Just a Reminder

[vmax]

I read this John Eisenberg column and thought I'd remind myself and all of us that the Ravens off season moves and aquisitions happen slowly and in a "Yawn" fashion.

 

Teams other than the Ravens are going to pluck the shiniest diamonds from this draft class, the players who allegedly can’t miss.

 

Someone else is going to win the offseason while the Ravens hum along, methodically putting their 2012 team together.

 

The Philadelphia Eagles won the most recent offseason, the one truncated by labor strife. They signed a handful of free agents, including cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, the biggest name on the market – an acquisition many Ravens fans envied. They called themselves the “Dream Team” while their front office took bows for fitting everyone under the cap.

 

When the season began, the Eagles won four of their first 12 games. Their big win in the offseason was exposed as fraudulent.

 

That’s usually what happens.

 

The Washington Redskins are famous for winning the offseason, investing huge dollars in big-name free agents such as Albert Haynesworth. But they’ve only had two winning seasons since 2000.

 

What the Ravens do in the offseason isn’t so exciting. They score in the draft’s nooks and crannies, the end of the first round, the second and third (and even later) rounds. They manage the cap, refraining from piling debt onto their credit card.

 

They turn their lineup over in the places where they can get younger, plugging in young guys they’ve drafted and developed, with the occasional well-placed, mid-market free agent such as Vonta Leach or Bernard Pollard mixed in.

 

They do indulge in the occasional splashy move. They actually traded for Terrell Owens once upon a time. They traded for Steve McNair, envisioning a Super Bowl run that almost happened.

 

But mostly, they just hum along, rebuilding as they go.

 

Where the Eagles had Asomugha in 2011, the Ravens had Lardarius Webb, their 2009 third-round draft pick, young and hungry and completely unknown outside of Baltimore. He couldn’t match Asomugha’s hype, but he was just as good on the field this season, if not better.

 

Who would you rather have now?

 

You don’t win the offseason with guys like Webb. You just win when it matters.

http://www.baltimore..._Offseason.aspx

 

The biggest off season move I can think of was getting Shannon Sharpe and Sam Adams before the draft in 2000. That freed them to get Jamal. It placed the final piece in what was to be a ferocious defensive front 7. Sharpe brought the mouth, the swagger, vision, the playoff experience and high expectations to an 8-8 team.

 

With the contract talk on Rice and Flacco it will be business as usual. That means it's February 21st and nothing will happen on either front until the last minute...as usual. Talking, speculation, rumors...we'll being out of air and still waiting for something to happen. It will be a long wait guys.

Rice will get tagged and sign the day that he shows up to camp. If Joe is signed before August, it will be because he doesn't want to be distracted during camp and tells his agent to take the deal.

Wallace and the other big names out there? They will go to other teams. Then Ozzie will go to work signing the 2nd tier, blue collar guys at bargain prices.

 

Yup...and the guys we want on the draft board? Ozzie won't draft for need at those slots unless a 'need position guy' is close or evenly matched to the best player available on their board.

As usual, we'll be screaming and complaining while all these good guys, "Ravens Needs", land somewhere else. Then we'll be staring at what looks like an empty pot to pick from and...Wham!...Ozzie gets a $teal and the guy impacts the team right away....fills a need.

 

To predict Ozzies moves, you have to get your head down in this level.

 

Ozzie rarely veers from Art Models 3 basic tenents for building a winning team:

1. Draft adroitly.

2. Sign free agents selectively.

3. Develop 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year players.

Edited February 21, 2012 by vmax

[yagersports]

Absolutely. I'm really hoping that the center from Wisconsin drops to us. He will no doubt be the BPA at that point. It would be another Heap/Reed coup at the bottom of the fist round.

[oldno82]

Absolutely. I'm really hoping that the center from Wisconsin drops to us. He will no doubt be the BPA at that point. It would be another Heap/Reed coup at the bottom of the fist round.

Would be nice though the Pack is drafting one ahead of us and might also need a C.

[OutsideRzAcE]

In other words....don't hold your breath for Mario Williams!

[colincac]

Sign Manning with the $15 Mil you're giving to Flacco. Please.

[papasmurfbell]

Sign Manning with the $15 Mil you're giving to Flacco. Please.

 

If you want to lose then make this call.