Some Inside Info

**wickedsolo** · 12-20-2012, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenalytics

Off topic, but Jesus, Hensley sounds like a really sarcastic asshole in that chat. I just imagine him with this horribly nasally voice.

Thats because he is.

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**leachisabeast** · 12-20-2012, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Thats because he is.

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**Tucker: M&T Sec 527** · 12-21-2012, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Silver

Meanwhile Moeller is doing what as an offensive line coach?

Drinking again, presumably...

**Tucker: M&T Sec 527** · 12-21-2012, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Mista T

Neither [Reed or Lewis] is playing at a level that supports their salaries. I wouldn't be surprised to see them cut or have their contracts renegotiated downward.Flacco will be back in 2013, hopefully under a fair contract than franchised.

It hurts, but someday the time comes for everyone to leave. A lot of ball carriers already know they can hurdle Reed in the open field. What will be hard to let go will be their leadership on things like film study and their "on-field brain trust." Ray would have a lot of credibility w/ players as an asst. coach, but I wonder if it would really engage him.

The posters that say Joe is in part probably adjusting to his new family roles may be on to something. Whatever the case, he'll be back in 2013, hopefully not at the franchise tag price for QB. The organization has left itself no viable option. Flacco has only been truly godawful during this recent losing streak. Winning the next 2 & advancing a round in Festivus would help fans & FO remember that.

**Paintballguy** · 12-26-2012, 02:20 PM

Just adds some credibility to what I said about reed and ray being gone next year.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/ja...ons-chip-kelly

Ravens stalwarts and expected future Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have spent their entire careers in Baltimore, anchoring what has long been a dominant defense, but their time with the team could be ending. "It could end up being a lot sooner than later," as one team source put it.

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**The Excellector** · 12-26-2012, 03:40 PM

It's like the defense is playing with ten guys out there at times. It has to be frustrating for the front office to watch.

**Ravenswintitle** · 12-26-2012, 03:45 PM

That's the 3rd article I've seen that references a possibility of the Ravens tagging Ed Reed next year. I just don't think that's viable at all. IF he is back, I think it will be a new 'friendly' contract. All signs point to him getting paid better at another club if he wants to play next year.

**Paintballguy** · 12-26-2012, 03:52 PM

No way would the ravens give the franchise tag to reed. If anyone gets the tag it'll be flacco for sure.

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**PerpetuallyBored74** · 12-27-2012, 05:40 AM

Originally Posted by Captain Silver

Meanwhile Moeller is doing what as an offensive line coach?

Thing is, our O-Line has looked fairly decent when the starters have all been available and healthy. It's when we have to play our backups that it all goes to hell.

But look at who the backups have been: Oneil Cousins (ugh), Mark LeVoir (ugh), Tony Moll (meh), Bryan Mattison (now backup DE for KC), washed up Andre Gurode (out of NFL now), and washed up Bobby Williams (will be out of NFL next year).

We knew Grubbs wasn't returning, and although we tried to replace him with a quality free agent, none of them would sign with us, so we had to settle for Bobby Williams who was decent enough in his prime, but between age and injuries he's a shell of himself now.

Our LG situation without Grubbs is now so unsettled that ProFootballReference doesn't even try to decide on who should be considered our starter:
http://www.pro-football-reference.co...starters::none

How much of that can you put on Moeller?
Grubbs and Yanda are/were Pro Bowlers, Birk can't handle the bull rush but that's because he's 36, Osemele looked pretty good until he nearly broke his ankle against the Texans, Oher is built to be a guard but he's playing tackle, and Reid is built to play tackle but he's playing guard.

Unless Moeller is endorsing the idea that Oher and Reid are playing their natural positions or that Birk isn't on his last legs, then I think the bulk of the blame should go to our FO for neglecting to improve the depth of our O-line through the draft: I realize you can't have pro bowlers as backups, but c'mon man, Oneil Freakin' Cousins was here for 3 years. And Bryan Mattison for 2 years (who's now playing DEFENSE for KC). In that time, we could've been developing some young talent to be solid backups or even starters.

**ballhawk** · 12-27-2012, 05:59 AM

I agree perpbored-

Everybody likes to blame moeller, as if a couple dui's is an indictment on his ability to coach up the Oline, but the truth is, we have a 5th year franchise QB who is getting killed in the pocket because the FO has failed build even a halfway decent line in front of him. The line is always the biggest question mark going into the season and it always ends up a patchwork unit. You would think by now they would have addressed it, hell even the steelers have tried to put one together with a bunch of high draft picks. There is really no excuse for it.

**Boulderraven** · 12-27-2012, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

I agree perpbored-

Everybody likes to blame moeller, as if a couple dui's is an indictment on his ability to coach up the Oline, but the truth is, we have a 5th year franchise QB who is getting killed in the pocket because the FO has failed build even a halfway decent line in front of him. The line is always the biggest question mark going into the season and it always ends up a patchwork unit. You would think by now they would have addressed it, hell even the steelers have tried to put one together with a bunch of high draft picks. There is really no excuse for it.

With a non escalating salary cap, all teams cant place a 5 man quality oline, it's just to cost prehibitive. You have to spread your financial resources around to other areas of your team. They key is having the QB getting rid of the ball quickly and having a OC that can use both long, short and intermediate routes effectively and occassionly moving the pocket around. Cam never got that. If you watch the Broncos or Pats most passes are very short, with an occasional long one. Lots of pics and rubs are used..Broncos use more illegal picks of any team I have seen, but are getting away with it.

**GOTA** · 12-27-2012, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Boulderraven

With a non escalating salary cap, all teams cant place a 5 man quality oline, it's just to cost prehibitive. You have to spread your financial resources around to other areas of your team. They key is having the QB getting rid of the ball quickly and having a OC that can use both long, short and intermediate routes effectively and occassionly moving the pocket around. Cam never got that. If you watch the Broncos or Pats most passes are very short, with an occasional long one. Lots of pics and rubs are used..Broncos use more illegal picks of any team I have seen, but are getting away with it.

That is true. A QB who gets rid of the ball quickly does more for his own pass protection than any o-lineman can.

**pslholder96** · 12-27-2012, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by Boulderraven

With a non escalating salary cap, all teams cant place a 5 man quality oline, it's just to cost prehibitive. You have to spread your financial resources around to other areas of your team. They key is having the QB getting rid of the ball quickly and having a OC that can use both long, short and intermediate routes effectively and occassionly moving the pocket around. Cam never got that. If you watch the Broncos or Pats most passes are very short, with an occasional long one. Lots of pics and rubs are used..Broncos use more illegal picks of any team I have seen, but are getting away with it.

Great Observation. Completely agree here.

**ballhawk** · 12-28-2012, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by Boulderraven

With a non escalating salary cap, all teams cant place a 5 man quality oline, it's just to cost prehibitive. You have to spread your financial resources around to other areas of your team. They key is having the QB getting rid of the ball quickly and having a OC that can use both long, short and intermediate routes effectively and occassionly moving the pocket around. Cam never got that. If you watch the Broncos or Pats most passes are very short, with an occasional long one. Lots of pics and rubs are used..Broncos use more illegal picks of any team I have seen, but are getting away with it.

Good post. I agree with what you are saying but i still feel like the ravens have dropped the ball, especially at LT and C.

**leachisabeast** · 12-28-2012, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

Good post. I agree with what you are saying but i still feel like the ravens have dropped the ball, especially at LT and C.

How? They drafted Michael Oher to be the LT, and made an attempt to get Flacco their franchise LT, it just happens that Oher isn't that good at LT.

They signed Matt Birk in 09 who was one of the best FA centers on the market at the time, and he gave us three solid seasons. I do think they made a mistake resigning him though.

**ballhawk** · 12-28-2012, 05:57 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

How? They drafted Michael Oher to be the LT, and made an attempt to get Flacco their franchise LT, it just happens that Oher isn't that good at LT.

They signed Matt Birk in 09 who was one of the best FA centers on the market at the time, and he gave us three solid seasons. I do think they made a mistake resigning him though.

They got those guys 4 seasons ago. There is no excuse for not having somebody in the wings ready to take over for birk by now and they should have known after 2010 that oher wasnt the answer at LT. Also, oher was drafted to play RT. We had gaither at the time and decosta said that with oher at RT and gaither at LT, we had our bookends for the future. They should have looked for another LT after gaither had his meltdown.

**leachisabeast** · 12-28-2012, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

They got those guys 4 seasons ago. There is no excuse for not having somebody in the wings ready to take over for birk by now and they should have known after 2010 that oher wasnt the answer at LT. Also, oher was drafted to play RT. We had gaither at the time and decosta said that with oher at RT and gaither at LT, we had our bookends for the future. They should have looked for another LT after gaither had his meltdown.

SO who do you think we could have got then? Please tell me, because we never had any cap room to sign a LT, and where never in position to get us a franchise LT. We did sign Bryant McKinnie too.

The only mistake they made was not address the C posistion by re signing Matt Birk. Who knows anyway? Maybe Gino has something that the coaches REALLY liked, and have access to tape on him that WE don't have.

**ballhawk** · 12-28-2012, 06:47 AM

Yea you right leach, there were absolutely no options whatsover to bring in a C or LT, LOL. Hindsight is 20/20 but they still should have had somebody at least ready to step in for birk by now. 2010 draft alone, they would have been better off taking a C than kindle/cody/dickson.

**leachisabeast** · 12-28-2012, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

Yea you right leach, there were absolutely no options whatsover to bring in a C or LT, LOL. Hindsight is 20/20 but they still should have had somebody at least ready to step in for birk by now. 2010 draft alone, they would have been better off taking a C than kindle/cody/dickson.

That's up for another discussion on who the Ravens should have drafted instead.

The Ravens could have drafted Clay Matthews in the 09 draft with the first round picked, and then Sebastien Vollmer in the second round who is now a really solid right tackle for NE. Then in 2010 we could have drafted Grontkowski in the first round, and Jarred Veldheer in the second.

Already you have the book end tackles that Decosta always wanted in Vollmer and Veldheer who are both great tackles, one of the best pass rushers in the game, and the best TE in the game. I also really wanted Wisniewski who Oakland also drafted in the 2011 draft with their second round pick, he has already turned out to be a really solid center for them as expected, and could have sat behind Birk for a year and could have taken over in 2012.

But no team is ever that lucky. I'm sure NE would have LOVED to have got Webb when they look back on it, and would have given anything up to go back to 08 and draft Ray Rice. That's the beauty of the NFL draft, it truly is the dictator of how good an NFL team becomes in the future in the cap era. it's why it's the best sport in the world to watch, and certainly one of the most competitive games to watch.