Who do the Ravens Re-Sign before Free Agency?

**JAB1985** · 03-05-2013, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

For what its worth, Curtis Lofton was garbage this year, and was a big part of the issue with the Saints D. That may have been due to injury or some other reason, and I'm not saying Ellerbe will be the same, but its something to consider before throwing Ellerbe a bunch of money.

Im not sure of what happened in NO. I know hawthorne wasnt as good either but was injured some. Both of those guys were some of the better ILB in the league before going to NO. I think that has a lot to do with the team moreso than the player, in this case.

**HKusp** · 03-05-2013, 06:25 AM

I think people may be underestimating the market for McKinnie. What did Jarred Gaither sign for last year? That guy has been an enigma his whole career. McKinnie while usually not playing up to his potential and being a bit aloof, has certainly outplayed Gaither. Starting LT's in this league get paid. Especially one's from a Superbowl winning team that end up FA's.

**leachisabeast** · 03-05-2013, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by HKusp

I think people may be underestimating the market for McKinnie. What did Jarred Gaither sign for last year? That guy has been an enigma his whole career. McKinnie while usually not playing up to his potential and being a bit aloof, has certainly outplayed Gaither. Starting LT's in this league get paid. Especially one's from a Superbowl winning team that end up FA's.

Jarred Gaither is even now, still a young talent, and I'm not sure if teams were aware of his character issues at the time. He is really talented and thats what teams saw. McKinnie is well on the wrong side of 30, and its well known that he is a lazy offseason worker. I think McKinnie will get a 2/3 year contract somewhere for 3/4 M a year. Whether that's here or not, we'll see.

**Raven Werewolf** · 03-05-2013, 06:37 AM

Ellerbe is THE priority right now but he'll surely want to see what he's worth on the open market. Same for Kruger although he's not as much of a priority for me. (I don't know ---I just think he knew this was a contract season and played above and beyond his head. Would not be easy but he's replaceable IMO.)

Would love to get BMac back if the price is right and if his mindset/motivation is still where it was during this post-season.

**JAB1985** · 03-05-2013, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by HKusp

I think people may be underestimating the market for McKinnie. What did Jarred Gaither sign for last year? That guy has been an enigma his whole career. McKinnie while usually not playing up to his potential and being a bit aloof, has certainly outplayed Gaither. Starting LT's in this league get paid. Especially one's from a Superbowl winning team that end up FA's.

4/24.6 for a 25 year old talented but injury prone LT. McKinnie's age is the bigger factor not his play. When healthy Id say Gaither is actually better, but McKinnie plays more often if only to part of his potential. For a guy that obviously doesnt take care of himself as well as he should, youll see the side effects of his work ethic at the end of his career. one of the reasons im not sure the Ravens will be as heavily after him as most seem to think. Im not doubting some team will pay him, i just dont think itll be the Ravens to match it.

Originally Posted by Raven Werewolf

Would love to get BMac back if the price is right and if his mindset/motivation is still where it was during this post-season.

His motivation was not to win a Superbowl. His motivation was to get another contract, a big one. His interviews are very telling of a guy thats only about the money.

**leachisabeast** · 03-05-2013, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

4/24.6 for a 25 year old talented but injury prone LT. McKinnie's age is the bigger factor not his play. When healthy Id say Gaither is actually better, but McKinnie plays more often if only to part of his potential. For a guy that obviously doesnt take care of himself as well as he should, youll see the side effects of his work ethic at the end of his career. one of the reasons im not sure the Ravens will be as heavily after him as most seem to think. Im not doubting some team will pay him, i just dont think itll be the Ravens to match it.

His motivation was not to win a Superbowl. His motivation was to get another contract, a big one. His interviews are very telling of a guy thats only about the money.

If the price is right, McKinnie is the better option then nearly everything else we could possibly have next season, unless the Ravens get bold and sign a Jake Long in FA, or trade up a bunch to get a Lane Johnson, neither is going to happen.

There are other guys like Sam Baker, Jerome Bushrod, Sebastian Vollmer, etc, but even those guys may cost more than Ozzie is willing to pay.

**Paintballguy** · 03-05-2013, 06:47 AM

I don't see McKinnie back here. I think the Ravens FO will be reluctant to give him any kind of multi year deal.

**JAB1985** · 03-05-2013, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

If the price is right, McKinnie is the better option then nearly everything else we could possibly have next season, unless the Ravens get bold and sign a Jake Long in FA, or trade up a bunch to get a Lane Johnson, neither is going to happen.

There are other guys like Sam Baker, Jerome Bushrod, Sebastian Vollmer, etc, but even those guys may cost more than Ozzie is willing to pay.

Im not disagreeing with that. Hes a cheap option theoretically, but the Ravens will not overpay for him. I dont think hes going to have a huge market because hes 34. I dont think the Ravens will want to invest much into him, because ideally hes a stop gap and likely to considerably fall off talent wise and/or health wise. Some other team is likely to offer more than the Ravens whether thats overall or years/guaranteed. I dont see him being with us next year. Albert and beatty not being on the market has more to with that than anything. the more that sign before FA, the higher McKinnies value goes.

Originally Posted by Paintballguy

I don't see McKinnie back here. I think the Ravens FO will be reluctant to give him any kind of multi year deal.

which is where i think we wont match. some team will gamble and give him a multi year deal simply to "win" him. I just dont see us matching and eating dead money when well likely draft his replacement this year.

**leachisabeast** · 03-05-2013, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Im not disagreeing with that. Hes a cheap option theoretically, but the Ravens will not overpay for him. I dont think hes going to have a huge market because hes 34. I dont think the Ravens will want to invest much into him, because ideally hes a stop gap and likely to considerably fall off talent wise and/or health wise. Some other team is likely to offer more than the Ravens whether thats overall or years/guaranteed. I dont see him being with us next year. Albert and beatty not being on the market has more to with that than anything. the more that sign before FA, the higher McKinnies value goes.

Yeah true, can't disagree with this.

**The Excellector** · 03-05-2013, 07:23 AM

It would not surprise me at all if none of them were signed back. As JAB has mentioned, we've long knew that Cary Williams would be leaving. Although I do not think the best of him as a player, his play down the stretch improved and, likely, enough for someone to pay him more than 3/15. If Brandon Carr, the second best CB for the Chiefs, can get 50 mil on the open market, I think Cary can get more than 3/15. Even Cary Williams has admitted that he is not a priority and likely gone.

Paul Kruger is another player that is gone.

In all honesty, if I were an UDFA with no youthful ties to Baltimore, I would test the market too. So, it would not surprise me if Ellerbe did the same. JAB is right that the ILBs seemed to linger out there for a while last year. The other issue about Dannell Ellerbe is health. All of the other major players that the Ravens have re-signed, have had quality track records when it came to not missing games. Ellerbe has never started a full 16 game season. That would concern me. Which is why I think Ozzie will be dead set on his number. There will be ILBs of his like, to be had in the draft, along with less expensive veterans on the open market.

The key, at this point, would be to find yourself a darn good NT. That way, you LBs are kept clean and Ngata can stay at NG where he can better utilize his pass rushing skills. So, I could see a situation where Ellerbe goes, but Casey Hampton arrives, along with two ILBs in the draft.

I think 3-4 million is where Ozzie tops out for Reed and I think Reed will test the market. If other teams agree that Reed still covers up for a lot on the back end, I could see a team offering him enough for him to sign elsewhere.

**RavenScallywag** · 03-05-2013, 08:19 AM

I think Reed's comments on NFL AM yesterday foreshadowed him eventually leaving.

1. He said if he went to New England, he'd win not one, but TWO SBs
2. When asked if the Ravens should pay him for his past performance or future performance, he made it seem like there's no difference, because he's going to be playing at the best of his abilities for the next few years

The 1st one isn't anything groundbreaking (he's not dissing the Ravens, but saying he's that good of a player), but the 2nd one tells me he's not going to temper his contract demands, and he's going to expect an INCREASE in his pay.

EDIT - I suck at grammar

**Paintballguy** · 03-05-2013, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by RavenScallywag

I think Reed's comments on NFL AM yesterday foreshadowed him eventually leaving.

1. He said if he went to New England, he'd win not one, but TWO SBs
2. When asked if the Ravens should pay him for his past performance or future performance, he made it seem like there's no difference, because he's going to be playing at the best of his abilities for the next few years

The 1st one isn't anything groundbreaking (he's not dissing the Ravens, but saying he's that good of a player), but the 2nd one tells me he's not going to tamper his contract demands, and he's going to expect an INCREASE in his pay.

I won't be sad if Reed leaves to be honest. I don't get emotionally attached to old veterans like some people do. I love what Reed did here, but all good things come to an end.

**Captain Silver** · 03-05-2013, 09:25 AM

They let Ray test the market. Let Reed do the same. But make no mistake, father time is undefeated. He is going to have to come to terms with that in terms of what he will be paid here. If some team wants to break the bank for him, bully for him.

**GOTA** · 03-05-2013, 10:00 AM

I made my peace with Reed leaving a long time ago. At this point the shocking thing would be if he actually comes back. I just don't see that happening.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 03-05-2013, 10:04 AM

Ed's is one of my favorite athletes...any sport, any era.
I still don't want the team in cap jeopardy (by any stretch) to keep him here.

**Ngata Da Vida** · 03-05-2013, 10:09 AM

I would think a restructure/extension for Q would be a priority. Any idea what kind of numbers or years he is looking for?

**jonboy79** · 03-05-2013, 12:33 PM

I think in the next week or so...

Ellerbe gets a deal, 5/25 range
Jacoby and Anquan both get 3/15 type extensions
Leach is cut, Bobbie Williams is cut... Leach is offerred $1m salary and tests market, may come back eventually.

**Dirt1** · 03-05-2013, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by RavenScallywag

I think Reed's comments on NFL AM yesterday foreshadowed him eventually leaving.

1. He said if he went to New England, he'd win not one, but TWO SBs
2. When asked if the Ravens should pay him for his past performance or future performance, he made it seem like there's no difference, because he's going to be playing at the best of his abilities for the next few years

The 1st one isn't anything groundbreaking (he's not dissing the Ravens, but saying he's that good of a player), but the 2nd one tells me he's not going to temper his contract demands, and he's going to expect an INCREASE in his pay.

EDIT - I suck at grammar

Except the Patriots are not known for handing out big contracts for aging veteran players. They like to get them on the cheap for 1-2 years. I am pretty certain that the Ravens could match whatever the Patriots offerred Reed, because I don't think that it would be a huge contract. I still say the most likely destination for Ed is the Colts should he choose to leave. He loves Pagano and the Colts have a lot of cap room.

**Paintballguy** · 03-05-2013, 12:40 PM

ESPN's Ed Werder reported on SportsCenter Tuesday that the Ravens don't expect to re-sign free agent Paul Kruger.
Kruger is going to get paid like a premier NFL pass rusher, and GM Ozzie Newsome doesn't see him as that. "The Ravens have pretty much resigned themselves to the likelihood that he's going to play for another team," Werder reported. "And they drafted Courtney Upshaw last year to play that same position." Expect the Browns and Colts to show initial interest in Kruger.

As we expected.

**runrayrun27** · 03-05-2013, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

Except the Patriots are not known for handing out big contracts for aging veteran players. They like to get them on the cheap for 1-2 years. I am pretty certain that the Ravens could match whatever the Patriots offerred Reed, because I don't think that it would be a huge contract. I still say the most likely destination for Ed is the Colts should he choose to leave. He loves Pagano and the Colts have a lot of cap room.

Jesus now they're likely to get Reed and Kruger. Baltimore Colts anyone?