tsylvester

I don't know if he will ever play in the NFL again

Amazing he played so well, hurt. Looking forward to seeing him at full strength, with a pass rush to help him. ------ Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins has set some big goals for his third NFL season. During an appearance on The Journey, Wiggins listed All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections along with a Super Bowl title as his hopes for the 2026 campaign. Being at full strength would help his bid to reach any or all of those goals and Wiggins shared good news on that front as well. Wiggins had undisclosed surgery earlier this offseason and said that he played the last two seasons at “about 60-70 percent” health. He said he feels that no one has seen “the full Nate” yet, but feels that’s coming now that he’s addressed his injury. “They’re going to see a big transition this year,” Wiggins said. “How I move, all that. . . . I’m just so happy going into this year. I know the coaches [are] happy. They say it every day. I know it’s going to be a big year for me and I just can’t wait.” Wiggins did not miss any games last season and finished the year with 76 tackles and three interceptions in his 17 starts. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ravens-cb-nate-wiggins-healthy-after-offseason-surgery-expects-to-be-the-full-nate-this-season

Oh if this big fella can turn out, that would be, well, huge ---- The Baltimore Ravens might have thought they had an intriguing prospect in 6-foot-6, 370-pound defensive lineman C.J. Okoye at some point in the recent past. With a new head coach in 2026 with Jesse Minter and an entirely new coaching staff, Okoye is being re-evaluated after playing in 13 games in 2025 — his 1st NFL games — and patience could be running out, according to Ebony Bird’s Connor Burke. “Ultimately, while Okoye is coming off a season where he saw a good number of reps along the defensive front, most, if not all of those, could disappear in 2026,” Burke wrote on June 20. “He needs to take some strides during training camp and preseason if he wants a realistic shot at making the practice squad. He’s still a fascinating project since he remains relatively new to the sport, but for a player turning 25 this year, that project label may be losing its luster.” There’s 1 way of reasoning that shows us Minter may have already made up his mind that Okoye doesn’t fit with his defense. Okoye spent the 1st 2 years of his NFL career with the Los Angeles Chargers, including 1 season in 2024 with Minter as the defensive coordinator — a season in which Minter never made a move to put Okoye on the regular-season roster. The path to the NFL for Okoye has never been traditional. Born and raised in Nigeria, Okoye came to football via an NFL Africa Camp, which got him sent to the NFL International Combine in London, which got him into the NFL International Player Pathway Program, which got him to IMG Academy to train, which is where he became 1 of 8 international players allocated to NFL teams. If we are going to identify 1 thing Okoye has going for him, it’s the uncertainty the Ravens have had on the interior defensive line for the last year. Almost all of that uncertainty centers around $98 million NFL All-Pro defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2 of the 2025 regular season, and there is still no timetable set for his return. One thing the Ravens have done to try to prepare themselves for another season without Madubuike is bring back 40-year-old defensive lineman Calais Campbell, whom they signed to a 1-year contract on April 30. https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/baltimore-ravens/lose-patience-defensive-lineman-cj-okoye/

Papa, you are assuming that said player who inks an early, team friendly deal, will not then come back a year or two later once someone at the same position gets much, much more, and wants to renegotiate, get an extension. Then you are right back to releasing/trading said player who "deserves" to be paid as a top at said position. So you draft well, replace the player, if not year one when he leaves, then year two.

They have plenty of time to work things out, one way or another. Even should they wait out this year and try to negotiate next off season I might add. That way, they see how rhe young players who are cheap, pan out. They know they need either a left tackle next year or a right if Rose moves over. How do the guards, the center, the tight ends, the wideouts, etc look in the offense, in the league. They would also get to see how Lamar does, "healthy", "motivated" with the new coaches. This may say, pay him or, cut bait and run. The qb class next year is supposed to be better, on paper, get one there at all costs.

He wanted too much money and was more of a finesse center who got bullied when facing big nose tackles. You want to pay what he got, in this division?

The centers in the draft were not worth drafting high, even then, they targeted two and both were taken too high. I can fault them for that. Also, last year, granted preseason, Bullock did very well, with a bad line coach. Sure, preseason but he did what good players should do, he dominated lesser talent. I understand what you are saying, frankly I would hwve rather they went after a center instead of another tight end. But they have a lot of options at center, one, just by shear odds, will pan out.

Well, you are assuming Pinter won't pan out nor will Bullock when he gets healthy, nor will Gwyn nor Dawkins at center. You also assume that Stanley won't stay healthy. Quite a lot of assumptions on your part partner. I think the new line coach and his new assistants will be much, much better than the old man friend of Harbs brought in last year. Shoot, before the death of the original line coach, Faalele actually played pretty well, well enough that the offense was top 5. So I think this new coach can do just fine with better talent.

Na, just refine the talent. Block this guy, watch that guy, pretty "simple", it is just a matter of order which the previous coach clearly could not teach

A shot at the previous coaches, o line coach perhaps..

Roger Rosengarten says Ravens offense is built on detail and trust Roger Rosengarten closed his recent appearance on The Lounge Podcast by offering a broader view of where the Ravens' revamped offense stands, and his confidence starts with the details being built up front. With Lamar Jackson leading the operation and Derrick Henry helping to reinforce Baltimore's physical identity in the run game, Rosengarten described an offense that can rise only if the offensive line communicates, executes, and maintains its standard as the season approaches. "I feel really confident about this offense," Rosengarten said. "Everything is detailed throughout the whole play." That confidence isn't just schematic—it's relational. He pointed to growing cohesion across the group, from quarterback play to line communication. He also tied the unit's success directly to execution. "If it doesn't, things can go wrong," he said, reinforcing how precision shapes outcomes. Rosengarten believes that consistency up front is what unlocks everything else. With Lamar Jackson leading the offense and a physical identity forming in the run game behind Derrick Henry, the line becomes the stabilizing force. The takeaway from the podcast was simple: if the offensive line holds its standard, the entire offense has a chance to rise with it. Ravens offensive line's confidence is growing as season approaches https://share.google/VrQ8spAicXYfOVwCZ

I cant see the window being closed, were this next year, maybe, but it is not. Ro has trimmed back down, a clear sign that fresh blood is flowing through his veins. The 2ndary is stacked, now with young, experienced talent. The rush ends hwve been upgraded 10 fold, with a legit vet, not an aging hanger-on. The defensive line, while not completely proven, has the talent and some experience, & that does not count Madds. Listen to Stanley and Rose, better coaching on the line 100% better than last year. Just by replacing the bog oaf who rarely if ever blocked anyone, the offensive line is much, much better. We've seen what can happen when the offensive line is at least average- a top 5 offense. Yes, you put that together with a proven defensive coordinator, and the Ravens have 2 on staff in Weaver and Minter, and this team, with some growing pains this year, can easily take the AFC North with Pit and Cleveland in disarray, Cinci still busy trying to find a defense and fix their own offensive line. Take the a North while tinkering with the team and come playoff time, all bets are off. Lamar is healthy again, has new weapons, at least 2 very good possession receivers, another athletic tighend to go along with old man and 2 shots having a deep threat; one of them should turn out.

Wait, losing Harbs was worse for the Ravens while losing Tomlin wasn't for the Steelers? Ravens have Lamar Jackson while the Steelers have who? Yet the Steelers will go 12-5 and win the div, with a harder schedule than last year? Talk about taking shots, to the head, Ben needs to sit down and shut up, rest that moddled head

A little more levity https://youtu.be/rgLNwh96PYs?is=1POYikFG1QzeHLHr

The Baltimore Ravens lost Tyler Linderbaum to the largest center contract in NFL history. The club was never able to replace the Pro Bowler with a clear starter in free agency and didn't draft a pivot. Entering offseason workouts, who would hike Lamar Jackson the ball was one of the most intriguing plotlines. It remains a mystery as Baltimore concluded its pre-training camp work with a two-day mandatory minicamp. Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn split the first-team reps over the two days, with Pinter going first on Tuesday and Gwyn the Wednesday reps. Corey Bullock, who backed up Linderbaum last year, has been dealing with an injury but will be part of the competition in July's training camp. What's that old John Madden saying? When you have three centers, you have none? "Those guys are competing well. They're doing a pretty good job to me," Jackson said Wednesday, via the team's official website. "I'm liking our choices, for sure." On the one hand, what is Jackson supposed to say? Trash his teammates or complain about how his bosses failed? On the other, perhaps at this stage of the offseason, when there isn't full-contact hitting as there will be in training camp, they do look good. Frankly, we won't know until the real action heats up. The center battle will be a main focus as we head to Ravens training camp and the preseason. "I would say it's a pretty balanced competition right now," Minter said. "I think Danny and Jovaughn both have done a great job. … With that position especially -- because we haven't had pads on yet, and they're new -- that will definitely sort itself out a little more as we get pads on." It will be imperative that Minter and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle sort out the pivot spot as quickly as possible so whoever wins the starting gig can mesh with the rest of the unit and get comfortable with Jackson. If the middle of the line fails, it could crumble the entire operation Doyle is trying to install -- one that Jackson is excited to unveil this season. "I feel like there's going to be a lot of explosiveness this year," Jackson said. "The way Declan calls plays and his creativity with his mind -- how detailed he is -- it's mind-blowing." It won't be mind-blowing if the center spot repeatedly whiffs and a defender is in Jackson's face off the snap. https://www.nfl.com/news/lamar-jackson-on-ravens-center-battle-i-m-liking-our-choices-for-sure

More highlights from today

Worst part is, Lamar is do for an extension.........granted, Mahomes has win a few super bowls Oh, while Mahomes's cap hit is relatively easy this coming season, it Thanks to a massive 2026 salary conversion and restructure, his immediate cap hit for 2026 is $34.65 million, while his 2027 cap hit will exceed $85 million. 2027 Cap Number: Projected to jump to $85.25+ million as a result of the front-loaded bonus proration.Extension Value: The new years add $504.75 million in total value to the contract, with an average annual value (AAV) exceeding $64 million beginning in 2027.

Good night Irene! $500 mil!?! The Chiefs are adding two years to Patrick Mahomes' contract in a reworked contract that ties him to Kansas City through 2033 at a value of $504.75 million, sources told ESPN, a value that makes it the first NFL deal valued at over half a billion dollars. Equity Sports CEO Chris Cabott and Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and his staff put the finishing touches on the landmark agreement Wednesday. The new money on the deal is worth $239.05 million, with the total value now at $504.75 million from 2026 through 2033, with the first four years being guaranteed at signing. All $504.75 million becomes guaranteed through contract mechanisms https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49021927/sources-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-make-500m-reworked-deal

Well, it took time to learn Harbs was not truthful, I will give Minter the same

Day 2 https://youtu.be/EnVBbJGdJTw?si=DH0cPmyBrf2Nk2dO

Typical coach speak, showing he has the player's backs

Like the evil energizer bunny, he keeps going "And another thing. You want to know why they really mad, though?" Aiyuk, 28, said. "They mad 'cause they stupid. They dumb. They mad that they paid me $50 million in eight months and then voided my guarantees for 2027. And I'm about to be on a new team in 2027. They mad at themselves for real. They acting like they mad at me, but they stupid ass mad at themselves." https://www.nfl.com/news/brandon-aiyuk-insults-49ers-again-they-mad-cause-they-stupid-for-paying-50-million

Minter on progress thus far https://youtu.be/8LQ6raC2eBU?si=dvaKYk_HJRRRUv-0

Minter was coy; several players dealing with illness and injury, but all are in the building.