Tre White now a Raven

[tsylvester]

Yawn, the Rams get a 7th in 26, and send a 27 7th plus White who has been the Rams dog house for the past 4 games. Tore his Achilles last year while with the Bills. It is depth, surprised that they didn't land an edge rusher, cough cough, from the Giants..mmm

Per Espn

[tsylvester]

I will add, the Ravens had 11 picks in next year's draft, acquired 2 players, both for depth on either side of the ball.

They still have 11 picks in next year's draft, half of those players picked will not make the team, at the least.

What happens if everyone stays healthy, but the team needs a sack at the end of a playoff game to push a team out of field goal range so that they can't kick the game winning field goal?

By all reports, an edge rusher, where the Ravens lack depth most along the defensive line, would have cost at most 2 low round picks, a 5th and 6th.

Are those 5th or 5th guys going to make a huge difference next year?

I realize that this team faces a number of contracts next year, free agents, and recognize how important draft picks are to building a team without killing a cap.

However, this defense has shown, even against sub par teams that pass rush is the most glaring need. Next to that is depth at defensive tackle, especially with the recent 4 game, at least injury to one of the better defensive tackles this team has.

Eric missed the boat on this trade line, clinging to draft capital at the expense of a true Super Bowl run...

[oldno82]

I tend to agree. We don't have an adequate pass rush. I've finished watching about half the Broncos game and I've got to say there were too many pass plays that had NO pass rush to speak of. What's a guy like Joe Burrow going to do against us this Thursday, especially with the weapons he has?

Looks like the D is not going to be of a caliber to get us very deep in the playoffs.

Disappointing.

 

[GrubberRaven]

Maybe the asking price was too high?

[tsylvester]

27 minutes ago, GrubberRaven said:

Maybe the asking price was too high?

Yeah, maybe like the Comandos who way over paid for their corner, as good as he is. I understand that there was a bidding war for him, but wow.

Or Dallas who was the only team after Wingo, a 4th?

Still, the Giants, according to reports, wanted a 4th or a low 5th and 6th for Ojulari, who is on the last year of his contract. Seems pretty fair considering what other ends got traded for this past week.

Is he a top sack artist? No, but is he more productive that Owe, Ojaba,Isaac, even Robinson who just had a break out game? Yes.

It was time for Eric to cut the cord on at least 1 of his 3 reaches in the past drafts, Ojaba.

Owe is playing decent, Issac should see more play moving forward as will Robinson. The later showed his strength and power collapsing the pocket often Sunday.

The former has the speed to catch Burrow, Mahomes, Wilson when they break the pocket and scramble.

But this team lacks the sacks, the disciplined rush the collapse from the ends. That alone would help the pass defense.

Even with only 3-5 mil in cap space they could have rented Ojulari for this season.

White, if healthy, with a repaired Achilles and acl (he tore the year before) is mostly a zone corner, not a true man corner. He is slowed by those injuries, and Wric, as he did with 2 defensive ends in the draft, is betting he will turnout, be a diamond in the rough.

As it is they lose nothing if they cut him before seasons end.

But who gets cut so he can have a roster spot? How is he, even if he works out, going to fix the communication issues?

[oldno82]

3 hours ago, tsylvester said:

 How is he, even if he works out, going to fix the communication issues?

He's not. It's the coaching that's causing the secondary mess along with the absence of a bona-fide pass rusher.

[tsylvester]

Ravens cut Yannick Ngakoue, a pass rusher where they are thin and have had little production, hope to get him back on the practice squad

Is this a roster move to fit White on the 53?

Im not saying he has been a pro bowler, but certainly was working toward it, playing into shape.

They wanted him back but wait until he was a waiver instead of a free agent?

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ravens-waive-yannick-ngakoue

 

If the Ravens had cut Ngakoue before Tuesday’s trade deadline, he would have been an unrestricted free agent free to sign with any team. But because the Ravens waited until after the trade deadline, he is subject to waivers and has to go to any team that claims him. If multiple teams put in a waiver claim for Ngakoue, the team with the worst record would get him.

[oldno82]

Don't think it matters. He hasn't contributed squat since we picked him up. Of course, it could again be the defensive scheme they're running...presuming Orr/Pees actually have one.

[papasmurfbell]

It looks like Mitchell is the move.

[tsylvester]

Reportedly Ravens offered a 3rd for Lattimore but were out bid by the Commandos.

Tried to trade for Campbell, but the Phins backed out at the last minute.

I stand corrected

According to a report from Sports Illustrated Albert Breer, general manager Eric DeCosta offered a third-round pick to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore and nearly had a deal in place with the Miami Dolphins to bring back six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell but it fell through late.

 

[oldno82]

BTW the pass rush was certainly decent last night...a nice improvement.

 

[tsylvester]

Yes, 3 sacks, 2 in the first half, not bad. A lot of pressure which Burrow was able to escape mostly: disciplined rush is nonexistent.

I am not sure how Campbell would have helped. He is having a decent season but he is ancient, I am almost glad that they couldn't work something out with Miami.

[oldno82]

Yeah but Lattimore for a 3rd would have made my day.

[tsylvester]

For sure, he would have replaced Stephens, been a great fit. Stephens just hasn't played up to last year's performance for some reaason

[papasmurfbell]

The rush was not that good.  Only a few guys perform.  

[papasmurfbell]

Listening to lacanfora he made a reasonable argument for firing Doug Malory and cutting Williams.

[oldno82]

Well, the Ravens are in a real pickle with the defensive coaching and personnel. Who is available at this point in the season to coach the secondary that would be any better? Who is out there that could replace Williams? Or do we believe things have gotten so bad that anybody would be an improvement?

I think, unfortunately the team has to wait until the season is over to address both the coaching and player issues in the pass defense. I don't like that answer but I think we are currently stuck with what we've got.

Ugh!

[papasmurfbell]

Promote from within on both fronts.  Trudy let the wrong assistant walk.  Look at the ten defense.  They play the pass great.

[tsylvester]

Yeah, I don't think an inseasoned change is going to help. If you listen and believe Humphries, it is not the coaching, but the players not taking the way they practice to the games.

Guys are out of position, even though, by and large, the coverage scheme was correct to stop a play, but for some reason the safeties are out of position or the corners are.

The linebackers are another issue. What changed there? Queen vs Simpson. I've seen Simpson out of position a number of times, just wandering.

Smith is ineffective in coverage, in blitzing, is he trying to cover up for Simpson or did he really hit a wall?

If, as Harbs and Humphries claim, the practices are solid, but it isn't translating to the game, is that coaching or player?

Did Williams really lose his speed and instincts? Was Stephens just a decent corner last year because of the pass rush?

Did Eric really miss on an unreal number of players he drafted, rush ends, corners, safeties? And this year, a year that they counted on those players because of cap issues, it has been revealed? All of them?

[papasmurfbell]

That all sounds like covering for guys.  Everyone says smith looks heavier.  Does he need to lose a few to cover better?

[tsylvester]

He does look heavier no doubt. I guess we will never know if he heavier or has just lost s few steps.

The benching of both Jackson and Williams is telling. One or both are not playing the coverages right or are just at the end of their careers. It's one thing to be too deep and get best underneath.

Quite another when they so often get best deep. When they take wrong angles to make a tackle and the receivers run free for long touchdowns.

We fans are not used to seeing this defense be bad, not since 1996, and most fans are too young to remember.

We do remember the terrible safety play after Ed Reed, Rod Woodson retired, Eric Weddle moved on.

Williams was playing great before he got hurt last year. Now,he flashes, but by & large he is trying to hard to read a qb, and gets stalled allowing receivers to get behind him, late to give the help.

So if it isn't just the coaching, as Humph says, is Stone, who often left his responsibilities and made plays, and Queen, who didn't get better until Smith got here, the key issues?

Neither is playing up to the level of last year, this year on their new teams.

But is seems these players, Williams, Jackson, Stephens to some extent, have lost their speed and are trying to overcompensate by reading too long?

The team clearly though cb, Stephens, needed to be replaced by trying to make the trade.

But they also see that safety is the biggest problem, sadly, there is not much that they can do there, save for putting rookies in there.

Maybe White will get his shot after this fake bye week, replace Stephens, see if that helps.

[papasmurfbell]

Slide Stephen’s to safety.

[tsylvester]

He has played it before, maybe during the real bye after the Stillers game....

[oldno82]

Coaches aren't supposed to coach only in practice. They should be coaching during games as well. Maybe they’re not getting in their players ears enough during the game?