The General TE Thread

[RavensMania]

I see this season as being the make or tear it down season as it pertains to flacco and harbaugh. If flacco plays awful this year, it will hit the FO that we need to find our next QB.

this is a very pivotal season..right now, as every team feels ( apart from the bears lol) they are going to be great, things are feeling rosy and optimistic..

My gut tells me the D will be top 5. My gut tells me that unless we produce some late off season magic via trades or surprising cuts, this offense could easily be bottom 5.

Although I do agree this is a possibility, I also believe there is just as good a chance that this offenses surprises us and is much better. I'm not saying top five, but top 12-16. I believe Morninhweg having a full offseason and calling his own plays vs. Trestmans plays, plus the signing of Roman will be huge. Roman is great in the run game and with TEs. i do believe we will bring in a WR, maybe Boldin and maybe Mangold. I also have confidence in Perriman.

The glass is half full, I know, but I believe..Go Ravens!

 

[Tank]

Save being a third year 2nd round pick that won't get cut, at this point Maxx has to be at the back of the bus in the rotation. Both Gilmore and Boyle have shown more in their limited action.

As far as Waller goes I think they keep him somewhere regardless if it's at TE or WR. He's been a capable ST player and shows much promise as a receiver. For me he's the sleeper who may break out big.

 

[rossihunter2]

If we are going back to the run game then I think we may well see Boyle in the full back role, with Gillmore and Maxx in 2 TE sets - the problem is waller will make the team most likely because of special teams play and pitta is pretty much guaranteed to make the team as well - watson i think is definitely gone

maxx really hasnt had a huge opportunity to play with flacco in this offence yet despite this being his 3rd year - flacco got injured in his first year by the time he made it into the rotation and then once flacco was back maxx was injured - this is a huge offseason for our 2015 draft class: if maxx, breshad and boyle can stay healthy, unsuspended and develop chemistry with a healthier flacco this offseason then they all have a chance to kick on - unfortunately there's no guarantee that will happen - these guys have all shown flashes but no consistency - i feel similarly about a load of our tight ends that i do about campanaro - they have to now kick on and stay available and consistent because there is a lot of untapped potential in our tight end corps but i think pretty soon the front office is going to get tired of waiting for it

 

[mc_red23]

One thing that irritates me when it comes to the TE's is that when they are injury free Flacco seems to ignore them yet goes to Pitta at every opportunity. Flacco simply has to get them (Maxx in particular) more involved.

 

[rossihunter2]

One thing that irritates me when it comes to the TE's is that when they are injury free Flacco seems to ignore them yet goes to Pitta at every opportunity. Flacco simply has to get them (Maxx in particular) more involved.

im not sure we've had a time yet when these young tight ends and flacco have been healthy at the same time - the only time i can think is when crockett started to make the lineup towards the end of his rookie year

 

[wrongbaldy]

has there been word from the ravens about maxx's recovery?

 

[jdynamite]

It would be nice if there were updates on Maxx's recovery as well as some info on Gilmore whose often injured.

I was disappointed with his usage before getting injured last year, he basically an in-line blocker on double TE sets or a decoy, never had a pass thrown his way. He had a decent rookie year that ended prematurely, once I saw Pitta was making a real comeback I was worried they would bury this kid.

I was hopeful to see Waller used to exploit both LBs and Safeties in space, when he finally got some action last year, but that just never came about.
It's a combination of lack offensive creativity and Flacco having the Pitta blinders on.
It would be great to see more games like the Dolphins game, when the team had a weakness at LB and the offense attacked it relentlessly.

Or to see more presnap motion, to isolate defenders and pick them apart.

 

[HNL Raven]

One thing that irritates me when it comes to the TE's is that when they are injury free Flacco seems to ignore them yet goes to Pitta at every opportunity. Flacco simply has to get them (Maxx in particular) more involved.

Why are people saying this? Pitta been out of the league for 2 years, how is he ignoring the other TE for Pitta? Maxx was injured last year, Crockett was injured last year, Darren cant block and he played more special teams last year. I remember the game vs Denver 2015, Flacco threw it to Crockett for the game winner. The game vs Arizona 2015, Flacco threw it to Crockett for the game winner. How is Flacco ignoring these guys?

 

[RavensMania]

Why are people saying this? Pitta been out of the league for 2 years, how is he ignoring the other TE for Pitta? Maxx was injured last year, Crockett was injured last year, Darren cant block and he played more special teams last year. I remember the game vs Denver 2015, Flacco threw it to Crockett for the game winner. The game vs Arizona 2015, Flacco threw it to Crockett for the game winner. How is Flacco ignoring these guys?

Short memories

 

[BloodRaven]

Its hard to see any of these guys being reliable, maybe we need to start looking elsewhere.

 

[arnie_uk]

Whos maxx?

 

[RL52TheGreatest]

If Maxx can come back healthy and in shape then I think he could be in for a breakout year. He might have the best hands on the team and, if given the chance, could overtake Pitta as Joe's favorite target. People are also forgetting that Maxx is still really young (he's only 23 years old) and he's playing a position that normally takes a while to develop in the NFL.

 

[Tiz]

Meh. Imo maxx is expendable. It would make him a bust if he's let go but I think getting production out of the te position isn't an issue.

We have a handful of guys there that contribute andif maxx doesn't separate from the pact he can go.

I'd be more inclined to work with him if Pitta had gotten hurt again last yr

 

[arnie_uk]

Why are people saying this? Pitta been out of the league for 2 years, how is he ignoring the other TE for Pitta? Maxx was injured last year, Crockett was injured last year, Darren cant block and he played more special teams last year. I remember the game vs Denver 2015, Flacco threw it to Crockett for the game winner. The game vs Arizona 2015, Flacco threw it to Crockett for the game winner. How is Flacco ignoring these guys?

It's always flacco that. Understand that and you will be at peace here

 

[RavensMania]

Meh. Imo maxx is expendable. It would make him a bust if he's let go but I think getting production out of the te position isn't an issue.

We have a handful of guys there that contribute andif maxx doesn't separate from the pact he can go.

I'd be more inclined to work with him if Pitta had gotten hurt again last yr

You are entitled to your opinion, but if you follow the final few games in 2015, his rookie year, he was starting to come on. @HNL Raven is correct in stating that TE takes a while to adjust to in the NFL. He has terrific hands and is still very young.

It was unfortunate he was injured this year, but if he is in shape this season, he could be a very nice weapon for us. I think we need to be patient before calling him a bust.

 

[Italian Raven]

As far as Waller goes I think they keep him somewhere regardless if it's at TE or WR. He's been a capable ST player and shows much promise as a receiver. For me he's the sleeper who may break out big.

Waller was a big day 3 crush of mine based on potential. I hated the triple option that GT kept displaying. I saw him catching a nice percentage of throws (especially comebacks) coming his way, even when contested and wondered if he could become more than that.
I think he has the leverage in making the final 53, unlike last year when he did mainly due to his gunner role.
We should use him more often, at least as a 3rd down 'safety' blanket or in the redzone (which we did once in a while last year).

 

[wrongbaldy]

i still dont understand the love for pitta. dude is 5 yards and fall down.
his yac are terrible on his 80+ catches. and joe stares him down so much that other guys that are open dont get targets.
i would move on w.out pitta, plus he is not an asset in the red zone

 

[Oldfaithful]

I love how everyone is underestimating Maxx here. He would have likely produced last season had we not put him on IR(hell, doctors even said he could have played through it). I know @rmcjacket would have been like "it's never the coaches fault". Marc Trestman just didn't know how to use him at all.

Even if he isn't ripped, if he's in good shape(and after a few months in training camp he will probably be ala what Suggs usually does) then he should be a threat. He's the most talented TE on the roster.

 

[Tank]

I love how everyone is underestimating Maxx here. He would have likely produced last season had we not put him on IR(hell, doctors even said he could have played through it). I know @rmcjacket would have been like "it's never the coaches fault". Marc Trestman just didn't know how to use him at all.

Even if he isn't ripped, if he's in good shape(and after a few months in training camp he will probably be ala what Suggs usually does) then he should be a threat. He's the most talented TE on the roster.

I think he'll be great if he can stay on the field long enough to develop. Therein lies the quandary.

 

[BloodRaven]

Looking at the final year options Texan's C.J Fedorowicz could be a good fit. He's a durable version of Gillmore.