All these receivers

[cravnravn]

 

 

ben helping to win 2 super bowls

 

Very comical...Ben had the worst QB rating ever to play on a winning SB team..The team won, inspite of Ben

[vmax]

Very comical...Ben had the worst QB rating ever to play on a winning SB team..The team won, inspite of Ben

 

I don't know crav. I fairness to Ben, his honesty and sense of fair play was apparent. He knew the Refs were paid off, so he tried as hard as he could to give the game away.

 

[papasmurfbell]

Often you can get older average OL guys pretty cheaply. Shipley has to go.

Not nearly as cheaply as guys in their rookie deals.

[oldno82]

Not nearly as cheaply as guys in their rookie deals.

That doesn't do any good if they can't block.

[papasmurfbell]

But the cap makes you have to make decisions you don't always want to make.

[papasmurfbell]

Also if a FA is needed it is at CB much more.

[oldno82]

Also if a FA is needed it is at CB much more.

 

Also if a FA is needed it is at CB much more.

 

That may require a trade of a draft choice. Oz will hate to do that but it might be necessary.

But the cap makes you have to make decisions you don't always want to make.

There are times you can get an older vet to play for the vet minimum or a little above. I'm not saying get a starter, just an adequate backup. Shipley, based on what I saw last year and last game isn't adequate.

[papasmurfbell]

Actually the vet min is much higher than what these cheap kids make. The Vet min is over $1mil. I bet Grad is pulling down in the range or 6-800 K this yr.

[oldno82]

Like I said, cheap is no good if it's no good talent. A few hundred thousand more isn't going to kill the Ravens $5 million cap space.

 

But this is all moot. We have no idea at this point who might become available if anyone.

[RavenMad]

Grad or Shipley by themselves are ok. That means you have someone decent beside them that can help to mask some of their obvious deficiencies. Put the 2 of them together and you have a recipe for disaster. Same for Jaja Binks at RT. I like what we have at the starting spots and the depth isn't terrible as long as 2 of them don't have to start we should be ok.

[vmax]

Grad or Shipley by themselves are ok. That means you have someone decent beside them that can help to mask some of their obvious deficiencies. Put the 2 of them together and you have a recipe for disaster. Same for Jaja Binks at RT. I like what we have at the starting spots and the depth isn't terrible as long as 2 of them don't have to start we should be ok.

 

If 2 of them have to start????

We should tell Geronimo that we found a situation where playing Tyrod would be perfect.

[TBird]

Ravens will keep 5 or 6, probably no more but Butler could go to the practice squad with maybe someone else.

 

It's time to part ways with Deonte and LaQuan. They had their chances.

[cravnravn]

Cutting Deonte is no biggie, he was undrafted guys like him are a dime a dozen..Are his legal issues over?

[cravnravn]

 

 

The Ravens’ first-team offense opened the preseason with the kind of performance that has fans drooling about what the group may do this season.

Quarterback Joe Flacco orchestrated a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive where he distributed the ball to four different targets and also involved three players out of the backfield. It was just one series of the first preseason game, but it was an indication that the Ravens have surrounded Flacco with pieces to be a potent offense in 2014.

 

“What we did in the game wasn’t a fluke,” wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. said.

The offensive success against the 49ers indicated the Ravens have quickly made the adjustment to new Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak’s system, which is founded on the running game and the quarterback’s ability to spread the ball around the field.

 

In order for the scheme to work, the offense needs to have many options – and the Ravens like what they have in that department.

 

“With the weapons we have, I think [opponents] will have to pick their poison,” Smith said. “You can never have too many horses in the stable. When you have that opportunity, it makes it a lot easier on the offensive coordinator.”

 

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Steve-Smith-Pick-Your-Poison-With-Ravens-Offense/f9b5832b-ab84-49ec-b31f-e671ed5d9e7e?mobile-id=843882&media-type=N

[cravnravn]

Oh boy, now what do we do with Deonte?

[vmax]

Oh boy, now what do we do with Deonte?

 

I let him go.

Reminds me of Tandon Doss

[oldno82]

He goes. If he can't catch, let him go. He's had plenty of time to develop.

[TBird]

LOL - Maybe I spoke too soon. Maybe I shouldn't have spoken at all as a newb-lol but I think Deonte just found

a home tonight with those returns. There's always a need for a return guy to take it easy on JJ. Oddly, Deonte

was the WR Ozzie pimped all last offseason to step up for Boldin but it didn't happen.

 

As for his legal issues, his case was dismissed and the Ravens were very pleased about that. The owner of the

car said it was his stash and the cops couldn't even proved Deonte was smoking it.

 

Taliaferro's case was dropped too, so out of 5 off-season arrests, 2 cases were dismissed. No criminal record

at all on those dudes.

 

Back to the WRs, I found this quote in The Sun.

 

Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak said this week that the team has to make a call on the "back two … or three" receiver spots.

"However it pans out, it's going to be a tough call," Kubiak said. "That's a good thing."

[thundercleetz]

We are already paying Jacoby big bucks to be our returner. See if you can trade Deonte for a late round draft pick.

[TBird]

True but JJ is also a star WR as we saw last night. Deonte could save some wear on him not to mention injuries. A lot of players make the team strictly on their special teams talent. For

some, it's the only way to make it. Maybe Deonte fits that bill. Just saying, ya know?

[oldno82]

I'd hate to for us to use a WR spot on a guy that can just do returns. At this point, from what I've read, we're very deep in WR talent.

[papasmurfbell]

They probably have 4 guys who are competent return guys.

[tsylvester]

Tough call for sure, how many receivers will they carry? Four, five maybe? Even with the big returns last night, he still struggles against the press coverage and with making catches in traffic. With the way Aiken, who not only runs great routes but blocks, very, very well, is playing, I just do not see room for Donte.

 

Do the math for the team, now needing to keep several db's because of injury or sucky play, that may take up the last roster leaving no room to keep five or more wr's.

[papasmurfbell]

They keep at least 5 probably 6.

[tsylvester]

They keep at least 5 probably 6.

 

 

 

Maybe five, but 6? Last year they kept 5, which is their average save for a couple of seasons where they carried 4. They carried 8 offensive lineman last year, this year's crop is not worth 8 but you need depth, good or bad. Six on the defensive line, last year they carried 10 linebackers, not sure they keep that many this year, but they might. Two quarterbacks for sure, they carried five runningbacks last year, I think they just go with four this year, they are all playing very well. Three tight ends for sure...

 

They had 11 in the secondary last year, should hold the same this year given the youth, injury history and lack of true quality. Throw enough at the wall, something will stick.

 

3 specialist, so that is 52, minimum, leaving 1 spots open team wide.

 

So let us see, Smith, Smith, Jones, Brown and I think Aiken for sure. Aiken, as I said, has been very good blocking, routes and shown good hands. Next pre season game I expect him to get more reps with the first team to see how well he can do with a real quarterback throwing to him.

 

So that last roster spot comes down to which position needs it more, with the safeties being subpar so far, the injuries at db and the lack luster play as well, this should be interesting.