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The 2022 Offseason Thread


DeCosta: “offensive line will be point of emphasis this offseason and so will secondary.”

It would be surprising to see us spend in free agency on a corner but i think we might take a look at OL and safety in free agency for sure

obviously not going to be involved in the top tackle market

idk that we'll fork out on any of the top guys at safety - Jessie Bates, Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Williams, Quandre Diggs, Marcus Maye (if they hit free agency which in at least jessie bates case seems unlikely)

but someone like Justin Reid at safety could make a lot of sense as could someone like Morgan Moses at tackle
Reid got benched for disciplinary reasons and stated that he only worried about the money
 
he specifically called out Evan Neal, Charles Cross and Tyler Linderbaum when talking about the top 15 of the draft

when talking about Linderbaum he specifically talked about Yanda with reference to them being from Iowa first and then talked about their similar qualities

it would be a massive departure from how we historically look at C if we drafted Linderbaum at 14 given him being 290lbs and predominantly a zone-blocking fit vs the gap and power that we predominantly run here and especially with the big/violent nose tackles we've seen and still see in the AFC North...

I just think with the secondary thing, they saw the same issues as we had at OT - as much depth as we thought we had it still somehow wasn't enough and especially in the sense that we're missing playmakers on the back-end - it also still emphasises the point that as much as we want to be great in the defensive trenches they still think we should build out the defence from back to front - i think it also points to the fact that tavon young is probably going to be cut (and even if he isnt that we're quite thin now at corner behind the top 2) - we're about to likely have 3 starting level corners (or previously starting level corners) leave the team this offseason through various means (tavon cut, averett free agency and jimmy retired or free agency)

im somewhat surprised though that no one even asked him about edge (unless I missed it) given we've only got 4 under contract and 3 are coming off injuries and the other is Jaylon Ferguson
1. I mostly pointed out Linderbaum because I rarely see Eric praise a player openly in pre-draft process that we actually take. He's usually super transparent about positions we'll target and types of players he likes, but I don't see this often.
2. I can't imagine we don't come out of the draft without at least one or two edge rushers, but I don't know how early that will be.
 
If you watch the full extended clips of Ronnie punching the ground and screaming, that just doesn't look like something anyone is ever going to be able to hold the weight and power of Chris Jones. To me it looks like his ankle broke straight the wrong direction and way more. It actually looks like a Joe Theisman of the ankle
Iirc didn’t Patrick queen react to an injury the same way and come back a few plays later?
 
Not to burst any bubbles, but I wouldn't read too much into what DeCosta is saying about draft prospects. He's not giving away any hints and praising Linderbaum doesn't mean that we actually love him. He's a zone C through and through so would not be surprised at all if he's trying to inflate interest there as of now. Not saying he won't be picked by us but keep in mind that he's out there playing chess too.

interesting mostly about the guys he didnt mention...

Ekwonu's likely just an oversight

but notably didn't mention penning or kenyon green who've had buzz from various places as top 15 type OL

also that he didnt say anything unprompted about the EDGE group (again in his best interest to keep the guys they like in that group secret given there's 6 who could go and they'll probably think they have a chance to grab their number 2 or 3 guy in that stack at 14)

and you're absolutely right about the idea there behind pumping up Linderbaum because he might not be a 1st rounder on the ravens board but legitimately could be a top 10 player on some teams boards... would be very much in our best interest for him to go high (just like the QBs and WRs too)
 
If you watch the full extended clips of Ronnie punching the ground and screaming, that just doesn't look like something anyone is ever going to be able to hold the weight and power of Chris Jones. To me it looks like his ankle broke straight the wrong direction and way more. It actually looks like a Joe Theisman of the ankle

eh? players punch the ground after crazy brutal injuries all the time that they recover from

he dislocated his ankle which is gruesome but punching the ground doesnt inherently mean anything other than "ow" and "my season's probably over"
 
There are not any pure sources out there because they don't exist. Good or bad, I don't think anyone actually knows anything right now. It's all up in the air. There is a video of an actual gruesome injury though, and he has undergone at least 3 major ankle surgeries. Anything else is unknown. I am not presenting anything as facts or knowledge, I just personally don't think he will play well ever again. Of course, I hope he does and could totally see a world in which he's back.

no one outside the organisation for sure - but everyone in the organisation has only had hopeful things to say based on what they've seen so far
why are we assuming they're all lying but jonny no mates on twitter isnt???
 
Shouldve went after S the moment the earl thomas stuff happened

i mean tbf that happened after we could have adjusted to it in 2020 so really only 2021 offseason we could have done anything about it and we did add a 3rd round pick at the position... and also added ardarius washington who a lot of us loved
 
Ah! Tyler Linderbaum is Eric's first big smoke screen of the season!!!


"I'm aware that there's some fan discontent with our wide receivers and our drafting and all that," DeCosta said. "We've got some really good young receivers. It's insulting to these guys when they hear that we don't have any receivers. It's quite insulting."- the master mind

and also remember we didnt hear a peep about lamar from inside the ravens organisation before that draft (which EDC even referenced in this combine presser)

last 3 1st round picks have been surprisingly easy to guess since (other than oweh which was a massive departure from what we've done historically at edge) - Hollywood, Queen and Bateman were all guys that i think many would have guessed we'd take including other teams that would have wanted those players

and yet they've managed to fall to us all 3 years and in hollywood's case we were even able to trade down and get him
 
Some pretty good stuff from DeCosta presser today.
The highlights (paraphrased by me mostly)
1. They're working at Lamar's pace on contract negotiations. When he gets urgent, they'll get urgent.
2. Offensive line and Secondary are the points of emphasis for the offseason. Oline falls under the category of "duh" but interesting that they feel secondary is a pressing need. Certainly would suggest to me that they're not supremely confident in Corner or Safety.
3. Feels Oline, Edge Rushers, and Corners are where the meat and potatoes of this draft class are, which jives with what others have been saying for awhile. Would again make me think that addressing positions like Dline, and perhaps Safety, could be more FA targets rather than draft targets.
4. Expects Dobbins to be back as good as ever.
5. Stanley is progressing and Stanley told him that he's in a better spot today than he was a year ago, coming off the initial injury.
6. Roster cuts and cap space being created will be happening in the next few weeks.
7. Have had discussions with Campbell and hope to bring him back.
8. Openly praised Tyler Linderbaum as a special player and thinks he's got a lot of the same tools as Yanda.


What are the "sources" saying now?
 
DeCosta: “offensive line will be point of emphasis this offseason and so will secondary.”

It would be surprising to see us spend in free agency on a corner but i think we might take a look at OL and safety in free agency for sure

obviously not going to be involved in the top tackle market

idk that we'll fork out on any of the top guys at safety - Jessie Bates, Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Williams, Quandre Diggs, Marcus Maye (if they hit free agency which in at least jessie bates case seems unlikely)

but someone like Justin Reid at safety could make a lot of sense as could someone like Morgan Moses at tackle

I’ve been saying Justin Reid would be a under-the-radar signing that makes sense. Another Reid at the safety spot. Sign me up!
 
My biggest concern about the draft is we draft defensive line early including the 1st pick. We absolutely must protect Lamar or we aren't going anywhere. Center ,LG and yes LT or RT . I think Ronnie is sadly done. Not kidding. Even DeCosta admitted it was his biggest mistake offseason was thinking Ronnie would be ready. I really respect Eric for saying that because it was the truth.
he also said he's much further along this year than he was last year.
 
I strongly believe that Ronnie Stannley will retire within the next 365 days. I think even if he might play this year (which I don't think he will), his level will significantly drop off. Players dont get injuries like this. His leg got fucked, I am getting shades of Dennis Pitta. Nerve damage is bad.
even if he was 70% of 2019 Ronnie Stanley, he'd still be a very good left tackle.
 
Folks: Wonderful back and forth with little or no intelligence about the reality of Stanley's medical situation. Very nice arguments based on conjured-up issues that may or may not have any basis in facts. Now, looking at everything we know about Stanley's situation can be summarized thusly. He has stated that he came back earlier than he should have and that resulted in reaggravating the injury. There have been a lot of rumors and conjectures being circulated about Stanley's ankle. Nerve damage et al.

The truth is we really don't know. Most recently, in an ESPN article, Stanley said he was working really hard with the intention not to just come back as a top-notch LT, but to come back better than ever. That indicates to me, the prognosis is pretty good. Does that mean Stanley will actually be better than before? No, but I cannot surmise 'nerve damage' or 'retirement' from it.

So, the best course of action is to wait and find out. The actions taken by the Ravens will inform us some, the training camp will inform us some more. We will surely know by the time pre-season rolls along with the real situation of the Stanley conundrum.
and if there was a winner "like", this would have earned it. No need to go any further than this post.
 
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