big picture; looking at the future

[TheCity5]

I think this team is going to move on from Carr and Jimmy, would like to keep them both but it's inevitable. I would like to see if there is a possiblity to keeping Michael Pierce, I would say Urban as well but his injury history is a big red flag for me. That's really all I can say for 2019. AFC is wide open this year so we have a shot at going deep or even better. I like this team a lot and I've always been hyped for 2018 personally.

 

[allblackraven]

Can you tell me where I said anything about their defense? Thanks.

It’s a good measuring stick for our defense.

"I want to see how the Ravens play against teams like the Panthers and Saints etc before I get too hype, "

That would assume both sides of the ball

 

[JoeyFlex5]

I think this team is going to move on from Carr and Jimmy, would like to keep them both but it's inevitable. I would like to see if there is a possiblity to keeping Michael Pierce, I would say Urban as well but his injury history is a big red flag for me. That's really all I can say for 2019. AFC is wide open this year so we have a shot at going deep or even better. I like this team a lot and I've always been hyped for 2018 personally.

We would be dumb to let both go. After all the years of having horrible cb play, and horrible depth, we can’t get rid of it once we get it. We would really shoot ourselves in the foot.

 

[TheCity5]

We would be dumb to let both go. After all the years of having horrible cb play, and horrible depth, we can’t get rid of it once we get it. We would really shoot ourselves in the foot.

I think we could keep one of them, but that really depends IMO. You know the case with Jimmy and it's hard to really invest with him considering the wear and tear his injuries put him through. The outlook isn't great IMO. In Carr's case, I think this just comes down to prioritizing the deals of some other players. It doesn't mean we won't get another CB via FA or draft.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

I think we could keep one of them, but that really depends IMO. You know the case with Jimmy and it's hard to really invest with him considering the wear and tear his injuries put him through. The outlook isn't great IMO. In Carr's case, I think this just comes down to prioritizing the deals of some other players. It doesn't mean we won't get another CB via FA or draft.

Carr is gone, I doubt jimmy is. We don’t have the horses to replace both, and unless averett makes a major leap in year 2, which he could do I’m not saying he can’t, we don’t have the horses to replace jimmy. Even though our defense is lights out right now I still don’t like Carr as a full time starter, I definitely wouldn’t like averett as a full time starter, not until he shows that his size isn’t a problem.

Doing that would force us to invest heavily in the secondary again, especially considering weddles age, are we sold on Clark or Elliott? If we’re in win now mode for joes last year or 2 why would we ship away key players that make or break this team while they’re still under contract? What’s the difference between shipping out jimmy and shipping out a guy like yanda or Suggs? It just doesn’t make sense. Back when we didn’t know how good we were gonna be this year it made sense to plan for the future, but now we’re clearly looking at the super bowl for the next 2 years, stick with it. I’d rather us keep this squad for 2 years and invest in BPA to give us some future star power without worrying about position, either that or focus heavily on the OL and run game and pass rush, I don’t wanna see us investing heavy in the secondary again after doing it for years

 

[rossihunter2]

Its not about not having flaws, teams have tons of flaws, the "complete" team never wins in the NFL because they are the jack of all trades and they are not great at anything which gets you 8-8 but doesn't get you playoff success.

since when has complete meant jack of all trades?

 

[RavensMania]

Bringing this back a few months later..

Our best course of action might be cut Brandon Carr, resign our own guys, go find a bargain bin signing at LG, and then just draft BPA next season. I'm not even kidding. Even if Yanda decides to retire(I doubt it if we make the postseason this year) and Suggs continues to look like he has another season in the tank of good play, and so does Weddle to be honest. And we have replacements for both on the roster. Skura looks solid at C(surprisingly), we just need a good LG.

Even with Jimmy's absurd salary next season, if we get to the AFC championship game there is literally no reason to break up a winning team.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/baltimore-ravens/
Sure, it looks like we have a lot of key FAs, but a lot of those guys can be tendered, and a few of them can likely be had for cheap(Maxx, Buck). This leaves Suggs, Mosley, and Brown. I think we can fit all three under the cap, and that should be the top priority. You let Za'Darius Smith walk, and you see where Urban stands(he's a very good player but we have zillions of defensive linemen and a few nice young ones waiting in the wings).

I think the team is in good position moving forward. Next year could be our year if we play our cards right.

I agree with keeping the team together for the most part, but Carr is gone no matter how well he plays this year. If we stay relatively healthy, this year could be our year.

 

[RavensMania]

the reason these 6 teams are all on a similar level is that they all have shown themselves to have flaws and need to prove it or find solutions to certain issues

I don’t see them all at the same level. I see the Pats at the top because they always seem to start this way evil genius B.B. fixes the issues and they get better as the season progresses. Until someone knocks them off the pedestal then it’s the Patriots and everyone else.

That being said, it’s entirely possible that they get knocked off the pedestal this year and that could very well be us.

 

[rossihunter2]

I don’t see them all at the same level. I see the Pats at the top because they always seem to start this way evil genius B.B. fixes the issues and they get better as the season progresses. Until someone knocks them off the pedestal then it’s the Patriots and everyone else.

That being said, it’s entirely possible that they get knocked off the pedestal this year and that could very well be us.

yeah they got through the 4 weeks with 3 receivers they signed off the streets - julian edelman coming back and the pats are starting to work out how this year's version will win games (ironically they are going to have to rely on a running game this year) and an incredibly weak division and the pats are well on their way to 12-4 again

they've still got 5 games in their division (worst case they lose 1 of them)

 

[RavensMania]

yeah they got through the 4 weeks with 3 receivers they signed off the streets - julian edelman coming back and the pats are starting to work out how this year's version will win games (ironically they are going to have to rely on a running game this year) and an incredibly weak division and the pats are well on their way to 12-4 again

they've still got 5 games in their division (worst case they lose 1 of them)

they always have a week division. If they were in the AFC North or any tougher division, they wouldn't have won the division every year and most likely wouldn't have been able to play the same brand of football they have, atleast all of those years. Not only that, the physicality of the AFC North could have worn them down by the time they got to the post season.

 

[rossihunter2]

they always have a week division. If they were in the AFC North or any tougher division, they wouldn't have won the division every year and most likely wouldn't have been able to play the same brand of football they have, atleast all of those years. Not only that, the physicality of the AFC North could have worn them down by the time they got to the post season.

i mean the pats would still get to the playoffs every year but they likely wouldnt walk away with a bye every year

 

[RavensMania]

i mean the pats would still get to the playoffs every year but they likely wouldnt walk away with a bye every year

Exactly my point

 

[rossihunter2]

Exactly my point

the only thing i will say is that we always think about the pats as the "same old pats" but they are one of the most changeable teams year-year in terms of play-style and team strengths and scheme because they adapt so well - so thinking of them in terms of a particular brand of football seems wrong

 

[RavensMania]

the only thing i will say is that we always think about the pats as the "same old pats" but they are one of the most changeable teams year-year in terms of play-style and team strengths and scheme because they adapt so well - so thinking of them in terms of a particular brand of football seems wrong

Your right and if a team doesn’t change every year they won’t be successful. Joe Gibbs has said in NASCAR interviews that when he was coaching the Redskins the team changed over 30%. They went from a a run based team in the early 80s to having three 1000 yard receivers in another season, so thst Pats statement was not a fair statement.

That being said, most divisions are more physical and competitive than the AFC East and that’s what I meant. Could they have become. Truly physical team. Most likely they could have due to BBs Giants background.

 

[Oldfaithful]

I just did an extensive writeup about the prospects for 2019.. They look ridiculously good. Even if we don't make the postseason this season, this team has the talent to contend. I do think we make the postseason in some capacity. I think @RavensMania told me but we are set to have a lot of cap space this offseason even if we do not release anyone. I think if injuries have truly caught up to Jimmy, we keep Carr for one more season, we cut him and we will have anywhere from $37-$40 million. Next season our key free agents are
C.J Mosley
John Brown
Terell Suggs
Brent Urban
Za'Darius Smith
Maxx Williams
Nick Boyle
Buck Allen
Alex collins(RFA)
Matt Skura(RFA)
Peanut(RFA)

I think Suggs gets a 1 year deal similar to what Julius Peppers got with the ability to add on an extension(a bargain for the type of player he is). We keep him. John Brown and CJ Mosley are going to get 3-4 year backloaded deals. Then I think we tender Collins, Peanut(though I wish I didn't) and Skura. I could see us keeping one of Maxx or Boyle on the cheap, as well as Buck. Urban might come back, but I don't see it considering the depth on the dline and our tendency for us to draft at least one every draft. Za'Darius is gone. But if we have $40 million, about half of it will go to our FAs + draft class.. Which leads us with close to $15 million, $10 million of which we will spend.

Given how good we have been at bringing in talent on a budget the past few seasons, and the fact that we don't have many pressing immediate needs(even if Jimmy is released). I think our strategy would be to target a RB in FA next year, and build up the trenches by finding a C in the draft.


The team is good now, it could be dangerous come next offseason if we keep up this pace

 

[JoeyFlex5]

I just did an extensive writeup about the prospects for 2019.. They look ridiculously good. Even if we don't make the postseason this season, this team has the talent to contend. I do think we make the postseason in some capacity. I think @RavensMania told me but we are set to have a lot of cap space this offseason even if we do not release anyone. I think if injuries have truly caught up to Jimmy, we keep Carr for one more season, we cut him and we will have anywhere from $37-$40 million. Next season our key free agents are
C.J Mosley
John Brown
Terell Suggs
Brent Urban
Za'Darius Smith
Maxx Williams
Nick Boyle
Buck Allen
Alex collins(RFA)
Matt Skura(RFA)
Peanut(RFA)

I think Suggs gets a 1 year deal similar to what Julius Peppers got with the ability to add on an extension(a bargain for the type of player he is). We keep him. John Brown and CJ Mosley are going to get 3-4 year backloaded deals. Then I think we tender Collins, Peanut(though I wish I didn't) and Skura. I could see us keeping one of Maxx or Boyle on the cheap, as well as Buck. Urban might come back, but I don't see it considering the depth on the dline and our tendency for us to draft at least one every draft. Za'Darius is gone. But if we have $40 million, about half of it will go to our FAs + draft class.. Which leads us with close to $15 million, $10 million of which we will spend.

Given how good we have been at bringing in talent on a budget the past few seasons, and the fact that we don't have many pressing immediate needs(even if Jimmy is released). I think our strategy would be to target a RB in FA next year, and build up the trenches by finding a C in the draft.


The team is good now, it could be dangerous come next offseason if we keep up this pace

elgton Jenkins round one
Michael Jordan round 2
2 starters at either center or guard.

 

[Oldfaithful]

elgton Jenkins round one
Michael Jordan round 2
2 starters at either center or guard.

Honestly, we're only going to need one of them. I see Hurst starting at LG next season, or Bozeman. We can get a Yanda replacement later on, guards can be found anywhere.

My hope is if we miss the postseason we do the right thing and get rid of Harbaugh and not Flacco. His loyalty to his friends is his fatal flaw as a coach. Marty should've been canned in the offseason. Flacco's consistency with coordinators be damned, you hire a quality guy and you do what's best for the team. Marty has been here for three years. We know what he is, he's terrible and holding us back. He's not totally atrocious like Sarkisian but even Cam Cameron would look passable with the sheer amount of talent here.

Honestly, we have the perfect OC on the staff already. Roman is kind of perfect. His tenure in SF wasn't perfect but if you really look at it he wasn't the issue. It doesn't help when you have game manager Alex Smith and a Colin Kaepernick who was always overrated as your QBs. He effectively used Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker, and was able to create the perfect scheme for Frank Gore. The niners had an elite oline, but we're honestly a piece or two away from that ourselves(if Harbaugh can actually start the rookies like he honestly should have been doing from the beggining). He'd be a good fit with Joe given the sheer amount Roman utilizes TEs for multiple reasons and he's good with WRs.

I have been an advocate for this for awhile. I'll say it again: We will never win a championship as long as he's here. He's terrible. His situational football is bad, he is too quick to abandon the run, he doesn't adjust mid game and attack soft spots. This year is no different than last, he just has talent now. His game planning with Andy Reid is now something of the past, the NFL has vastly changed. Not a doubt in my mind.

Even if we bolster the line it's not gonna matter if he's here. The film doesn't lie, he's the issue. Flacco is having one of the best seasons of his career and the offense completely sputters even when he's having a good game at times. Something's gotta give.

 

[Grim]

elgton Jenkins round one
Michael Jordan round 2
2 starters at either center or guard.

Honestly, we're only going to need one of them. I see Hurst starting at LG next season, or Bozeman. We can get a Yanda replacement later on, guards can be found anywhere.

My hope is if we miss the postseason we do the right thing and get rid of Harbaugh and not Flacco. His loyalty to his friends is his fatal flaw as a coach. Marty should've been canned in the offseason. Flacco's consistency with coordinators be damned, you hire a quality guy and you do what's best for the team. Marty has been here for three years. We know what he is, he's terrible and holding us back. He's not totally atrocious like Sarkisian but even Cam Cameron would look passable with the sheer amount of talent here.

Honestly, we have the perfect OC on the staff already. Roman is kind of perfect. His tenure in SF wasn't perfect but if you really look at it he wasn't the issue. It doesn't help when you have game manager Alex Smith and a Colin Kaepernick who was always overrated as your QBs. He effectively used Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker, and was able to create the perfect scheme for Frank Gore. The niners had an elite oline, but we're honestly a piece or two away from that ourselves(if Harbaugh can actually start the rookies like he honestly should have been doing from the beggining). He'd be a good fit with Joe given the sheer amount Roman utilizes TEs for multiple reasons and he's good with WRs.

I have been an advocate for this for awhile. I'll say it again: We will never win a championship as long as he's here. He's terrible. His situational football is bad, he is too quick to abandon the run, he doesn't adjust mid game and attack soft spots. This year is no different than last, he just has talent now. His game planning with Andy Reid is now something of the past, the NFL has vastly changed. Not a doubt in my mind.

Even if we bolster the line it's not gonna matter if he's here. The film doesn't lie, he's the issue. Flacco is having one of the best seasons of his career and the offense completely sputters even when he's having a good game at times. Something's gotta give.

I don’t think we need to get rid of John and it’s clear he hasn’t lost the team because they fight hard for him. His loyalty is a point but I can’t say it’s truly cost us except maybe in that I wish we got Wade Phillips and I wish we had a better OC but it’s not terrible we just need improvement. He’s been out coached but by Payton and Lewis, who has been a thorn in our side for years and years well beyond Harbaugh.

I’m not sure about getting both Jordan and Elgton because yeah they’re both good but investing that many high draft picks into OL in the same draft could also hurt as well. We have other needs beyond that and it would be short sighted to blow our load for lack of better terms on that when we also could need WR, CB, OLB, ILB or RB. I think these are underrated needs for the team. Don’t forget OL isn’t like other positions where guys get snaps even if they’re not starters. That’s why I’d trade or sign an OL AND draft one than draft multiple OL high. The chances of multiple rookie OL meshing well are low.

With Mosley and Suggs both in contract years, and Smith, I’d be looking at OLB and ILB early. This also may not be popular and probably won’t happen but I would also consider letting Mosley walk if we feel like we can definitely upgrade on him in the draft. That’s the only way I would but I would consider it.

 

[Willbacker]

I just did an extensive writeup about the prospects for 2019.. They look ridiculously good. Even if we don't make the postseason this season, this team has the talent to contend. I do think we make the postseason in some capacity. I think @RavensMania told me but we are set to have a lot of cap space this offseason even if we do not release anyone. I think if injuries have truly caught up to Jimmy, we keep Carr for one more season, we cut him and we will have anywhere from $37-$40 million. Next season our key free agents are
C.J Mosley
John Brown
Terell Suggs
Brent Urban
Za'Darius Smith
Maxx Williams
Nick Boyle
Buck Allen
Alex collins(RFA)
Matt Skura(RFA)
Peanut(RFA)

I think Suggs gets a 1 year deal similar to what Julius Peppers got with the ability to add on an extension(a bargain for the type of player he is). We keep him. John Brown and CJ Mosley are going to get 3-4 year backloaded deals. Then I think we tender Collins, Peanut(though I wish I didn't) and Skura. I could see us keeping one of Maxx or Boyle on the cheap, as well as Buck. Urban might come back, but I don't see it considering the depth on the dline and our tendency for us to draft at least one every draft. Za'Darius is gone. But if we have $40 million, about half of it will go to our FAs + draft class.. Which leads us with close to $15 million, $10 million of which we will spend.

Given how good we have been at bringing in talent on a budget the past few seasons, and the fact that we don't have many pressing immediate needs(even if Jimmy is released). I think our strategy would be to target a RB in FA next year, and build up the trenches by finding a C in the draft.


The team is good now, it could be dangerous come next offseason if we keep up this pace

One thing we gotta remember is the CBA ends at the end of 2020 and I'd heard Mosley only wanted a deal until the end of this so I don't believe we'd get backloaded contracts that go past the deadline. Its nice to see OTC says we'd have 32.6 mil in cap space which is sweet and right now only slightly above 1 mil in dead money. Jimmy is gonna be the critical contract we have to deal with. A straight cut would save us 9.5 mil but also accrue over 6 mil in dead money. Even with an extension it wouldn't save us a lot imo. Yanda and Weddle could also be looked at for extensions but they are getting old so I don't know. I'd probally would just let them play it out. Willie Snead I would love to give an extension to. Like you said Zadarius is gone. Somebody gonna overpay but Mosley is also gonna be tough so we may have to tag him and then either sign or work a trade (2nd rd maybe). Urban probally gone too. Suggs if he wants to play we gotta resign and I'd give him a 2 yr contract and just guarantee the whole damn thing. We will resign one of the TE's ( I would prefer Maxx ). John Brown I think is a nessassity and if he stays healthy all year it'd be nice to give him a solid contract ( 7.5 mil avg? ) Buck Allen? Yeah sure why not. I do believe we can sign one big ticket FA if we don't resign Mosley.

 

[RavensMania]

About 5m of the cap will be used towards incentives from this season and the 27m is based on cap we rollover from this season.