2025 Offseason Thread

[rossihunter2]

Also, they were really hoping he could get healthy enough to get some reps, but it seems Emery Jones is going to stick on the NFI list to start the season as of now

If he hasn’t practised by now he’s not playing this season except if we have a meaningless week 18 game

 

[rossihunter2]

He’s borderline a lock for me the more I hear. The question on OL seems to be if they want to take 10 or not, and I’m doubting it.

If he doesn’t make it, we don’t have a backup C

So he’s basically a lock

Also has looked good

 

[Simba]

Cole Jackson’s great but he really takes his biases into the Faalele evaluation - he analyses the film fairly but then his opinions are all based in preference but made out to be based entirely on film

Faalele had a shocker in preseason 1 but he was better than mekari last season and improved dramatically through the season… 4 bad snaps in a preseason game does not make a bad player

That being said, it would be really nice for him to have a solid 2nd game just to ease the hysteria

The other part of this, is what’s the alternative? Cleveland also sucked in preseason 1 and vorhees looked good but sucked in stadium practice, emery jones hasn’t practised yet and bullock is almost entirely repping as the 2nd team C

Agreed full on with this one. It wasn’t a good showing but there’s plenty of tape out there to suggest that was an aberration at this point. If he has 2 more games like that, I’d understand the panic button.

I think the bigger qualm here is that Faalele and even Vorhees got the jobs with little competition. The other in house options are quite frankly not as good, and I think that’s where the argument lies - they could have done more in trying to improve the position. Emery Jones who is injured and also may be more of a T immediately was the only real shot they threw at getting better.

 

[Simba]

If he hasn’t practised by now he’s not playing this season except if we have a meaningless week 18 game

Absolutely. They want him to get practice reps at this point but it seems like they also don’t want him taking up a roster spot because he’s not going to be close to ready. Seems they’ll go the NFI route and shelve him early in the season, use that 3 week practice window, and then figure out where he fits on the roster.

It sounds like next week is kind of his do or die. If he can get cleared, they might let him roll out there and get some reps so he can start getting ready. If he’s still not cleared, no reason to push it beyond that. Keep him on the list and let him get healthy because he’s not going to factor anyways.

 

[airconteka]

I'll call it for what it is, its racism against Australian linemen. Daniel was better before the tariffs were applied.

 

[Simba]

I'll call it for what it is, its racism against Australian linemen. Daniel was better before the tariffs were applied.

This explains why he lost 20 pounds. Shrinkflation in action. It all checks out.

 

[rossihunter2]

Absolutely. They want him to get practice reps at this point but it seems like they also don’t want him taking up a roster spot because he’s not going to be close to ready. Seems they’ll go the NFI route and shelve him early in the season, use that 3 week practice window, and then figure out where he fits on the roster.

It sounds like next week is kind of his do or die. If he can get cleared, they might let him roll out there and get some reps so he can start getting ready. If he’s still not cleared, no reason to push it beyond that. Keep him on the list and let him get healthy because he’s not going to factor anyways.

Not a ton of guard options out there that offer more beyond selecting a different guy at 91… no cheap free agents around that are upgrading either of those G spots

Could have gone for:

Jared Wilson (taken at 95) although he projects more as a C but is competing for (and probably winning) the RG job for the pats as a rookie - not got my board with me but pretty sure I had him inside the top 75 easily

Hypothetically you could trade up 3 spots for Wyatt milum who’s mostly been playing as a backup swing tackle/guard and couldn’t create a competition with Ezra Cleveland at LG

You could look at guys taken later too:
Marcus Mbow has looked good but at tackle
Miles Frazier is out until at least week 1
Seth McLaughlin went udfa and is now taking 2nd team C reps
Cameron Williams is playing 4th quarter snaps only in preseason

Or you take Josh Simmons over Malaki Starks

Idk that I love any of those options other than Wilson and Simmons - obviously love Simmons and apparently the ravens did too, but they loved starks even more - and Wilson just doesn’t seem like the type of player the ravens are aiming for at IOL even when they’re good

 

[Simba]

Not a ton of guard options out there that offer more beyond selecting a different guy at 91… no cheap free agents around that are upgrading either of those G spots

Could have gone for:

Jared Wilson (taken at 95) although he projects more as a C but is competing for (and probably winning) the RG job for the pats as a rookie - not got my board with me but pretty sure I had him inside the top 75 easily

Hypothetically you could trade up 3 spots for Wyatt milum who’s mostly been playing as a backup swing tackle/guard and couldn’t create a competition with Ezra Cleveland at LG

You could look at guys taken later too:
Marcus Mbow has looked good but at tackle
Miles Frazier is out until at least week 1
Seth McLaughlin went udfa and is now taking 2nd team C reps
Cameron Williams is playing 4th quarter snaps only in preseason

Or you take Josh Simmons over Malaki Starks

Idk that I love any of those options other than Wilson and Simmons - obviously love Simmons and apparently the ravens did too, but they loved starks even more - and Wilson just doesn’t seem like the type of player the ravens are aiming for at IOL even when they’re good

Yeah I don't disagree necessarily, for whatever that's worth.

Maybe reframing this another way... for anyone that expected Faalele to not be in the starting lineup, the moves that were made (or not made) should have said what the plan was.

There was room to make an upgrade there via draft or FA but obviously that impacts the others moves we made and most likely makes something we are now considering a strong position weaker.

 

[rossihunter2]

Yeah I don't disagree necessarily, for whatever that's worth.

Maybe reframing this another way... for anyone that expected Faalele to not be in the starting lineup, the moves that were made (or not made) should have said what the plan was.

There was room to make an upgrade there via draft or FA but obviously that impacts the others moves we made and most likely makes something we are now considering a strong position weaker.

Emery Jones was literally the only “significant” capital invested this offseason that you could reasonably invest in the OG competition (and they did tbf) by picking someone else in that spot

But as I laid out above, not a ton of options available there, and even fewer who had a reasonable chance of even factoring into a competition let alone win one

 

[Simba]

Emery Jones was literally the only “significant” capital invested this offseason that you could reasonably invest in the OG competition (and they did tbf) by picking someone else in that spot

But as I laid out above, not a ton of options available there, and even fewer who had a reasonable chance of even factoring into a competition let alone win one

I mean, you theoretically could have signed a number of different free agents that you could definitely say are an improvement - some being much more expensive and some being much older - but they opted to allot those resources elsewhere.

To me, not making a huge effort to do better at either G spot says that they believe that (a) that they were better off using their money and picks elsewhere because/and/or (b) they feel they can win with those guys (and they have some strong proof with Faalele from last year).

So again reframing... I think they could have done a better job adding more competition to the G spots, but it comes at the expense of something else.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

But that’s kind of the point of perception problem

RR also wasn’t great in preseason 1 but no one’s sounding alarm bells there

Think you mighta just made a fact, that’s some real shit

 

[redrum52]

But that’s kind of the point of perception problem

RR also wasn’t great in preseason 1 but no one’s sounding alarm bells there

Think you mighta just made a fact, that’s some real shit

RR didn't have a great game but it feels like we've seen Daniel give that same type play up much more than we have Roger get beat the way he did.

 

[Rusfan]

Feels like its been a million years since the Colts game

 

[Tank]

It’s pre season.

 

[JO_75]

 

[Ellicottraven]

I mean, you theoretically could have signed a number of different free agents that you could definitely say are an improvement - some being much more expensive and some being much older - but they opted to allot those resources elsewhere.

To me, not making a huge effort to do better at either G spot says that they believe that (a) that they were better off using their money and picks elsewhere because/and/or (b) they feel they can win with those guys (and they have some strong proof with Faalele from last year).

So again reframing... I think they could have done a better job adding more competition to the G spots, but it comes at the expense of something else.

Frankly, I think they have accurately taken into account the Lamar Jackson effect when planning for their O-line investment and strategy. Lamar is a great force multiplier, but he is also an O-line deficiency eraser too. Therefore, they need run graders on the O-line as their priority one to clear lanes for their backs. They expect Lamar to be able to hide their pass blocking woes by being Lamar Jackson.

 

[Ellicottraven]

I wont be surprised if ojabo doesnt make the team

I think he will...

 

[JO_75]

I mean, you theoretically could have signed a number of different free agents that you could definitely say are an improvement - some being much more expensive and some being much older - but they opted to allot those resources elsewhere.

To me, not making a huge effort to do better at either G spot says that they believe that (a) that they were better off using their money and picks elsewhere because/and/or (b) they feel they can win with those guys (and they have some strong proof with Faalele from last year).

So again reframing... I think they could have done a better job adding more competition to the G spots, but it comes at the expense of something else.

The fact we haven't invested a 1st Round Pick in a true Guard since Ben Grubbs in 2007 is baffling. I know most of the top guards are gone in the first half of the draft before we pick but it's crazy that the last time this happened was before the Harbaugh/Flacco era, and in Billick's final season.

I know we found Yanda in the 3rd round of that same draft but as we know, that's a rare find. We keep trying to draft mid round guards thinking we'll find another Yanda.

 

[purplepittabread88]

The fact we haven't invested a 1st Round Pick in a true Guard since Ben Grubbs in 2007 is baffling. I know most of the top guards are gone in the first half of the draft before we pick but it's crazy that the last time this happened was before the Harbaugh/Flacco era, and in Billick's final season.

I know we found Yanda in the 3rd round of that same draft but as we know, that's a rare find. We keep trying to draft mid round guards thinking we'll find another Yanda.

Always gonna curious what we would have done this year if guyton wasn't snagged by the cowboys.

I don't have the stats to back this up but imo first round guards are only marginally less risky than tackles with way less of a ceiling just due to positional value. Drafting a center in the first round basically counts tho

 

[Baltimorican]

Frankly, I think they have accurately taken into account the Lamar Jackson effect when planning for their O-line investment and strategy. Lamar is a great force multiplier, but he is also an O-line deficiency eraser too. Therefore, they need run graders on the O-line as their priority one to clear lanes for their backs. They expect Lamar to be able to hide their pass blocking woes by being Lamar Jackson.

Faalale will play himself into a 3yr/35m contract just like every single 4th yr guard that comes in with these question marks does every year.