BloodRaven
MVP
Cutting Earl was a terrible decision.
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The 2020 Offseason Thread
- Thread starter rossihunter2
- Start date
yeah and so did levine too - but elliott instantly went into the back pedal to deal with the situation
BloodRaven
MVP
Earls 42% completion rate in coverage was the second-lowest in the NFL, and he also didn’t allow a touchdown in his coverage in 2019
Back from my hiatus until the season starts (I'll be back to writing articles and all that good jazz) due to all this controversy.
The ELI5 of that post is the further down and the further to the left you are, the better you were in coverage. It's obviously a bit scheme dependant for safeties because some cover man to man a lot and some solely sit in center field, but the Ravens expanded Earl's role a ton and asked him to do a lot more than Seattle, so it wasn't just him sitting in centerfield.
Earl was stellar for the Ravens. The advanced analytics and raw stats show it. He allowed four yards over the last six weeks. Anyone who is upset with his play is upset he wasn't flashier with interceptions because Earl was very quiety dominant. I have to imagine a lot of downplaying his play comes from A) people didn't like him because he talked a lot and it didn't always turn out well and because of his antics with teammates and B) because people want to downplay how much this release will actually hurt the Ravens.
It's funny to me, though, because when the debate of who is the better corner- MP or Humphrey (maybe not on here, but it's popular on Reddit), the point against Peters is always that he had elite safety play behind him. So, either Earl wasn't that good or he was elite. Can't have it both ways, guys.
Quite frankly, I'm concerned. Earl Thomas was really good for the Ravens and quietly dominant on the backend in a very complex defense with a very expanded role.
The reason I'm concerned is because the Ravens were the most blitz heavy team in the NFL last year. You can't be that blitz heavy without a good secondary. You just took away an elite piece of that secondary. That's going to hurt.
I'm also concerned because Elliott has all of one game worth of snaps, and barely at that. I know people like to make it sound better by saying six games!!!! but the reality is that it's about a games worth of snaps spread over six games. That's worrisome. At this point, you have to expect the Ravens will sign or trade for someone. Trade for Hooker? Sign Ryan? Sign Carr? My concern is that any new player only has like 17 days to learn a very complex defense and develop chemistry. That's not easy. At least Carr has familiarity in the system, but he'd hardly be my ideal FS candidate.
I am a little encouraged, though, by the off-season moves. If Campbell and Wolfe pan out, the pass rush is drastically improved and might not have to blitz as much. A big weakness last year was that the Ravens linebackers were ass in coverage, but Queen was monstrous in coverage in college and apparently Harrison has looked really solid in camp.
I think this is a net downgrade and I expect the defense to take a hit. I was not in favor of releasing Earl Thomas the player because he was still one of the best coverage safeties in the NFL. However, I fully support releasing Earl Thomas the teammate because no one player is above the team and Earl was causing way too many issues.
The ELI5 of that post is the further down and the further to the left you are, the better you were in coverage. It's obviously a bit scheme dependant for safeties because some cover man to man a lot and some solely sit in center field, but the Ravens expanded Earl's role a ton and asked him to do a lot more than Seattle, so it wasn't just him sitting in centerfield.
Earl was stellar for the Ravens. The advanced analytics and raw stats show it. He allowed four yards over the last six weeks. Anyone who is upset with his play is upset he wasn't flashier with interceptions because Earl was very quiety dominant. I have to imagine a lot of downplaying his play comes from A) people didn't like him because he talked a lot and it didn't always turn out well and because of his antics with teammates and B) because people want to downplay how much this release will actually hurt the Ravens.
It's funny to me, though, because when the debate of who is the better corner- MP or Humphrey (maybe not on here, but it's popular on Reddit), the point against Peters is always that he had elite safety play behind him. So, either Earl wasn't that good or he was elite. Can't have it both ways, guys.
Quite frankly, I'm concerned. Earl Thomas was really good for the Ravens and quietly dominant on the backend in a very complex defense with a very expanded role.
The reason I'm concerned is because the Ravens were the most blitz heavy team in the NFL last year. You can't be that blitz heavy without a good secondary. You just took away an elite piece of that secondary. That's going to hurt.
I'm also concerned because Elliott has all of one game worth of snaps, and barely at that. I know people like to make it sound better by saying six games!!!! but the reality is that it's about a games worth of snaps spread over six games. That's worrisome. At this point, you have to expect the Ravens will sign or trade for someone. Trade for Hooker? Sign Ryan? Sign Carr? My concern is that any new player only has like 17 days to learn a very complex defense and develop chemistry. That's not easy. At least Carr has familiarity in the system, but he'd hardly be my ideal FS candidate.
I am a little encouraged, though, by the off-season moves. If Campbell and Wolfe pan out, the pass rush is drastically improved and might not have to blitz as much. A big weakness last year was that the Ravens linebackers were ass in coverage, but Queen was monstrous in coverage in college and apparently Harrison has looked really solid in camp.
I think this is a net downgrade and I expect the defense to take a hit. I was not in favor of releasing Earl Thomas the player because he was still one of the best coverage safeties in the NFL. However, I fully support releasing Earl Thomas the teammate because no one player is above the team and Earl was causing way too many issues.
BloodRaven
MVP
This is bad for us. Really bad.
QuothTheRaven
Veteran
None of the analysis on his play matters - if his teammates want him gone he just has to go. It's that or tank the whole season with a broken locker room.
that last paragraph is the key - its a big piece to miss on the field but the players didnt trust him anymore and that's fatal on a complex communication-oriented defence
Ravensnation5220
Ravens Ring of Honor
I'd also add Levine to the list.
Ravensnation5220
Ravens Ring of Honor
As much of a talent ET was he just wasnt a team guy. Hes an ego guy. That's all he cared about was himself and it showed this offseason. He wasnt about team chemistry and our defense relies on trust. The guys just couldn't trust him.
He freelances way too much. This isnt the same as Peter's freelancing though. Either way this shouldnt hurt our secondary too much. We have a lot of talent on the back end. It's a tough pill to swallow but it almost seems necessary. If we want to with a ship we need everyone to be on the same page. Earl wasnt and never tried to be
He freelances way too much. This isnt the same as Peter's freelancing though. Either way this shouldnt hurt our secondary too much. We have a lot of talent on the back end. It's a tough pill to swallow but it almost seems necessary. If we want to with a ship we need everyone to be on the same page. Earl wasnt and never tried to be
BloodRaven
MVP
The locker room wasnt broken last season when he was kicking ass for us.
NaturalBornHitters
Veteran
Damn we should of showed ET around to trade after the threescore/gun incident with his brother. That red flag was waving right in our face smh
QuothTheRaven
Veteran
Right. But this season they'd had enough.
I do think him going is a problem on the field though, until DeShon Elliot proves otherwise.
glad to have you back
Ravensnation5220
Ravens Ring of Honor
I think he will. He seems motivated as hell and his teammates support him. Unlike with earl
winning cures a lot of ills
sounds like the issues went into overdrive during this offseason program though
interesting - that would allow for some cap relief even if we lose the grievance which would be useful
BloodRaven
MVP
I dont really give two shits about Earl Thomas, he was a merc and acted like one but he was damn good at stopping QBs from passing over the middle.
If we luck out and can somehow replace that then great, but his skillset doesnt grow on trees and our safeties sure as hell don't have it. The issue now is we need a solution to a problem we didn't have a few days ago.