CJ Mosley

[Culex]

Might be approaching his last year as he's an UFA in 2019.

Do we let him walk?

Mosley makes a lot of tackles but also misses a ton and his coverage skills are atrocious. He couldn't wrap up Antonio Brown to win the division in 2016 and he was out of position to make the play against Boyd. Pass defense is too important.. WAY too important and if Mosley doesn't improve in this area of the game it may be best to let him walk.

Discuss.

[HotInHere]

CJ is not Ray Lewis. He has some holes in his game. His coverage skills are not atrocious -- he has had six picks in the last two years. But he's not a top-5 MLB.

He probably *is* top-10, however, and we will and should re-sign him for two reasons:

1) We can save some cap space. His option number is almost $9MM next year. A long-term deal should make that number lower.
2) He plays the thinnest position in the Ravens defense. We have no other MLB's. We already desperately need an upgrade from Peanut. If we let Mosley walk, who plays MLB for us?

And three, for all the players who whine here regularly about how we let our own players walk, this is one we can actually keep. He is not a game-changer, but he is a damn solid MLB and a definite 'hit' for a first round pick.

[leachisabeast]

Your assesment of Mosley is embarrassing, sorry.

Yeah of course he isn't Ray Lewis. Hes not super elite play making talent like that... but hes a good player and a lot better than what you're making him out to be.

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

We'l pay him, but I'm not a fan.

He gets turnovers no doubt, but he doesn't play the pass well enough on a play-by-play basis.

He is pretty bad against the pass. He reminds me of Cary Williams. Got picks, but gave up some really bad plays.

[NC Raven]

Right player right price. I'd want to know the price first before saying yes or no. Its not a bad question to ask whether we need to start over at ILB with a new prototype like a Myles Jack type who can hit, cover a lot of ground with his speed. Or at least cover backs and TEs in the short game, which seems to be how most of the top teams prefer to pick defenses apart now adays. There are still a few teams (like the Ravens) who think it's 1975 and still rely on slow developing routes and eschew picks, crossers and drags. But not many. If you want to beat New England, you need to be able to buzz that short zone. Marlon and Bowser may have been signs of a potential shift in that direction.

To me the CJ issue is more about what style of ILB is most conducive to the evolving NFL game over the next 3-5 seasons. If he's just gonna get chewed up dink-and-dunk style by teams we expect to have to beat to get anywhere (Pitt, Cincy, NE) then I'd lean no on him. If they think he can be part of that future and help neutralize that stuff, then yes.

Right now, of course, my very early speculation / guess is (a) no he won't be a huge help against those evolving offenses throwing 5 yard darts to TEs and RBs, but he will still be a solid tackler and defend passing lanes well when dropping into zones (like Daryl Smith used to) so (b) the Ravens will go hog wild and pay him like a cornerstone player anyway.

[Ravenswintitle]

They need to upgrade the guy beside him. Have been trying for 3 Years

[Culex]

CJ is not Ray Lewis. He has some holes in his game. His coverage skills are not atrocious -- he has had six picks in the last two years. But he's not a top-5 MLB.

He probably *is* top-10, however, and we will and should re-sign him for two reasons:

1) We can save some cap space. His option number is almost $9MM next year. A long-term deal should make that number lower.
2) He plays the thinnest position in the Ravens defense. We have no other MLB's. We already desperately need an upgrade from Peanut. If we let Mosley walk, who plays MLB for us?

And three, for all the players who whine here regularly about how we let our own players walk, this is one we can actually keep. He is not a game-changer, but he is a damn solid MLB and a definite 'hit' for a first round pick.

Interceptions don't always tell you how good someones coverage skills are. Players with great coverage skills sometimes get none at all while players like Cary from a few years back that are often targeted get several.

Mosley was used and abused all season long against opposing tight ends and was a big factor in 4th qtr failures that we also blame Pees for. We can draft better.

[srobert96]

Moseley is a very good player but he is not worth what he is going to get in a contract. The Ravens absolutely should not sign him to a long term contract. It will be a deal that they regret within a couple of years. Moseley does not have the biggest frame and had shoulder issues coming out of college. I don't think he will continue to be that durable.

He is going to get a contract north of 10m a year. In today's NFL you do not need a great every down ILB. Look at the 8 playoff teams from this past weekend and you see only one great ILB and that is Deion Jones from Atlanta. Deion Jones is the modern ILB. He is small and really fast and he is used against TEs and RBs in the passing game. Other than that you have veteran guys like Paul Poluzney, Manti Teo, Wesley Woodyard, Dannelle Ellerbe and Kyle Van Noy. Shazier would have been Pitts and he is more Deion Jones than Moseley.

After wasting all that money on B Williams the Ravens cannot afford to waste 10m+ a year on an ILB that is just average to slightly above average in coverage. Ravens can sign a vet and bring in a hybrid guy and use a rotation. The days of an every down ILB are gone.

[Culex]

Your assesment of Mosley is embarrassing, sorry.

Yeah of course he isn't Ray Lewis. Hes not super elite play making talent like that... but hes a good player and a lot better than what you're making him out to be.

Why insult someones assessment then barely even make a retort? Tell me, what was incorrect?

Mosley makes a lot of tackles - Correct
Mosley also misses a ton - Correct
Couldnt wrap up AB - Correct
Bad position on 4th and 12 - Correct

What exactly are you disagreeing with?

[Culex]

We'l pay him, but I'm not a fan.

He gets turnovers no doubt, but he doesn't play the pass well enough on a play-by-play basis.

He is pretty bad against the pass. He reminds me of Cary Williams. Got picks, but gave up some really bad plays.

Funny we both used Cary Williams as comparison! INTs can disguise poor coverage skills if you're just looking at paper.

[esmd]

I'm okay with him being extended if he's not paid much more than the 8-10th highest paid ILB's. He's just not that good. His coverage skills are marginal, sometimes he's there to make a play, other times he looks lost out there with backs or TEs running wide open. And he's not that great in run support...many of his tackles are after 4 or 5 yard gains by the opposing offense. He's a good linebacker. Sometimes very good. As long as he's paid like that, great. But if he's looking to break the bank, I'm saying see you later and looking for bargains in the late FA market and/or the draft. He's just not THAT good.

[Culex]

I'm okay with him being extended if he's not paid much more than the 8-10th highest paid ILB's. He's just not that good. His coverage skills are marginal, sometimes he's there to make a play, other times he looks lost out there with backs or TEs running wide open. And he's not that great in run support...many of his tackles are after 4 or 5 yard gains by the opposing offense. He's a good linebacker. Sometimes very good. As long as he's paid like that, great. But if he's looking to break the bank, I'm saying see you later and looking for bargains in the late FA market and/or the draft. He's just not THAT good.

Speaking of lost I just have no idea what the hell hes thinking on this play

Instead of helping weddle push brown back which his strength along with weddles, easily could have, he goes for some idiotic knockout hit instead and totally botches it.

https://youtu.be/nRFhee_OYLo

Just not a smart football player.