Draft / FA / Offseason Roster Moves (Merged)

**GOTA** · 01-29-2013, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Forget about Jake Long, he isn't coming to Baltimore. Look at the usual solid/under the radar FA's that the Ravens normally look for to be playing in Baltimore next year, they wont over pay for a declining offensive tackle.

He's not even that good. Long has been mediocre for the past 2 years. He's still going to get top dollar. I sure wouldn't want to be the GM who pays it.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 01-29-2013, 09:17 AM

Indeed. Even if you don't buy into PFF's framework, take a look at the deltas or trend line among Long's performance numbers across the 2010-2012 seasons. It's pretty drastic.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 01-29-2013, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

The Jets continue to be a circus...

They're looking at Jamarcus Russell.

I wonder who would be worse...Russell? Or, Sanchez?

What a disaster. Like I said last week, NYJ isn't going to be challenging the AFC for an awful long time. Old guys getting older. Still a shaky locker room. Awful owner. Rex and staff will be gone in 2014 in absence of a playoff run (which ain't happenin)...

Disaster.

**Paintballguy** · 01-29-2013, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by BigPlayReceiver

What a disaster. Like I said last week, NYJ isn't going to be challenging the AFC for an awful long time. Old guys getting older. Still a shaky locker room. Awful owner. Rex and staff will be gone in 2014 in absence of a playoff run (which ain't happenin)...

Disaster.

It's clear at this point Rex is just a lame duck. Woody didn't want to fire Rex then bring a new coach into the Sanchez disaster. They are probably stuck with Sanchez for this season.

**Justlovemybirds** · 01-29-2013, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

The Jets continue to be a circus...

They're looking at Jamarcus Russell.

I wonder who would be worse...Russell? Or, Sanchez?

They (the Jets) make it so easy to make fun of them

**wickedsolo** · 01-29-2013, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

With Jake Long, you REALLY have to ask yourself why a team would be willing to basically completely give up on a former first overall pick at LT who is only 27.

Nobody just lets guys like that walk when you have all the cap room the Dolphins have.

Everybody in Miami basically has said his play has REALLY been slipping over the last 2 years and he always seems to be hurt.

Not someone I'd be willing to invest $10 large annually in. There are red flags all over the place.

All good points.

**jonboy79** · 01-29-2013, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by NC Raven

I'm not saying "ignore the offensive line." I'm saying, "how much does a top LT actually do in terms of Wins/Losses, given how much cap space -- and therefore team depth at other positions -- he eats up?"

Ten highest paid LT's are who? I don't have an exact list, but from what I've seen it's guys like....

Joe Thomas? Loser team (cleveland). Jake Long? Miami -- loser team. Jordan Gross? Carolina. Loser team. Clady? Denver. Good team. One playoff win in 3 years???

D.B. Ferguson, Jets. Uhhh, yeah. The Jets... the Constanza of the NFL. Whatever they're doing, do the opposite and you'll be on the right track.

Roos, Tennessee.. Are they still in the league?

Peters, Philly. Meh. McNeill, San Diego. Penn, Tampa. Rebuilding? Relevant? Trent Williams, Washington? Improving team. Okung, Seattle? Finally we get somebody on a definitely good team at a good price.

Argue one or two above, sure.

Point is, most of those teams suck, and even the ones that don't totally suck are nowhere near being a SB contender. Denver and Seattle are the only ones on that whole list who are legit contenders right now.

So on balance I would say that tells me that the LT position appears to be overvalued by the market. If that list was chock full of teams routinely battling for the SB I'd say, yeah, looks like paying top dollar for a top LT is a must. But clearly it is not.

The fact that the Ravens were able to unearth a McKinnie on a dirt cheap deal (and thus save what, 8 million to spread around to the rest of the roster?) tells me that bargains win games, not paying top of market for one guy.

QB appears to be the only position that correlates well with "high paid" and "wins."

3 important names that belong on your list and undermine it to an exten are Joe Staley, Andrew Whitworth and Duane Brown. All perrneial playoff teams, and all clearly top 10 left tackles.

**leachisabeast** · 01-29-2013, 02:24 PM

Nate Solder is pretty good for the Patriots too.

**GOTA** · 01-29-2013, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Nate Solder is pretty good for the Patriots too.

He was a guy I hoped the Ravens would take too but I wanted Jimmy more so I can't complain about it.

**Boulderraven** · 01-29-2013, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

If McKinnie can be brought back and the guy will play ("will" being the key word) at the level in which he is playing now, then great.

However, the guy is going to be 34 years old this September.

If the Ravens bring him back, I think it should only be on a 1 year deal so that they can draft a young guy to groom behind him. If they aren't going to do that, then they better be willing to really look at potential LT free agents.

34 is hardly old for a Tackle. Signing McKinney is a good idea, add incentives to the contract as well. Weight,starts, and sacks, pancakes...They have been to two AFCCG with Big Mac! No player that I can remember has got a worse rap for good solid performances than Big Mac.

**Boulderraven** · 01-29-2013, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Nate Solder is pretty good for the Patriots too.

Meh...Vollmer is better much better. Actually NE has been disapointed with Solder.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 01-29-2013, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by BigPlayReceiver

I can see why we might be locked onto Markus Wheaton. He gets out of his out and comeback routes with almost no wasted movement. While not jammed a lot on the Cal, ASU and BYU tape, he has done pretty well in that department in the 1on1's in Mobile. OSU's DBs play press coverage, so Wheaton has seen it for years at Corvallis and it appears to have helped him.

Like Boldin and Torrey, he's always looking to make a block on the perimeter and downfield and actually does it very well...just about as well as Patton from this class. Now, he's no Patton with foot quickness and he's no Studman with his routes, but he's a very balanced WR...and even though he's a track guy, he doesn't look like an athlete playing WR like Harper, Allen and Dobson IMO. I can see him being wide or in the slot. From a spring practice interview, he mentioned that he put on 10-11 lbs coming into 2012 (mostly muscle I would assume). He will need to bump it up another 7-8 lbs up top over time for the NFL.

In the link below, go to the last play at 5:32 and watch his effort and consider the following: it's a run call away from his side, late in the 3rd quarter, some back-ups are already in and his team is up 35 points. Coaches absolutely LOVE that kinda stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5-DwyPWQj8

His hands are better than average and he'd have the best vision and cutback ability among our WR corps come day 1.

More tape on Wheaton. I would be pretty comfortable with him being selected, but I'm really only posting these b/c he seems to be on our radar.
Come 2014, if it plays out...Dennis, Torrey, Doss, Streeter and Wheaton would be a pretty dynamic group.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEfNoK4BsVs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIs0pFOkR74

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjtiPitIsgE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrPsnQWU6kA vs. the 1st or 2nd best cover CB at the Sr Bowl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofTTjPRPyBI @9:55 and 12:15

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4gd1tGWx6A @2:56...super quick feet on his hitch

**leachisabeast** · 01-29-2013, 05:35 PM

BTW, I was thinking today if Shariff, Kawaan Short, or Hankins drop to us, I would be ecstatic.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 01-29-2013, 05:57 PM

I reallllly like those first two. Bonafide disruptors with good feet and very active arms and hands.

**AirFlacco** · 01-29-2013, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by GOTA

The cap situation is horrible. They better hit on the draft because they won't be able to bring much money in.

They will. The last time Ozzie drafted last he got Heap and Hartwell who kept them winning for years plus
Rabach and Baxter. Both left but played a long time for somebody else.

Last year drafting 29th look who he got:

UPSHAW - great promise. Will fill in for Kruger if he bolts.

KO - Great playoffs after moving to LG and will be better than Grubbs.

PIERCE - NUFF SAID

GINO - Will replace Birk next year after having a good game in Cinci vs their fist string in 1st qtr

STREETER - Could be hit or miss at this point but much hope.

IN OZ WE TRUST.

**Carey** · 01-29-2013, 06:59 PM

The more i see and here about Wheaton the more i like, i think he could be a bonafide #2 nex to Torrey once Boldin calls it quits. What round do you guys think he goes in?

**wickedsolo** · 01-29-2013, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Carey

The more i see and here about Wheaton the more i like, i think he could be a bonafide #2 nex to Torrey once Boldin calls it quits. What round do you guys think he goes in?

I have been high on Wheaton pretty much all season. Really nice precise route runner, solid hands, deceptively quick, nice moves in space.

He needs to put on some weight...he's about 6' to 6'1" and about 185lbs, so I'd like to see him bump up into the 190's. I think that would help him beat press coverage a bit better. Still though, the upside is there.

I'd rather have Patton, but Wheaton would be pretty sweet too.