All Things Draft:

**leachisabeast** · 03-19-2013, 10:59 AM

Believe it or not Michael Oher has really stepped up in pass pro over the last couple of years, the problem with him is his run blocking which is really surprising to me because that's what his main strength was. He had some ATROCIOUS games last year as a run blocker, and the trend continued into the play offs, he has fixed some of his mental lapses though at least.

Also KO struggled on the perimeter because he was a rookie, he did a fine job in a lot of games. Against the Giants he pretty much stonewalled JPP, and had some other good games against other elite pass rushers. In fact, he seemed to raise his game against the better pass rushers, then had some bad games against the lesser quality of players like Antwan Barnes. So maybe that's more of a mental issue rather than a physical issue. Don't forget that in college he came up against Aldon Smith a bunch of times and always had good games against him.

So I think giving KO a shot at LT should be considered, and if Castillo thinks that he can be a good LT, then he must have something. I think what you see is what you're pretty much going to get out of Oher, a good RT, would probably be a pro bowl guard, and a serviceable LT.

If Harbaugh really doesn't want McKinnie back, I'd bring Max Starks over for a 1/2 year deal, and have him compete with KO at LT, and see how it goes, if KO blows it up there, you can play him there and have a pretty good swing tackle, and if KO really struggles in pre season etc, you can move him back to guard, and re evaluate who you want at LT long term while starting Starks.

**lordravens** · 03-19-2013, 11:02 AM

Matt Zenitz: Harbaugh said "there's a good chance" the #Ravens draft a TE. Emphasized that a team can never have enough quality TEs

**wickedsolo** · 03-19-2013, 11:47 AM

Considering that both Pitta and Dickson will be UFA's next year...I absolutely see a TE being in the mix. Furthermore, having Pitta paired up with a guy like Ertz, Eiffert, or Escobar?

Awesome.

**Carey** · 03-19-2013, 12:03 PM

32 reps for Carradine at FSU pro day

**Carey** · 03-19-2013, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Considering that both Pitta and Dickson will be UFA's next year...I absolutely see a TE being in the mix. Furthermore, having Pitta paired up with a guy like Ertz, Eiffert, or Escobar?

Awesome.

Eiffert and Pitta together would be magic

**bmorecareful** · 03-19-2013, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Considering that both Pitta and Dickson will be UFA's next year...I absolutely see a TE being in the mix. Furthermore, having Pitta paired up with a guy like Ertz, Eiffert, or Escobar?

Awesome.

Yeah, people have to remember that the Ravens don't view "need" at a position as just a "next year" thing. TE is a position where we have 2 good players for 2013 but ZERO under contract in 2014. They'll draft a TE and given how talented the position is this year, there would be nothing wrong with drafting one early. It might seem crazy to spend as high as a 1st or 2nd round pick on a TE with all our other "needs", but if you get one of the 3 E's (my top 3 TE's are Eifert, Escobar, Ertz in that order) you just play a base 2TE offense next year and thus the importance of replacing Boldin at WR goes down.

If I were Ozzie, particularly if we do get a potential starting-caliber TE in the draft, I would be dangling Dickson as trade bait. Hell, I'd even take a 2014 pick for him at this point since we know he's not going to be back after 2013.

**Carey** · 03-19-2013, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

Yeah, people have to remember that the Ravens don't view "need" at a position as just a "next year" thing. TE is a position where we have 2 good players for 2013 but ZERO under contract in 2014. They'll draft a TE and given how talented the position is this year, there would be nothing wrong with drafting one early. It might seem crazy to spend as high as a 1st or 2nd round pick on a TE with all our other "needs", but if you get one of the 3 E's (my top 3 TE's are Eifert, Escobar, Ertz in that order) you just play a base 2TE offense next year and thus the importance of replacing Boldin at WR goes down.

If I were Ozzie, particularly if we do get a potential starting-caliber TE in the draft, I would be dangling Dickson as trade bait. Hell, I'd even take a 2014 pick for him at this point since we know he's not going to be back after 2013.

I agree, i've been somewhat of a Dickson defender but if you can get a guy like Eifert, a plug and play guy from day 1 then Dickson would turn from the #2 TE to draft weekend trade bait very quickly

**BigPlayReceiver** · 03-20-2013, 12:32 PM

Worth digging around for some Princeton game tape...

Tony Pauline‏@TonyPauline18m
Mike Catapano/DE/Princeton pro-day; 6037/271lbs, 4.70s-to-4.75s/40, 33-reps, 37.5vert, 7.03 3cone

**The Excellector** · 03-21-2013, 01:03 PM

Ertz and Eifert would both be improvements over Dickson rather quickly.

**alien bird** · 03-21-2013, 05:29 PM

The Ravens have a good TE coach, so i can see them sifting through the available TEs in the mid-to-late rounds or even UDFAs, trying to find a diamond in the rough. A guy like Nick Kasa from Colorado (good blocker, needs work as a receiver) might be the kind of guy who would fit.

**wickedsolo** · 03-21-2013, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

The Ravens have a good TE coach, so i can see them sifting through the available TEs in the mid-to-late rounds or even UDFAs, trying to find a diamond in the rough. A guy like Nick Kasa from Colorado (good blocker, needs work as a receiver) might be the kind of guy who would fit.

Or Matt Furstenburg.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 03-21-2013, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

The Ravens have a good TE coach, so i can see them sifting through the available TEs in the mid-to-late rounds or even UDFAs, trying to find a diamond in the rough. A guy like Nick Kasa from Colorado (good blocker, needs work as a receiver) might be the kind of guy who would fit.

Kasa has the greatest upside at the position IMO. Needs receiving coaching for sure, and his gigantic frame isn't even muscled up yet.
Eifert and Gronkowski's Combine explosion index (Bench reps + vert (in.) + broad (in.)) is only 6% greater than Kasa's.
Come 2015/2016 when this team is back in SB mix again, Kasa could be a force.