Center- what to do?

**Shrubbs** · 12-12-2018, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

K H, I agree. IMO with Skura seemingly developing, plus Bozeman, the Ravens have more fish to fry than @ Center... Bc

While you may be right, I find it disturbing that many of your posts insult our fan base of posters... Bc

Agree Bc, this forum should be a place anyone of any level of knowledge can come to talk ball. It's supposed to be for everyone. Comments like the one you replied to makes people afraid to ask questions and learn.

**JimZipCode** · 12-12-2018, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by organizedchaos21

Does this discussion about backup OL remind anyone else of the Ravens hopes at WR for a bunch of years? "One of these random low draft picks/undrafted guys is gonna be great next year, he just [got hurt in preseason/needed a year of seasoning/insert your own reason here]"

I see the similarity; but Bozeman was the starter at Alabama. This isn't a flyer on a guy from the MAC or whatever.

I still hope they draft the next Alex Mack.

**boller4president** · 12-12-2018, 02:22 PM

I don't get the interest bringing back Skura as a starter. He hasn't been very good and when I see him engage in one on one battles he still often loses.

Much of his so called improvement can be attributed to the better scheme with Lamar. I wouldn't be afraid to replace him at all.

**Shrubbs** · 12-12-2018, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by boller4president

I don't get the interest bringing back Skura as a starter. He hasn't been very good and when I see him engage in one on one battles he still often loses.

Much of his so called improvement can be attributed to the better scheme with Lamar. I wouldn't be afraid to replace him at all.

He's definitely a player I'd like an upgrade on, but he's good enough to be on this roster.

**Justlovemybirds** · 12-12-2018, 03:16 PM

Skura just can't anchor well against power and I don't see him getting strong enough to do it. Enter Elgton Jenkins

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**WNCRavensFan** · 12-12-2018, 03:24 PM

Bozeman. And draft a guy.

I like Bozeman. I thought he might'a went in Round 4.

**Filmstudy** · 12-12-2018, 03:37 PM

The vitriol for Skura is overdone. He's a 2nd year player who might be in the 40th-55th percentile of NFL centers. Not great, but not without hope. Comparisons to Gradkowski or Shipley are absurd. I'd also say he's outplayed Zuttah at this point.

He's never going to be the mauler fans want him to be, but he's a fine supporting lineman who does his job as part of double teams, the back end of combination blocks, and anything else where it's OK to just "tie" with an opponent 1 on 1 (like pass blocking). That has a lot of value in today's NFL and PFF's methodology doesn't recognize it.

I started the season thinking the Ravens could do better with one of the many other center possibilities on the roster, but I'm happy to have been proved wrong. He's been solid and has improved as the season has progressed.

**LukeDaniel** · 12-12-2018, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

While you may be right, I find it disturbing that many of your posts insult our fan base of posters... Bc

Just the ones that have no business being here on a "fan" board. Fan is short for fanatic. You can't be a "fanatic" of something unless you understand the basics of how the sport works.

**organizedchaos21** · 12-12-2018, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by LukeDaniel

Just the ones that have no business being here on a "fan" board. Fan is short for fanatic. You can't be a "fanatic" of something unless you understand the basics of how the sport works.

I don't agree that understanding the details of contracts and free agency are a "basic of how the sport works."

**SouthSide** · 12-12-2018, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by boller4president

I don't get the interest bringing back Skura as a starter. He hasn't been very good and when I see him engage in one on one battles he still often loses.

Much of his so called improvement can be attributed to the better scheme with Lamar. I wouldn't be afraid to replace him at all.

At the very least, Skura is solid depth at 2 positions on the OL - G/C. You need guys like that on the roster. Especially on a team like ours where people tend to go on IR.

He looked good at G last year, and is a so-so starter at C. Those are two positions where he can give you starter-quality play. Not all-pro, but he can start for an extended period time and be effective enough.

**Davesta** · 12-12-2018, 06:41 PM

Bring skura back for depth purposes. Not as a starter.

**BRfan96** · 12-13-2018, 12:23 AM

Alright I just have to break my hiatus for a moment for this thread.

-I've been able to go back and watch the Chiefs, Falcons, and Steelers from right before the bye. If anyone is saying Skura is garbage then they're wrong. I'm not a Skura fan by any means. But he is definitely serviceable. All you gotta do is go back and look at how bad Gino Gradkowski was getting owned on literally every other play to know that Skura isn't bad.

-However Skura is not exceptional. And when he has a bad rep it jumps off your screen because he's 6 yards in the backfield. His ceiling truly is career backup. In a backup role he does well, as shown a year ago. I know I'd love to have a Matt Birk caliber center but I also love not having a Gino Gradkowski center either.

-As far as film breakdown goes on the upcoming draft centers here's who I've gotten through completely with 7+ games watched of each prospect: Ross Pierschbacher, Lamont Gaillard, Erik McCoy, Hanson from Oregon. I think any of these guys would be upgrades over Skura in some aspects and then a couple of them would be complete upgrades over Sura.

-There isn't a Billy Price or Frank Ragnow in this class, but there are some good ones that are worth at least a round 3 consideration.

-I like how our OL depth has developed throughout the season. At the beginning we were all lamenting that our OL depth sucked and if anyone got hurt we were done for. That was true, but not anymore I think.