oldno82

For the first time in years, the owner and GM will be giving a presser Tuesday at 2 pm. Glad to see Steve stepping in. There's a real need to hear from him and EDC right now.

True. We have for the first time in franchise history been able to draft some wide receivers with a lot of talent and production. Flowers is probably a perennial pro bowler. Bateman is competent and we have another good receiver in Walker. We also have signed Henry. But the offensive line is a mess so Lamar seldom has enough time to find them. The defensive line has shown it cannot put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and so we have to blitz more which leaves gaps in the secondary. There is a real absence of depth on the D-line. I just want us to stop taking flyers on injured college guys whose best days are over before they even play here. Maybe EDC can correct this. Maybe not. We shall soon see.

Flores could revitalize the D in one season if he hires the right DC and we draft and/or do free agency successfully. Not that big an 'if' since his forte is defense.

Man, I sure hope so. I'm so sick of drafting injured college players with 'great potential' who need 1 year to rehab before they even hit the field and then turn out to be duds instead of the studs the Ravens promised the fans they'd see. Unfortunately, I guess (may be wrong here) that this was really EDC's modus operandi and he's still here. I give Eric one last year to put some real immediate talent on the field. If he doesn't succeed, we're screwed.

Ravens interviewing Brian Flores and Vance Joseph among others. https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/ravens-head-coach-coaching-search-2026

He sounds like he's good at run blocking but I think what we need is pass protection. If you've seen him play, how was he at that?

Rumor from the team's website is that Ravens have asked to interview Kubes and Anthony Weaver. Kubiak is my first choice. Weaver has been an assistant coach for a long time and has Ravens experience but his Miami defense has been only mediocre and I'm so tired of mediocrity. I like Flores too as he has made an extremely successful defense in Minnesota without any elite talent. I'd like to see him get an interview.

Well, he was pretty effective in the 4th quarter of the Steeler's game when he was able to buy some time to throw. But that may have had more to do with the Pittsburgh D's blunders in coverage. If he has time to throw he can still be effective. But the most damning thing is will he or won't he radically adjust his $70mil+ cap hit in a timely manner. I don't want to see the team playing the negotiating game into the mini-camp season.

A potential fly in the ointment for sure but I'm optimistic he'd want out if, a big if, that becomes an option. With the right coach and coordinator and dammit an offensive line that can pass protect, he can still be a star here or there.

I can't see us paying over $70m each year for the next two years and being able to upgrade the roster. The Ravens should offer him a fair extension and if he hems and haws about it, trade him. I would not let the negotiations hang around going nowhere like last time. We don't have the luxury this year of doing that. So far as Eric is concerned, I'm conflicted. Half of me says can him while the other half says give him a chance with his own coaching hire. I could go either way.

And finally, the Sun is reporting that the Browns want to interview Monken for their head coaching opening.

ESPN's Ben Solak Says Ravens Have Roster Construction Problem The prevailing opinion among pundits before the season was that the Ravens either had the best roster in the NFL or, at worst, were second only to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. So how did a team with so much talent, one that many predicted would finally get over the Super Bowl hump, end up with an 8-9 record and not make the playoffs? ESPN's Ben Solak said that while the Ravens have some of the best players in the league, they had some depth concerns. Solak contended that the Ravens' roster-building philosophy of drafting, developing, and extending their own players while making economical free-agent additions can be flawed. "You have your cornerstones – Lamar Jackson, Kyle Hamilton, Tyler Linderbaum, Ronnie Stanley – you build around these guys. Everything else around them has been draft and develop," Solak said on FanDuel TV's "Up & Adams Show." "Save for Derrick Henry, the last big free-agent contract they signed was in like 2016. They do not spend big money on outside guys. That's fine. That's very professional and a long-term way of building. I understand that. "But you can't draft this good. You cannot only keep your guys. When all you do is draft, develop and extend your own dudes, at some point you're going to catch two or three bad years even if you're a good GM, and you just don't have enough talent. The Ravens have such good blue-chip players. They have the stars, they absolutely do. [The problem is] when you get to the second and third tier of players." Solak cited offensive guard as a position in which the Ravens would have been better off by signing free agents, though he strangely contradicts himself by saying Baltimore should have re-signed its own pending free agents. "We're talking about Kevin Zeitler signing for one year, $9 million with the Tennessee Titans," Solak said. "And remember, they had Patrick Mekari in the building, Ben Powers in the building, John Simpson. They've had dudes there who have gone on to sign second-tier to third-tier level contracts – Simpson with the Jets and Powers with the Broncos – and they say, 'We can draft and develop.' "Man, even if you can, if you get 85 percent of the guy that just left the building, that accumulates over all these positions. You have a linebacker 2 problem, you have an edge rusher problem, you have a guard problem, and there are too many holes in your roster, so that once Lamar hurts his leg, like the season is lost. You have to be more serious about that second and third tier of the roster."

We have to prioritize things... 1) New coach and coaching staff. Possibly a new GM. The new GM, if hired, to pick the new HC. 2) The Draft/Free Agency/Trade: A DT who can collapse the pocket, an edge rusher, and an offensive lineman (preferably 2). Whoever gets picked/signed has to be able to start right away. 3) A new QB to replace Lamar? His quickness ain't what it used to be, and he's shown himself to be too moody. When he's feeling down, he lets the whole team down and he had more down days than up days this year. Also need an RB to groom as Henry's replacement? 4) Some indication of urgency on the part of Steve Bisciotti on solving these problems.

Interesting!

I agree with that!

Big changes are needed, I hope Steve agrees.

Well who might be available to us in that role in the draft?

A tad early to give up on EDC. He has done well in ending the WR drought but does seem unable to draft an impact edge rusher. I'll give him one last draft before I call for his head but it would certainly help if Steve tells him that.

I'm surprised...I thought he'd retire.

Jackson's back at practice today. I definitely have mixed feelings about it. Let's see if the young or old Lamar shows up on Sunday.

Yeah, I agree. The defensive linemen are tackling Lamar from behind much more successfully than in the past. He has either lost a step or is not as decisive as he used to be. I think, in this case, he's lost speed and quickness. Hurts once he passes the line of scrimmage as well, getting caught from behind.

I think it's downhill from here... https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/video/4f630DNwoSlnd3z/?source=athletic_user_shared_video_copylink&smid=url-share-ta

I'd start Huntley. He would have earned it. Doesn't he own the only 2 victories over .500/better teams the Ravens have this year?

Well what is the original of these rumors of Lamar and Monk not getting along...I just don't see any daylight between the two of them? I do know Harbs threw Monk under the bus a few weeks back which I thought was unprofessional.

Some columnist I read a few days ago, his name escapes me now, said Lamar is still a little boy in a grown man's body. I don't doubt he's hurting but his injuries aren't serious enough to not play in the Steelers' game if he wants to. And therein lies the problem. Lamar is demoralized by the team's showing this year but he doesn't have the necessary leadership skills and demeanor to still play for the enjoyment of the game and for his responsibilities. Snoop does know how to lead though he lacks the quality level of Lamar's many physical talents. But Huntley can get the job done. I'd like to see him play this Sunday.