[News] Late For Work 4/26: 6 Draft Rumors That Could Impact The Ravens' Pick

[Tdot.to.Bmore]

IMO we do not need an edge rusher in the 1st or 2nd round. We got Judon in the 5th last year and that turned out ok. Go Offensive Line, Receiver or CB in the 1st 3 rounds IF the flow of the draft allows us to. Edge rushers will be there later ...

Agreed. Offensive line should be our priority right now. Trade back to the mid 20s and grab one of the top OL. Secure another 3rd round pick and go WR, CB, pass rusher from rounds 2-3

[whobilly]

  2 hours ago, Ravensfansince03 said:

If Flacco is really worth $100,000,000, then we shouldn't need spend a 1st round pick on WR. The QB should be able to manipulate the receivers that he has. If anything TE is a more vital position to hit early. The Patriots have never used a 1st round pick on WR. Only times they used a early pick on a WR was in 2006 & 2013. And both times, both receiver were not worth the picks.

Flacco isn't the kind of QB that makes ordinary WRs into stars. He needs stars to catch balls from him because he doesn't have the football instincts of a Tom Brady or Drew Brees. He is just a talented QB with a great strong arm and not very accurate. So we should accept who he is and make sure he succeeds by giving him the weapons at receiver that can make contested catches, get wide open and catch all balls thrown to them. As for him being worth 100M, sure he is because that is the market for these guys. If you have a franchise QB you pay him market price and there is no guarantee he's going to be Brady either. We are lucky we have Flacco right now. It could be a whole lot worse.

There is Brady......then Rodgers.......then everybody else.

[AsianRice]

11 minutes ago, Tdot.to.Bmore said:

Drew Brees makes everyone on his team better. He does not have top WR talent and still puts up 5000k yards a year. Flacco does not.

wonder who were Brandon Cooks and Michael Thomas? scrubbed players? 

[The Mom Gene]

  59 minutes ago, The Mom Gene said:

  2 hours ago, Ravensfansince03 said:

If Flacco is really worth $100,000,000, then we shouldn't need spend a 1st round pick on WR. The QB should be able to manipulate the receivers that he has. Just the fact that we are talking about going WR 1st round shows that there is desperation for a spark on offense. If anything I say go TE. 

Yeah because we only have like 6 of those.... Pitta, Gilmore, Williams, Waller, Boyle, Watson.... Sometimes ya just gotta wonder about stuff.... I mean, really?

Well, in his defense, we're not really sure if any of those guys are any good or not at this point.

I think we're pretty sure. Just sayin. Gilmore??? Pitta??? And now we have Woodhead??? He's so versitile. I'm not taking a TE in the first round. There are too many other positions that we NEED badly.

[steelcityraven]

IMO we do not need an edge rusher in the 1st or 2nd round. We got Judon in the 5th last year and that turned out ok. Go Offensive Line, Receiver or CB in the 1st 3 rounds IF the flow of the draft allows us to. Edge rushers will be there later ...

We think Judon is okay and even if he does turn out. We have Suggs close to retirement. Elvis is gone. Our system is build upon our ability to get pressure on opposing QBs.

We need a player maker at OLB.
1. Reddick (round 1)
2.. Charels Harris (1)
3. Takkarist McKinley (2)
4. Barnett (2)
5. Tim Williams (2)
6. Cunningham (2)
7. Carl Lawson (2)
8. Taco Charlton (2)
9. Tyus Bowser (2)
10 Duke Riley (2)
11. Jordan Willis (2)
12. The kid out of Ohio University (can think of his name)

That don't even count Myles Garret and Solomon Thomas but there are literally a dozed or so legit pass rushes who would be available to us in the first two rounds this year.

The pass rushers through rounds 3-4 drop way off talent wise or come with a lot of baggage like :

1. Devonte Fields- OLB- Louisville
2. Jordan Evans -OLB- Okla (who I really like and think he will be available in rounds 4 or possibly even round 5 but he doesn't play up to his ability sometimes and his motor is the question.
3. Ryan Anderson -OLB from Bamma
4. Vince Beigel- OLB- Wisc
5. Carroll Phillips -OLB- ILL (under sized)
6. The DE kid from Villanova (however you say his name)
7. Ejuan Price -OLB - PItt (under sized)
8 Evan Schwan -DE- Penn State

While Fields- Evans- and Price could be late round steals they are clearly a higher risk. Fields bc of his off the field issues. Evans bc of his under achieving, motor questions and Price bc of his size.

With all that said. Mr. Biscotti has been asking for pass rushers for two years now. With this draft so deep in pass rushing talent.... I don't see us waiting past round 2 to snag a pass rusher. Especially when we remember Suggs age - health - etc.

I would NOT be surprised if we double dipped and grabbed a pass rusher in list 1 in the first two rounds and then again in the later (5th or 6th round). But I think the players available later come with too much of a risk when considering the talent pool of the pass rushers projected early.

When the owner calls for pass rushers I think we will go after pass rushers and go after them early.

[steelcityraven]

  40 minutes ago, The Mom Gene said:

  2 hours ago, Ravensfansince03 said:

If Flacco is really worth $100,000,000, then we shouldn't need spend a 1st round pick on WR. The QB should be able to manipulate the receivers that he has. Just the fact that we are talking about going WR 1st round shows that there is desperation for a spark on offense. If anything I say go TE. 

Yeah because we only have like 6 of those.... Pitta, Gilmore, Williams, Waller, Boyle, Watson.... Sometimes ya just gotta wonder about stuff.... I mean, really?

Well, in his defense, we're not really sure if any of those guys are any good or not at this point.

I think we know that Pitta is good enough. Gilmore is good enough. I don't believe that we are ready to close the door on Maxx or even Waller yet.

Drafting Howard would force our hand to close the door on some of those guys and not even sure what that would mean for Pitta?

I do know that we have too many other needs in a tight cap to load up more at a position that is at minimum one of the top 10 player groups in the NFL. (there are not 10 teams in the NFL that can boast a better TE corps then us).

With that said... it would not be prudent in the cap era to invest that top pick there.

I would be utterly shocked (and disappointed) if we did.

[steelcityraven]

I'm not saying this is a good or smart idea, but if Solomon Thomas fell to the Titans at 5, it'd be fun to see the Ravens make a move for him. I think whoever picks that kid up will be getting an absolute stud.

I don't know that we have the draft currency to move up? I think moving back is more realistic for us and I do think there are a few teams at the back end of round 1 who would love to slide up to 16 and have the currency to make that enticing for us.

[steelcityraven]

If Flacco is really worth $100,000,000, then we shouldn't need spend a 1st round pick on WR. The QB should be able to manipulate the receivers that he has. Just the fact that we are talking about going WR 1st round shows that there is desperation for a spark on offense. If anything I say go TE. 

Wait. so you are saying that we need a spark on offense and that Flacco is not good enough to do it without top notch WRs

so in your opinion we should draft a TE????

isn't that counter productive to your argument.

You are saying that Joe is not that good and not good enough to make average WRs look good. (he needs elite WRs).

so then you suggest that we draft a TE? Do you really think that OJ Howard would provide more of a spark for this offense then say Corey Davis? or Mike Wallace or John Ross?

If we have say Wallace - Perriman and Mike Williams or Corey Davis along with Pitta and Woodhead out of the back field wouldn't that provide more of a spark then say:

Wallace - Perriman ? with Oj Howard and Woodhead out of the backfield? ???????????/

[rmcjacket23]

1 hour ago, Tdot.to.Bmore said:

Drew Brees makes everyone on his team better. He does not have top WR talent and still puts up 5000k yards a year. Flacco does not.

Well he had a first round pick in Brandin Cooks, now has a top tier WR like Michael Thomas to throw to, and also played with Jimmy Graham who put up quality numbers with Seattle.

As is normally the case, the real answer is in the middle. There's not a single QB in NFL history who has produced without quality talent around them. That includes Brees, Brady, and any other QB the ignorant fans think just make receivers look good.

My point overall with to dismiss this notion that teams that have highly paid QBs don't need to use quality draft picks on receiving targets around them. The Saints have a very highly paid QB, and they've used a 1st (one they traded up to get) and a 2nd on receivers in recent years. 

The top 3 receivers on Green Bay... all 2nd round picks. That's called making a high investment in the position.

 

[ellicottraven]

One more day and these draft pontifications will effectively be over and we can begin the 'love it or hate it' pontifications in earnest!

 

but only till May 5th because these cruel and heartless people will take away our birthright to pontificate here!

Edited April 26 by ellicottraven

[#20=DA MAN!!]

Realistically if there are 7 or 8 players still on the board that we would grab at 16, what makes you think a team in the early 20s will trade up just to get a player that they could get if they stand pat? I'm really excited for this draft because simply, we can go in so many directions and whatever we do on days 1 and 2 will immensly help our team. It could be highly possible that 7 or 8 of the names mentioned will be there at 16 if there are 3 qbs to go in top 15. I dont see value in trading in any round unless we are trading UP in the 3rd because if we can get an extra 3rd this year i see us grabbing Krupp, Sidney Jones, and a C/G.

[rmcjacket23]

Realistically if there are 7 or 8 players still on the board that we would grab at 16, what makes you think a team in the early 20s will trade up just to get a player that they could get if they stand pat? I'm really excited for this draft because simply, we can go in so many directions and whatever we do on days 1 and 2 will immensly help our team. It could be highly possible that 7 or 8 of the names mentioned will be there at 16 if there are 3 qbs to go in top 15. I dont see value in trading in any round unless we are trading UP in the 3rd because if we can get an extra 3rd this year i see us grabbing Krupp, Sidney Jones, and a C/G.

Not everyone's draft board and grading system is the same.

One team may think there's 7-8 guys left at that spot, and another might only like 1-2 of them.

That's why somebody would trade up or down.

Teams aren't drafting players based on what mock draft predictors or TV analysts are saying. They all do their own grading with their own draft boards.

[RavensDieHard21]

I really like the connection to Corey Davis. I like his work ethic and upside. Not many receivers come into the league with the physical tools and polished routes. He just looks like he was meant to be in black and purple.

[MadStorkSociety]

Realistically if there are 7 or 8 players still on the board that we would grab at 16, what makes you think a team in the early 20s will trade up just to get a player that they could get if they stand pat? I'm really excited for this draft because simply, we can go in so many directions and whatever we do on days 1 and 2 will immensly help our team. It could be highly possible that 7 or 8 of the names mentioned will be there at 16 if there are 3 qbs to go in top 15. I dont see value in trading in any round unless we are trading UP in the 3rd because if we can get an extra 3rd this year i see us grabbing Krupp, Sidney Jones, and a C/G.

Sometimes a team "loves" their prospect and "must" have him. It could happen! Also, we could trade right out of the first into an early second round from some team that wants two first round picks (Cleveland?).

[MadStorkSociety]

  1 hour ago, #20=DA MAN!! said:

Realistically if there are 7 or 8 players still on the board that we would grab at 16, what makes you think a team in the early 20s will trade up just to get a player that they could get if they stand pat? I'm really excited for this draft because simply, we can go in so many directions and whatever we do on days 1 and 2 will immensly help our team. It could be highly possible that 7 or 8 of the names mentioned will be there at 16 if there are 3 qbs to go in top 15. I dont see value in trading in any round unless we are trading UP in the 3rd because if we can get an extra 3rd this year i see us grabbing Krupp, Sidney Jones, and a C/G.

Sometimes a team "loves" their prospect and "must" have him. It could happen! Also, we could trade right out of the first into an early second round from some team that wants two first round picks (Cleveland?).

or three

[Ravensfolyfe]

The draft is almost here im excited hope we get a great 1st rounder tomorrow.

[slowboater]

  4 hours ago, Tdot.to.Bmore said:

Drew Brees makes everyone on his team better. He does not have top WR talent and still puts up 5000k yards a year. Flacco does not.

Well he had a first round pick in Brandin Cooks, now has a top tier WR like Michael Thomas to throw to, and also played with Jimmy Graham who put up quality numbers with Seattle.

As is normally the case, the real answer is in the middle. There's not a single QB in NFL history who has produced without quality talent around them. That includes Brees, Brady, and any other QB the ignorant fans think just make receivers look good.

My point overall with to dismiss this notion that teams that have highly paid QBs don't need to use quality draft picks on receiving targets around them. The Saints have a very highly paid QB, and they've used a 1st (one they traded up to get) and a 2nd on receivers in recent years. 

The top 3 receivers on Green Bay... all 2nd round picks. That's called making a high investment in the position.

 

What makes you think Cooks,Thomas and Graham would be "stars" with Flacco at QB? OK, so Pitta had a ton of receptions but no yardage. There are QB's like Brady, Rodgers, Brees and even Carr... and then are are QB's like Flacco, Dalton and Tannehill. People need to get real at the Ravens probably can't wait to get out from underneath Flacco's SB contract.

[TheConquerorWorm]

  3 hours ago, rmcjacket23 said:

  5 hours ago, Tdot.to.Bmore said:

Drew Brees makes everyone on his team better. He does not have top WR talent and still puts up 5000k yards a year. Flacco does not.

Well he had a first round pick in Brandin Cooks, now has a top tier WR like Michael Thomas to throw to, and also played with Jimmy Graham who put up quality numbers with Seattle.

As is normally the case, the real answer is in the middle. There's not a single QB in NFL history who has produced without quality talent around them. That includes Brees, Brady, and any other QB the ignorant fans think just make receivers look good.

My point overall with to dismiss this notion that teams that have highly paid QBs don't need to use quality draft picks on receiving targets around them. The Saints have a very highly paid QB, and they've used a 1st (one they traded up to get) and a 2nd on receivers in recent years. 

The top 3 receivers on Green Bay... all 2nd round picks. That's called making a high investment in the position.

 

What makes you think Cooks,Thomas and Graham would be "stars" with Flacco at QB? OK, so Pitta had a ton of receptions but no yardage. There are QB's like Brady, Rodgers, Brees and even Carr... and then are are QB's like Flacco, Dalton and Tannehill. People need to get real at the Ravens probably can't wait to get out from underneath Flacco's SB contract.

So, you think the Raiders should let Carr walk instead of paying him $150 million? Or keep Carr and let Amari Cooper walk? How about Matt Ryan - you paying him $150 million or letting him walk? Then what about Julio? How about Matt Stafford - you paying him $150 million or letting him walk?

$100 million was the going rate for a good QB, 5 years ago. $150 million is now the going rate.

And Brady, Rodgers & Brees are Hall of Fame QBs. CJ Mosley will get paid more than Ray Lewis ever did - I guess you expect him to be way better than Ray, right???

[rmcjacket23]

27 minutes ago, slowboater said:

What makes you think Cooks,Thomas and Graham would be "stars" with Flacco at QB? OK, so Pitta had a ton of receptions but no yardage. There are QB's like Brady, Rodgers, Brees and even Carr... and then are are QB's like Flacco, Dalton and Tannehill. People need to get real at the Ravens probably can't wait to get out from underneath Flacco's SB contract.

Mostly because I've actually watched them play.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the QB throws the football. He doesn't catch it, he doesn't win contested catches in tight spaces, he doesn't get separation from DBs who half the time are grabbing him and holding him to prevent him from doing so.

There are QBs like Brady and Rodgers who's statistics take a MASSIVE dip when their stud players aren't out. Not exactly a coincidence.

Something tells me the Ravens aren't that interested in getting out from under his contract, given that they just signed him to an extension last offseason and 2016 wasn't even close to his worst year.

There's what fans think, and then there's reality.

[bioLarzen]

  6 hours ago, Tdot.to.Bmore said:

Drew Brees makes everyone on his team better. He does not have top WR talent and still puts up 5000k yards a year. Flacco does not.

Well he had a first round pick in Brandin Cooks, now has a top tier WR like Michael Thomas to throw to, and also played with Jimmy Graham who put up quality numbers with Seattle.

As is normally the case, the real answer is in the middle. There's not a single QB in NFL history who has produced without quality talent around them. That includes Brees, Brady, and any other QB the ignorant fans think just make receivers look good.

My point overall with to dismiss this notion that teams that have highly paid QBs don't need to use quality draft picks on receiving targets around them. The Saints have a very highly paid QB, and they've used a 1st (one they traded up to get) and a 2nd on receivers in recent years. 

The top 3 receivers on Green Bay... all 2nd round picks. That's called making a high investment in the position.

 

Well, to be honest, Brees also had Marques Colston - and made him a hug success - who was a 7th round pick - and Jimmy Graham was picked 25 spots after our Ed Dickson...

If you analyse the receiving corps Rogers and Brady have been throuwing to, you'll also find mid- and late round picks mixed in with the early round ones.

Investment is one part. The second part is grooming the talent you've acquired, the third part is putting the groomed talent into an offensive scheme where they can be utilized to their strength, and the fourth paret is a QB who can execute said schemes.

I don't think the question whether Flacco is on par with Brady, Brees or Rogers should even come up really, the answer is so obviously no. But he doesn't need to be. He is easily good enough to lead a successful offense if he has the guys, gets the necessary pocket time, and an OC who can create an offensive scheme and playbook which utilizes the offensive staff to their strengths. The main problem, I think is with the latter. And I've been more and more suspecting the WR coaching staff also fails to properly groom the drafted talent - but that's only a suspicion, of course...

[Tenacious Faulker]

Regarding Hensley's draft pick: Depending on who was still on the board Forest Lamp would be a great pick. Like Yanda he can play every position. He's as tough as Robinson too.

Re: Reuben Foster: I hope they don't draft he kid. He has too much growing up to do and handing him a giant paycheck means he's going to get himself into trouble. The Timmy Jernigan tie in is not very encouraging. He was a 1st rd talent that dropped and never really lived up to his pot6It's rare that the Ravens let a guy with his potential walk after his rookie deal. Now he's an Eagle.

[Purple Dawg 96]

I can't wait to hear the 1st selection by the Baltimore Ravens! Don't know why people fall in love with certain players and when Ozzie and Co. don't get them they try and question the leaders of the Flock! It's only one position that needs to be fixed in my book and that's the QB because that position makes or breaks every position on this team! Take brady and big ben away from their teams and they are nothing! The sun rises and sets on the QB! Ozzie and Co. just keep reloading and reloading every single year with talent and the Super Bowl has been within reach so chill out because we are in good hands!

[rossihunter2]

27 minutes ago, Purple Dawg 96 said:

I can't wait to hear the 1st selection by the Baltimore Ravens! Don't know why people fall in love with certain players and when Ozzie and Co. don't get them they try and question the leaders of the Flock! It's only one position that needs to be fixed in my book and that's the QB because that position makes or breaks every position on this team! Take brady and big ben away from their teams and they are nothing! The sun rises and sets on the QB! Ozzie and Co. just keep reloading and reloading every single year with talent and the Super Bowl has been within reach so chill out because we are in good hands!

Take flacco away from our team and ray Lewis doesn't get to ride off into the sunset

[sizzlingdoom]

I really like the connection to Corey Davis. I like his work ethic and upside. Not many receivers come into the league with the physical tools and polished routes. He just looks like he was meant to be in black and purple.

Agreed. We need to come away with him or Ju Ju. I'd say there's about a 1% chance we double dip on both, lol, but that would be a ridiculous tag team going forward for the next 4-5 years at least. Not saying I would do it, but it would be interesting. Perriman isn't making much and is only signed for one more year after this one

[rmcjacket23]

12 hours ago, bioLarzen said:

Well, to be honest, Brees also had Marques Colston - and made him a hug success - who was a 7th round pick - and Jimmy Graham was picked 25 spots after our Ed Dickson...

If you analyse the receiving corps Rogers and Brady have been throuwing to, you'll also find mid- and late round picks mixed in with the early round ones.

Investment is one part. The second part is grooming the talent you've acquired, the third part is putting the groomed talent into an offensive scheme where they can be utilized to their strength, and the fourth paret is a QB who can execute said schemes.

I don't think the question whether Flacco is on par with Brady, Brees or Rogers should even come up really, the answer is so obviously no. But he doesn't need to be. He is easily good enough to lead a successful offense if he has the guys, gets the necessary pocket time, and an OC who can create an offensive scheme and playbook which utilizes the offensive staff to their strengths. The main problem, I think is with the latter. And I've been more and more suspecting the WR coaching staff also fails to properly groom the drafted talent - but that's only a suspicion, of course...

Yeah but that's not really the point.

His assertion was that if you have a highly paid QB (which includes basically any starter not on a rookie deal), you don't need to invest in quality pass catchers in the draft or in FA (via high draft picks or large FA acquisitions), because that QB should make anybody who he throws to look good.

So when the Packers use 3 2nd round picks on WRs, they're wasted draft picks in his eyes, because they could have just drafted like 5th or 6th rounders and Aaron would make them great. Same with the Saints, who've used two high picks on WRs in recent years. According to him, those are wasted draft picks.

The reality is that's not how it works.

Edited April 27 by rmcjacket23

[Purple Dawg 96]

  14 hours ago, Purple Dawg 96 said:

I can't wait to hear the 1st selection by the Baltimore Ravens! Don't know why people fall in love with certain players and when Ozzie and Co. don't get them they try and question the leaders of the Flock! It's only one position that needs to be fixed in my book and that's the QB because that position makes or breaks every position on this team! Take brady and big ben away from their teams and they are nothing! The sun rises and sets on the QB! Ozzie and Co. just keep reloading and reloading every single year with talent and the Super Bowl has been within reach so chill out because we are in good hands!

Take flacco away from our team and ray Lewis doesn't get to ride off into the sunset

KMSL! And I got oceanside property in Vegas you interested? !