Jim Leonard

[BmoreBrawla]

You sure about that Brawla?

Matt Birk for $3 mil per v. JB's $20 mil+ signing bonus
Kelley Washington, NFL minimum
David Tyree, NFL minimum
Dannel Ellerbe, UDFA
Cary Williams, NFL minimum
Domonique Foxworth
Chris Carr, 2 years, $5mil

While Ozzie didn't make a big splash in free agency due to being hampered by the salary cap, these players for the most part brought value given their contracts.

Foxworth showed signs of being a very good corner and then there were times when he failed. You could argue that his spotty play at times was the result of a poor pass rush while drawing the opponent's most difficult assignment.

Moreover, Foxworth's contract is nowhere near as rich as his agent would like the world to think it is as explained here: FOXWORTH CONTRACT DETAILS

Jim Leonard was a decent player but he's so overhyped here in this town. Nakamura and Zbikowski will eventually be better players and the team needed a slot cover guy like Carr who you have to admit had a very good second half of the season and was certainly worth the $2.5 per.

Yes, I'm sure. We needed a #1 corner and WR going into the season and that was never rectified. I will give Mattison and probably Ray Lewis and Ed reed for getting the secondary to be serviceable by the end of the year, though.

[BmoreBrawla]

There was no room on our roster for Leonhard, thanks to Landry coming back and us drafting 2 safeties the year prior in Nakamura and Zbikowski. Victim of a numbers game, but there's no doubt all else being equal we'd have liked him back.

no one put a gun to our head and said we had to keep those guys over Leonhard.

[trailhiker85]

There was no room on our roster for Leonhard, thanks to Landry coming back and us drafting 2 safeties the year prior in Nakamura and Zbikowski. Victim of a numbers game, but there's no doubt all else being equal we'd have liked him back.

I'm far from certain that either Zibs or a healthy Nakamura would be as good as Leonhard ...that said, I'm not criticizing either the Ravens for letting Leonhard go or the Jets for paying him $$$ to play in NY. Money likely factors into this from the Ravens standpoint, too. Just sayin' I think he's a good player, has done very well this year as a starting safety, and if he stays healthy should certainly have a fine career and be a big plus for the Jets.

[ravenwoman]

Jim Leonard, in my opinion is a better safety than Dawan Landry. He can also run back punts and kickoffs well, too. He is a guy who made some key plays in Sunday's game against the Chargers.

He brings an energy to the game, very much like Ray Lewis, and is always around the football. I miss him and I think it was a huge mistake in not resigning him.

[Mista T]

There was no room on our roster for Leonhard, thanks to Landry coming back and us drafting 2 safeties the year prior in Nakamura and Zbikowski. Victim of a numbers game, but there's no doubt all else being equal we'd have liked him back.

Sorry, R&T, but that's totally illogical.:insane:

We had 5 safeties on the roster to start the 2008 season -- no one was planning on Landry would get hurt. There was just as much room on the 2009 roster.

The problem was the Ozzie just blew it. It was obvious that Leonhard had earned a starting job, and that Landry, coming off a major injury, would be questionable.

Dumb decision by the Ravens -- right up there with hiring Mattison and letting Stover go.

[RavenScallywag]

I've got to disagree with you there T...while I will agree Leonard has PROVEN himself, Landry has played decently, so I wouldn't say it's a complete whiff by Ozzie. Landry is younger and cheaper, and plays pretty decently when healthy. Half this season he was rusty, but he really came on in the 2nd half...

And saying the decision to hire Mattison was a bad one is also illogical. Mattison had some weak moments this season, but his defense was Top 10 for a 1st year coordinator...Consider also, he lost one starting CB and the replacement for that CB in the 2nd half of the season, he was trying to get the Bart Scott replacement working in the defense, he played a portion of the season without the rush end we just signed to a 6 year deal...And yet, his defense was still Top 10. Mattison is going to be a good coordinator, time will show that. He may not be crazy with his schemes like Rex Ryan, but he's going to find the way to get our defense to work. I think he showed that in adjustments made over the course of the season.

The Stover one I will give you. Cundiff redeemed Ozzie and Harbaugh at the end of the season a bit, but Stover showed he could still kick well and we never showed that an extra roster spot really helped us all that much.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I'll take a plate of crow on this one.

Although Landry was playing much, much better during the second half of the season.

[RavensNTerps]

Sorry, R&T, but that's totally illogical.:insane:

We had 5 safeties on the roster to start the 2008 season -- no one was planning on Landry would get hurt. There was just as much room on the 2009 roster.

The problem was the Ozzie just blew it. It was obvious that Leonhard had earned a starting job, and that Landry, coming off a major injury, would be questionable.

Dumb decision by the Ravens -- right up there with hiring Mattison and letting Stover go.

1) Hiring Mattison was dumb, how? He coordinated the #3 defense in the NFL. Remember 2007 when we lost our top 3 DBs? What happened? The D collapsed, totally. This year, it didn't.

2) Yeah, but with Landry coming back and the 2 safeties we drafted (drafted players will always get preference, hate it or love it), there was no way we were going to keep Leonhard. He's one of my favorite players and I desperately wanted to keep him, but I see the logic in why we didn't re-sign him.

[Jeremiah W]

1) Hiring Mattison was dumb, how? He coordinated the #3 defense in the NFL. Remember 2007 when we lost our top 3 DBs? What happened? The D collapsed, totally. This year, it didn't.

2) Yeah, but with Landry coming back and the 2 safeties we drafted (drafted players will always get preference, hate it or love it), there was no way we were going to keep Leonhard. He's one of my favorite players and I desperately wanted to keep him, but I see the logic in why we didn't re-sign him.

You can not keep them all. We got Leonard off the street as an untendered FA from the Bills. They are the ones that really should have the regrets about him. The Ravens had Landry, Zibs, Nakamura and Reed all under contract, and not much cap room and other needs more pressing than another saftey, even a really good one with return skills.

[edreedisgod20]

Landry had a rough start to the season (as did, you know, the entire secondary), but he was quietly terrific down the stretch. He was a beast against the run and made a number of very nice plays against the pass.

I like Leonhard, and he's a fan favorite as a little guy with lots of heart, but he'll always be limited by his physical attributes.

[RavensNTerps]

Landry had a rough start to the season (as did, you know, the entire secondary), but he was quietly terrific down the stretch. He was a beast against the run and made a number of very nice plays against the pass.

I like Leonhard, and he's a fan favorite as a little guy with lots of heart, but he'll always be limited by his physical attributes.

Leonhard is awesome. But I get why we didn't retain him. Mista T seems very out of touch with reality, especially with his chiming in that Mattison was a poor hire....

[Dave Lap]

I was a big fan of Leonhard's play last season and I think we should have found a way to re-sign him.

Ozzie is still doing a damn good job. It's impossible to get every call right.