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Thread: Will Davis
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10-12-2015, 07:25 PM #1
Will Davis
First, let me start by saying that I am sorry for this young man. 2 knee injuries in 2 years is a tough row to hoe. Also, while his body of work in Baltimore was little more than one game against a washed up QB who was never known for accuracy, his tweet: "Thank you Ozzie Newsome" after the Pittsburgh game was particularly classy and heartwarming.
So, with that as a jumping-off point, I think our defensive backfield, especially the cornerback position, deserves the same type of intense scrutiny we as fans have been giving the WR position. At present, here is where we stand:
Smith - a year removed from a linsfranc injury and not playing near as well as he was prior to the injury; this injury has been known to be problematic throughout patients' lifetimes
Webb - clearly on the downside of his career, and some would argue completely washed up; I won't go quite that far but I'll say he's better inside than out, and would only expect another year or so of above replacement level performance
Arrington - while New England is known for letting their aging superstars go sooner rather than later, Arrington was never a superstar and it appears they were spot on with their timing. This year, Arrington has fluctuated between appearing as if he's forgotten how to play football and having never played the game before. It's still early, but through more than a quarter of the season, he could go down as one of Ozzie's worst free agent signings ever
Davis - a complete unknown who will not receive the benefit of evaluation during the remainder of the season; his play in one game against the Steelers puts him in the same urban legion status occupied by Rashaan Melvin prior to the Patriots' playoff game
Melvin - from fan favorite to inactive in the blink of an eye; does not appear to be any better than a street free agent at this point
Walker - rookie project from a small school; based on the preseason, did not appear ready to contribute in 2015; completely unknown quantity at this level
Charles James - hero from Hard Knocks currently on the practice squad; completely unknown quantity at this level
Asa Jackson - hot garbage currently on the practice squad.
So, based on the above, I suggest three things:
1) there's no reason to trade for anyone to supplement this group this season, unless they are an improvement over Webb and more than a rental for the remainder of the years
2) as bad as our WR Corp is, one could argue that this group is worse. Certainly, SSR has played better than Jimmy this year, if it's possible to compare two players at different positions , and the falloff from Sr to Aiken is comparable from the falloff from Jimmy to Webb, and;
3) unless a #1 or #2 cornerback is added by trade this season (highly unlikely) or in the offseason, a non-project cornerback should be selected within one of the first three rounds in next year's' draft.
Also, I'm not expecting miracles, and I expect the play of this group will make me want to stab my eyeballs with a shrimp fork on most weeks, but I'd rather run with James, Walker, and even Melvin, and see if there's anything to build upon, versus watching Arrington and Jackson falling down every week. Since it's going to be a long season, I think we have to make it as productive as possible, and for me, that begins and ends with player evaluation and identifying who can make us a better football team in 2016 and beyond.
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Re: Will Davis
I think it is fairly obvious by teams like Seattle, the Jets, and Arizona that having elite or even really good players in the secondary is what makes a defense roll in today's NFL.
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkDisclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.
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10-12-2015, 08:52 PM #3
Re: Will Davis
Good post. Overall, I agree. Key point is that the team has multiple catastrophic positions -- beyond WR and DB. OLB is hardly a strength; the O line has fallen from the heights (see FilmStudy reviews from last season) to the depths this year; our vaunted D line depth is not too convincing (anyone else think Urban might be the D's version of Campy?) We need a lot of changes -- more than one draft and one offseason can supply.
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Re: Will Davis
Although Walsh's system of offense can compensate for lack of talent; however, defense is a different story. According to Walsh, talent on defense was essential and could not be compensated for. What did Walsh do in 1981? He acquired physical and talented players on defense.
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10-13-2015, 09:50 AM #7
Re: Will Davis
Ravens plan has been to be competitive every year, but this season could really put that philosophy to the test - we may be looking at a 2 - 3 year rebuild with major issues at Dback, LB & WR
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10-13-2015, 10:02 AM #8Pro Bowl Poster
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Re: Will Davis
The Ravens could have the best corners in the NFL - the stars - the premier atheletes - the best corners and safetys in the business - and the Ravens would still play them 10 to 15 yards down field. If the boat is sinking because there are too many holes in it and the guys can't bail fast enough to keep it afloat YOUR NEED A NEW PEES (BOAT)
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