As the dust settles

[ForceEight]

So, we've lost Nakamura to the Panthers, Grubbs to the Saints, Johnson to the Chargers, and Redding to the Colts, and McClain is currently visiting the Broncos. We're rumored to be pursuing (based on what I've read here and elsewhere) Ted Ginn, Kassim Osgood, Evan Mathis, Brandon Jacobs, and a few others (e.g. Eric Winston, who I don't think we can afford). And we lost out on Eddie Royal.

 

I know that the front office is one of the best at letting guys walk and replacing them handily, but is anyone else nervous about what's going on? I know we still have the draft, but the big cuts that were made last year didn't hurt so much because of what we had on the roster behind them. There are a lot of holes to fill as it stands.

 

What's everyone thinking?

[cravnravn]

We signed Birk.....lmao

[cravnravn]

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now Zibby signs with the Colts

[papasmurfbell]

Maybe they will retool. Most likely not and it is still very early.

[oldno82]

Its unnerving to have to wait around but if they sign Mathis I think we'll basically be alright.

[Guest BallTMore]

I was bitching and sh*tting bricks last season when we were going into the season with a rookie WR and two young TEs on offense. This offseason I'm just going to sit back and relax.

 

I will trust Oz. He does not make major moves often, but I'm confident he is on top of things. He'll have this team in good shape by the start of the season.

 

I didn't expect Grubbs back. JJ, Zibby and the other guys will be missed, but it's not the end of the world. I'd like to see McClain return, but again, not the end of the world if he goes.

[OutsideRzAcE]

BallT stole my thunder. I learned my lesson last offseason when I tried to be patient while the Ravens did little in FA but ended up panicking after seeing the Ravens look like crap in the preseason. Ozzie and the Ravens FO are always 2-3 steps ahead, and I think just like last offseason, the Ravens don't let guys get out of here unless (A) resigning them puts them in a precarious position financially or (B) they can be easily replaced either with the next man up on the depth chart or via draft/fa .

 

In Group B we have JJ, Redding, and Carr..all of whom were being pushed by Kruger, McPhee, and Gorrer/Brown.

 

Also in group B - Ayebadegjo, Zibby and Nakamura. They were backups and special teamers. Good Ravens but very replaceable.

 

Grubbs will hurt but he falls into Group A. By letting him walk the Ravens stick by a policy that has kept them in a position to contend year after year. Remember Ozzie's quote from State of the Ravens?

We spend as much money as I'm allowed under the CBA under the salary cap rules, and when I say as much, I mean that we've never been under the salary cap. And there's different ways to look at that, because we can mortgage a lot with a credit card. So, what the credit card does for you is [it] allows you to get a complete team. But, if you use too much on credit, then you are going to have dead money in future years. If you're not careful, then you are going to have a lot of dead money on your salary cap. So, we are conservative when it comes to how much [is used] on the credit card. That's how the window opens and closes, I believe. It's that you put more on the credit card than you probably should have, and then you start cutting guys and the dead money goes to $15-20 million a year, and that's 15% of your salary cap being eaten up by guys that are no longer here. That's the balance that we've got to set, and I think we do a very good job of that." http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/Articles/2012/02/Transcript_020112.aspx

 

The Ravens made Grubbs the best offer they felt comfortable making and he was able to get more elsewhere. I'm ok with that from both sides. The Ravens are already looking for viable replacements - what more can you ask?

 

The one thing I don't understand is why they aren't trying to bring McClain back. I think between Ray's age and Ellerbe's injury prone-ness, he should be a priority to resign.

[Dunno]

I am not too worried yet.

 

The backups who left I don't think matter in the grand scheme of things.

 

JJ to me was approaching the end anyway and there are players behind him waiting for their chance. While there is always a chance the new starter will suck, eventually you have to give the younger players an opportunity. Not too worried.

 

Grubbs is going to need some sort of replacement. I liked what I saw from Justin Boren in the preseason, but there is still FA and the draft to find a replacement.

 

Didn't Arthur Jones get a start ahed of Corey Redding towards the end of the season? I seem to remember that to be the case. If so, Redding leaving and Jones taking over would seem like the natural progression.

 

McClain, I am sorry, but I just see an OLB playing out of position at ILB. With JJ leaving I would prefer to see him move to OLB and someone else take his position at ILB, but if the team is comfortable with their current depth at OLB I could see them letting him leave.

 

All in all, while it sucks to see drafted players leave, I am not worried. Yet.

[vmax]

I'm not worried about all these players going elsewhere and now is not the time to get value in free agency.

 

What I am concerned with is a defense that was pushed around by the Texans and an offensive line that had no push to it in the playoffs.

Look at how the senior citizen Steelers just wore down by the playoffs. They had injuries galore. 8 of 11 starters on their defense were over 30. Lot's of experience but they were run over and Tebowed.

 

Getting too old does that to playoff caliber teams. If Ozzie doesn't score in the draft and free agency this year the Ravens could be looking in from the outside. The signs of all the cracks in this teams were beginning to surface.

 

The Cap is a good thing in that it forces you (if you're smart) to cut ties with higher priced average or very solid players and start the younger, faster less expensive players.

 

Well....the Ravens have to improve both the defensive and offensive lines. They need to add 1 "for real" linebacker after all the sub par/serviceable dudes they have brought in the last 4 years. They need a playmaker.

Because

Ray Lewis might hurt this defense more than help it next year. 17 years. At MLB? I don't think he can get the job done anymore.

 

"Your house is next vmax!"

 

Flacco and Rice will struggle behind the current offensive line. I mean McKinnie has to come in in the best shape of his life with one bad mean streak. Oher better find his mean streak. Now they have to replace a Pro Bowl LG. and just signed a very old center. Smarts are very important but you have to be physically capable of executing what your "smarts" tell you. Birk and Ray probably can't do that anymore. Ray knows where the ball is going every play. He just can't get there.

 

So....

 

Where should Ozzie put Steve's money?

[papasmurfbell]

That is from holding on for so many yrs. They allowed themselves to get old.