already have on our roster.

[The Greek]

i would not pay wallace 8 mil. we can get other free agents to do what he did at a cheaper cost.

[ravens4life86]

Mike Williams is the clear cut no.1 wr in the draft he may not get to 16, but if he did Ravens should take him

[ravens4life86]

Other then Williams theres a bunch of high caliber Wrs but Mike Williams is probably the only Julio,Mike Evans etc

Juju Smith Schuster 6'3 215 wr USC Projected early 2nd Kind of in that Brandon Marshall,Jeffrey Mold
Then you have very Polished route runners smaller quiker elusive guys like Dede Westbrook, Amarah Darboh both projected late 2nd to 3rd round
Maybe 1 or both of them turn into OBJ or antonio brown

[RavensScientist]

yes, the Falcons got Ryan, and then traded for Jones. But with Flacco and our WRs we got the ring first! we don't need a WR like Jones or Johnson, we need a stud OL!! it is a domino effect. you cannot win with a patchwork OL. it has to be elite!!

[sami]

  57 minutes ago, whobilly said:

So now we are admitting that Perriman is not a number one receiver?

He is not playing like a number one WR now, maybe he could turn out to be number one WR. So far the coaching are not happy about his progress. He seems to be a slow learner. Looks like everything is slow with him except his speed. His injuries are slow to recover. Maybe we should give him time to figure out NFL. Meanwhile we look for a number 1 WR in free agent till he is ready.

Maybe if Perriman had a training camp he would be better. I still think its our WR coach and out stupid route system we run.

[Crusader]

So now we are admitting that Perriman is not a number one receiver?

My thoughts exactly! You can't blame Joe for drop passes but you can blame it on who selected the receiver and the play call.

[TheConquerorWorm]

Julio Jones... Can't help remembering the YUUUUGE pack of picks the Falcons gave up to trade up and snatch Julio Jones. And the chances Ozzie will ever even consider such a trade... Never.

I'm not saying he's wrong - it was a huge risk of the Falcons that could have crippled their development for years if Jones doesn't turn out to be the star he is now. I'm just trying to gauge the chances of the Ravens getting an elite WR through the draft. Our "luck" is that the year we had a top-10 pick was the year where there was no elite WR in the draft...

And even if we got a WR like Jones... with the dismal offensive play calling we saw this season, he would hardly be anything close to what he is in Atlanta...

And talking about Atlanta... another thing I can't help remembering is how we could have had Shanahan as the new OC replacing Kubiak, but went with Trestman instead...

Even with Julio being a stud, it cripple their development.

Roddy White, Julio Jones, Tony Gonzalez - how does that team not win more than 1 play-off game in 8 years with those guys in their prime?

You're memory is fading.....Shanahan signed with the Falcons on Jan 18. On Jan 11th, the day after our play-off loss to the Pats, Kubiak said he was staying in Baltimore. The Broncos asked to interview Kubiak on Jan 15 and Kubiak left on Jan 18th. We couldn't have had Shanahan.

And Shanahan's offense was horrible last year even with Julio. Let's see how good the 49ers are next year with him at the helm....

[robbie29]

  2 hours ago, bioLarzen said:

Julio Jones... Can't help remembering the YUUUUGE pack of picks the Falcons gave up to trade up and snatch Julio Jones. And the chances Ozzie will ever even consider such a trade... Never.

I'm not saying he's wrong - it was a huge risk of the Falcons that could have crippled their development for years if Jones doesn't turn out to be the star he is now. I'm just trying to gauge the chances of the Ravens getting an elite WR through the draft. Our "luck" is that the year we had a top-10 pick was the year where there was no elite WR in the draft...

And even if we got a WR like Jones... with the dismal offensive play calling we saw this season, he would hardly be anything close to what he is in Atlanta...

And talking about Atlanta... another thing I can't help remembering is how we could have had Shanahan as the new OC replacing Kubiak, but went with Trestman instead...

yes, especially that last paragraph.

Agree. Not only has the Ravens' ability to identify & draft playmakers diminished in recent years, but so has their ability to hire (and retain) quality coaches.

[robbie29]

What people should be debating is if we should have gone after Alex Mack when his agent was pushing us to do so. Either the first time when he stayed (Browns kept him on matched offer) or the second time.

A strong O line has such a ripple effect that investing a lot in Mack would have been worth the money IMO. That would have given us an All Pro Guard, All Pro Center, and 1st round draft pick at LT. Everyone keeps saying how awesome Joe is if he has time. The irony is that Joe's monstrous contract keeps us from getting the very guys who will allow him to perform better.