If there was one player you could bring back from the past....

**leachisabeast** · 11-21-2012, 02:36 AM

Who would it be? Obviously at their prime.

I was reading the online chat thing with Kevin Byrne yesturday on the Ravens website. And a fan asked a good question. "If there was one player in Ravens history you could being back to help this team, who would it be?"

Kevin Byrne said that he'd bring back C mac, because we are missing corners. I would say that he'd make a great impact. There are some other players I'd consider like...

JO
Who else would have loved to see JO actually protecting a good QB in his prime? JO would have certainly been able to help us out. Oher has been good this year, but he's still better playing right tackle. You could have JO come in at LT, move KO inside, move Yanda to center, and Jah Reid can move to right guard, with Oher at right tackle of course. That's one bad ass offensive line.

Peter Boulware
Despite our recent improvement of the pass rush, we could still do with having one of our best pass rushers in franchise history back. Him and Suggs playing together, with Kruger coming in on 3rd downs, move Boulware to DT next to Ngata, and have a crazy 4 man rush similar to the NASCAR package.

Jamie Sharper
Put him next to Dannell Ellerbe, and the defense would automatically improve. This guy was like Jarrett Johnson, an underrated piece of our defense that helped us win the SB.

Jarrett Johnson
In his prime Johnson was one of the best edge setters in football, he would assume the old role he had here.

Jamal Lewis
Who else would have loved to see Jamal Lewis running over Casey Hampton on Sunday night on that 3rd and 2?

Todd Heap
Dennis Pitta is good, Ed Dickson.... not so much. Heap was always a hard player to say good bye to, he was such a vital part of this offense for a long time. He could split reps with Pitta, you'd have an automatic 3rd down conversation rate, especially with Boldin on the other side.

Shannon Sharpe
Another great tight end, who helped us win a SB. I wish we'd had seen Sharpe playing with a good QB like Flacco in Baltimore.

Sam Adams
This is perhaps the player I'd pick if it wasn't for the guy below. He would fit into a position of need straight away, nose tackle. He'd dominate the line of scrimmage, and would fix our run defense easily. Playing along side Suggs and Ngata would be great to see.

Ray Lewis
Yes, I know he's still playing for us, but I'm talking about a young Ray, the 2003 Ray Lewis. This would be my choice. He was literally everywhere on the field. Our defense would be impossible to run on.

So many other Raven legends that could help, who would you pick? D Mason, Goose, Michael McCrary??

**Dade** · 11-21-2012, 02:41 AM

Your pretty spot on with your list. I would add:

A. Thomas
McCrary
Samari Rolle

And my favorite Raven of all time Rob Burnett!!!

**leachisabeast** · 11-21-2012, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by Dade

Your pretty spot on with your list. I would add:

A. Thomas
McCrary
Samari Rolle

And my favorite Raven of all time Rob Burnett!!!

I would add Zeus to the list too. He was a mean ass mother fucker, and could push the pile on those 3rd downs, put him at RT and move KO inside. He really did bring a unique amount of swagger and aggression to the Oline, which not many Olinemen do, too many times you see Olinemen get too soft.

**PerpetuallyBored74** · 11-21-2012, 02:55 AM

Crazy as it may sound, since I can't go with a young Ed Reed and you already mentioned JO and both of the Lewis's, I'd go with Jeff Mitchell.

Because right now Center is where we are weakest and while JO would be an improvement, since Oher is having a fine season, it would only be a marginal improvement, especially since JO at LT means Oher back at RT and Osemele is either on the bench or at LG (which would then put Reid on the bench)

But a young Jeff Mitchell, or even Mike Flynn, would be a significant improvement over a fading Birk.

**leachisabeast** · 11-21-2012, 03:02 AM

Originally Posted by PerpetuallyBored74

Crazy as it may sound, since I can't go with a young Ed Reed and you already mentioned JO and both of the Lewis's, I'd go with Jeff Mitchell.

Because right now Center is where we are weakest and while JO would be an improvement, since Oher is having a fine season, it would only be a marginal improvement, especially since JO at LT means Oher back at RT and Osemele is either on the bench or at LG (which would then put Reid on the bench)

But a young Jeff Mitchell, or even Mike Flynn, would be a significant improvement over a fading Birk.

Matt Flynn was terrible, don't get all the fuss over that guy. He's also an asshole.

Like I said, you could move Yanda to center, and move Reid to right guard, with KO at LG. OR if you want to talk about centers, look no further than the 2008 Jason Brown, he was a power house, and even though he faded with the Rams, he was one of the best centers in the NFL with us.

Jeff Mitchell was one of our best underrated Olinemen in ravens history and helped us win the SB. But remember it's just one player you can choose, and a center isn't going to greatly help us. Birk hasn't been that bad.

**Dade** · 11-21-2012, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

I would add Zeus to the list too. He was a mean ass mother fucker, and could push the pile on those 3rd downs, put him at RT and move KO inside. He really did bring a unique amount of swagger and aggression to the Oline, which not many Olinemen do, too many times you see Olinemen get too soft.

Yeah Zeus was an animal.

Given the relatively short history of this franchise there sure are alot of names to choose from.

**jimmypowder** · 11-21-2012, 03:58 AM

Kyle Boller

**Beerracuda** · 11-21-2012, 04:30 AM

Definitely would want a young Ray Lewis more than anyone else. He was everywhere on the field, and opposing teams called for plays to run AWAY from where Ray was lined up. On top of that, he made everyone around him better. He would make just average players look spectacular.

Second choice would be Mike McCrary. Can you imagine the combination of McCrary and Suggs getting after the QBs? It would be deadly, and be just as scary as Indy's Dwight Freeney/Robert Mathis combination.

**ActualSpamBot** · 11-21-2012, 04:40 AM

I'd add 1996 Michael Jackson to this list as a potential. Dude had 76 grabs, 1200 yards and 14 TDs. Not to mention being 6-4 makes him a monster red zone target. We'd easily have the best receiving corps in the league at that point.

**GOTA** · 11-21-2012, 05:16 AM

If it was just 1 guy it would be Peter Boulware. Boulware + Suggs = the most dominant pass rush in the NFL.

**wickedsolo** · 11-21-2012, 05:44 AM

For me, with the team now as it is...Jonathan Ogden 10 times out of 10.

This defense isn't great, but teams have a hard time scoring on them in the red zone and they really don't give up too many big plays. However, this offensive line is really below average in run blocking and pass blocking.

If I couldn't have JO, I'd probably go for a 28 year old Ray Lewis.

**Terpsfan82** · 11-21-2012, 06:13 AM

Boulware. He instantly improves the pass rush. Second would be C Mac.

**arnie_uk** · 11-21-2012, 07:21 AM

Ed reed. Takes away half a field. Should Help the pass rush as well.

**Rxdoxx** · 11-21-2012, 07:43 AM

CMac? I'd prefer someone who was named the DPOY in 1993 and was moved to safety as a Raven.
But going back to prime and the only qualification is having been a Raven, I take Rod Woodson over CMac with 71 interceptions (CMac 26), 12 INT TDs (CMac 5)... Yes CMac was good but.....

**Corey** · 11-21-2012, 07:47 AM

J.O. and it's no competition for me. He would solidify the line and give Flacco something he's never really had before, great pass protection.

**NCRAVEN** · 11-21-2012, 07:49 AM

For this season, it's tough. We need Sam Adams to plug the middle of the defense. Boulware for pass rush, CMac for coverage, Jason Brown to replace Birk's experienced, but old ass.

Tough one, but I'm going to go with..................

Boulware, we need pressure on the QB more than anything IMO, with Sam Adams being a close second.

**esmd** · 11-21-2012, 07:56 AM

McCrary with two good knees. He and Suggs coming from opposite ends of the line would be epic.

**pslholder96** · 11-21-2012, 08:00 AM

It's a toss up between Ogden and McCary. I would say McCary because our pass rush (while it has gotten a little better) could surely use his motor when he was at his peak.

**Ravenswintitle** · 11-21-2012, 08:06 AM

Vinny Testaverde anyone? McCrary is my vote, still have his jersey.

But I know that everyone on this forum is secretly wishing for a return of the man that could throw it through the goal post from his knees... you know...

**PerpetuallyBored74** · 11-21-2012, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Matt Flynn was terrible, don't get all the fuss over that guy. He's also an asshole.

Like I said, you could move Yanda to center, and move Reid to right guard, with KO at LG. OR if you want to talk about centers, look no further than the 2008 Jason Brown, he was a power house, and even though he faded with the Rams, he was one of the best centers in the NFL with us.

Jeff Mitchell was one of our best underrated Olinemen in ravens history and helped us win the SB. But remember it's just one player you can choose, and a center isn't going to greatly help us. Birk hasn't been that bad.

How is Mike Flynn an asshole? I remember he gave a lot of money to a family friend who claimed she had cancer, only the woman was lying trying to scam Flynn but she got caught. Guy gives money to a person who (falsely) claims she needs it for cancer treatment, that doesn't sound like an asshole to me.
And I don't remember him being bullrushed constantly back into McNair or Boller.

I prefer not to move Yanda, and I thought about Brown but I don't trust a guy who has one big year, gets paid then promptly fades. Out of all the centers we've had, I'd take Birk in his prime when was a Pro Bowler with the Vikings.

And I do think a strong center will help us late in the season more than anything else because although Birk hasn't been that bad over the 1st half of the season, I fully expect him to get worse as the colder months and the wear and tear of the season rake their toll on him again. Because that's what's happened the past 3 years with Birk.