slow offseason

[52isUnstoppable]

Seems likes everytime I update PFT it's every team making moves but the ravens. I know Ozzie is a patient man, sitting back letting the chips fall and focusing on the draft but damn give me something to chew on for a few days. Signing Birk was literally the last guy i wanted back, he's done. This years team will either be addition by subtraction or subtraction by subtraction.

[papasmurfbell]

It's the cap. Some of these teams that have gotten moving had a ton of space.

[vmax]

Florio's calling the Ravens 'Losers' in Free agency....

 

9. Loser: Ravens.

The Ravens had four players in the PFT Hot 100 free-agency list. Three already have bolted for greener pastures: defensive end Cory Redding, linebacker Jarret Johnson, and guard Ben Grubbs.

To make matters worse, guard Evan Mathis opted to stay with the Dream Team in lieu of joining a team that, on paper, seems to have a better chance of making its dreams come true.

Then there’s the lingering possibility that someone will make restricted free agent cornerback Lardarius Webb an offer the Ravens can’t afford to match.

Though there’s a long way to go before September, it’s hard not to think that, at least for now, the Ravens have faded a bit closer to the pack in the AFC.

http://profootballta...in-free-agency/

 

I'm not buying it.

This is exactly how they stay competetive year after year. They don't overspend in free agency.

 

 

"Our good friend Mike Preston has this rebuttal...

 

The National Football League's plan is working well in Baltimore, the one where a good team penalizes itself.

 

So far, that's what has happened here with the departure of five of the Ravens' 12 unrestricted free agents to other teams in the early period, including starting guard Ben Grubbs (New Orleans), linebacker Jarret Johnson and defensive end Cory Redding (Indianapolis).

 

Around towns, fans are wondering what is going on and some have called general manager Ozzie Newsome and owner Steve Bisciotti cheap because they haven't signed or retained high profile free agents. But the Ravens' leadership is basically stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

 

The Ravens are only $4.7 million under the $120.6 million salary cap. When a team drafts well like the Ravens — or Pittsburgh or New England — most of the cap room is taken by star players such as Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata, Terrell Suggs, Ray Rice and Joe Flacco.

 

Teams that draft well also lose "gems" — players they discovered — like Johnson, inside linebacker Jameel McClain and safeties Haruki Nakamura and Tom Zbikowski. And in some cases, as with Johnson or former Ravens linebacker Bart Scott, they will get overpaid by other teams.

 

The Ravens are a victim of their own success, and that's the way the NFL is set up. They want the weak to get richer and the rich to get poorer. For example, a team like Cleveland, which hasn't drafted well, can improve significantly during free agency.

 

It's called parity. The NFL doesn't want teams to become dominant again, like Pittsburgh in the 1970's or Dallas in the 1990's.

http://www.baltimore...69796.columnist

Edited March 20, 2012 by vmax

[papasmurfbell]

Also since they are about 5 mil under the cap right now where does the money come from?

[RavenMad]

To be honest, I'm starting to think that if someone wants to give up a 1st round pick for Webb, then go right ahead. The more picks we can get in the draft the better we can re-tool the roster after losing all of our free agents. The 1st round pick we get for Webb can easily be turned into 2 or 3 more picks by trading back.

 

We do lose a good young player in Webb but we have got guys in our secondary already that can start.

 

That said, I don't think Webb is going anywhere. I think he ends up playing under his tender and then signs a good deal next season when the Ravens will be in better cap health and the cap is due to go up with the new tv deal.

[papasmurfbell]

I would do it for Williams but less enthusiastic about Webb. Ladarius is very special. He was a steal and between he and Smith they could be deadly outside for a very long time.

[oldno82]

I would do it for Williams but less enthusiastic about Webb. Ladarius is very special. He was a steal and between he and Smith they could be deadly outside for a very long time.

Yeah I agree with that.