Draft / FA / Offseason Roster Moves (Merged)

[bt12483]

precisely my point.... once that salary isn't possible, the risk/reward isn't there for him to continue playing, IMO.

The past 2-3 years Reed threatened retirement...then came back.

This year he says he wants to continue...which by previous Reed logic means he will probably retire (say one thing do another).

Reed says crazy stuff in the offseason. He has no representation. I really hope he just retires. He will always be a Raven...but I'd like to see him stay one forever...but I can understand if he takes a final payout from some other team.

[BigPlayReceiver]

Just watched UConn TE Ryan Griffin a bit.
Soooo much value in this TE class.
Above average blocker at 6'6 with 9 7/8 mits. Can't tell his straight line speed, but I did see him burn Cincinnati for a 74 yarder (50+ yards YAC, IIRC) and not a single DB was really closing on him during his gallop.

[Paintballguy]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,1682098.story

[BigPlayReceiver]

Unless we plan on trading the farm to move up for Fisher ('course we aint doing that), I think we need to make BM's deal our 2nd priority.

[Jeremiah W]

Unless we plan on trading the farm to move up for Fisher ('course we aint doing that), I think we need to make BM's deal our 2nd priority.

We need a LT. We will have to see if McKinnie is the BPA. IMO the OL issues were not so much solved because we got a healthy and motivated McKinnie back in there. To me the single biggest positional upgrade was at LG where we went from turnstyle to roadgrader. I can not even imagine Benn Grubbs doing as well vs Wilfork and Justin Smith in those last 2 games. While McKinnie is clearly better at LT than Oher is, to me the difference overall if you include all the regular season games is minimal. Losing a very solid guy at LG and moving 3 players around took the OL down to an average or below level.

As long as we can find a decent LT and keep the rest of the OL intact I doubt there will be much drop off. Also I have a feeling that may have been a one time thing with Big Mac. I am all for keeping him around, but not at much money.

[leachisabeast]

If the FO really values Lane Johnson, and he's there past 20, I can see them trading up ala Michael Oher, but no chance do they trade up 15 spots or more to get him like others have suggested.

[The Excellector]

Alright, so it seems to be clear that Kevin Minter seems to fit the profile of the ILB they want in Ray's old spot. Explosive, reliable tackler with instincts, with the athleticism to be an upgrade in coverage.

Really, all you have to do is look at what type of player the team would want at which spot.

For example, Ed Reed was rare in that he really didn't play either safety position (Strong safety before moving to free safety) like a Safety is traditionally meant to play. However, now that he is gone (potentially), I could see them focusing on strength at the CB position, because that is where their best talent now is, asking the person in Reed's spot to only play the FS spot the way it was meant to be played.

Speed, Discipline, Reliability, etc.

Who would that most likely be in this draft.

That's the approach we should probably take in thinking about who the Ravens would take.

It seems like they don't want to put Ngata at NT, but keep him at NG to take advantage of his all around game. They might be looking for someone at NT to simply command the double team. Of course, if a three down player makes his way to them, I wouldn't think they'd pass him up.

The questions marks are more on the offensive side of the ball, because the offense's identity is newer to us.

[Aussie_Raven]

If we draft Jesse Williams - Aussie Raven is going to bust a nut!

Dont get me started....

Im really happy for him because:
1. He is the first Aussie to play in the NFL in a PROPER position
2. Hes talented
3. Relentless style of play suitable for Ravens

[NC Raven]

Dont get me started....

Im really happy for him because:
1. He is the first Aussie to play in the NFL in a PROPER position
2. Hes talented
3. Relentless style of play suitable for Ravens

Maybe we can double up and get Brad Wing while we're at it! If Koch's late season troubles (and cap number) have his job in jeopardy, I'd be all for seeing us grab Wing.

[alien bird]

The Ravens are going to do what they always do in the draft. They're going to be smart and balanced, they're going to take talented guys that represent a good value, and they're going to hope that they work out.

I can see a scenario where Arizona goes after a DL or OL with the 7th pick, and then wants to trade back into the end of the round to grab a QB. Trading the 32nd pick would move the Ravens back to the 38th overall and could net the Cardinals' 4th rounder (about the 100th pick, depending on how many 3rd round compensatory picks there are to push back the fourth round picks).

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I can see a scenario where Arizona goes after a DL or OL with the 7th pick, and then wants to trade back into the end of the round to grab a QB. Trading the 32nd pick would move the Ravens back to the 38th overall and could net the Cardinals' 4th rounder (about the 100th pick, depending on how many 3rd round compensatory picks there are to push back the fourth round picks).

I think the big QB name that teams will be eyeing at the end of the first will be Mike Glennon...many people have said that his body type and arm strength remind them of Flacco...and what Flacco just did this postseason raised Glennon's stock a ton IMHO.

[wickedsolo]

I think the big QB name that teams will be eyeing at the end of the first will be Mike Glennon...many people have said that his body type and arm strength remind them of Flacco...and what Flacco just did this postseason raised Glennon's stock a ton IMHO.

I think Ryan Nassib is going to go pretty high too.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Forum Runner

[BigPlayReceiver]

Wow...some Nick Kasa tape ftlog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9RdSSWC-SQ

He's a defensive convert like Dickson, so that scares the hell out of me, but he's definitely a 6-7th rounder if not UDFA.
He's got a couple of touchdowns in here, but he's quite the project.
At 260+ he should be a much better blocker. Needs technique coaching for sure.

[StingerNLG]

Montgomery should be a 3-4 DE. He's never been a big time pass rusher. He doesn't have an explosive first step. What he does have though is good closing speed, long arms and great instincts. He also has room to put on weight. I see him as a very good 3-4 run stuffing DE prospect or 4-3 run and hit OLB who plays on 1 & 2nd downs. Mingo is the explosive pass rusher of the 2.

I see Montgomery being a very good pick for a team like the Patriots or the Packers. He's very solid and there isn't a lot of mystery to his game. I read the lazy comments on Walter Football but that's the first time I ever heard that. I'd love to know where it came from.

There are a few on NFL.com who have us picking Montgomery in the first round. Could be due to Cody's poor play, and the thought we might run some 4-3. And one person said it would give us a pass rush trio with Suggs and Upshaw, who some people are thinking is going to start coming into his own as a pass rusher if Kruger leaves.

Most everyone has Mingo gone before our pick, so we'd have to go up to get him. And if folks like Bucky Brooks and Charles Davis are right, he's going in the top 10. I don't know where Kiper has him but I'm not paying ESPN to join Insider to tell me.

[Ravenalytics]

Most everyone has Mingo gone before our pick, so we'd have to go up to get him. And if folks like Bucky Brooks and Charles Davis are right, he's going in the top 10. I don't know where Kiper has him but I'm not paying ESPN to join Insider to tell me.

Kiper's a moron and asshole anyways.

[leachisabeast]

I don't see us going to a 4-3 tbh, I think it would be a bad move. Sure, it would like nice on paper, but you have so much more flexability with a 3-4 scheme. Against NE for example, we barely ever line up in a true 3-4, we stick two DTs (Ngata, and Arthur Jones) in the middle, and play Suggs and Kruger (now Upshaw) on the edges either standing up or putting their hands in the dirt, then we just use two LBs and a nickel back. That is pretty much a 4-3, so its not like we are strictly a base 3-4 defense like the Steelers or the Texans.

A few teams are also moving to a 3-4 now all of a sudden. I just think when you look at most of the top defenses over the last 10 years, a significant amount of them have been 3-4 based teams. We should stick to it and just replenish the front 7 with more youth thats all.

We've been running the same defensive scheme for a decade now, I don't expect us to change it, and I especially don't expect Dean Pees (who has pretty much coached 3-4 defenses all his life) to change it.

[leachisabeast]

Alright, so it seems to be clear that Kevin Minter seems to fit the profile of the ILB they want in Ray's old spot. Explosive, reliable tackler with instincts, with the athleticism to be an upgrade in coverage.

Pretty much, I'm not entirely sure where teams value him right now though. I can see him falling to us, and maybe into the second round (if we choose to trade back) because of the devaluation of the position.

I could see them focusing on strength at the CB position, because that is where their best talent now is, asking the person in Reed's spot to only play the FS spot the way it was meant to be played.

You pretty much described David Amerson out of NC State. Look him up, he's a 6'3 corner, who is projected as a cover 1 FS at the next level. He has some good ball skills too.

It seems like they don't want to put Ngata at NT, but keep him at NG to take advantage of his all around game. They might be looking for someone at NT to simply command the double team. Of course, if a three down player makes his way to them, I wouldn't think they'd pass him up.

They will almost certainly bring in a legit NT to compete with Cody next year, whether that be through FA or in the draft. If we miss out on a Terrence Knighton in FA, I would really like Brandon Williams in the 3rd round from Southern Missouri (DII school), he would be a typical Ravens pick, and he's explosive as hell.

The questions marks are more on the offensive side of the ball, because the offense's identity is newer to us.

I disagree man. I think we have some legit questions in our front 7, and thats our biggest needs, name anything on the front 7, we need it pretty much, we need to add speed and youth. The secondary is mostly in a good place depending on Reed.

The offense is in a good place, we just need to re-sign McKinnie for a year or two (looks like he wants to come back and play with KO who is a good friend of his), and could do with a TE to compete or push Dickson out to work with Pitta. We are pretty much set on offense, however, I'd like another young wide out taken at some point in the draft, and maybe a developmental OT.

[redramsam]

"They will almost certainly bring in a legit NT to compete with Cody next year, whether that be through FA or in the draft. If we miss out on a Terrence Knighton in FA, I would really like Brandon Williams in the 3rd round from Southern Missouri (DII school), he would be a typical Ravens pick, and he's explosive as hell."

Here's a great two-minute youtube video on B. Williams. He seems like an upstanding, hard-working man. Would be a great pick from what I can tell.

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

[redramsam]

How do you guys feel about some of the free safeties who might last until the end of the second round like Swearinger, Rambo, and Cyprien? Which of the guys who have a good chance of being there would you want?

[Lee Van Cleef]

Williams is an absolute beast of a man!