QB Situation

**festivus** · 01-31-2008, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by jonboy79

He would have a minute bit of trade value on the market. QB's are such a hard thing to find. Charlie Frye was had for a 6th and while he is younger and signed for longer, there is no doubt who is better now or who has a higher ceiling. It's the same guy and its Boller.

This makes a *lot* of sense if we get lucky with a round one quarterback. Fingers crossed. . .

**psuasskicker** · 01-31-2008, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by festivus

I suspect they all return, and that's our 1/2/3 punch in '08, though I will be pleasantly surprised if we have someone else (Ryan? :ihope: ) in the mix instead of McNair. Or Boller. I'd just as soon keep Smith, even though he hasn't shown he's arrived yet, at least he may have upside.

That wouldn't shock me at all if they all did return, though I'm hopeful McNair decides to hang it up. I think his body's just shot at this point. Too much beating over the years, and I don't want to see him embarrass himself again this year. Plus, health-wise, it's far better for him to quit earlier. That guy's going to have trouble walking when he's 50 with the beating he's took all his life. I've got mad respect for him and how he's played this game.

Ryan will never fall to us. I hope I'm wrong about that but I have a lot of trouble seeing both Atlanta and KC passing on him if he's there at both spots.

However, I'm starting to really love some of the top second round prospects, which I enjoy since it's mostly based on performance, not combine / workout numbers. Flacco, Ainge, and Henne all seem very impressive to me. Each has their downsides of course, but who doesn't. I would really love to see us draft one of those three and go into next year with Boller, Smith, and one of them on the roster with some solid pospects to finally have our QB of the future on this roster.

- C -

**festivus** · 01-31-2008, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by psuasskicker

However, I'm starting to really love some of the top second round prospects, which I enjoy since it's mostly based on performance, not combine / workout numbers. Flacco, Ainge, and Henne all seem very impressive to me. Each has their downsides of course, but who doesn't. I would really love to see us draft one of those three and go into next year with Boller, Smith, and one of them on the roster with some solid pospects to finally have our QB of the future on this roster.

This is what I love about this time of year. We can make our own fantasy Ravens team, going into the draft, and after it's over we can pretend all our draft picks are future Pro Bowlers.

It's low stress. :)

**RavenScallywag** · 01-31-2008, 11:51 AM

I think Boller would have trade value, but it would definitley be a 2nd day pick. He's proven himself as a capable backup, and has some upside as a potential starter if he's coached up right. Frye fetched a sixth rounder, which is about the value I'd expect for Boller. Yes, Boller has shown more, but part of the problem is Frye is still young and has upside. Boller is coming into the part of his career where he should've polished off. His potential is only dwindling at this point.

I think I'm solidly eyeing Joe Flacco or Josh David Booty as our QB targets. A lot of people are talking about Matt Ryan or Brian Brohm, but I am definielty scared of taking another 1st round QB, which ends up being a boom or bust move. 2nd rounder is much safer and Flacco and Booty both have good physical tools and just need some polishing.

Interesting tidbit about 2nd round QBs...We had 3 last year (Kevin Kolb, Jon Beck, and Drew Stanton), and 2 in 2006 (Kellen Clemmens and Tavaris Jackson). Prior to that, we had 4 years straight where no QBs went in the 2nd round. In 2001, we had Drew Brees, Quincy Carter, and Marques Tuiasosopo.

**ravenjoe** · 01-31-2008, 01:14 PM

Give Troy Smith the start, and you won't be sorry! The potential and leadership are there, and it height worries all of you, tell that to Drew Brees - he seems to be doing ok for himself!

**Fanman** · 01-31-2008, 05:32 PM

Good grief I hope McNair does not come back. Let Boller and Smith duke it out in training camp. Next year is a rebuilding year anyway. Either Boller takes over and they extend his contract or Smith emerges. Either way we have to know about those 2 guys next year and we won't if McNair comes back and they cowtow to him and name him as the starter.

FM

**Greg** · 01-31-2008, 05:51 PM

Boller was the 23rd ranked QB last season. One team had 2 QBs ranked higher, so that means at least 8 teams have worse starting QBs when using the rating system.

I think a 6th is way too low for him.

This is actually good news. One bad season, marred by injury and bad coaching, shouldn't put a good qb (Mcnair) in the bad graces of a team.

How in the world can you blame coaching for McNair, he came into camp after a very sparse off-season conditioning program and was out of shape. Read between the lines, the guy spent little off-season time at the complex. The coaches didn't question it because it was his first off-season with us. McNair stunk last year because he didn't prepare in the off-season. This made him injury prone.

I would bring him back if he is working hard on his legs and arm this off-season, he had no zip because his legs and arm were dead from jump street.

As for Boller, again, 8 teams had worse rating QBs from top to bottom. I wouldn't be so quick to jettison him, then you are left with Smith, a draft pick question mark and lazy Steve McNair.

**OriAl** · 01-31-2008, 07:32 PM

McNair is done - he can no longer throw deep (that began in the 2006 season.) Boller or Smith can succeed behind an offensive line that does its job. I don't see any of our QBs being dealt.

**IHeartRavens** · 01-31-2008, 07:42 PM

I don't think Cam not meeting Troy yet means anything. I think (and hope) they will give Troy a shot to win the starting gig. He has all the tools...just not the height. It would be a monumental error to spend a round 1 pick on a QB. I say trade down to acquire more picks.

**Mista T** · 01-31-2008, 08:48 PM

Trading Boller would be bizarre. He's the best QB on the team right now, or, more accurately, the least bad. We'd be left with a drafted rookie (likely 2nd-4th rounder), a washed up vet, and a soph whose only game against a quality defense (seattle) was terrible. I would think that Cameron would be unhappy to have less QB resources than Billick had.

I could see hanging on to McNair until the day after the draft, however. What's the rush? If we are able to land a quality rookie (e.g. Flacco, Woodson, Ainge, Brennan) in the 3rd round, McNair should be terminated -- despite minimal cap savings, he would just be clogging up the roster. Or if we select a 2nd day QB, McNair might stick around until training camp to see if the rookie makes the team.

**StingerNLG** · 01-31-2008, 08:56 PM

Anyone stop to think Troy just wasn't in town this week? Reports have been that McNair has been here a lot the last few weeks, and I think Boller has been around too.

If Troy isn't in town, Cameron can't meet with him.......

**purplepoe** · 01-31-2008, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by StingerNLG

Anyone stop to think Troy just wasn't in town this week? Reports have been that McNair has been here a lot the last few weeks, and I think Boller has been around too.

If Troy isn't in town, Cameron can't meet with him.......

Stop it with your reasonable thinking and logic.

PP