Ravens Projected 53 Man Roster (updated version 2).1

[Jeremiah W]

The front office believes in Kyle a lot more than the fans, other players, other teams and people who don't even watch football do.

I like him and buy a lot of excuses for some of his early struggles, but was glad they got McNair when they did, and I would have at least been talking to Cullpeper and Leftwich last year. Boller deserves one last chance this preseason with a new OC, but if he continues to outpace his TDs with twice as many turnovers, he has got to go.


Then we start Troy week 1 and try to get another vet qb up to speed to back him up.

If Boller plays well though, which I actually think he will, I can see the Ravens offering him another contract. There is no pressure to start Troy Smith because he is a 5th round pick they will keep around as long as they want to.

I am a big Troy Smith fan, and hope all 3 QBs play well and he wins the job, but the best thing I can say for the QB compettion is it really does appear to be open and fair. If none of the QBs look good, I believe they will not hesitate to get someone else in here at Kyle's expense.

The whole depth chart/ 53 is really interesting especially since we don't know the new coaches profile. I think the safties we have could definitly fill in as the 5th CB on a reseve slot WR.

There is at least one decent player actually fighting to make the team at almost every position. It will keep the 4th quarter of every preseason game interesting (as if I would not have been watching anyway).

[StingerNLG]

Stinger, did you just write "If everything you read and hear from the press is true?"

Hey, I have lost respect for many local media types (including Aaron Wilson who has seemingly been more blatent in it this year than he's ever been) over this open rally, and in some cases their manipulation of reporting to cover up Troy Smith's mistakes in order to lobby for his start. And they write that the team is going with Smith pretty much no matter how he plays, as if they know this as fact.

It sucks. That said, you can't simply ignore it.

It may be true that Smith is sure he's going to be the starter, but it's not up to him. If he plays in these three remaining preseason games like he did in the first one, I don't think he's starting, unless Boller and Flacco also suck.

That is why I made the comment about the media reports. If you belive everything you read, Troy Smith made no mistakes Thursday and was better looking than Boller because his balls thrown to defenders were dropped. In all the articles written, you didn't hear a single thing about it.

[StingerNLG]

The front office believes in Kyle a lot more than the fans, other players, other teams and people who don't even watch football do.

I don't think I agree with that. The drafting of Joe Flacco I think speaks volumes to that. John Harbaugh may or may not have had anything to do with the pick, I don't know. But the minute Ozzie picked a QB in the first round, that spelled the end of their desire to try and wait to see if Boller will develop.

I like him and buy a lot of excuses for some of his early struggles, but was glad they got McNair when they did, and I would have at least been talking to Cullpeper and Leftwich last year. Boller deserves one last chance this preseason with a new OC, but if he continues to outpace his TDs with twice as many turnovers, he has got to go.

Well, the one thing you can say is that there isn't anything in his history to suggest that. Career he is 45 TD/44 INT, and he's been close both ways year by year. So start or not I am not worried that he'd go through the season with 10 TD's and 20 INT's.

If Boller plays well though, which I actually think he will, I can see the Ravens offering him another contract. There is no pressure to start Troy Smith because he is a 5th round pick they will keep around as long as they want to.

I just don't see it. Look, I like the guy too. I've been in Kyle's corner even when the masses of the forums turned their back on him. But reality is what it is. And again, this is IF you believe the media, the players don't want Kyle. And the fans certainly don't. So why would he stay?

And what kind of contract would they offer him? I would think if Boller were to think about staying, it would have to be something long term. But you can't do that because you drafted Joe Flacco. You basically made the statement Boller was no longer the future of the team. If he does well this year, again if he even has the fair opportunity to start (which again, IF you listen to the local media, this isn't really an "open" competition), then he's going to want to take that to another team having QB issues and try to get a starting job elsewhere.

I firmly believe this is Boller's last year as a Raven. And that is why I really don't care much about the QB situation anymore. I may not like the media reporting, but I really don't care who starts because I'm a Ravens fan and will root for any of these three guys.

I am a big Troy Smith fan, and hope all 3 QBs play well and he wins the job, but the best thing I can say for the QB compettion is it really does appear to be open and fair. If none of the QBs look good, I believe they will not hesitate to get someone else in here at Kyle's expense.

Depends on who you ask. We'll see if this competition really is fair and open.

[NCentralPaRaven]

I agree with everything in highwaters post except if Boller does have a very good year I see a chance that he will be offered another 1 year contract. Weather or not he would be interested im not sure. He may want to go battle Redman for a starting job...:D

Redman wins, hands down..

[highwater]

Hey, I have lost respect for many local media types (including Aaron Wilson who has seemingly been more blatent in it this year than he's ever been) over this open rally, and in some cases their manipulation of reporting to cover up Troy Smith's mistakes in order to lobby for his start.

I totally agree, which is why I thought your "If everything you read and hear in the press is true" line was funny, intentional or not -- of course you can't believe what the local press says, especially the Sun. Their coverage of the first preseason game was outrageously biased. They didn't appear to be watching the same game I watched.

The Sun's coverage of the Ravens has been bad for years, but it's disgraceful now.

[ClericBlackDave]

Hey, I have lost respect for many local media types (including Aaron Wilson who has seemingly been more blatent in it this year than he's ever been) over this open rally, and in some cases their manipulation of reporting to cover up Troy Smith's mistakes in order to lobby for his start. And they write that the team is going with Smith pretty much no matter how he plays, as if they know this as fact.

It sucks. That said, you can't simply ignore it.

Yeah, no offense, but Aaron Wilson has definitely joined the club of local media types who take themselves too seriously and consider themselves "inside".


But thats how you make a career niche for yourself in that industry now. Look at Preston. In some ways, Aaron can only hope to become as storied as Preston is.


Its obvious to anyone who has eyes for football that Troy should have dropped behind Boller in the competition considering camp and that preseason game. Ironically, both Aaron and Preston are both, late in the game, noting this in their past little blog update thigies, and understanding that Smith has to look better to win.


Of course, that didn't stop either from writing non-sensical articles saying "Boller squandered chance in preseason game"


I'm not sure how passing 11 of 15 for 100+ yards in a quarter and a half is "squandered". he may have not completely capitalized because of the INT, but when your opponent is below 50% completion % and makes equally dumb mistakes, I think you have the lead.

[purplepoe]

You guys are too much.

I've read Wilson be highly critical of Smith on numerous occasions, including over the weekend when he described Smith as being "terrible" during practice.

PP

[ClericBlackDave]

You guys are too much.

I've read Wilson be highly critical of Smith on numerous occasions, including over the weekend when he described Smith as being "terrible" during practice.

PP

Poe, I know you and I are both subscribers to the VIP level of scout.com.

Please don't try and tell me that Aaron isn't pro-Smith. He has admitted as much in live chat and in threads on the forum.

He's not even trying to pass it off anymore.


As for saying that Smith was terrible during a practice, if its terrible, then its terrible. He couldn't report otherwise without losing journalistic integrity.

HOWEVER, slanting reports by ommision of mistakes or just plain out flattery of mediocre days for Smith seems to be par for the course any day Smith isn't flat out terrible.


But anyway, yeah, basically Aaron has said he's pro-Smith. Funny to me that you would say he isn't.

[purplepoe]

Poe, I know you and I are both subscribers to the VIP level of scout.com.

Please don't try and tell me that Aaron isn't pro-Smith. He has admitted as much in live chat and in threads on the forum.

He's not even trying to pass it off anymore.


As for saying that Smith was terrible during a practice, if its terrible, then its terrible. He couldn't report otherwise without losing journalistic integrity.

HOWEVER, slanting reports by ommision of mistakes or just plain out flattery of mediocre days for Smith seems to be par for the course any day Smith isn't flat out terrible.


But anyway, yeah, basically Aaron has said he's pro-Smith. Funny to me that you would say he isn't.

You show me where he's said that.

I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear you speak for him.

PP

[ClericBlackDave]

You show me where he's said that.

I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear you speak for him.

PP

Honestly, you can call me a liar. But I've been in live chats where he's said its his preference for Troy to start.

He also said recently that his inside source says that the Ravens want Troy to start regardless and that its tough for his daily reports to ignore this.

Of course, feel free not to believe me. It doesn't matter to me. I know what I've read.

And you're not going to find it necessarily written in a transcript, because lots of stuff isn't put into those.

Like, for instance, when he explained that Mark Clayton had a messy divorce weeks before anyone else broke that. But you won't find that on a chat transcript, and for good reason. THAT kind of inside info is why I'm down to subscribe. I could do without his opinions on who should start bleeding into what, I'd hope, would be impartial reports of happenings at camp.

[purplepoe]

Honestly, you can call me a liar. But I've been in live chats where he's said its his preference for Troy to start.

He also said recently that his inside source says that the Ravens want Troy to start regardless and that its tough for his daily reports to ignore this.

Of course, feel free not to believe me. It doesn't matter to me. I know what I've read.

And you're not going to find it necessarily written in a transcript, because lots of stuff isn't put into those.

Like, for instance, when he explained that Mark Clayton had a messy divorce weeks before anyone else broke that. But you won't find that on a chat transcript, and for good reason. THAT kind of inside info is why I'm down to subscribe. I could do without his opinions on who should start bleeding into what, I'd hope, would be impartial reports of happenings at camp.

I simply asked for you to show me.

PP

[jonboy79]

I have no plans of ever beign an insider, btu I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who's raid many of Aaron's stories that thought they were completely impartial, or slanted in another direction. It is fairly obvious that the guy is cheering for Troy, not that there is anything wrong with that.