Your're crazy if you think the Ravens are going into a "rebuild year".

I heard Kruger on NFL Live today and the way he was talking made it sound like almost a foregone conclusion that he's not going to be back. I think once you've gotten a ring, the debate between staying with a contender or going for a huge payday tips towards payday since you've already reached the ultimate career achievement.

Still, our defense will probably improve overall. Ray was getting killed by speed and I can't imagine that we could do much worse than him at this point. I think also the rehabilitation of Suggs will lessen the blow from losing Kruger. Webb is also back. My only worry is losing Reed, because I really feel he elevates the play of the entire secondary, despite not being able to tackle anymore.

I think Flacco's deal gets worked out and we don't have to franchise him. I think Joe and his agent realize that it's in his long term interests to be able to re-sign McKinnie and Boldin and maybe extend Jacoby.

I can still remember the Kruger posts from the Sun Forum when he was a raw youngster. He has proven this year that he is a "Keeper".

This thread just made my day. Ozzie and company has done a great job, and I think it's only going to get better. We are the Baltimore Ravens. We are a top Organization, the top of course in my heart.

From learning here, IMO , cam was a big problem for the O. I'm pumped to see Flacco and Caldwell next season. I can now say Proudly Baltimore has a offense to worry about.

The D will be fine, charm city baby, still will hit hard.
We will be back in the running. Purple Pride

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

I hear this every year, nothing new, but this year its going to be ripe in this particular offseason no matter what team we field.

"Superbowl hangover", cap problems, and all that BS will be heard throughout the offseason, while teams like the Bengals and the Browns will somehow win the offseason, have a magical FA period and a great draft and surpass us in the AFCN. But really, if you look at Luke Daniels excellent thread on his projected team, it really isn't bad at all, and I'd say that's a team easily good enough to contend without any mass injuries.

The team will be the most complete teams in franchise history next season, you can count on that. Flacco is now a top 5 level QB, he has weapons everywhere, maybe not the best in the league, but assuming we keep Jacoby and Boldin, we have three very good wide outs, and the best one two punch at RB in the league. If we re-sign McKinnie, I am very confident about our Oline, which dominated some pretty good defensive fronts in the play offs. There is no more Cam Cameron holding this offense back anymore, and Flacco is ready to be a consistent QB in this league that goes to pro bowls frequently.

Also there aren't many teams with a top 5 QB who have bad years, Drew Brees with the Saints is the only recent season that comes to mind, but it was obvious to why they were so bad in 2012.

The defense wont be as talented as the past, but it will be faster and younger. Suggs will have a full offseason of recovery, and should hopefully fully heal from his rupture a year back. Ngata is Ngata, and when he's healthy and on his day, he is the best defensive player in the league, nobody can block him. Even if he has another unhealthy season, its still good enough with Suggs healthy. I think Ngata should move to NT and truly dominate the middle for us. Upshaw will have another offseason to get better after an impressive rookie campaign. He may never be a great pass rusher in this league, but he makes plays, and is essentially our Jarrett Johnson replacement, but more athletic. We will surely draft a ILB in a high round this year, I just have a feeling with Kevin Minter, I still have him in my own mock draft coming to us. Ed Reed is up in the air, but if Reed should leave Baltimore, at least that gives us the incentive to go out and sign or draft a safety. Finally our corner backs are great, we are pretty stacked there, even when Cary Williams walks in FA. Oh and did I forget to mention Bernard Pollard?

So you will probably hear a lot of national speculation about us falling off a cliff, and even a lot of Ravens fans will buy into it. However, I am confident heading into the offseason, and I am really looking forward to the next few weeks with what happens with this team in FA, and even more looking forward to the draft.

In Ozzie we trust!!!

---

On paper next year's team could be much better. Quite frankly no matter who they role out there at ILB they are going to be better than Ray. Emotionally Ray brought a lot to the table but his play was awful and they could not pull him off the field. They must resign Ellerbe. I also don't think Reed was very good this year. Both Lewis and Reed will be losses from their smarts, knowledge and experience but physically they were not that great.

If Suggs and Ngata are healthy that is a huge boost. Kruger will be a loss but some of that should be off set by Suggs and Ngata being healthy as well as Upshaw being a year older. I am sure Upshaw will show up in better condition. Also McPhee was never really healthy this year. We saw some of what made him good towards the end of the season. We are also seeing Art Jones become better and better. Cary Williams was the most targeted and most burned CB in the league. He is a decent player that is way over valued right now. If Webb is healthy and Smith continues to progress our corners could be even better next year.

Also Caldwell will have the whole off season to structure the offense around Flacco. Also add Castillo's work with the Oline.

Biggest needs to keep things rolling: LT( hope they bring McKinnie Back), ILB and S. TE/Hback to replace Leach. There is no reason the Ravens should not be the front runner to win the AFC North next year.

For those saying we could be better, I don't disagree.

This might be funny to say, but I think this was our worst team since Harbaugh's been here, and discounting the implosion in Billick's last year, or worst team since Boller was under center.

That might not be far because Joe's grown so much since his first two years in the league but outside of QB (I know, I know) we were undoubtedly better from 08-11.

Since the Cap purge of 2002 - OZ and the Ravens have been continually pruning & reloading the talent. The talent may not have the big names - it just has big skills when it counts. You don't get to the number of playoffs that the Ravens have by having yearly fire sales.

The D going forward without #52 on the field will be a new experience - but we have not had Ray on the field for serious periods of time in the past and have survived and grown talent.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by srobert96

I also don't think Reed was very good this year.

---

Opposing offensive coordinators and quarterbacks would disagree. Ed Reed isn't the player he once was, but he still makes the field smaller for opposing offenses and makes his teammates better. He certainly isn't a liability.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alienrace

Leach and McKinnie might be gone, we'll see, but regardless, I think the offense will be extremely good. In the playoffs it seemed nobody had answers for it.

---

"Nobody had answers for it" because our line was extremely effective, i.e. McKinnie sured up our front line of defense since we could move Oher over to RT, and KO to left guard - without McKinnie at LT that would NOT have been the case. Make no mistake about it, if we let McKinnie walk without a suitable replacement, our O will NOT look like what we saw in the playoffs! Jah Reid is NOT KO, and we all know what Oher at LT brings to the table.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alien bird

Opposing offensive coordinators and quarterbacks would disagree. Ed Reed isn't the player he once was, but he still makes the field smaller for opposing offenses and makes his teammates better. He certainly isn't a liability.

---

Agree 100%

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ravenjoe

we all know what Oher at LT brings to the table.

---

A lot of yellow :Flush:

Ravens just need to play like they always play and see what happens. The talent is there and the team has a scoring offense and a defense that can make or break a game. Play Ravens football and see what the other team can do. I'll wait for the season to see what happens. If the team stays healthy during this new season, it should be interesting. Not one to predict, but going to the postseason would be awesome. Ravens setting records in that catagorey would be hard to make excuses for. Baltimore has a first class football team with the right people leading it. When does preseason start?LOL