Interesting Perspective on Juan Castillo hiring

**B-more Ravor** · 03-06-2013, 10:00 AM

Not sure that I agree that we won't ever take an OL early (afterall, BPA) - and that may have been more about Andy Reid/Joe Banner's philosophy, than Castillo - but it does give hope that we'll see a bit better development of younger, cheaper, OLmen.

It is likely that over the next few years, the top ten QB’s and their salaries will account for 20% or more of their teams cap and cash. So, will we have teams that have a great QB surrounded by a bunch of average players? Yes, there will be some. Will the Ravens be able to afford their best players going forward? Probably not, there’s too many of them. However, they will rely on their coaches to develop players and their scouts to find cheap talent. There will be more pressure on teams who pay their QB the lion’s share of the cap to develop undrafted players. The conundrum here that exists for coaches is that the new CBA took away their ability to coach players up on the field in the off-season. Now pre-season and camp is the only time to really develop young players. Superior coaching staffs that actually “teach” will manufacture winning seasons with average talent.

The main reason why John Harbaugh outbid seven other teams to hire Juan Castillo as his run game coordinator (overseeing the O-line) is to develop cheap lineman into serviceable players. We all know Juan will develop late round picks and undrafted free agents. That’s been his identity! The Eagles only drafted two 1st round linemen the 13 years he was the head O-line coach. Bubba Miller, Hank Fraley, Artist Hicks, Nick Cole, and Austin Howard were all undrafted free agents who he developed into solid starters. During 12 of those 13 years, the Eagles never had a drafted center and averaged two college free agents as starters in each year. The year the Eagles went to the Super Bowl they played with two undrafted free agents on the line. When C Hank Fraley was up for a new contract they let him go to the Browns via free agency and just developed another guy. Expect Joe Banner to put the same formula in place if he gets a QB he covets and an O-line coach he trusts to develop young players.

So what does all this mean? This formula saved the team from having to pay and/or draft top lineman so they can put the money elsewhere. So I would suspect as long as the Ravens have Juan Castillo they will not be drafting any lineman in the top three rounds for the foreseeable future.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/...arterback.html

**leachisabeast** · 03-06-2013, 10:05 AM

I can see King Dunlap being on the radar right now, if they don't bring back McKinnie. Dunlap was good in pass pro this season, and I think Juan will encourage John to bring him over so he can further develop him into possibly a solid LT. He would come incredibly cheap too.

**Iscull** · 03-06-2013, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

I can see King Dunlap being on the radar right now, if they don't bring back McKinnie. Dunlap was good in pass pro this season, and I think Juan will encourage John to bring him over so he can further develop him into possibly a solid LT. He would come incredibly cheap too.

Trust me when I say we don't want King Dunlap. The guy has yet to put anything together, and they have both already been on the Eagle's together.

**Bazooka Joe** · 03-06-2013, 10:29 AM

What could Juan do for Terron Armstead? Chris Faulk?

**ursula** · 03-06-2013, 10:51 AM

Possibly more importantly what will Castillo do for Jack Cornell, who the team supposedly thinks has a future? Jah Reid? Harewood? Gradkowski? Are we looking at the team only using late picks and UDFA's for the line and concentrating in the draft on the defense? Sounds like it.

**GOTA** · 03-06-2013, 11:04 AM

A lot of teams have done the same thing with o-line coaches over the years. Russ Grimm, Howard Mudd and Jim McNally were always paid more to develop lesser prospects. Of course you still need some talent as they found out in Arizona a Philly this year.

**JohnBKistler** · 03-06-2013, 11:04 AM

This also could be a reflection of the fact that once you pay a QB top-5 money, you are going to have to find bargains at other positions.

**JoeCool5** · 03-06-2013, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by ursula

Possibly more importantly what will Castillo do for Jack Cornell, who the team supposedly thinks has a future? Jah Reid? Harewood? Gradkowski? Are we looking at the team only using late picks and UDFA's for the line and concentrating in the draft on the defense? Sounds like it.

Even Bisciotti said during an interview before last season that Ozzie was very high on Cornell. Watch out for that guy during training camp.

**Bigfish** · 03-06-2013, 11:44 AM

Quietly Castillo was added to the staff but his hiring may end up being a key. The article outlines the value he had provided to the Eagles. I'm psyched about Caldwell and him working together at least for one year. Right now the only question marks on offense are LT and C. Gradkowski will hopefully fill the center spot and resigning McKinney or some other veteran will secure LT. Picking at 32 is not going to provide a day one starter at LT and Oher will never be a LT. It looks like we already have several players that can provide solid depth, especially with Castillo's coaching.

**cealex1223** · 03-06-2013, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by JohnBKistler

This also could be a reflection of the fact that once you pay a QB top-5 money, you are going to have to find bargains at other positions.

Flacco's cap number next year is $6m, nowhere near top 5 money.

**lobachevsky** · 03-06-2013, 01:07 PM

So what does that leave for Moeller to do? Not trying to be snarcastic, but what's left?

**JohnBKistler** · 03-06-2013, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by cealex1223

Flacco's cap number next year is $6m, nowhere near top 5 money.

You don't manage the cap from year-to-year...unless your team practices in Ashburn, VA.

**pslholder96** · 03-06-2013, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by cealex1223

Flacco's cap number next year is $6m, nowhere near top 5 money.

I don't think he was talking from a cap perspective but just in general. Flacco got more than a top 5 contract we know.

**B-more Ravor** · 03-06-2013, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by lobachevsky

So what does that leave for Moeller to do? Not trying to be snarcastic, but what's left?

Cladwell is the OC, but his forte is more in the passing game.

Castillo is the running game coordinator, so I think he'll be more responsible for the run blocking scheme. He's kind of between the OC and the OL coach, but, again, with more of a role in getting the running game kick started again.

Moeller is the OL coach.

There certainly is a lot of interplay amongst them, but I would assume that Harbaugh will take care of clearly delineating their roles.

**leachisabeast** · 03-06-2013, 02:17 PM

Juan Castillo was always a great believer in power man blocking schemes. We went to a lot of ZBS stuff in 2011, but kind of got away from that this season especially towards the end when we were pretty much running out of power man exclusively, maybe that had something to do with Juan joining the team late. It clearly works better for us, we have the players suited for that scheme.

**Shas** · 03-06-2013, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by B-more Ravor

Cladwell is the OC, but his forte is more in the passing game.

Castillo is the running game coordinator, so I think he'll be more responsible for the run blocking scheme. He's kind of between the OC and the OL coach, but, again, with more of a role in getting the running game kick started again.

Moeller is the OL coach.

There certainly is a lot of interplay amongst them, but I would assume that Harbaugh will take care of clearly delineating their roles.

The Ravens, maybe more than any team I can think of, has a collaborative philosophy. The origins of their culture goes all the way back to the Bill Belichick days in Cleveland. Ozzie credits Belichick as a big influence on his approach -- everyone is expected to contribute a point of view and come prepared to argue that point, and then there is an ultimate decision maker who needs to be able to sort through all the information his guys have assembled.

This culture only strengthened under Bisciotti whose own business focused on mining the talent of the people you hire.

I've always felt that Billick and Cameron struggled in such as system. Whereas Harbaugh and Caldwell seem well suited for it. I have to think that it's an ideal place to work for certain guys. I can only assume that Castillo is going to enjoy being able to focus on what he likes to do, develop linemen, but also feel like his voice his heard and respected. When it comes down to it that's what we all want in our jobs. Let me do the work I like doing, but respect my point of view and listen when I want to express it.

**lowrider** · 03-06-2013, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by JohnBKistler

This also could be a reflection of the fact that once you pay a QB top-5 money, you are going to have to find bargains at other positions.

In general I agree with this, with exception to maybe LT. When you spend the kind of money they spent on Joe you better have a damn good LT to protect that investment. Not sure "late round" picks will work there.

**RockyMRaven** · 03-06-2013, 07:33 PM

Put J.O in a time machine and send him back 15 years. That'll do the trick at LT!

**CRZA938** · 03-06-2013, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by Shas

The Ravens, maybe more than any team I can think of, has a collaborative philosophy. The origins of their culture goes all the way back to the Bill Belichick days in Cleveland. Ozzie credits Belichick as a big influence on his approach -- everyone is expected to contribute a point of view and come prepared to argue that point, and then there is an ultimate decision maker who needs to be able to sort through all the information his guys have assembled.

This culture only strengthened under Bisciotti whose own business focused on mining the talent of the people you hire.

I've always felt that Billick and Cameron struggled in such as system. Whereas Harbaugh and Caldwell seem well suited for it. I have to think that it's an ideal place to work for certain guys. I can only assume that Castillo is going to enjoy being able to focus on what he likes to do, develop linemen, but also feel like his voice his heard and respected. When it comes down to it that's what we all want in our jobs. Let me do the work I like doing, but respect my point of view and listen when I want to express it.

That is a very interesting perspective.

**OhThePossibilities** · 03-07-2013, 03:28 AM

Originally Posted by lowrider

In general I agree with this, with exception to maybe LT. When you spend the kind of money they spent on Joe you better have a damn good LT to protect that investment. Not sure "late round" picks will work there.

As long as you have a solid middle who can create a pocket the QB can step up into, you don't need a world beater whose gonna stone every guy at the line, you just need an athletic guy guy with decent length who can redirect the rusher and keep him from getting inside.