Pitta would like to move out wide

**leachisabeast** · 05-15-2013, 01:52 AM

An article on the website http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/...6-e41df1c30916

Doesn't really reveal anything significant at this point, however, it is a viable option. Pitta is arguably more athletic than Boldin, and has 3.5 inches on him, I think he could match his production from that spot. At TE you could have Dickson, Juice, and Furstenburg splitting time. For 3 WR sets, you just bring in Jacoby like we did last season, and its barely a drop in production IMO. Pitta was money in the play offs too. I think a Boldin role is maybe an even better fit for Pitta as he wouldn't have to block as much (which is an area of weakness for Pitta). Pitta would be a nightmare for smaller slot corners to defend against, he is too big and athletic.

Obviously, it would be nice to still have one of the younger WRs emerge as an option, but frankly, at this point we don't really have a legit number 2 guy, and I think Pitta could be that guy.

**Ravenalytics** · 05-15-2013, 02:14 AM

Pitta's already lined up wide on occasion, so I don't see it as a big change. Thing is, position designations are becoming more and more meaningless as skill positions are starting to cross into each other more.

**leachisabeast** · 05-15-2013, 04:11 AM

Yeah, its rare that you find guys in the 4th round who can do that sort of thing. Pitta could end up being the best value pick in all of our drafts.

**srobert96** · 05-15-2013, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

An article on the website http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/...6-e41df1c30916

Doesn't really reveal anything significant at this point, however, it is a viable option. Pitta is arguably more athletic than Boldin, and has 3.5 inches on him, I think he could match his production from that spot. At TE you could have Dickson, Juice, and Furstenburg splitting time. For 3 WR sets, you just bring in Jacoby like we did last season, and its barely a drop in production IMO. Pitta was money in the play offs too. I think a Boldin role is maybe an even better fit for Pitta as he wouldn't have to block as much (which is an area of weakness for Pitta). Pitta would be a nightmare for smaller slot corners to defend against, he is too big and athletic.

Obviously, it would be nice to still have one of the younger WRs emerge as an option, but frankly, at this point we don't really have a legit number 2 guy, and I think Pitta could be that guy.

This is what I have been thinking since they traded Boldin. Boldin had become a slot/TE at the end of last season. That is where he had all of his success. Pitta can play that exact same role as you mentioned. Boldin had 0 value to the Ravens on the outside moving forward. If they brought Boldin back they would still need a guy that line up on the outside across from Torrey. If Thompson or Streeter can give them a deep threat opposite of Smith it will open up the middle for Pitta, Dickson, Juice and Rice as well as make the running game more effective. Pitta was effective last year in this type of role. I don't see it as a move WR but rather using Pitta as a receiving TE like the Pats use Hernandez and Gronkowski.

**srobert96** · 05-15-2013, 07:34 AM

http://nfl.si.com/2013/05/14/ray-rice/?sct=uk_t11_a2

Pretty good article on SI about this and expected changes to the Ravens offense. Basically Boldin under Caldwell started operating in the middle of the field and actually took away opportunities for Rice and Pitta in the passing game. Says that Caldwell prefers the two TE and 1 RB set more than Cam which is would explain the Juice pick. Looking to create mismatches against LBs versus trying to get vertical on the outside with the #2 wr.

**Paintballguy** · 05-15-2013, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by srobert96

http://nfl.si.com/2013/05/14/ray-rice/?sct=uk_t11_a2

Pretty good article on SI about this and expected changes to the Ravens offense. Basically Boldin under Caldwell started operating in the middle of the field and actually took away opportunities for Rice and Pitta in the passing game. Says that Caldwell prefers the two TE and 1 RB set more than Cam which is would explain the Juice pick. Looking to create mismatches against LBs versus trying to get vertical on the outside with the #2 wr.

Good read thanks. We are starting to see the philosophical differences between Cam and Caldwell now. I agree about how Caldwell wants to create mismatches against the defense instead of just being a vertical offense. Plus, I think Caldwell wants his offense to be more versatile and less predictable. We could pass out of heavy run formations or run out of spread pass formations.

**Miz89** · 05-15-2013, 08:04 AM

With the amount of hate he gets here, I think Dickson is going to be the receiving threat that surprises a lot of people this season.

**Miz89** · 05-15-2013, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Yeah, its rare that you find guys in the 4th round who can do that sort of thing. Pitta could end up being the best value pick in all of our drafts.

If Webb gets back to what he was, his value as a 3rd >>>>> Pitta's. And I'm not even thinking of all our other drafts.

**JohnBKistler** · 05-15-2013, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Miz89

If Webb gets back to what he was, his value as a 3rd >>>>> Pitta's. And I'm not even thinking of all our other drafts.

Don't forget 4th round pick Jarrett Johnson or practice squad pick-up Kelly Gregg.

**lobachevsky** · 05-15-2013, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by Paintballguy

Good read thanks. We are starting to see the philosophical differences between Cam and Caldwell now. I agree about how Caldwell wants to create mismatches against the defense instead of just being a vertical offense. Plus, I think Caldwell wants his offense to be more versatile and less predictable. We could pass out of heavy run formations or run out of spread pass formations.

Consider a formation with Pitta, Dickson, Furstenburg, Juszczyk & Rice/Pearce on the field at the same time: What looks for all the world like a running formation with 5 legitimate receiving threats on the field. Nightmare for opponents--stack the box & one of those guys will beat you for big yardage, play coverage & BP or Mighty Mouse is through the line & into the secondary wreaking havoc. The one possible hitch here is that Joe could use some postgraduate study in play-action sleight-of-hand--but if he gets a little bit sneakier, watch out.

At the risk of becoming even less popular on this board (if that's possible), let me say a few words in defense of Cam's reluctance to use the middle of the field:

I haven't run stats on this, but my distinct impression is that most of Flacco's mistakes in his first few years were made on throws over the middle. (E.g., the Brackett INT when the Ravens were driving for the potential winning score vs the Colts in 2009.) Meanwhile #5 could heave the ball a mile downfield (where a mistake was no worse than a punt) & throw rockets to the sidelines (e.g., I recall one out pattern to Mason in the game that closed Texas Stadium where the Cowpats DB tried to jump the route for a pick-6 & couldn't get there in time). Harbaugh (as we all now know) consistently plans to minimize the risk of a game-changing event; INTs are game-changing events; therefore Cam game planned to minimize Joe's chances of getting picked by staying away from the middle of the field.

None of this is unreasonable. But to become a complete NFL QB Joe was going to have to learn to use the middle--& in the name of risk avoidance, Cam kept the training wheels on way too long.

**Paintballguy** · 05-15-2013, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by lobachevsky

At the risk of becoming even less popular on this board (if that's possible), let me say a few words in defense of Cam's reluctance to use the middle of the field:

I'll go on record saying that Cam was great in developing Flacco in his first few years in the NFL. It makes sense if Cam was trying to minimize risk by not having Flacco use the middle of the field as much. I just think it got to the point where Flacco outgrew Cam, and he needed to take that next step which he did when Caldwell came in obviously culminating in a Lombardi.

**callahan09** · 05-15-2013, 09:19 AM

I like the idea... I think Pitta is more of a wide receiver than a tight end anyway. I know he's a weak blocker for a tight end, but what about as a wide receiver? Boldin was a great blocker for a wide receiver, can Pitta produce at least that level of blocking in the receiver slot?