Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Raveninwoodlawn
I'm still a big fan of Mathieu. I know people are concerned about his pure speed and size, but some guys are just football players. I think his instincts, his willingness to get physical and his ball skills make up for the size stuff...and I still think he winds up at safety. Just MHO though.
Also, I have been VERY impressed with Ellerbe over the past 4-5 weeks...so much so that I think while we still really need an ILB, it's not the absolute crap that it would have been without him really stepping up. We still need someone though because of course, Ellerbe is a UFA, and Ray is not only another year older, but you can just see the erosion of skills.
I agree about Ellerbe. He definitely makes the ILB position a lot more workable next year. Hopefully he realizes the opportunity Baltimore has given him and won't ask for the moon. I guess now we can kind of understand why they put a 2nd round tender on the kid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
leachisabeast
I doubt Mathieu declares, he will try and get back into LSU for his senior year, or he'll try and transfer to a smaller school to get his draft stock back up.
It is HIGHLY unlikely that LSU will take him back. Especially after his most recent incident.
What he should do - and should have done IMO - was immediately transfer to a DII school like Alabama A&M or something like that. At least that way he would have had more opportunity to keep his ass out of trouble while he worked on kicking his addictions.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Quote:
Originally Posted by
GOTA
I love that idea. Shades of Rod Woodson
I agree.
I think he could make the transition to FS fairly easily. It would also extend his career a bit (IIRC he is 31 or 32 years old right now) and at this point you have to think that the guy really just wants to play for a winner. He signed with Philly thinking he'd be playing in a SB and still hasn't even played a game in the post-season. He's made a lot of money, so I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him sign with a team that has legitimate playoff probability.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Quote:
Originally Posted by
leachisabeast
I doubt Mathieu declares, he will try and get back into LSU for his senior year, or he'll try and transfer to a smaller school to get his draft stock back up.
It remains to be seen what happens with him after this season but like others have said...LSU is almost 100% out of the question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wickedsolo
I agree about Ellerbe. He definitely makes the ILB position a lot more workable next year. Hopefully he realizes the opportunity Baltimore has given him and won't ask for the moon. I guess now we can kind of understand why they put a 2nd round tender on the kid.
What the team probably should do is cut McClain and try to give some of that money to Ellerbe.
McClain looks completely over his head when he doesn't have a DL dominating in front of him and Ray beside him.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Quote:
Originally Posted by
wickedsolo
I would love Damontre Moore, but if it is between Moore and someone like CJ Mosley or Jake Matthews...I'd go with one of the other guys because they are arguably just as good at their respective positions. Still though, having a pure pass rusher like Aldon Smith across from Suggs would be REALLY nice.
for what it's worth waltzer football has moore going 5th overall.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Through nine games, we have the #2 and #3 3-4 OLBs vs. the run (Upshaw and McClellan).
Versus the pass, McClellan is middle of the pack, while Upshaw is 3rd from the bottom.
Kruger is middle of the pack vs. the run, and has just broken up from rock bottom into the middle of the pack vs. the pass.
PFF.com is not God, and the Ravens have there own scoring system anyway, but based upon the only objective, numerical data I know and can see, Kruger is still odd man out.
FWIW - Kruger's KC performance was considerably better than his OAK performance. About 80-85% better.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Quote:
Originally Posted by
arnie_uk
for what it's worth waltzer football has moore going 5th overall.
Yea, I'm not surprised by his stock vault. He has killed OT's this year and not just crappy OT's from TCU and UTEP. He's been going up against SEC tackles and has been very successful. He was also successful last year when A&M was running a 3-4.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
I've not been following this thread closely but this talk of Mathieu, I have to say I think CB is as much a position of need at this point as any. Look at it:
Webb is going to be coming off a second ACL injury and will likely not be at full strength until midway through next year at the earliest.
Williams is almost certainly gone.
Smith has been constantly injured and quite honestly hasn't played all that well when he's gotten the opportunity.
Graham, Brown, Jackson, these are reserve depth guys. I do like them all, but I don't know that you want any of them starting for long stretches and with Webb's ACL/Smith's injury issues that is what you are probably looking at.
Am I crazy? I know they just drafted Smith but the Ravens have, in the past, drafted CBs early close together (Starks and McAlister). Also note that I am not advocating the drafting of Mathieu.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BigPlayReceiver
Through nine games, we have the #2 and #3 3-4 OLBs vs. the run (Upshaw and McClellan).
Versus the pass, McClellan is middle of the pack, while Upshaw is 3rd from the bottom.
Kruger is middle of the pack vs. the run, and has just broken up from rock bottom into the middle of the pack vs. the pass.
PFF.com is not God, and the Ravens have there own scoring system anyway, but based upon the only objective, numerical data I know and can see, Kruger is still odd man out.
FWIW - Kruger's KC performance was considerably better than his OAK performance. About 80-85% better.
Oh...Kruger is gone.
I am sure the team (and myself for that matter) would love to keep him, but even at a modest salary, we can't invest much more than another rookie contract at that OLB spot.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Raveninwoodlawn
Oh...Kruger is gone.
I am sure the team (and myself for that matter) would love to keep him, but even at a modest salary, we can't invest much more than another rookie contract at that OLB spot.
Depends on Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and what Kruger is ultimately going to ask for.
Wouldn't be surprised to see them restructure Boldin's deal as well.
Birk could be gone. Cary won't be here.
The Patriots extended Rob Ninkovich last September to a 2 year, 4 million dollar deal. $2 mill of that was a signing bonus and he had base salaries of 900K and 650K. IMO, Ninkovich has been a much more productive player against the run and as a pass rusher. I could see Kruger getting a similar deal from the Ravens. I doubt he'd command much more. He is also going to be a FA in a market with Cliff Avril, Connor Barwin, and potentially other guys like Jason Babin or Anthony Spencer.
I don't think that a 3-year, $5 or $6 million dollar deal is outside of the realm of possibilities for Kruger after this year.
Re: Way Too Early 2013 Draft/FA Thread: Fixing the Defense
Could Deion Jordan play 5 technique in the NFL? He's no where near as big as JJ Watt, but he as the frame to get up to a good size, and he's a freakish athlete at 6'7.