Evaluate The Offseason Moves

[PurpleRulz]

Now, that we are half way through the season (well almost), let's evaluate our past offseason. You can include the draft picks, but I don't want an overall grade of the draft, because it is too soon for that.


Trevor Pryce (A). This was a signing that Rob Long called a downgrade from Anthony Weaver. Long believed that Pryce was past his prime. I say that Pryce has given us pressure up the middle and has helped upgrade our running game.

Haloti Ngata (B). For what we are asking of Ngata in his rookie season, he is an upgrade over Kemo.

Mike Anderson (C). When he has been given the chance, he has run the ball well. I would consider this move a downgrade from Chester Taylor, because Taylor was a good change of pace back for us and is turning into a star with the Vikes. I do like that MA is more of a team player.

Steve McNair (A). Big time upgrade at QB for us. He is still learning the system, but is personally responsible for 3 of our 5 wins (including, in part, yesterday's win).

Dawan Landry (B). Landry is also a huge upgrade over Will Demps. (Besides, what is Demps doing? Very quiet is he). Landry is a rookie that plays like a veteran. He still has a lot to learn, but he is the perfect compliment to Ed Reed and Landry has been huge in our run defense.

Gary Stills (A). This guy is the most underappreciated player on the team. He has impacted our special teams and pass rush.

Sam Koch (A). Koch is having a strong rookie season (could he be our Ravens ROY?) After causing concerns during the preseason, he has turned on the lights and kept them on. He is an upgrade over "The Weapon."

Corey Ivy (C). He has been a good guy in the clubhouse as well as in our nickel packages. It seems that our secondary play has diminished when Ivy went down.

Demetrius Williams (C). He may not have the Marques Colston stats/impact in his rookie season, but this is a WR that will have to be accounted for in future years. As Billick pointed out during today's press conference, Demetrius is made some nice blocks and filled in well for Clayton yesterday. Williams also showed his talent on that 35 yard catch and run. He is the field stretcher we have lacked for many years.

[Merlin]

Like the evaluations; might upgrade one or 2 slots.

We are the BEST in the league against the run in terms of yard per run. Give the team some credit and that has to include Ngata. Effectiveness is not just about tackles, but about filling the gaps, etc. Huge difference in effectiveness in the DL this year. I'd give Ngata a B+

I'd give Landry an A -- what fifth rounder has done more in the league on the defensive side? What more could we ask from a fifth round rookie?

Chester / Pittman -- an Incomplete; guess the disappointment of Pittman is made up by Prude and Landry

Demetrius Williams will end up with a B+ before the end of the season -- plan on seeing him go deep a lot more in the second halfof the season

With McNair -- give him a B for now (personally wish we had gone after Brees for a longer term solution)

[highwater]

I think it's still too early to evaluate most of these guys -- McNair has been good at times but has been inconsistent, Anderson is okay when he's in but for some reason we hardly play him, and I don't know yet what to think about Ngata. But two guys I'm willing and happy to give a big thumbs up to are Sam Koch and Demetrius Williams. Koch has been very solid and it's obvious that Williams is very talented -- I don't remember specifically in what round we drafted him, but it was a steal.

[sailorsam]

overall a darn good offseason. Dlinemen don't have many stats so hard to evaluate Pryce and Ngata, but since the overall D is so good, must give them some credit...Stills has been a good pickup (where'd he come from?)...DemWilliams (4th round pick) has done great when in. It shows how good Mason and Clayton are, that he doesn't see more action...remember the (Koch) punt that Prude downed at the two? both rookies a big help. most spec teams target inside the 20; each week the Ravens seem to drop one inside the 5. I think that directly led to the Prude pick. I guess starting Pryce over Cody is an example of their Win Now philosophy, but they never seem to give Cody much playing time, so maybe he isn't that good...they also picked up Justin Bannan from Buffalo; he's made some plays...the Panthers gave Kemo a ton of $ to jump; I think the Ravens brain trust figured they could use that money better elsewhere. His leaving doesn't seem to have hurt any. the thing about Mike Anderson; he's about the same type of back as Jamal. as long as JLewis stays healthy and productive, I guess neither MA nor Musa will see many touches. remeinds me of 2000, when they got Ben Coates, and hardly used him since they got Shannon Sharp.

[RavenScallywag]

DRAFT

Ngata - B - He's done what we really wanted him to, which is just take up space to give Ray the chance to make plays. I'd like to see him develop into a pass rusher or force in the run game as well though, because eventually teams are going to just go around him

Chester - C - Only because he hasn't done anything big yet.

Pittman - D - Granted, he hasn't done anything wrong, but he also isn't playing. 3rd rounders are at least supposed to be decent backups, and he's getting beat out by UDFAs.

Demetrius Williams - B+ - He's had some downs, but mostly he's proven to be the steal we expected him to be.

P.J. Daniels - C- - Losing in a numbers game, hasn't seen the field

Dawan Landry - A - Honestly, I didn't expect him to fill the FS spot well. I was very very wrong.

Quinn Sypnewski - C - Looked good in preseason, hasn't played yet.

Koch - A- - has looked great at P. Had a few issues, but mostly has been as good as Zastudil.

Derrick Martin - C - Inactive, but that makes sense for a 6th rounder.


FA

McNair - B- - McNair is getting the job done. He's not a great QB here, but he does what he needed. However, most of the changes are not because he's better than Boller, but the reult of attitude and play calling

Pryce - B - Solid defender, isn't a huge factor in numbers, but holds the line well

MA - C+ - Has looked very good as a backup RB, but Jamal is keeping him in 2nd place, for now

Stills/Ivy - B- - I lump them both together as ST, and both have done great.

I think our two biggest moves were on the coaching level...

Frank Gansz, Jr. was a great pickup
Jim Fassel's removal is (looking like) a good move.

[Gabrosin]

I don't have any complaints about anyone we got this offseason (though maybe about a couple of things we didn't get). It's too soon to judge any of the inactive draft picks; guys like Pittman, Martin, Chester, and Daniels will all get their chance.

Ngata has been great; he's just what Kelly Gregg needs alongside him, the big guy that lets Gregg get solo on a blocker. The measure of Ngata's worth has been our run defense, which hasn't added anyone else new (except Pryce), and it's stellar. Our pass rush looks good too, especially when we can get a guy through up the middle.

Demetrius Williams looks like a real find. We don't need to get another receiver for a couple years now; we're set until Mason starts to slide. We'll see more of Williams as the year progresses, and the limited play should keep him fresh for the end of the season.

Dawan Landry has looked good, if not great, but for his draft status and salary you can't ask for much more. While our pass defense has looked worse than in previous years, I'm inclined to put that on Samari Rolle's aging and the complete, utter disappearance of Ed Reed. I mean, what the hell happened to him? Is it just that QBs are smarter now, and not throwing near him until he makes a mistake and winds up out of position?

Sam Koch is a solid addition. A dozen times now I've watched a punt and just said "wow, he just crushed that". His direction and touch seem to be improving too. I don't miss Zastudil, even though I liked him just fine.

Our free agent pickups have been good across the board. Stills and Ivy have improved the special teams and Ivy did well in the secondary. Pryce has been solid, though not spectacular; with a good rotation he'll hopefully hold up the rest of the season. Mike Anderson has looked good in limited time. And that McNair guy... some of what I see still makes me nervous, but you can't argue with results. What I haven't yet seen is a game where McNair overcomes the struggles of the rest of the team to put up a win anyway. Yes, he came up with two great game-winning drives, but that was only necessary after he played poorly for the first 55 minutes of those games. If he can give me one game, against a good team, where the defense might struggle and give up too many points, but McNair takes us back down the field to answer every time, and we win... then I'll believe he can WIN for us in the playoffs. That's where we're headed, and that's what matters right now: will McNair be able to help us beat Denver, or Indy, or New England, when it's win or go home? Because if he can't do it now, then he probably never will, and what's the point of having him?

The Bengals have been inconsistent on offense all season, and I hope they don't choose this game to break out of their slump. But if they do, then I hope McNair can turn in the sort of game it takes to win in spite of that. THAT would give me confidence that we won't just be an appetizer for the Colts or Patriots in January.