Next Year Thoughts....

[ManfredHanover]

Never to early to think about next year on offense we need a long term solution at LT. Put Oher at RT. KO at LG, Gradkowski C, Yanda RG, Oher RT solid line. I think I would really emphasize defense in the draft.

QB Flacco, Taylor (no concerns, maybe a 3rd string)
RB Rice, Pierce, Allen (maybe a different 3rd RB, Bobby Rainey?)
FB Leach (may become a cap casualty)
WR Boldin, Smith, Jones, Doss, Reed, Williams, Thompson (need more depth Williams/Reed on bubble)
TE Pitta, Dixon, Bajema (need a stud blocking TE Bajema out)
OL McKinny, KO, Gradkowski, Birk, Yanda, Williams, Oher, Harewood, Reid (Birk, McKinney, Williams out...need LT and OL depth)

LB Bynes, McClain, McClellan, Ellerbee, Upshaw, Kruger, Suggs, Inbedigo (need to sign ellerbe/kruger...more depth...may lose #59 #99 one or both)
DL Kemo, Cody, Ngata, Tyson, Jones, Hall, McPhee (need a pure NT young)
DB Reed, Ihedigbo, Pollard, Graham, Webb, Williams, Smith, Brown, Considine, Brown (williams FA gone, reed gone $$$, need depth....move webb to FS?)

ST - Koch, Cox, Tucker (Awesome no change)

[Bigfish]

We've had a good run and I don't think we need to rebuild to compete next year.

Flacco is going to stretch the CAP space, and he's a must sign now. I've seen the good and bad Joe, and he's appeared to turn the corner after 5 years. Already the winningest road quarterback which is impressive.

Leech is a luxury, we'll save 3m without him in 2013, 4.3m in 2014. I'm not sure he'd fit into the Caldwell offense next year.

OL - I think McKinney is worth trying to keep another year or 2 if we can sign him for the right price, if not as a starter than as a back up. He's been a beast in our playoff run, but I have doubts he can be a 16 game starter. Not many guys that big (you can't teach size) with that kind of potential. It would be the best insurance policy we can get for finding another LT (they don't grow on trees).

Signing Ellerbe and Krueger would be tricky, we should get at least one of them. Ellerbe would be more CAP friendly, Krueger has more upside. But I think Upshaw could fill Krueger's role easier than replacing Ellerbe.

DL - I agree, nose tackle can use an upgrade. I expect Jones and McPhee will improve.

DB - Williams will be gone and thats fine. Smith has the ability to be better and Brown and Graham have proved to be reliable. Reed is one of my favorite Ravens of all time and I want him to retire here if he still wants to play, I hope he stays and can fit him into the CAP. I don't ever want to see him wearing another jersey. If he decides to go for $$, Webb at FS is intriguing.

With a Lombardy I'm hoping some of these millionaires consider their legacy before their wallets. Maybe I'm delusional, but there appears to be a strong team chemistry that I hope keeps our guys together.

[Irish Raven]

Michael McAdoo IR
Bobby Rainey IR
Nigel Carr PS
Tommy Streeter IR


And that's just a few players with good shots next pre-season, there are others.
I don't know much about Jack Cornell offensive tackle but he had some supporters here last pre-season

Can't wait to see McAdoo in pre-season!
I'd like to see Omar Brown cement a roster spot too

Lets the young players play said Bisciotti

[alienrace]

We should win the AFCN next year. The Steelers are a mediocre team that is going to have major turnover. The Bengals are also fairly mediocre, and the Browns are still in need of a number of pieces on offense. A lot could change between now and then of course, but projecting ahead I really see the Ravens being the team to beat for some time to come.