What is our biggest need now?

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 03-06-2019, 12:28 PM

I've been debating iOL vs. Wide Receiver all offseason in terms of what our biggest need is.

On one hand, you have to have a strong foundation (OL) or else it doesn't matter how accurate you are and how good your pass catchers are.
On the other, this team needs playmakers at its offensive skill positions (And has for years).

Now that we don't have a FS on the roster at all, you have to factor that in too. Consider that we haven't had a lot of success getting to the QB and that is also a need. Obviously FA hasn't happened yet so that will be important to see what happens (i.e. we could sign one of the C's and then suddenly our iOL is just one spot away from being pretty solid / we could sign Earl thomas to be the FS).

So what say you?

My personal top 5 needs, in order, before FA (And I dont think this would change if Jimmy is cut):
1) WR - We literally have nothing at WR right now that is worth a damn.
2) iOL - Skura may be serviceable at OC if you can get a good LG to help him.
3) FS - Suddenly a glaring need. Clark, Elliott, Levine are all SS / dime CB type guys.
4) Edge - Always a need lately, but with Suggs and Za potentially not coming back we'd be starting T-Williams across from Judon.
5) ILB - Mosley could very well be gone.

**Ravens4Real** · 03-06-2019, 12:31 PM

With the way this offense is being run. We don’t need any stud WR’s because they will barely be getting the ball to begin with.

I’m not sure how edge rusher isn’t number 1. If we lose Suggs and Smith, we have absolutely no one that is a 3 down OLB.

Second would certainly be iOL.

We have a ton of holes to fill this offseason.

**Waywatcher** · 03-06-2019, 12:43 PM

My personal opinion:

1) Edge. UNLESS the Ravens can succeed with the Great Reclamation Projects for Tim Williams and Tyus Bowser, we're going to have serious issues rushing the passer next year. Hopefully, Willie Henry can stay healthy so we can get some push up the middle but the loss of ZDS is going to have a serious ripple effect without an infusion of talent (either extracting additional contributions from the current roster or from the draft)

2) WR. This is less so about just this year and more about building for the long(ish) term around LJ. The Ravens are effectively building from near-scratch. I'm not on the double-dip bandwagon as I envision a multi-year rebuilding of the offense. But I think we can grab a solid receiver this year and hope to do so again next offseason.

3) IOL. I fully expect us to be players in the FA market at the very least. I also hope we try to pick up a solid guard or center in the draft, but I have an inherent bias against selecting a G or C in the first round unless they're a potential All Pro a la Quentin Nelson. I also think we're not in as dire straits as that horrid playoff game showed. For instance, I think Jermaine Eluemunor showed us something last season when he was moved inside. At the least, I envision him competing for a starting role.

4) FS. This will be an unpopular opinion, but I don't expect the Ravens to be competing in this market. It looks like EDC's driving a true youth movement/build-for-the-long-term, and (IMO) the only FA safety that is both young enough and fits more of a "rangy CF" mold is Adrian Amos. I don't expect he'll come cheap, however. We may draft a sleeper this year, but I'd personally like to see what value we can extract from Clark and Elliott. Another possibility would be using Levine in this role and teaching up Clark or Elliott to play the rotational dime back instead.

5) ILB. I suspect we'll re-sign Mosely. Even if we don't, I'm high on both Kenny Young and Peanut. The Ravens are also sneaky-great at drafting exceptional ILB talent in the later rounds or from the UDFA pool. NOTE: There is a possible "green dot crisis" at the moment, but I agree with Ken McKusick - I think Tony Jefferson could inherit that role in the worst case scenario.

**NjRavensFan** · 03-06-2019, 12:57 PM

WR - I mean, come on
iOL - I would really, really like to upgrade, but we actually had a weirdly successful OL in 2017 with both Hurst and Skura starting
EDGE - I'm still fully in on Tim Williams but we don't and won't have a take over the game type of guy so even if Williams is a contributor we need a lot of depth here
FS - I would like a rangy CF type but our CBs are good enough that I think we could get by with Jefferson and Elliott
I don't consider ILB a need with or without CJ. Great ILB play is a luxury, plenty of elite defenses have gaps here and a lot of teams roll out worse dudes than Peanut and Kenny.

**usmccharles** · 03-06-2019, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Waywatcher

My personal opinion:

1) Edge. UNLESS the Ravens can succeed with the Great Reclamation Projects for Tim Williams and Tyus Bowser, we're going to have serious issues rushing the passer next year. Hopefully, Willie Henry can stay healthy so we can get some push up the middle but the loss of ZDS is going to have a serious ripple effect without an infusion of talent (either extracting additional contributions from the current roster or from the draft)

2) WR. This is less so about just this year and more about building for the long(ish) term around LJ. The Ravens are effectively building from near-scratch. I'm not on the double-dip bandwagon as I envision a multi-year rebuilding of the offense. But I think we can grab a solid receiver this year and hope to do so again next offseason.

3) IOL. I fully expect us to be players in the FA market at the very least. I also hope we try to pick up a solid guard or center in the draft, but I have an inherent bias against selecting a G or C in the first round unless they're a potential All Pro a la Quentin Nelson. I also think we're not in as dire straits as that horrid playoff game showed. For instance, I think Jermaine Eluemunor showed us something last season when he was moved inside. At the least, I envision him competing for a starting role.

4) FS. This will be an unpopular opinion, but I don't expect the Ravens to be competing in this market. It looks like EDC's driving a true youth movement/build-for-the-long-term, and (IMO) the only FA safety that is both young enough and fits more of a "rangy CF" mold is Adrian Amos. I don't expect he'll come cheap, however. We may draft a sleeper this year, but I'd personally like to see what value we can extract from Clark and Elliott. Another possibility would be using Levine in this role and teaching up Clark or Elliott to play the rotational dime back instead.

5) ILB. I suspect we'll re-sign Mosely. Even if we don't, I'm high on both Kenny Young and Peanut. The Ravens are also sneaky-great at drafting exceptional ILB talent in the later rounds or from the UDFA pool. NOTE: There is a possible "green dot crisis" at the moment, but I agree with Ken McKusick - I think Tony Jefferson could inherit that role in the worst case scenario.

Great post. I'd just swap WR and iOL.

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**Captain Silver** · 03-06-2019, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by usmccharles

Great post. I'd just swap WR and iOL.

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Same here, offensive line is where I'd draft the heaviest.

**NjRavensFan** · 03-06-2019, 01:02 PM

It also depends on how you define need. I think its WR either way, but close. If we're talking draft, though, there are 5-6 legit upgrades at iOL on the FA market. Tyrell Williams is really the only WR I see as both a fit and a difference maker.

**Bhcforlife** · 03-06-2019, 01:02 PM

1 - WR - While I would agree that you don't necessarily need an Antonio Brown or Julio Jones type stud for 2019, you still need viable starting receivers and currently the franchise has none. Snead is good for what he is, but he's strictly a slot guy. Pretty much every other position on the roster they have someone who can give them some level of productivity/competent play, whether it's Judon at ED or Chuck Clark at FS or Skura at C. The point being they have options at those positions, and I just don't see that at receiver.

2 - IOL - Ideally you would like to replace Skura and the Hurst/Lewis combo at LG but you also have to plan for Yanda's eventual departure too. In house depth options are questionable at best.

3 - FS - I think Clark would be about average, I don't really consider Elliott a FS and we have no idea how he's going to play at the NFL level. It's something they need to address but I think given the strength of the secondary otherwise, it's knocked down a bit in terms of priority need.

4 - ED - If Suggs and Smith both leave that puts a lot on Judon who isn't really a great pass rusher as it is. Bowser is right at the ledge of the cliff of being a bust and they don't have much else. This may be elevated above FS if they don't retain Suggs.

5 - RB - Mostly because I want to go different than everyone else saying ILB. I'd like to see them find their next Ray Rice or Jamal Lewis. I like Gus well enough and he has a place here, but I think they need to find that uber talented guy to really take the rush offense to the next level.

**usmccharles** · 03-06-2019, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Silver

Same here, offensive line is where I'd draft the heaviest.

With the way we want to pound the rock I'm all for using the capital to build an elite OL

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**Bhcforlife** · 03-06-2019, 01:16 PM

Hard for me to put OL above WR when they were a generally effective offense last year with Skura and the combo of Lewis/Hurst starting. If you ended up with them starting again, by no means is that ideal, but you can at least feel like it's not going to totally kill you. If you run Moore, Snead, and Lasley out there as your receivers, I don't really care how much you think Lamar and the TEs are going to make up for it, you're fucked.

**HbgPARavenfan** · 03-06-2019, 01:18 PM

WR
Pass rush
oLine

**HbgPARavenfan** · 03-06-2019, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

Hard for me to put OL above WR when they were a generally effective offense last year with Skura and the combo of Lewis/Hurst starting. If you ended up with them starting again, by no means is that ideal, but you can at least feel like it's not going to totally kill you. If you run Moore, Snead, and Lasley out there as your receivers, I don't really care how much you think Lamar and the TEs are going to make up for it, you're fucked.

we had Aiken as our #1 and expected Brady like numbers from our last QB. I wouldnt be shocked if moore, snead and some nobody was out there next year