Ellerbe

**jonboy79** · 01-03-2013, 09:44 AM

Does yesterday's news open the door for an Ellerbe return? Is the cap savings of a retired ray Lewis roughly equal the deal Jameel got last year?

If so, I thin it needs to be done. Ellerbe was our best ILB'er this year.

**esmd** · 01-03-2013, 09:57 AM

I didn't think they'd let Ellerbe get away before, and I don't now. I should qualify that by saying I think they'll make him a great offer. If he chooses to leave, he obviously will unless Joe signs and they franchise him (not likely). But if he would like to stay, I don't think the Ravens will have a problem making him a great offer. Especially where McClain is somewhat of a question mark (though I expect him back as well).

**RavenScallywag** · 01-03-2013, 10:00 AM

Only problem is Ellerbe's agent has some leverage now. Ravens have money they were committing to ILB. Ravens supply at ILB just bottomed out. He might get a bigger deal than McClain's now. Almost wonder if they were too quick to give McClain a starter's contract. He's the 3rd best ILB on the team right now.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 01-03-2013, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by jonboy79

Does yesterday's news open the door for an Ellerbe return? Is the cap savings of a retired ray Lewis roughly equal the deal Jameel got last year?

If so, I thin it needs to be done. Ellerbe was our best ILB'er this year.

I think he is clearly after Joe, one of the top priorities for this offeseason.

He has been very, very good this year.

**iggyman555** · 01-03-2013, 10:22 AM

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider

Ray Lewis' retirement will save Ravens $4.35 million in salary-cap space

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,7305107.story …

**wickedsolo** · 01-03-2013, 10:26 AM

Ellerbe is definitely a high priority for the Ravens this year. He has to be.

**jonboy79** · 01-03-2013, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by iggyman555

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider

Ray Lewis' retirement will save Ravens $4.35 million in salary-cap space

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,7305107.story …

Thanks, that should be plenty for a first year cap number on an Ellerbe deal.

**Bhcforlife** · 01-03-2013, 10:39 AM

The one thing with Ellerbe to be careful with is how he will handle the big payday. He has had supposed work ethic issues in the past, and if they sign him, he's going to have to be one of the defensive leaders with Suggs, Ngata, and Webb since Ray and Ed will be gone. He's having his best year in his contract year...just need to make sure they are getting THIS Ellerbe for the next several years and not the one that was out of shape and in the dog house the past couple years. I think they have to sign him because they just don't have anyone else, but they have to be careful, too.

**PGCountyRaven85** · 01-03-2013, 10:53 AM

Ellerbe has been one of the best players on this defense this year. He looks fast and explosive, and is our best blitzer after Webb. If Ozzie locks him up long term and drafts one of many stud ILBs in this draft, like Arthur Brown, we'll potentially have one of the top tandems in a year or two.

**bmorecareful** · 01-03-2013, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

The one thing with Ellerbe to be careful with is how he will handle the big payday. He has had supposed work ethic issues in the past, and if they sign him, he's going to have to be one of the defensive leaders with Suggs, Ngata, and Webb since Ray and Ed will be gone. He's having his best year in his contract year...just need to make sure they are getting THIS Ellerbe for the next several years and not the one that was out of shape and in the dog house the past couple years. I think they have to sign him because they just don't have anyone else, but they have to be careful, too.

This is a good point. As much as I hate to say it you have to always be wary of players whose best year is also a contract year. I'd like to think Ellerbe's work ethic/discipline issues are a thing of the past, and they very well may be, but the team needs to be careful.

The real shame is the McClain contract, which actually may have been the same "contract year" effect. He appears to have been overrated and the money he got looks excessive--plus, they can't really get out of the contract. Let's hope that doesn't have a negative effect on their chance to re-up Ellerbe.

I will say this--the Ravens have never been wild about letting veterans go and hoping young draftees can step up in year 1, even if they're highly drafted. None of the Ravens' first picks under Harbaugh have been expected to be day-one starters except Oher. Flacco and KO were each supposed to sit on the bench for a year. Kindle, Cody, Jimmy Smith, and Upshaw all DID start out on the bench. I think they'd much prefer to spend the money on Ellerbe rather than expect a rookie to step right in next to McClain.

**JAB1985** · 01-03-2013, 12:10 PM

They will make the offer and i have a feeling as long as its fair, he'll accept. ILBs arent in high demand and even after this solid season i doubt anybody gives him a crazy contract. so as long as we offer him something close to what other teams are, he has no reason to leave. I do feel confident in giving him starter money, i think his "doghouse" days are behind him, and besides injuries (which are a problem for him) hes been pretty good. Something seemed to click with him this year (possibly last as well), i feel the staff/FO sees that as well.

**RavenScallywag** · 01-03-2013, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

I think they'd much prefer to spend the money on Ellerbe rather than expect a rookie to step right in next to McClain.

While this is true, there are two "dark horse" guys that could be the vet to step in beside McClain...McClellan has bounced around a couple spots this year, but was mentioned consistently as an ILB contributor. The other possible big one is Josh Bynes. He's gotten a large workload at the end of the year, and really, he's probably the backup plan. Glenn from WNST was tweeting about Ellerbe's situation, and he seems to think Ellerbe's agent is going to squeeze every dollar they can out of his tremendous year, he sounds a bet pessimistic about being able to bring Ellerbe back, but says Bynes could be the guy to step into those big shoes.

**Sua Sponte** · 01-03-2013, 01:02 PM

He''ll get a decent offer (McClain like) maybe more, but to demand big money he has to show better work ethic and the ability to stay healthy.

**leachisabeast** · 01-03-2013, 01:46 PM

It will come down to Paul Kruger or Dannell Elerbee, and I think we're better off with Ellerbe, he has been that good whenever he's been on the field this year.

A full offseason staying injury free and living up to his contract could make Ellerbe one of the top ILB's in the game, not even joking.

**RavenScallywag** · 01-03-2013, 02:30 PM

Maybe, maybe not. I think if Ray had stayed, it was likely one or the other. With Ray gone, there's a CHANCE both could stay, but it'll be tough.

**LukeDaniel** · 01-03-2013, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

It will come down to Paul Kruger or Dannell Elerbee, and I think we're better off with Ellerbe, he has been that good whenever he's been on the field this year.

A full offseason staying injury free and living up to his contract could make Ellerbe one of the top ILB's in the game, not even joking.

Ellerbe is a bit old for a 4th year player, but I still think he will get a contract in the 4 year/ $18 million range if I had to guess. That's about $1 million more per year than the contract that Jameel got.

McClain is expendable if Ellerbe is re-signed, but I'm not sure that means you cut him. I think McClellan has emerged into a very solid player and he can probably do what Jameel does for half the price. The decision facing the Ravens is whether to keep Jameel for a cap hit of $4.2 million or to part ways and eat $1.2 in dead money towards the 2013 cap. That's not an easy one.

I know that a lot of people think it's either/or with re-signing Kruger or Ellerbe, but I'm not 100% sure on that. If we opt to clear Jameel's $3 million off the books, that gives us $8.4 million to spread between 99 and 59 and I think that should be roughly enough to make market-pay-level offers to both players. I think Kruger/Ellerbe will probably command in the $9-10 million range annually between then, but we can certainly structure their contracts in a way that we are replacing the outgoing Lewis/McClain contracts with the Kruger/Ellerbe re-signings.

Of course, if we cut one of Jacoby/Quan, that would free up even more money and maybe we could keep McClain and still re-sign the other two. However, IMO, Jones and Boldin are more valuable cogs than McClain, who is very mediocre in my opinion. If we went into 2013 with Ellerbe/McClellan/Bynes/Rookie (or perhaps NigelCarr)/Ayanbadejo as our five MLB, I'd be content, particulary if it allowed us the cap flexibility to have some type of Upshaw/Suggs/Kruger rotation at OLB (with Hamilton, Kindle, McAdoo competing for that 4th OLB spot).

**Section 502 Raven** · 01-03-2013, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by iggyman555

Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider

Ray Lewis' retirement will save Ravens $4.35 million in salary-cap space

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,7305107.story …

i have a feeling cap space won;t be a problem next year. there's a lot of money on this page that will be pushed out.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/bal/roster

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 01-03-2013, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

The one thing with Ellerbe to be careful with is how he will handle the big payday. He has had supposed work ethic issues in the past, and if they sign him, he's going to have to be one of the defensive leaders with Suggs, Ngata, and Webb since Ray and Ed will be gone. He's having his best year in his contract year...just need to make sure they are getting THIS Ellerbe for the next several years and not the one that was out of shape and in the dog house the past couple years. I think they have to sign him because they just don't have anyone else, but they have to be careful, too.

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

This is a good point. As much as I hate to say it you have to always be wary of players whose best year is also a contract year. I'd like to think Ellerbe's work ethic/discipline issues are a thing of the past, and they very well may be, but the team needs to be careful.

The real shame is the McClain contract, which actually may have been the same "contract year" effect. He appears to have been overrated and the money he got looks excessive--plus, they can't really get out of the contract. Let's hope that doesn't have a negative effect on their chance to re-up Ellerbe.

I will say this--the Ravens have never been wild about letting veterans go and hoping young draftees can step up in year 1, even if they're highly drafted. None of the Ravens' first picks under Harbaugh have been expected to be day-one starters except Oher. Flacco and KO were each supposed to sit on the bench for a year. Kindle, Cody, Jimmy Smith, and Upshaw all DID start out on the bench. I think they'd much prefer to spend the money on Ellerbe rather than expect a rookie to step right in next to McClain.

Totally agreed with both of you.

The "contract year" stuff is very, very real here and it is definately something to be concerned with.

And I said this last offseason, I was not a McClain fan at all...and even with Ellerbe, I think the difference in ability is extremely obvious...I don't think I've ever seen McClain make the plays that Ellerbe has over the last half of the season...and that's without Ray next to him. It said a lot to me too that he didn't get any sniffs out in UFA when he hit the market...nobody else in the league really valued him. I hope if they keep him, they still draft an ILB early to compete with and eventually take his job.

**elland** · 01-03-2013, 03:00 PM

I like Ellerbe, not enough to give him starter money.His 2009 rookie season with Mattison as DC was very nice.Since that from 2010-2012.. 3 Different DCs (Mattison, Pagano and now Pees) started McClain not Ellerbe.

Anyway he has never had a 16 games season and he seems to struggle with injuries and form. Let him have a 16 games season, then you can pay him.

**LukeDaniel** · 01-03-2013, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by elland

I like Ellerbe, not enough to give him starter money.His 2009 rookie season with Mattison as DC was very nice.Since that from 2010-2012.. 3 Different DCs (Mattison, Pagano and now Pees) started McClain not Ellerbe.

Anyway he has never had a 16 games season and he seems to struggle with injuries and form. Let him have a 16 games season, then you can pay him.

That's great in theory, but we don't have that option. We either need to pay him now or watch him go to another team. It's not like Ellerbe will take a 1 year contract at backup money when 8-10 other teams across the league will offer him 4 years of starter-level money.