Money

No. Given the stability of their roster, SF was in a better position to gamble. The Ravens had multiple holes to fill. If you remember...DL was a huge question mark. The pass rush was a huge question mark. They had to replace #20 and #52. Actually...they had to replace both starting safeties as well as two starting LBs. They had to replace a starting CB. Boldin had a good year this year. I'm very happy for him. It doesn't mean the Ravens made a mistake. They had to create cap room somewhere. It's not like they didn't make an attempt to keep him. I suggest you buckle down, because it's going to be the same thing with Suggs. I'm a huge Suggs' fan, but If the Ravens have a legitimate shot to land Mack and need to part ways with Suggs to do it...I am ALL for it.

Here's a quote from Preston today in the Sun: One other thing (hope you are reading this, Joe Flacco): Did anyone notice how many times Manning was able to draw the Chargers offside? That rarely happens with Flacco's monotone cadence because he doesn't appear to stagger the count. Would anyone like to take a guess at which team caused the most neutral zone infractions this year? I'll give you a hint...it rhymes with the Zaltimore Zavens. Good job Preston. You're reeaaalllllyyyyy on top of things. It's not like it's your job or anything.

Yeah...I definitely don't want a track star. Evans and Matthews are my hopes at WR. I can't decide if I like Amaro or Ebron better. What I do know is I would be happy with either.

There are a couple players who I hope have bad 40 times at the combine. Evans is one and Matthews is the other. Do the Raiders need another WR? You can count on them to draft a track star that has no business going in the 1st round.

A player is only worth what someone is willing to give up for him. That was Boldin's worth. People are actually blaming the Ravens because no other team felt Boldin was worth more?

We just have different viewpoints I guess. According to you, if something works 9 times out of 9 and doesn't work the 10th time, it's a mistake. I happen to believe if something works 9 times out of 9 and the Ravens choose to do something different the 10th time, then that is a mistake. Another example: Many people believe the Ravens should have kept Dilfer as the starting QB in 2001. I believe the Ravens were correct in attempting to upgrade that position. I don't think it's fair for people to call replacing Dilfer a mistake when nobody has any idea how that season would have turned out if Dilfer was the QB (especially given all the other setbacks the 2001 team had). I think it's an overly simplistic way of looking at things. Just because the desired results weren't achieved doesn't mean every decision was a mistake. I guess it was a big mistake for the Ravens to draft Jamal Lewis in 2000 because they could have drafted Tom Brady. Actually there were 198 mistakes made in that draft before NE selected Brady with the 199th pick.

Is your reading comprehension actually this bad or are you just feeling argumentative? Where did I say the Ravens' trading Boldin "worked"? When something doesn't work out for you, you automatically call it a mistake on your part? I don't use hindsight to decide whether a decision was a mistake or not when it was made. Let's not forget the simple fact that nobody actually has any clue how things would have worked out had the Ravens kept Boldin.

You are completely misunderstanding me. I am stating that I want the front office to be consistent with their decision making. The Ravens are and they are usually correct. They don't flip flop with their philosophy on aging vets. 1 out of 10 veteran players going on to be productive with their new teams is inevitable. It doesn't make their decision a mistake in mind. If a HC has the philosophy that his team will always go for it on 4th and goal from the one yard line and the team is successful on 6 of the first 6 times, but then gets stopped one time, was it a "mistake" to go for it that 7th time?

I don't think the priority is a receiver who can pick up a key 3rd and 7 AND is in the twilight of his career AND is relatively expensive is a top priority though. If the Ravens sign Boldin this offseason to a substantial contract, then you can make that assumption. Let me ask you this. If the Ravens follow a specific philosophy when making personnel decisions (with veterans especially) and they are successful with 9 out of 10 decisions, does that really make the 1 out of 10 a "mistake"? Personally...I am very happy with their consistent approach to these decisions. Especially a consistent approach that is very successful as a whole.

No...I don't remember this. I remember Dumervil. The Dumervil signing (when it was officially done) all centered around when the Boldin trade became official and the Ravens had the cap space. I remember Boldin being out of the country (some charity trip) and not being available to take his physical with SF.

Seriously...how fantastic is our front office??!! All of the players the Ravens have parted ways with (in just the last 3 years alone) and the only one people can bitch and complain about is Boldin. Don't change a thing Ozzie!!!

Okay...I have to ask. WTF are you talking about??!! The guy has an 8-8 year after 5 straight years in the playoffs, 9 playoff wins, 3 AFCCG's and a Super Bowl championship and you are talking about him like he's Marvin Lewis or something. Billick was shown the door 7 years after the Ravens won the Super Bowl. The Ravens failed to make the playoffs 4 of those years and only had one playoff win in those 7 years. Get a freakin' clue.

I think they go after the big, physical WR in the 1st or 2nd and then also look for quick "offensive weapon" around the 5th round. I use the term "offensive weapon" because it will be one of those hybrid guys. Extremely quick and fast and can line up anywhere. Will also be our return guy. If Mike Evans falls to them, I think they jump up to the podium with his name. I also would not be surprised if they took one of the TEs in the 1st (Ebron or Amaro). The guy I really like is Jordan Matthews (who they should be able to get in the 2nd).

Sorry...they didn't blow it with Boldin. They followed the same philosophy they always follow and it's one that is correct at least 80% of the time. That philosophy is it's better to release a player a year too soon than a year too late. The Ravens are consistently good because their front office is consistent in their decision making. If the Ravens had gone against their philosophy, caved in and kept Boldin at $2mil more than they thought his value was and then Boldin had a terrible year...then, you could say the Ravens blew it. No front office is going to be "right" 100% of the time, but the successful ones are the ones that don't waffle back and forth in their philosophies. Think about how many veterans part ways with the Ravens. Now think about how many go on to thrive with their new teams. It's very minimal.

I can't imagine anyone looking at the firing of Montgomery as the solution to the problem. That is the purpose of a scapegoat. Like a said, a RB coach isn't important enough to serve as a scapegoat. Most fans don't even know the names of position coaches. OCs and DCs are the usual scapegoats.

Don't buy it. A RB coach isn't important enough to serve as a scapegoat.

He was leaking information to Preston that should have remained in-house. That's why he was fired.

I think Yanda and Osemele are athletic enough. The guys that were completely wrong for the ZBS were McKinnie and Oher. Both are gone.

What makes you think it will be the same group?

I'm not thrilled, but at least it looks like they are fully committing to the ZBS instead of the confusion of last year. This needs to be carried out with player decisions when it comes to the OL and even their choice to replace Caldwell.

Not if they trade him to an NFC team for a 6th rounder (see Boldin).

So Montgomery was leaking information to Mike Preston. I thought it was hilarious when Bisciotti called out Preston at the end of the press conference. You have to love our owner! I'm fine with Castillo remaining as sole OL coach as long as they go all in on the ZBS. This should be a factor in the hiring of the new OC as well as OL player changes.

I think it's pretty clear that they are talking about upgrading the FS position and moving Elam to SS where he belongs.

Suggs' contract was signed after 2008. 2011 and the first half of 2013 were excellent 2010 was okay 2009, 2012 and the last half of 2013 were very bad Judging from this and the fact that he is on the downside of his career...I feel the Ravens are better served to use his $7.8m in cap savings elsewhere.

If there's one area I'm most confident in Ravens replacing players, it's the defensive front 7. The one FA addition that would literally make me shed tears of joy would be Alex Mack. Can anyone fully grasp how much he would instantly improve the OL. The $7.8m cap savings from Suggs in 2014 can make this happen. I think Mack wanted to stay in Cleveland, but I think he is pissed (as many are) about the firing of Chudzinski. Next year, we have both Smith's to worry about. In my opinion, they absolutely cannot let Jimmy Smith walk. He will command a good chunk of change. Does anyone want to see Torrey Smith go? The $8.5m cap savings from Ngata in 2015 would go a long way towards keeping both of these guys. Who does everyone want to see the Ravens shell out money to...players entering there prime or players whose best days are behind them?