Father Time

[vmax]

Until the Ravens find players who can beat these guys out of a starting position they will remain old.

Slow goes with that.

 

 

 

Looking at the teams that played in this weekend's divisional round, here are the number of players older than 30 who started 10 or more games for them in 2016: the Seahawks (five), Texans (five), Cowboys (four), Falcons (four), Patriots (four), Steelers (three), Packers (three) and Chiefs (two).

The Ravens had a whopping 10 such players: quarterback Joe Flacco; linebackers Terrell Suggs and Albert McClellan; wide receivers Steve Smith Sr. and Mike Wallace; safeties Eric Weddle and Lardarius Webb; guard Marshal Yanda; center Jeremy Zuttah; and tight end Dennis Pitta. This doesn't include Elvis Dumervil, who only played half of the games after recovering from Achilles surgery, and tight end Benjamin Watson, who missed the entire season with an Achilles injury......http://www.espn.com/blog/baltimore-ravens/post/_/id/33272/time-to-get-younger-ravens-face-several-pressing-age-old-decisions

 

It's been a long time since I heard "They don't know how fast we are."

 

[papasmurfbell]

If they had traded guys who had a bunch of value before then they had real value they could draft good replacements.

[oldno82]

They need a 'youth movement' with talented young guys. The best way to get that is the draft but we haven't selected a real playmaker in ages.

[papasmurfbell]

That is why the team needs a new way to run in the front office.

[oldno82]

It's time for Ozzie to start drafting quality instead of quantity. Having many draft picks by trading down is nice but the best we seem to do is role-players. There should be several playmakers to choose from at the 16 spot in this year's draft. It's up to Oz to pick them.

[oldno82]

The more I think about it, the more I believe it's going to take several drafts to re-load this team and some smart free agent moves.

[papasmurfbell]

I was saying trading existing players for new picks like NE does. At the moment the Ravens really do not have any good trade bait. They really are missing a great deal of talent. I do agree this will take at least a few yrs to fix.

[varaven45]

Yep, and they can start to turn this ship around in April with a kick arse draft. Find a playmaker now and someone who can dominate like we did when the franchise began. It'll take a few years but might as well get started !

[oldno82]

I was saying trading existing players for new picks like NE does. At the moment the Ravens really do not have any good trade bait. They really are missing a great deal of talent. I do agree this will take at least a few yrs to fix.

They've been very remiss in not trading players who are coming up to the last year of their contract and whom they know they won't be able to afford to sign them for picks. Now they don't have anybody worth trading like you said. That's why it will take few years or more to fix via the draft.

[Robjr83]

If they had traded guys who had a bunch of value before then they had real value they could draft good replacements.

 

You're assuming that Oz will draft good replacements... years of Elams and Perrimans have me worried

[thesteelhurtin]

The more I think about it, the more I believe it's going to take several drafts to re-load this team and some smart free agent moves.

I don't normally chime in on your conversations but I disagree with this. It seems across the league more and more rookies come in ready to contribute in their first year. Today's NFL is more about speed than knowledge.

[papasmurfbell]

 

You're assuming that Oz will draft good replacements... years of Elams and Perrimans have me worried

Than why on earth do the Ravens keep him then?

[oldno82]

Than why on earth do the Ravens keep him then?

 

Probably loyalty based on his record of building the Ravens after they moved here. He had some great picks back then, Ray Lewis, Reed, Boulware, Heap and others. But he hasn't landed a talent equal to those either on offense or defense for some time now. Part of the problem is that we've been drafting so low because the team played so well until the last few seasons. It's only been lately that he's been misfiring.

 

Oh by the way, don't forget Arthur Brown and Terrance Cody. We got Kindle and Cody by trading down out of the first round that year to get extra picks. Problem is the extra picks didn't generate any stars players.

[oldno82]

And in his early days he drafted Ogden too...can't forget him especially when Marchibroda was trying so hard for us to get a running back who never panned out.

[papasmurfbell]

 

Probably loyalty based on his record of building the Ravens after they moved here. He had some great picks back then, Ray Lewis, Reed, Boulware, Heap and others. But he hasn't landed a talent equal to those either on offense or defense for some time now. Part of the problem is that we've been drafting so low because the team played so well until the last few seasons. It's only been lately that he's been misfiring.

 

Oh by the way, don't forget Arthur Brown and Terrance Cody. We got Kindle and Cody by trading down out of the first round that year to get extra picks. Problem is the extra picks didn't generate any stars players.

Really it goes back to Harbs 2nd yr that the drafting has gone down hill. For many yrs with Billick they still drafted well. I keep hearing that Harbs has a ton of input into the draft. More than most coaches and that could be the problem. That said it has been 8 yrs of pretty poor drafts then.

[varaven45]

Really it goes back to Harbs 2nd yr that the drafting has gone down hill. For many yrs with Billick they still drafted well. I keep hearing that Harbs has a ton of input into the draft. More than most coaches and that could be the problem. That said it has been 8 yrs of pretty poor drafts then.

 

Yep ! You reap what you sow - and it's been bad fruit for a good while

[oldno82]

Really it goes back to Harbs 2nd yr that the drafting has gone down hill. For many yrs with Billick they still drafted well. I keep hearing that Harbs has a ton of input into the draft. More than most coaches and that could be the problem. That said it has been 8 yrs of pretty poor drafts then.

Interesting point. They did draft well with Billick although Boller was a disastrous pick.

[papasmurfbell]

But yr after yr with Billick they drafted well. Almost immediately after Harbs got here that vanished.

[krf82]

With a new chef in the kitchen, the recipe changed.

Drafting by the Peter (HARBS) Principle - every employee to rise in the hierarchy through promotion until they reach the levels of their respective incompetence.

 

We drop back in the draft to red star performers that will perform up to their level, not the higher level of those drafted before them. Nice group of fall-in-line special teamers.

 

The dog house is also reserved for those who think outside the box. Number two pick this year was doing well until rebuked and pre-season practice time diminished.

[JPPT1974]

It is about quality and not quantity. As it is about using those players who play through thick and thin.

[cravnravn]

OZ hit it good with Stanley.

[papasmurfbell]

He needs to stay healthy though.