TBird

BTW - I'd rather have our siutation than the Squeelers. They desperately wanted Maxx because their vet is too old, just like Heap was and they were upset when Ozzie traded up to steal him from them. They got Jesse James at TE from Penn St later in draft but he's no Heap. So they have an old vet in Miller and then the young ones. We have no vet but young ones and already beat them in the Wild Card with a rookie TE last year. I'd rather have our situation.

Squeelers got a good pass rusher in Dupree whom Ozzie liked but Oz countered and got the guy who made Dupree go - Z. Smith. He could rush from the los but was more dangerous setting up the edge fro OLB and took up blockers which freed up Dupree. Now he'll be freeing up the Ravens linemen. BTW, his original game was basketball until he got to the AAU and went vs 7 footers which reduced his rebounds. He went home and told his mom he was taking up football. Man, talk about talent and Ravens have so much depth with pass rushers like Brandon, Jernigan, Z. Smith, Carl Davis, Suggs, D. Smith, MOsley, and Dooooom. ps While Squeelers snatched Dupree from Ozzie, he stole Maxx from them. They were desperate because their guy is old and wanted Maxx but Oz traded up and grabbed him. Another guy they wanted was Carl Davis whom Oz got in the 3rd round. Kiper had him ranked #32 on his big board and Ravens got him in the 3rd round. Squeelers fans are pissed. http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Player-Profile-ZaDarius-Smiths-Trip-From-Basketball-To-Football/293ee382-6de2-419f-8c9a-0127e56c0323

Whatever you say Smurf. I just feel sorry for you because you won't enjoy all the wins Ravens will rack up because you'll be worrying about that big hole in their lineup.

LOL - So now you say he's just in his 3rd year. Before it has to be a vet. Now it has to be a vet with many, many, years of service to fill the hole you think is at TE. Nobody ever does recall just the blocking but Juice has proven he is a good blocker. He filled in for Leach as a blocking FB in a great way that nobody misses Leach and he was the best blocker we had. I used to be a blocker. I played everywhere on the line and RB and I blocked. He has blocking experience as the best in his draft class as Mel Kiper put it.

Here's your vet TE Smurf and it says here he picked up the slack for receptions when Pitta went down so there goes your big hole theory. In fact, Ravens were looking at a vet TE but didn't sign him because Juice is a better blocker. The Ravens' fullback, Juszczyk is a second-year fourth rounder who helped pick up Dennis Pitta's pass-catching slack in 2014, hauling in 19 receptions for 182 yards and a touchdown. He added six more grabs across two playoff games. Juszczyk isn't guaranteed a 2015 roster spot, but will get the benefit of the doubt in camp. Jan 10 - 9:36 PM Juice had over 1500 yards at Harvard as SR TE and H-BACK with 26 TD as 2 time All America. Kiper called him the best TE and HBACK in his draft class. So quit the worrying. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-05-05/sports/bs-sp-cowherd-ravens-column-0506-20130505_1_matt-birk-ravens-rookie-ravens-coaches

OK, if you were just talking about TEs. Some of those rosters only list one position like at CENTER so you can't make a blanket statement that there's a vet at every position. Those are all PO teams and will likely make the POs again, same with the Ravens who are deeper than they were last year even at TE minus the vet. And Juice has played H-back and TE so there's your vet if needed. You worry too much.

OK, I'll make it easy for you. You said Ravens don't have a vet at every position on the team. I said name 5 teams that do have a vet at every poisition on the team. I'll make it easy for you and say name 2 teams with vets at every position on the team. You won't because you can't. There are none or maybe 1 or 2. Ravens are one of the deepest teams on paper in NFL. They were last year too and only made the POs because of all the depth they had with over 18 guys getting injured since camp started. Had they stayed health, and even if Jimmy stays in, the Ravens win the SB but got into the POs with a deleted secondary and a DB who wasn't even playing football when the POs started. They won with him in Pissburgh but lost in NE with a ton of cheating and illegal footballs to beat him. Again, RAVENS are deep at every position, even TE with the youngsters they have but continue to worry if you must.

Name 5 teams that do? NE is weaker after winning the SB. They lost 2 of their best guys in the secondary,one is probably the best in Revis. The other is guy we just got -Arrington. SF of Sb47 has lost over 1/2 of that team. Seattle doesn't have vets at every position and neither do Squeelers. Name 5 teams that do. You're whining about TE while the Ravens have more depth than any team on paper. They just upgraded the secondary. They got depth for d-line and the o-line and RB and WR. TEs block most of the time anyway and Gilmore and Nick Boyle can block and catch. You're worrying about nothing. Ravens are 1 of 4 teams poised for the SB right now.

You're right about not paying him but he got hurt a lot and wouldn't play thru the injuries or take cortisone because he was a Mormon. They don't take certain meds and can't drink coffee because it has caffein which they believe have evil spirits. True. Its a shame Heap didn't get a ring here after winning so many games, same as Mason but Ozzie went with the youth movement. They should have had at least one on the Lee Evans drop and one in 06 that Billick blew with all the talent Ozzie gave him.

Maybe after the 1 June cuts for cap savings. Might get one there.

Damn Smurf - That was only for a couple of games by a rookie filling in for the old man who refused to play hurt, one reason why Ravens cut him when they did. Dixon had 500 yards in his first full year of starting. But relax man, Pitta says he's coming back, so there's your precious vet. Click on one of the vids to the left in link. some nice catches by Perriman in the link too. Oh, btw - thanks for the compliment but I'm the oldest dude on here. I've been going to pro games in Baltimore since the 50s. No mas. Bad lungs keep me from walking around the stadium and up from the tailgates but I went to most of all the baltimore colts games and every Ravens game for the first 15 years they were here and spent thousands more following them around the country. Been to almost every stadium with your old pal Mista T from scout. You know me. I was Sirius Raven over there. We walked back to H lot after a game and you pulled a yellow crying towel out of a fence. The owner came over and said that's mine and you dropped your pants and wiped your ass with it and threw it in the drum with fire. The guy just walked away. LOL http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Highlights-From-Rookie-Minicamp/82088580-7e0f-46c2-a230-0581d545aea5

In fact, it's the good thing we had Dickson because when Heap got hurt during Ed's rookie year he came in and gained about 132 yards. That blows your theory away. The rookie TE contributed his first year. After Heap left Dickson gained over 500 yards in his second yr. Ed was drafted before Pitta and came out the gate faster before Pitta moved forward. Ravens could cut Heap because of the rookies they drafted the year before.

Heap was gone after that - too old and slow and he got injured. He kept himself out for fear of re-injury and Ravens dumped him after the season. Heap could have started as a rookie if we didn't have one of the best in Sharpe. The Ravens were 7-9 in Heap's second season. He caught 68 passes for 836 yards and 6 touchdowns and was voted to his first Pro Bowl. That was his first full year of playing. Gronk played as a rookie and did OK.

Yea, I knew it but included WR but if you just want to stick to TEs, you can start Shannan Sharp, Gonzales, Heap, Gronk, Jimmy and John Mackey. Pitta barely played at all as a rookie TE because of Heap but then he was cut and Pitta helped win the SB with a TD and Dickson made some big catches in that game. Ravens have always had good TEs if not great going back to Shannan Sharpe who was our veteran TE in SB35. The Sharpe trade was like the Frank Robinson trade for the Os. They put their teams over the hump and into the big dance right away. They were the home run hitters both teams needed to win.

Great post and points. Yea, on paper. They had no secondary probs this time last year on paper-lol. By week 5 Jimmy and Webbie were gone and so was the SB. Billick always said it takes a lot of luck just to get into the SB. Melvin was picked on for sure by the best QB but my point was he was doing fine, leading by 2 Tds - twice with doctored up balls, trick plays and obscure formations with the bending of the rules to beat him. Brady's QB rating was 113 vs Elam alone not to mention his missed tackles and they just won by a couple of points. Like Webbie said, we were doing something right for them to use all that trickery and cheating to beat us.

Within 3 short months Ozzie has shored up a dire secondary weakness with depth just adding Arrington, see Arrington thread, and drafting Trey Walker. Walker was projected in the 5th round but Ravens seriously considered him in the 3rd round and knew he wouldn't be there for them if they waited longer than the 4th so they used a 4th round comp pick on him. He visited a bunch of teams. Walker could be starting one day but for now he is needed backup if injuries set in again and we still have Melvin who is raw but can grow and Will Hill. See link for stats. BTW, Melvin was kicking Brady's ass so bad leading by 2 TDs - twice and with NE using illegal footballs and bending the rules on obscure plays so much the NFL changed the rules as soon as the season was over. It took all that cheating on a guy who wasn't even playing football 4 weeks before. Ravens won with him playing in Pissburgh. Also, Elam has lost weigth and has no body fat at all and is ready to improve his game. He knows time is running out. http://www.footballinsiders.com/texas-southern-cb-tray-walker-has-four-visits-with-nfl-teams/

Ozzie kept his word and looked for more CBs and signed Arrington to 3 year deal. He's just a backup and a slot guy at best but Ravens are better prepared now than a year ago with depth. Most guys are stoked about that. NE let him go for CAP space and to go with youth movement. He's the best backup we have now. www.baltimoreravens.com

Depends on the rookie. Clayton, Doss & TT - no, Boldin and Roddy White and Julio - yes.

Most guys on the boards are pretty stoked at the sudden glut in talent and depth we have at TE - all except 1 poster here.

And Waller as TE.

They might still sign a vet TE although they're looking for secondary help. See conference call thread. I'm not worried. This is one of the few teams poised to go to the SB with so much talent and depth.

How about this for a suggestion. Put the 6'6, Waller at TE. Just think of the mis-matches he would create at that height? Ravens have a lot of options and plenty of depth at TE if not much experience. Gilmore did ice the wild card game in Piss last year with a TD late in the game.

They're not happy with Elam. No shit? But he has lost weight and is in great shape with no body fat. The 6'6, 240 lb Waller could be used at TE in passing situations. Think of the mis-matches vs line backers especially over the middle and in the red zone, +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Aaron Wilson @RavensInsider John Harbaugh on Michael Campanaro: 'He's going to play more if he earns it. He's got talent. He's got to stay healthy and beat someone out' Ozzie Newsome on Elam: 'Matt has had a lot of opportunities. It's readily known we haven't been satisfied with the way he's played thus far' Ozzie Newsome on Matt Elam: 'He's carrying himself with a lot more confidence.' Ozzie Newsome: 'Arthur Brown needs to find a way to get on the field.' Said hard for him to play much with Daryl Smith, C.J. Mosley on team Ozzie Newsome on Matt Elam: '2015 is a different year. I am looking forward to seeing what he can do on the field' John Harbaugh on adding backups in secondary: 'Ozzie is working on that right now.' Ozzie Newsome: 'We'll be on the lookout for players in the secondary.' Ozzie Newsome: 'The big part of free agency is over.' John Harbaugh said that wide receiver Darren Waller (6-6, 238) could be utilized as a pass-catching tight end possibly John Harbaugh: 'We had some issues in the secondary last year, injuries. We tried to protect some of those issues with scheme.' John Harbaugh: 'Matt (Elam) has lost about eight pounds of fat. He's in tremendous shape, down to six-percent body fat.' John Harbaugh said he's leaning toward staying out on West Coast between games, noted the team is consulting with sleep specialists. Ozzie Newsome on taking WR Breshad Perriman over CB Byron Jones: 'We try to set the board to put the best players up there.' Ozzie Newsome: 'We felt like in getting Breshad we get an element we lost when we lost Torrey.' Ozzie Newsome said: 'Hopefully, we'll add some depth to secondary' now that draft is over. John Harbaugh: 'One of these days we'll start getting some Monday night games at home.' Ozzie Newsome said he anticipates Maxx Williams making an impact in the red zone and on third down as a rookie John Harbaugh on kick returner replacement: 'We don't have that answer yet' Said Michael Campanaro is an option on punt returns Ozzie Newsome on Kyle Arrington: 'I will say that there are a lot of players available I've been on the phone talking with representatives.' John Harbaugh on Dennis Pitta: 'He has a chance. It depends on safety and how he sees his hip holding up.' Ozzie Newsome on undrafted safety Nick Perry: 'He'll be able to come in and compete with the guys that we have.' Ozzie Newsome: 'Nick is a young man who played in the SEC, and we'll see if he has enough ability and work ethic to make our 53-man squad.' John Harbaugh on Marlon Brown: 'He's made improvements from last year. There were some injuries. He's a big, raw-boned talented guy.' John Harbaugh said Marlon Brown can still refine his skills technically. 'This should be a big year for Marlon.' Ozzie Newsome: 'Courtney [upshaw] realizes he's in his contract year and getting to the quarterback adds value to himself moving forward' John Harbaugh predicted that at least one undrafted free agent would make the team Ozzie Newssome said he's working on several extensions at this time. Marshal Yanda, Justin Tucker are candidates Ozzie Newsome on contract extension talks: 'If we don't get it done, we'll move on to the next' John Harbaugh 'We could play a game right now if we had to. We don't have glaring needs.' John Harbaugh: 'We are still looking for defensive backs.'

HARBs just said today that 6'6, 240 lb Waller could be used as a TE in passing situations. Think of the mis-matches over the middle and in the red zone vs the line backers.

Yes, Gilmore is the established TE vet now and Ravens just cut Supernaw and Wenning the backup QB who was on the PS. Ravens have the youngest and best 1-2-3 punch at TE in NFL. They ran a lot of 2 TE sets last year and will this year and will alternate the 3 of them. Gilmore and Nick for running plays and Gilmore and Maxx for passing plays. Nick is the best blocker of the group. He had a great SR Bowl week and rookie camp last weekend. His success continues.