So what draft position will the Ravens be in? 14th pick

[tsylvester]

The problem with the "pay them early" philosophy is that most, perhaps some, want to taste free agency, the thrill of it. Others, want to see what they are worth as others in their positions get paid. Their agents encourage them to wait.

Sure, some will sign, they love the city, the team, but to assume a player at the top of their position is just gonna take what you offer or, not come back to the table a year later and want a new deal is foolhardy.

[oldno82]

I think it's getting harder to sign them early too. Their agents push them to free agency--more money for them if teams are bidding. Plus some players, maybe most, are motivated by taking the highest amount they can get. There's not a lot of loyalty up or down in the league.

But I like the idea of not being chained to the philosophy of BPA for all the teams. Sometimes you gotta draft for need.

[papasmurfbell]

I’m not saying they have to take the first thing offered by the team.  But I would want a deal.  If I can’t get one again I can make a trade.  I will not let guys walk for nothing.  Lindy is gone and we will get nothing for it.

[oldno82]

But the way any team might look at it is that they saved >$22mil by letting him go but got to use him for the full 4 cheap years after being drafted. He might also have decreased trade value if the other team knows you feel you must make a deal and aren't willing to let him walk.

[tsylvester]

1 hour ago, papasmurfbell said:

I’m not saying they have to take the first thing offered by the team.  But I would want a deal.  If I can’t get one again I can make a trade.  I will not let guys walk for nothing.  Lindy is gone and we will get nothing for it.

Nothing is a relative term, they will get a 3rd round comp pick for him. How much more do you think they could have gotten in trade?

So your idea is to offer close to top dollar and if they don't bite, trade them, provided you can get a team to trade with & get a decent trade.

Know how many free agents would want to join your team? Few, if any

[papasmurfbell]

30 minutes ago, oldno82 said:

But the way any team might look at it is that they saved >$22mil by letting him go but got to use him for the full 4 cheap years after being drafted. He might also have decreased trade value if the other team knows you feel you must make a deal and aren't willing to let him walk.

You don’t tell the league your plans.  Just make deals and trades.

 

7 minutes ago, tsylvester said:

Nothing is a relative term, they will get a 3rd round comp pick for him. How much more do you think they could have gotten in trade?

So your idea is to offer close to top dollar and if they don't bite, trade them, provided you can get a team to trade with & get a decent trade.

Know how many free agents would want to join your team? Few, if any

nothey don’t.  Trey and Lindy are a wash basically.  
you don’t have to do top dollar.  You start at a place and negotiate.  If it goes above a number you cannot go to you trade.

[tsylvester]

Lindy- highest paid, Likely, high pay, the punter, highest paid, not to mention 5 others who bolted for more money. No wash, comp picks

[papasmurfbell]

Lindy and Trey wash each other.  We will get others.  There will be no 3 in there though.

[tsylvester]

A month before the storm called the draft hits, we still have no idea who the Ravens will draft.

Quite frankly, I cant remember that last time we had so little info on who the Ravens would draft in the 1st round. Will it be a defensive or offensive player? For either line? Maybe a second level player or a wide receiver? Will they go Todd Heap on us and draft a tight end? Sure, I could have said Mark Andrews but that would be wrong on a couple of fronts.

1) He was not as 1st round pick, in fact, he wasn't even the 1st tight end the Ravens drafted that season, he was the 2nd and drafted in the 3rd! The 1st guy, yeah, he retired, after leaving the Ravens, bouncing around from team to team. He was decent, not worth drafting ahead of Andrews, let alone in the 1st round! Many fans, my self included, melted down when the Ravens drafted Hurst that early & ahead of Andrews.

So many questions, we can only hope they have a better idea of who they want to draft.....

[oldno82]

They have potentially a lot of options. Ionane the G from Penn State, Sadiq the TE, Fanto the OT, or see if somebody drops to them. I don't know if 14 is the optimal spot to take any of those 3 but our BPA philosophy hasn't been working real well lately. But that philosophy is more appropriate for later rounds when the crap shoot starts. I'd be happy with any of those 3 though I honestly think 14 is too soon to draft a guard. But we need O-line help so bad I'd take him.

Speaking of Andrews...what has caused his production fall off last year? Is he aging out or were they trying to hit the WR's more.

[papasmurfbell]

Age and injuries.  He is breaking down better than most players but not as well as stars.

[oldno82]

FWIW here's Kiper's thinking on the Ravens draft:

"

“There’s a lot of depth on the interior, be it at center or guard,” Kiper said. “I’d come out of this draft with three interior linemen if I were the Ravens. I’d come out of this draft with a tight end, wide receiver obviously — wide receiver depth is great, and the strongest position in this draft. It kind of fits this draft does to the needs of the Ravens perfectly.”

All that remains is execution."

[papasmurfbell]

No dl help.  That would bite us in the ass.

[oldno82]

I'd be very surprised if we can't find a big DT in the draft somewhere. But if Madds comes back we wouldn't have such a high priority on that need.