JJ or PK?

**JoeCool5** · 12-27-2012, 01:30 PM

Kruger. He might be pricing himself out of town, but we have some young guys "in the wings" like McAdoo and Hamilton. I know the team is very high on them. Kruger has had a nice season, but remember that Ellerbe is also a free agent at the end of the year. I think, considering we have some young OLBs, I would rather us re-sign Ellerbe if they had to choose between him and Kruger. Ellerbe is really starting to blossom and would fill a huge need in the future. He shows a nice abililty to rush the QB from the inside, a trait that is rare for an ILB.

**Boulderraven** · 12-27-2012, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by JoeCool5

Kruger. He might be pricing himself out of town, but we have some young guys "in the wings" like McAdoo and Hamilton. I know the team is very high on them. Kruger has had a nice season, but remember that Ellerbe is also a free agent at the end of the year. I think, considering we have some young OLBs, I would rather us re-sign Ellerbe if they had to choose between him and Kruger. Ellerbe is really starting to blossom and would fill a huge need in the future. He shows a nice abililty to rush the QB from the inside, a trait that is rare for an ILB.

You crazy? ILB pass rushers is largely due to scheme. Kruger is an edge rusher, pay him. Ellerbe I dont trust for shit, he might show up as fat as he was last year. Ellerbe gets hurt often, Kruger never gets hurt.

**esmd** · 12-27-2012, 03:18 PM

I love JJ, but his best days are behind him, IMO. Kruger has had a decent year. Next year the starting OLB's will be Suggs and Upshaw, IMO. Kruger will get $$$ from someone. Ellerbe and McClain will be the starting ILB's. Ngata, Jones, and McPhee will be the starting lineman. This all assumes no injuries and doesn't account for draft picks / FA's. But I think we'll see significant turnover next season.

**JoeCool5** · 12-27-2012, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Boulderraven

You crazy? ILB pass rushers is largely due to scheme. Kruger is an edge rusher, pay him. Ellerbe I dont trust for shit, he might show up as fat as he was last year. Ellerbe gets hurt often, Kruger never gets hurt.

No craziness here. I acknowledge Kruger has had a good season, but he isn't irreplaceable. He is pricing himself out of Baltimore, anyway. Your concerns for Ellerbe stem from his previous immaturity issues, which, by his play alone this year, seem like they are gone.

**bmorecareful** · 12-27-2012, 05:28 PM

The Ravens definitely need to re-sign Ellerbe because he has the potential to be an every-down ILB, and he's the only every-down ILB we have on the team. He makes our run defense much better, plays acceptably well in coverage, and rushes the passer very well. He's a priority this offseason.

This team has a short and long-term need at DE/OLB. They should try to re-sign Kruger, but it might be hard because the kid is going to want (and frankly he deserves) full-time starter money, which the team might not want to pay. Upshaw is entrenched at least as the run-defense option at one DE/OLB spot. Suggs is at the other, and he's a bit of a quandary. He may never be 100% again after this year and his body has a ton of wear for a 30 year old player. I don't think he has 3 years left as a high-caliber player, honestly, and that's fairly convenient because he has 2 years left on his contract.

If Kruger stays, he should be the #3 DE/OLB and play as much as possible in relief of Upshaw and/or Suggs, particularly in nickel situations. Long-term he could potentially replace Suggs, but he'll be 29 by that time. If Kruger walks, I think this team needs to draft a high-upside DE/OLB prospect who could be a nickel-rusher early on and eventually replace Suggs. Maybe Hamilton or McAdoo could be that guy, but they're certainly not confidence-inspiring and this team has depended on UDFAs too much anyway.

**PerpetuallyBored74** · 12-27-2012, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens44

I actually think the biggest problem started in the trenches.
Losing Cory Redding, to me, hurt our defense tremendously.

Losing Cory Redding & Brandon McKinney, then having Ryan McBean go down in preseason...just like that we were thin at DT before the season had begun.

And it's Kruger over JJ, no question.

**JustaslowZ06** · 12-27-2012, 05:41 PM

If you're talking strictly from a football standpoint and not factoring in money or anything than I'd say JJ. I don't think Kruger has done anything that Hamilton or someone else couldn't do and he's a one trick pony. he either gets there or isnt even close. At least with JJ he's in on every tackle to his side and most to the other side aswell.

Now all that being said I'm pretty happy with how Upshaw has played and wile I don't think he'll get to that elite status that everyone talks about him he'll be another big piece to this defense. Let Hamilton play 3rd down rush the passer specialist. OLB isn't our problem, ILB and NT and DE are. Alot less holes to fill if we'd switch to the 4-3 as the "primary".

**leachisabeast** · 12-27-2012, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by JustaslowZ06

If you're talking strictly from a football standpoint and not factoring in money or anything than I'd say JJ. I don't think Kruger has done anything that Hamilton or someone else couldn't do and he's a one trick pony. he either gets there or isnt even close. At least with JJ he's in on every tackle to his side and most to the other side aswell.

Now all that being said I'm pretty happy with how Upshaw has played and wile I don't think he'll get to that elite status that everyone talks about him he'll be another big piece to this defense. Let Hamilton play 3rd down rush the passer specialist. OLB isn't our problem, ILB and NT and DE are. Alot less holes to fill if we'd switch to the 4-3 as the "primary".

Truth is none of us know anything about Adrian Hamilton, he dominated a really low level of college football talent. While Kruger has 9 sacks in the NFL, huge difference IMO.

**Bhcforlife** · 12-27-2012, 09:30 PM

Our run defense problems have mostly been because Cody and Kemoeatu are awful, not so much the play of the outside guys like Upshaw and Mclellan. I don't think having JJ helps that very much.

However, I would not pay Kruger anything close to what some seem to think he'll be getting. Am I the only one who finds it way too much of a coincidence that he didn't start producing until Suggs came back? Through the Houston game, he had 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks, provided very little pressure overall and was a total nonfactor in the run game to the point that he was demoted from being a starter. Any team that pays him big money is going to regret it, thankfully with our cap situation it won't be us.

**Coastergenius** · 12-28-2012, 03:13 PM

It's too bad, Kruger would be a great guy to put the franchise tag on if Flacco wasn't already hogging it...

**Paintballguy** · 12-28-2012, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by PerpetuallyBored74

Losing Cory Redding & Brandon McKinney, then having Ryan McBean go down in preseason...just like that we were thin at DT before the season had begun.

And it's Kruger over JJ, no question.

Bingo JJ hasn't been a big loss. Upshaw and Kruger have gotten it done.

Having Cody and kemo getting bulldozed is what has hurt the defense not losing JJ

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