Boldin | Which would you rather?

**RavenScallywag** · 03-09-2013, 05:17 PM

I voted Tavon Austin, simply because if we could get him, I think that'd be an acceptable alternative that allows us to save some money while finding a VERY good WR setup to replace Boldin long term.

If we bring Boldin back, he's going to be gone when Torrey gets a new deal in 2015. So extending him 3 years won't work, you'd probably just be tacking one more year onto his deal. And by now, I don't know why it is we didn't lead with that?

**GOTA** · 03-09-2013, 05:18 PM

If they extended Boldin it wouldn't be a slightly reduced cap number this year. It would be a significantly reduced cap number this year.

Honestly I think Austin will be long gone by the time we pick anyway.

Welker would not be a fit here at all. If we're going to sign a replacement I'd look at Greg Jennings.

**ballhawk** · 03-09-2013, 05:28 PM

They would be absolutely insane to not extend Boldin for 3 years. But what do I know? I've just sat and watched well over a decade of wr ineptitude from the ravens. They have a good thing going with their receivers right now. Don't fuck it up!

**alien bird** · 03-09-2013, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

They would be absolutely insane to not extend Boldin for 3 years.

It might not be their choice entirely. It could well be that Boldin doesn't want to get an extension and a lower 2013 salary. Maybe he thinks he can make more on the open market. Look at what Brian Hartline just got, and Boldin is much better than Hartline.

**ballhawk** · 03-09-2013, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

It might not be their choice entirely. It could well be that Boldin doesn't want to get an extension and a lower 2013 salary. Maybe he thinks he can make more on the open market. Look at what Brian Hartline just got, and Boldin is much better than Hartline.

Boldin has been talking out of both sides of his mouth then, because everything he has said indicates that he likes it in Baltimore, doesn't want to leave, and is more concerned with winning than the big payday.

He could be full of shit I guess. We will soon find out.

**Raven 555** · 03-09-2013, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

They would be absolutely insane to not extend Boldin for 3 years. But what do I know? I've just sat and watched well over a decade of wr ineptitude from the ravens. They have a good thing going with their receivers right now. Don't fuck it up!

You nailed that one!

**Gabrosin** · 03-10-2013, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by ballhawk

Boldin has been talking out of both sides of his mouth then, because everything he has said indicates that he likes it in Baltimore, doesn't want to leave, and is more concerned with winning than the big payday.

He could be full of shit I guess. We will soon find out.

It's one thing to not want to leave. It's another to be forced into taking a pay cut to stay. You cannot tell someone who was a major factor in winning a Super Bowl to take less money if he wants to stay. That's why an extension made so much sense in the first place... you can give Boldin all $6m of his cash but drop his cap hit by $2-3m for this season and still have him at reasonable prices for the next two. It's all about the presentation. Even if the extension was a de facto pay cut (you can't have $6m this year, but you can have $10m over three), both sides can pretend they won.

This is utter madness as far as I'm concerned.

**Doctor** · 03-10-2013, 12:45 AM

I voted to extend Boldin, but even if that IS what ends up happening, I would still be extremely happy to see Ozzie select Tavon Austin.

I agree that Austin is unlikely to be available when we pick (assuming we stay at #32).

**RavensQB** · 03-10-2013, 01:35 PM

Dont forget Tommy Streeter was on IR and is a BIG WR with speed.

**Shas** · 03-10-2013, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by GOTA

If they extended Boldin it wouldn't be a slightly reduced cap number this year. It would be a significantly reduced cap number this year.

Honestly I think Austin will be long gone by the time we pick anyway.

I don't know what to make of Austin. Not that he's not talented.. he's a real football player and not one of those prima donnas. Still, he gets talked about as one of those luxury kind of picks, who usually don't get selected super high -- unless you're Ted Ginn Jr.

I think he's better than Ted Ginn, but it's not like he's a typical wide out, or your average left tackle, where just about every team needs one and you're sure what his role will be as soon as you plug him in. I guess a better comparison would be Percy Harvin. There are definitely teams that wouldn't get the most out of him (ahem, J-E-T-S). For the same reason you mentioned Welker isn't a fit for the Ravens, I wonder how many teams can get the most out of Austin.

My original thought on him was he might be there at 32 and it would allow the Ravens to trade back with a team that really wants to jump up and get him. I really believe this is a trade back year, but you're probably right that someone will nab Austin before 32.

On Boldin's cap, you're probably right that it could be a big savings. Figure he won't sign anything that doesn't guarantee more than he's set to make this year, which is $6.8M. Let's say they offer him a three year deal with an 8 million bonus and the veteran minimum salary in the first season. That would bring his 2013 cap number down to about $3M. That's probably best case scenario for the team, and it does give them nearly $4M in cap savings.

It seems like such a no brainer, you wonder why it hasn't already been proposed and agreed to. Could the team be skeptical about the number of years he'll be able to give? He used the retirement word, does it signal that he really only wants to cash out this one last paycheck this year and then call it quits? Maybe he's thinking that it's worth playing for $6.8 but not less and he'd rather just retire.

**Strange Bru** · 03-10-2013, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by Doctor

I voted to extend Boldin, but even if that IS what ends up happening, I would still be extremely happy to see Ozzie select Tavon Austin.

I agree that Austin is unlikely to be available when we pick (assuming we stay at #32).

This is what I was going to say. You can't cut anyone until the draft is over in this scenario. Trying to draft any player, unless you have the #1 pick, is a crap shoot. You never know who is going to move up or down in order to draft their teams needs

**GOTA** · 03-10-2013, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by Shas

I don't know what to make of Austin. Not that he's not talented.. he's a real football player and not one of those prima donnas. Still, he gets talked about as one of those luxury kind of picks, who usually don't get selected super high -- unless you're Ted Ginn Jr.

I think he's better than Ted Ginn, but it's not like he's a typical wide out, or your average left tackle, where just about every team needs one and you're sure what his role will be as soon as you plug him in. I guess a better comparison would be Percy Harvin. There are definitely teams that wouldn't get the most out of him (ahem, J-E-T-S). For the same reason you mentioned Welker isn't a fit for the Ravens, I wonder how many teams can get the most out of Austin.

My original thought on him was he might be there at 32 and it would allow the Ravens to trade back with a team that really wants to jump up and get him. I really believe this is a trade back year, but you're probably right that someone will nab Austin before 32.

On Boldin's cap, you're probably right that it could be a big savings. Figure he won't sign anything that doesn't guarantee more than he's set to make this year, which is $6.8M. Let's say they offer him a three year deal with an 8 million bonus and the veteran minimum salary in the first season. That would bring his 2013 cap number down to about $3M. That's probably best case scenario for the team, and it does give them nearly $4M in cap savings.

It seems like such a no brainer, you wonder why it hasn't already been proposed and agreed to. Could the team be skeptical about the number of years he'll be able to give? He used the retirement word, does it signal that he really only wants to cash out this one last paycheck this year and then call it quits? Maybe he's thinking that it's worth playing for $6.8 but not less and he'd rather just retire.

Percy Harvin is exactly what teams a seeing with Austin. There are certain teams that look at a player like that and the wheels just start turning. The Seahawks for example have been trying to find offensive playmakers since Pete Carroll arrived. That's why they spent all that money on Sydney Rice. That's why they traded for Leon Washington and Marshawn Lynch. Now that Carroll has a playmaking QB he's going to try even harder to put that kind of guy on the offense.

I see the Bucs, Panthers, Saints and Packers as other teams who are going to really think about this kid. If the 49ers and Titans didn't just draft 1st round WRs last year I'd throw them in there too. Austin definitely doesn't fit in everyones offense but as complimentary piece he's very intriguing.