Jason Brown

**GOTA** · 02-22-2012, 04:25 AM

Originally Posted by pslholder96

Okay. Good points. However now with Josh McDaniels gone why is there talk of Jason Brown still being released? Has his play declined that much that the Rams won't give Brown a second chance?

He's due $5 million this year and if he plays well he has voidable years on his contract. I think the issue is money.

**wickedsolo** · 02-22-2012, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

We will be fine with Gurode, he looked good whenever he took snaps at C this year. Jason Brown had a poor season, and there is obviously a reason why the Rams are cutting him to save only 600 k.

What the 3 snaps he took?

I dont know where folks are getting this. I can remember about 5 snaps he took at center this year. That is a far cry from being a decent enough sample size to see if he can hack it at center still. If he was such a great center then why did Dallas opt for Phil Costa over him, which resulted in Gurode being cut? Costa wasn't that great this past season.

Again, I'm not bashing Gurode or anything of that nature. I'm simply stating that we don't know how he would do at center because he didn't really play center this past season. What he did do was play guard at a below average level. There were plays where he looked like Oniel Cousins out there. Seriously.

I'm all for Gurode coming back and competing with someone for vet minimum or something, but bringing him back here and handing him the starting gig and calling it "fine" is the wrong way to go about things when there are better options.

**JAB1985** · 02-22-2012, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

What the 3 snaps he took?

I dont know where folks are getting this. I can remember about 5 snaps he took at center this year. That is a far cry from being a decent enough sample size to see if he can hack it at center still. If he was such a great center then why did Dallas opt for Phil Costa over him, which resulted in Gurode being cut? Costa wasn't that great this past season.

Again, I'm not bashing Gurode or anything of that nature. I'm simply stating that we don't know how he would do at center because he didn't really play center this past season. What he did do was play guard at a below average level. There were plays where he looked like Oniel Cousins out there. Seriously.

I'm all for Gurode coming back and competing with someone for vet minimum or something, but bringing him back here and handing him the starting gig and calling it "fine" is the wrong way to go about things when there are better options.

Im with you on this, I think Gurode should be a more of a last resort before signing a low level backup type. im only giving him the nod over those unprovens because hes got a year in our system. Theres better talent out there than gurode and brown might be one of those guys. I think having a competition with either of those two is a must.

**Kyle Cactus** · 02-22-2012, 07:13 AM

If Brown doesn't get any big $$$ offers (which I'm guessing he won't), he may look for a shorter contract that will allow him to prove himself. Then he could hit the market again, but with higher perceived value than he has now. This gives him 1 more pay day before his career is over.

If this is the case Baltimore has to be an appealing situation for him, even if he's still motivated by money. He gets on a team where he's had success before. Plus that team is a playoff contender.

The Ravens get a player at a reasonable price who will be motivated to perform.

IMO, if the Rams use a June 1 release he may not be as useful to the Ravens. Ozzie may look to find a workable solution to the center issue before the draft. This would lessen one of our needs heading into the draft. Plus we might draft a center in the early rounds. If either happened, our chances of pursuing Brown are bound to decrease.

**wickedsolo** · 02-22-2012, 07:15 AM

I believe that teams can actually release guys before June 1st, but under the "June 1st release" title.

**Ravenswintitle** · 02-22-2012, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

What the 3 snaps he took?

I dont know where folks are getting this. I can remember about 5 snaps he took at center this year. That is a far cry from being a decent enough sample size to see if he can hack it at center still. If he was such a great center then why did Dallas opt for Phil Costa over him, which resulted in Gurode being cut? Costa wasn't that great this past season.

Again, I'm not bashing Gurode or anything of that nature. I'm simply stating that we don't know how he would do at center because he didn't really play center this past season. What he did do was play guard at a below average level. There were plays where he looked like Oniel Cousins out there. Seriously.

I'm all for Gurode coming back and competing with someone for vet minimum or something, but bringing him back here and handing him the starting gig and calling it "fine" is the wrong way to go about things when there are better options.

Dallas did not want to lose Gurode, they tried to get him to rework his deal but he wasn't interested. It was purely a money issue last year when they cut several players. He had just come off of his 5th pro bowl at center; I think he should be able to step in and be a solid replacement IF Birk isn't the center next season.
On that topic - I really wish Birk would make a decision asap.

**saintmatthew** · 02-22-2012, 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by Corey

I can't fault Brown for wanting to make as much money as possible but the way he departed told me something about his character that I didn't like. He left for a bottom dweller when playoff teams were pursuing him. The Rams wrote the biggest check so he went there. That shows me that winning wasn't priority for him.

I don't know that the Eagles would have matched the Rams but the deals couldn't have been far off because there was a rumor of a bidding war going on.

There is something to be said for going to a bottom dweller and and having a chance to be instrumental in their return to respectability. Movies are made about this. It's basically THE sports movie cliche. Realistic - not as often as Hollywood would have you believe of course. I also won't give anyone shit for taking a 33% larger salary. Especially when that 33% is 2 million dollars. That's private school, a car and a college educations for your kids. Hell, I'd sell the pictures of Ozzie's draft board that my cousin's sister's uncle's brother, the copy machine toner cartridge repairman, takes every day, to the stealers for $2 million. That's a lot of money.

**Jayc00** · 02-22-2012, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Dallas did not want to lose Gurode, they tried to get him to rework his deal but he wasn't interested. It was purely a money issue last year when they cut several players. He had just come off of his 5th pro bowl at center; I think he should be able to step in and be a solid replacement IF Birk isn't the center next season.
On that topic - I really wish Birk would make a decision asap.

I hear you, but with or without Birk they need to start looking for that next guy. Birk simply doesn't have it anymore lining up against the better guys.

**Kyle Cactus** · 02-22-2012, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

I believe that teams can actually release guys before June 1st, but under the "June 1st release" title.

Well hopefully this is the case with Brown then.

**Jeremiah W** · 02-22-2012, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Dallas did not want to lose Gurode, they tried to get him to rework his deal but he wasn't interested. It was purely a money issue last year when they cut several players. He had just come off of his 5th pro bowl at center; I think he should be able to step in and be a solid replacement IF Birk isn't the center next season.
On that topic - I really wish Birk would make a decision asap.

I think Birk made his decision, but is keeping it quiet so it does not give the ravens needs away like with Willy Anderson.

**wickedsolo** · 02-22-2012, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

Dallas did not want to lose Gurode, they tried to get him to rework his deal but he wasn't interested. It was purely a money issue last year when they cut several players. He had just come off of his 5th pro bowl at center; I think he should be able to step in and be a solid replacement IF Birk isn't the center next season.
On that topic - I really wish Birk would make a decision asap.

I really am not interested in seeing Birk back as the starting center. He was absolutely handled by Wilfork and honestly he was a weak spot for much of the season. He's a FA and I doubt the Ravens would re-sign him unless it was to be the back up.

Regarding Gurode, they had already made the decision to go with Phil Costa as the starting center prior to cutting Gurode. I'm sure money had a lot to do with it, but guys re-structure deals all the time. Jerry Jones specifically stated after cutting him that they couldn't justify paying starter's money to a guy who wasn't going to start.

**The Excellector** · 02-22-2012, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by Jayc00

I hear you, but with or without Birk they need to start looking for that next guy. Birk simply doesn't have it anymore lining up against the better guys.

They can draft that guy, but you still need someone who is ready to step in now. It might not be Gurode, but it will be somebody.

**LukeDaniel** · 02-22-2012, 08:07 AM

Jason was also a very capable guard for us back in 2007, was he not?

Brown isn't really that much older than Grubbs and will probably come with about 30-40% of the yearly pricetag of Grubbs. I wonder if that's a consideration at all. Bring Brown in inexpensively and draft Konz.

**The Excellector** · 02-22-2012, 09:05 AM

Maybe, we shouldn't pass too much judgment on Gurode. Remember, the Ravens got Birk the same way. Minnesota went younger and they were not going to pay starter money to a backup.

**Ravenswintitle** · 02-22-2012, 09:08 AM

Plus the Cowboys got their replacement center as an UDFA so not sure if the Ravens can afford tying up several mill on this position given the other contracts. Bring some bodies into camp

**leachisabeast** · 02-22-2012, 09:24 AM

I really don't want to draft a C in the first round, but really drafting Peter Konz would fix all of this and makes so much sense. If Grubbs goes too Kevin Zeitler could be an interesting option in the second round, that's paring two if the top 5 interior linemen that played on the best offensive line in college football, who helped the team get 200 rushing yards a game.

Ozzie did say "It starts with the offensive line", maybe this is a hint that he will be looking at the Oline in the draft as a priority. I really want us to get pass rushers, a ILB, or a WR, but we are going to have some issues on the line if we don't bring in some guys. Do you really want to see Oher or Reid starting at guard next season?

**OC Bob** · 02-22-2012, 12:34 PM

The Ravens would need to do their homework (in which I have confidence in their analysis). With this said, I would be very excited to see Brown with the Ravens next season!

**houstonravensfan** · 02-22-2012, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Kyle Cactus

If Brown doesn't get any big $$$ offers (which I'm guessing he won't), he may look for a shorter contract that will allow him to prove himself. Then he could hit the market again, but with higher perceived value than he has now. This gives him 1 more pay day before his career is over.

If this is the case Baltimore has to be an appealing situation for him, even if he's still motivated by money. He gets on a team where he's had success before. Plus that team is a playoff contender.

The Ravens get a player at a reasonable price who will be motivated to perform.

IMO, if the Rams use a June 1 release he may not be as useful to the Ravens. Ozzie may look to find a workable solution to the center issue before the draft. This would lessen one of our needs heading into the draft. Plus we might draft a center in the early rounds. If either happened, our chances of pursuing Brown are bound to decrease.

IMHO, you've hit a key point: Oz doesn't need a C -- he needs a C AND must ALSO solve issues at G, ILB, OLB, and MAYBE RB, WR, LT, DE, and S. We have just ONE pick in the first two rounds, and both of them are very late. Oz can not COUNT on getting any one specific player; he'll need to go BPA. Even if he gets a top quality college C (or any other position), that C/other player might not be able to step in day one. Seems to me that Oz needs to solve an issue or two before the draft so he won't be forced to draft for need.

**Bazooka Joe** · 02-22-2012, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Honetly, this is my ideal situation. It really is.
Ji
Bring him back on a 5 year deal and then gun for someone like Kevin Zeitler or Cordy Glenn in the draft. Boom. Interior OL set for half a decade and still allows you to keep Rice.

I agree. Perfect scenario.