One and done

**Gabrosin** · 01-16-2007, 11:58 AM

I've been pretty content to not have to deal with this mess all year. I think McNair has earned the right to be the starter next season, unless training camp shows otherwise. One bad (well, okay, miserably awful) game shouldn't take that away. At the same time, I hope we're not looking at Boller as a failure to be cast aside. We could still reap some positives from this investment.

That said, any situation that makes Boller a major player next year is bad for us. If he becomes the starter and sucks, then we're once again left without an answer at QB and we'll have spent another season losing. If he becomes the starter and is successful, we're going to have to renegotiate a big contract for him based off of some temporary positive results, and I don't think we have the space for that right now. For Boller to step in and succeed, anything less than the Super Bowl would still be bad news... because we might not be able to keep him at that point without sacrificing a big chunk of our cap room.

The best scenario? McNair should start for another year and get another chance to take us to a championship. Boller should remain the backup. In 2008, we should attempt to re-sign Boller to a very moderate, low-risk deal, then give him another shot at the starting job. We can either release McNair or attempt to get him into a backup's contract, which would be preferable. Then, if Boller is successful for a couple years, we can talk about renegotiating. If he's not, we'll be able to release him without any long-term implications, and start searching for a new "QB of the future".

The last thing we want is Boller to have one good year and be Scott Mitchell.

**skaybaltimore** · 01-16-2007, 02:20 PM

The only thing I'd add to your post, Gabrosin, is that I'd like to keep an eye out for a possible 2nd/3rd round draft pick for a QB out of college. It's impossible to say, but I liked what I saw in Proctor (sp?) out of Clemson. I watched him in the Hula Bowl, and I thought he had a good "presence" on the field. He doesn't seem to appear on a lot of folk's "A" list, so that might mean he'd be available in the later rounds. But who knows...it's all speculation at this point.

GO RAVENS!!!

**Gabrosin** · 01-16-2007, 02:41 PM

I'd be content with drafting a QB in the middle or late rounds, but I don't think this year's crop warrants a first-round selection, unless one of the projected top QBs suffers an Aaron Rodgers, which seems unlikely, especially considering the success of this year's rookie QB class, which will only increase demand for signal-callers. It seems like every year, fans want someone who can help their team RIGHT NOW, but in Baltimore, this is one of those years where it would make sense. It certainly appears that we have a talented team that's capable of contending for the Super Bowl, and we should do our best to provide young players at impact positions to get us there.

It's been really hard to assess what the Ravens need most right now, because we don't really NEED anything, as far as I can see. If we could swap this pick for a first-rounder next year, that would be an incredible success. We don't stand to lose much in free agency, even if the absolute worst happens and every single FA leaves. I like Mughelli and think he'll stay, but we can replace a fullback without much expense. Adalius Thomas is an outstanding player and I hope we can keep him, but we have several other good defenders that will still make an impact without him. BJ Sams is a good return man, but those can always be found through the draft. Jarret Johnson, Aubrayo Franklin, Musa Smith... all basically depth players. The one guy who might hurt the most to lose is Pashos, and only because there's not a lot out there in free agency to replace him, and playing a rookie in his spot would really be a step back for our O-line's chemistry.

The place we could find the most immediate improvement is probably running back. Running back is the easiest position to make an impact as a rookie, and replacing Jamal would give us some cap space to work with. Injuries have convinced backs like Peterson and Bush to apply to the draft, which increases the chances that a talented back will slip to us. Further, the run on RBs last year, and the relative stability of many RB situations around the league, will keep demand low.

The irony is, we may not even need to spend our first-round pick on a RB in order to get an impact player.

**skaybaltimore** · 01-16-2007, 02:52 PM

I'd like to see the Ravens grab Turner from SD. I don't know the details or what we'd have to give up, but with Turner, Ovie, and Mike Anderson, I think we'd have an instant upgrade that would have a major impact and MIGHT be enough to get us over the hump.

GO RAVENS!!!

**Gabrosin** · 01-16-2007, 03:11 PM

I don't see Turner as an instant upgrade for us. Some teams, maybe, but not here. He's basically Chester Taylor. Taylor went to Minnesota and had a solid season but wore down late in the year. That's not what we need. Even splitting time with Anderson might not prevent a guy like Turner from losing it as the season closes. Taylor looked awfully good breaking long runs on passing downs, but what we need is someone who can get five to six yards over two downs when we need it, AND someone with the potential to turn a few of those short runs into big gains. Anderson could help grind for us, especially when we're just killing the clock. But I don't think he can break big plays. Neither can Jamal; his breakaway speed is not there any more and it isn't coming back. We needs someone who hits the hole fast and decisively and gets at least a few almost every time, someone who every so often will make a LB miss and then race with the DBs for a big gain or TD. Unfortunately, I don't see Marshawn Lynch slipping to us, or he might be the guy. I like Michael Bush but his injury concerns me, and he's more in the mold of Jamal, which I think our team is moving away from. Other than that, we'll just have to wait for the Combine and Pro Day workouts and try to find the right mix.

**festivus** · 01-16-2007, 03:33 PM

Skay it was reported on NST recently Turner is a RFA and we'd have to give up a 1st rounder. Interesting question whether he'd be worth it.

**skaybaltimore** · 01-16-2007, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by festivus

Skay it was reported on NST recently Turner is a RFA and we'd have to give up a 1st rounder. Interesting question whether he'd be worth it.

Tough call. I could think of better deals, and I could think of worse. Fortunately, there's still some time to sort all this out.

GO RAVENS!!!

**LBoogy** · 01-17-2007, 11:56 AM

How pathetic is it that the only way Oldfan defends McNair is by pointing to other poor games that Peyton Manning & Tom Brady had?

Guess what Tex? It doesn't make any fucking difference! McNair played horribly and LOST the game for the Ravens. The other two guys are still in the dance. 2 interceptions at CRUCIAL times and a fumble at the end of the game. Even though Manning's numbers were worse, he still played the better game. He was getting his team downfield and putting together decent drives against the best defense in the NFL. McNair wasn't playing the best defense in the NFL--he was playing the f'ing Colts.

Now, if McNair had been playing lights out all season, I might be singing a different tune. He's contributed to the Ravens having a great TOP, but has also really played like shit at times. His arm is a freaking noodle, and his decision making has been questionable at times. I think most of the season the guy was hanging on by a thread, and now the thread has snapped. Physically, he just can't do it anymore.

**skaybaltimore** · 01-17-2007, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by LBoogy

Physically, he just can't do it anymore.

Just out of curiosity, how do you account for his 40 yard spot-on pass to Clayton?

GO RAVENS!!!

**LBoogy** · 01-17-2007, 12:42 PM

Just out of curiosity, how do you account for his 40 yard spot-on pass to Clayton?

Does a 40 yard pass qualify a guy as being a gunslinger now? How do you account for his 2 interceptions and noodle-armed passes throughout the year?

That particular pass wasn't a bullet, or an out that required some zip on the ball. It was a bit of a lob that was over Claytons head; a fly route I believe. It was a pass that didn't require much arm-strength at all. A good, accurate pass, nonetheless, but not tremendously impressive. Sorry.

McNair can make some throws, but it seems that he's been unable to make the ones that count. He has a hard time throwing any medium to deep outs with any zip, and his accuracy has been struggling.

McNair definitely did some things well this season, but it seems that he's struggled more than he's played well. He did a great job with keeping the TOP on the Ravens side, and he's made some plays with his feet, as well as in the dink-and-dunk game. But, he's made too many throws that have had no zip and no accuracy.

Arm strength isn't about being able to throw 40 yard fly routes, it's about being able to throw the ball with some velocity while maintaining some accuracy. McNair RARELY did that this season. He was a good game manager, but I'm afraid we need more than that at this point because of our absent running game.

I loved Steve this season, but I think it's dishonest to say that he hasn't looked physically beat at times.

**skaybaltimore** · 01-17-2007, 01:09 PM

Thanks for your response, LBoogy. Personally, I think arm strength is over-rated. When it comes to McNair, I think he has enough tools to get the job done, and that was my point about the 40 yarder to Clayton -- because people often say he can't go deep. He may not be able to toss the rock 60 yards in the air, but I don't think that's necessarily the key to a successful QB.

Unfortunately, Steve didn't show up with his "A" game against Indy. He also wasn't helped by Billick's insane game planning either. And I think both of them know that they stunk up the place. Also, McNair has had some other bad games during the year. But so have Manning, Brady, & Grossman. I'd like to see how McNair does next year after having gotten familiar with our system this year. Hopefully, he'll have a better RB and O-line, but that remains to be seen.

All in all, I didn't feel he was a "stick a fork in him, he's done" player, the way I did about Jamal Lewis for the first half of the season. By the end, Lewis showed more, and maybe if Billick had gone more to Lewis in the second half against Indy, we'd still be in the playoffs. But that notwithstanding, I'd like to see us beef up the running game via draft/FA in terms of a better RB to replace JL and compliment Anderson, along with some O-line changes/upgrades.

GO RAVENS!!!

**Gabrosin** · 01-17-2007, 01:35 PM

Skay, I don't follow your call for an O-line upgrade. Our O-line is vastly improved from a year ago, and has good young depth behind a group of established veterans. I can see asking for Brown and Chester to overtake Mulitalo and Vincent (or maybe Flynn), but there's no reason to go pay big money to a star OL... if we add anyone it will be in the depth department. The line excelled in pass protection (few were better, and none were better after the bye week/OC change). The run blocking seemed adequate to poor, but how much of that was Jamal not hitting the line decisively?

I think a faster, more decisive running back is what we need... I don't think I'd make a single change to the group we have on O-line, barring a noticeable decline from one of the vets, which we could only assess in training camp. I think Brown and Chester should get every opportunity to take starting positions, but I don't think we desperately need to get rid of any of these guys.

It stuns me how much different Flynn looked this year. I'd say he was solid, not spectacular... but that's a huge upgrade over how he played the previous two. If we view Brown and Chester as guards, we could draft a center with an eye to taking Flynn's job in the near future, but not next season.