yagersports

I guess we'll just disagree lol. It's taken us years to put a tackle tandum toether, I don't see how we can just replace that like there's nothing to it. There's a real possibility that if he went and we took the pick two things could happen. One, the guy wouldn't fall to us or the right trade scenario wouldn't work to get to the proper drafting position. Next...even if that happens....the player would be unproven! Unproven talent is not equal to proven NFL talent. I think alot of people are getting sucked in by the perceived benefits. I will agree that Oz has a really good record in the 1st round, but that's in large part because he drafts for BPA in the first round, he usually doesn't take flyers or go after need. All of this boils down to we need to protect Flacco. Flacco n Rice first. Lastly, I do remember several people on this board last year touting what beasts so many players would be, many of them of course WR. Now alot of those so called gems barely played! The draft can be as dangerous and upsetting to a team as it is beneficial. Take the proven talent, sign him, protect Flacco.......and draft BPA.

We also singed Leon Searcy which would have been huge....however his freak triceps injury ended his career. We also signed a Cheifs tackle only to have that deal nullified...I forget the specifics, but somehow he weaseled out of our contract....and instead signed with the Cheifs. There's only so much to go around with draft picks and free agent money. Once the premium talent goes...it's a crapshoot for offensive tackles, there isn't alot out there. Which is why teams work hard to keep em once they get em. We've also went out and taken flyers because the money wasn't there on Orlando Brown and Willie Anderson. So really we've explored many, many avenues. We've drafted, signed premium guys, and taken flyers on guys. None have really worked. Orlando Brown and maybe Pashos have had some minor success............maybe lol. I just can't believe how much everyone discounts offensive lineman, and more importantly offensive tackles.

I didn't think of it that way. Good point. Still....Palmer, Johnson, and Marshall. OMG...look out.

Just to clarify.......Pashos and Brown were adequate if not serviceable. They were never solid. If they were solid our QBs would not have spent as much time on their ass as they did! Then there's Flynn.......don't bet me started on that mess. Geo had it right with his first sentence......if another tackle is so easy to find, what in the hell took us so long to get two that can really play?!?! Fact is, they're not easy to come by and we shouldn't so callously allow one to walk without thoroughlly thinking it through. We have a franchise QB, protection should be very high on our priorities.

Since when does a career backup under contract lobby for another team??? WTF is happening here? The guy probably has the ability to start, but cmon really? It's not like there were no chances here for him. This guy is something else. What has this guy earned???

Cuz Boldin played as a #1 wideout without a legit NFL wr on his team for a few years. He knows what it's like to be the only show in town. So does Mason and I gurantee they both want another guy to create more opportunities for each other.

As a fallback option I would take Holt, but I really want Mason back. The guy is a warrior and Flacco is comfortable with him. I would absolutely go after Holt if Mason is not available. He would benefit from playing with a solid core of receivers.

Another thing to condiser geo is that we absolutely fell off the second half of the year in the pass rush dept. Pryce had a bunch of sacks this year, but I think they were all before week 6 or 7. After that he had 1 maybe 2. Our pass rush declined dramatically and we need to improve that. We rush the passer better and we'll have corners that can cover better.

According to ESPN the Bengals are looking at Brandon Marshall. Let's hope this is just the cursory look that I'm sure every team has taken because Marshall on that team would be so very disatrous for us. That would be a ridiculously sick offense.

I'm with Spear on this one........we absolutely need to rush the QB better. That will imporve our secondary tremendously, more so than adding an above average CB.

You hit the nail on the head right there. Where have you been hearing that Mason may not be back JC. That would really put a dapper on what I thought was going to be a really exciting offense. Two guys that know how to get open and come back to the ball when needed. Clayton is not a guy we need to keep around, his ship has sailed. He's had ample opportunity to step up and be the man and has not grabbed the reins.

No doubt in my mind the better of the two scenarios is to have Gaither back and signed. I'm not going to shake a stick at two first round draft picks, but I certainly want proven talent over unproven talent.

It would be very interesting to put Kemeotu next to Ngata. That would be a very very tough interior. Is their any chance the money would be right to sign him? Anyone have thoughts on that?

20 of 32 teams posted an 8-8 or better record. Last year was the year of balance. If you add the 7-9 teams to it, 23 of 32 teams were competitive. Often the 7-9 teams are just a few points away from being 9-7. There's no way competition was down. For a select few it was, but let's look at the teams that were 5-11 or worse. Browns - played em twice, fair enough Raiders - played em once, fair enough.....they did beat the Steelers, Philly, Cinci, & Den. Two playoff teams and a 9-7 team and 8-8 team. The team was obviously able to stay competitive somehow. Wash - Did not play Det- played em....no defense there...they're just straight bad. Tampa - Did not play Seattle - Did not play St Louis - Did not play If anything Warner had just as much or more opportunities against cream puff opponents and had by faaaarrrrr more weapons.

Honestly this has to be the most retarded thing I have ever seen you post on here. We had a very tough schedule which was absolutely highlighted during every playoff broadcast. And every team in the league plays some cake teams throughout there schedule. You're telling me that Warner seeing the seahawks twice a year and the Rams twice a year doesn't inflate Warner's stats??? Cmon man, I like your posts most of the time cuz you're not afraid to explore the "other side" despite unpopularity, but really. The NFL is one of the most balanced leagues in the world. That's where the phrase any given sunday was born. Inevitably you will attempt to defend your position rather than go....I guess I didn't think of it that way, good point.

If that is the case.....I'd have to point to my earlier portion....Oz must not be optimistic about recovery and/or the capabilities of our secondary. Hmmmmm. What I like about Oz is that he attempts to shore up the team as much as possible before the draft so that we can always draft BPA for the most part. That makes things very exciting.

Thanks Cleetz, I knew it was something like that. It'll be interesting to see how he progresses. I hope he makes a full recovery, he was turning into a playmaker. Does that now mean we have a need for a returner? Wouldn't it be nice to have a Jermaine Lewis type again? Someone that would make a Special teams.....well "special" again. Then we would be an absolute force, a threat from all three aspects of the game.

That also doesn't include the games where the teams used three guys to bracket cover Mason, knowing that the other receivers on this team absolutely could not get open. ESPN spotlighted it several times.

IC, that's a disappointment, I really liked that guy. Refresh my memory if you would....does the pup list mean he won't play next year at all? I seem to remember there's a point in the season where a guy can come off the list and play but if they're on it, they have to stay on it after that point.

We'd do better to sign a good pass rusher at this point if we're looking to make a major improvement to the team through a FA pickup. I'm not sure spending alot of money on another WR will really return the produciton in terms of allowing us to get more wins and get to the Super Bowl. I believe if we resign Mason that will be huge because Flacco has a major comfort level with him. We can draft a WR and let Clayton do whatever, he really should of stepped up by now, major disapointment. In any case acquiring a good pass rusher will allow our defnese to be alot more dynamic. Similar to what Boldin is bringing to our offense. We shouldn't fall victim to concentrating on just our offense. We need to build a balanced team.

Boldin is the type of guy that knows how to get open in zones and how to come back to a QB. Do you know how huge this is going to be against Pitt?!?! Now (assuming Mason will return) Pitt is gonna have a hell of time covering both guys. Go ahead bracket cover Mason, Boldin will find a seam. Bracket them both and Stallworth will beat you deep. Cover that and Who the hell is gonna account for the mighty mite Rice. That guy refuses to go down and can turn a basic check down into 20+ yard gains.

How many corners do we need I wonder? Perhaps the front office is not opptomistic about the recovery of either or both of Webb and Washington. I thought Webb and Carr played very well at the end of last year, so with adding Washigton back into the mix I figured we would be pretty solid. Webb, Washington, Foxworth, and Carr I thought was a very solid four. I would think that Oz would have added through the draft again perhaps in a later round. Doing my best Preston lol, I would have to say that we're either not optomistic about recovery of an individual and/or Oz doesn't feel the draft is deep in corners and has his eyes on other positions. I say our pass coverage would be best served finding a pass rusher that can line up opposite of Suggs. More pressure will increase our coverage ability dramatically.

Well that doesn't sound very promising lol

Chosing Boldin over Marshall was a no brainer. Marshall may be a freak, but he has waaaaayyyy toooooo much baggage. That affects dynamics and does reduce his value despite his on field production. Boldin on the other hand is the opposite pole. Boldin is a great guy, team player, and tough as nails. His intangibles actually increase his value as his positive example rubs off and has a positive affect on team dynamics. Don't underestimate team dynamics, very important. If the game was one by the best players, Manning would not have lost the Super Bowl. This isn't Tennis or Golf, we have to build a strong team.

That sucks....great team guy, all hustle, I love those guys. I didn't enjoy losing leonard last year, but risk reward dictates we have to cut some people loose.