Green, Cooper, Anderson

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I neither want us nor see us signing a top free agent WR. My bet is that our big free agent dollars are earmarked for pass rushers.


DeCosta will schedule a press conference in the next couple weeks where he'll lie to us in more detail. But this speaks for itself:

• Our Blitz% was an absurd 55%

The 2nd-blitz-happiest team went 44%: no one else was over 40%. Median was like 27%: that's half our number.

DESPITE THAT, we finished:

• 16th in pressure%
• 19th in sack%
• 30th in Hurry%

We didn't get home! We sent more rushers, and accomplished less with them, than any other defense in the league. If we play any statistical games where we construct effectiveness ratios with blitz% in the denominator – sack% over blitz%, or pressure% over blitz%, or hurry% over blitz% – the Ravens rank DFL in all of them.

Defensive front 7 has got to be the single most dire need on this roster. DeCosta is going to throw some free-agent resources at it. Wouldn't surprise me if we came away with two "name" guys – not two top-dollar guys, but two guys we know. maybe one top or close-to-it dollar guy, and one bargain effective piece.

Or re-sign Judon and add a medium-dollar guy.


Point being, that scenario might leave us free to draft a rd-1 receiver. Or at least free to act BPA in rd-1; which would be nice all by itself.

No doubt.

If I had my choice, I'd re-sign Judon and sign Clayborn and Calais Campbell. Come out of the draft with an ILB and WR in the first 2-3 rounds.

[The Excellector]

This is exactly why it's asinine to ignore wr when you have an elite draft class... If you don't grab one you end up like us... Playing Seth Roberts and hoping aging vets still have juice and over pay them

We see what happened when they didn't snatch one in 2014. They ended up forcing it in 2015, drafting Perriman and we paid for that mistake twice.

[JimZipCode]

Heaven knows we need a sure-handed veteran...

Nah. We need more targets for Boykin & Marquise; plus whateve rnew guy DeCosta adds in the draft.

[JimZipCode]

They ended up forcing it in 2015, drafting Perriman and we paid for that mistake twice.

What's fucked up is that Perriman can suddenly play now. Found someone to convince him to take his meds, and suddenly he looks unstoppable.

[edromeo]

A few questions for the thread:

(1) do you think Greg Roman is a good coach (2) do you agree that he built this offense around the talent of the players? (3) Do you trust that he’ll build around the players again? (4) Was there a WR on this roster that deserved a lions share of the targets? (5) If there was a WR that deserved the lions share why would Greg Roman prevent that from happening?

IF this offense had a #1 WR that player obviously becomes the focal point of the passing game and every else eats after

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

A few questions for the thread:

(1) do you think Greg Roman is a good coach (2) do you agree that he built this offense around the talent of the players? (3) Do you trust that he’ll build around the players again? (4) Was there a WR on this roster that deserved a lions share of the targets? (5) If there was a WR that deserved the lions share why would Greg Roman prevent that from happening?

IF this offense had a #1 WR that player obviously becomes the focal point of the passing game and every else eats after

1) Yes.
2) Absolutely and a few examples:
- Using Lamar as a dual threat, proven by his efficiency on Options
- Understanding of his RB strengths evidenced by an uptick in production on options from a guy like Edwards, but having enough sense to use Ingram on a variety of play calls and not forcing the option, same with Hill - trying to get him outside the tackles
- Saw his levels/meshes concepts, but he had no issue getting Andrews out in the seams which is where he excelled at OU and Brown getting deep, including being a primary read on some of those plays.
- OL obviously benefits, but the thing asbout the OL is that they're just not that talented at LG-C. Guys that can get it done, but not anything more than average players IMO.
3) I see no reason not to. I don't really have major issues with the offense. I think I'd like to see less options, beef up the OL nad be able to go IZ to more efficiency (Only 3.96 YPC this year)
4) No. Brown might get there, but for a rookie I was happy with the target distribution. Outside of the 1st Browns game I never felt like we were forcing targets to something.
5) I don't really think Roman's scheme would prevent it, but his playcalling might. Hypothetical, but say Lamb fell to 15 and we traded up for him, he would be one of those guys eventually (maybe not in year 1), but if we're only throwing 30 times a game, there's only so many mouths to feed - that's the real argument. Other than that, Roman has shown that he will distribute the targets proporitionally, IMO. Andrews led the team because he was the best pass catcher. Brown was 2nd because he was the 2nd best. Etc.

[edromeo]

Ty, for the detailed reply.

Agreed on all counts.
Especially interior OL talent level and IZ. I also think Brown would have received more targets if he wasn't battling through injuries.

….
5) I don't really think Roman's scheme would prevent it, but his playcalling might. Hypothetical, but say Lamb fell to 15 and we traded up for him, he would be one of those guys eventually (maybe not in year 1), but if we're only throwing 30 times a game, there's only so many mouths to feed - that's the real argument. Other than that, Roman has shown that he will distribute the targets proporitionally, IMO. Andrews led the team because he was the best pass catcher. Brown was 2nd because he was the 2nd best. Etc.

I agree there are only so many mouths to feed on ~30 targets a game but the pride lion eats first. If I knew how to use the search feature better I could post some of Greg's other passing game receiving outcomes and he's featured some 1,000 yard WRs.

Greg Roman's top receivers w/ Bills + 49ers:
Sammy Watkins 1,000 yards (2015)
Robert Woods
Anquan Boldin 1,000 yards (2014)
Crabs 1,000 yards (2012)
Mario Manningham

Lol, You had me at CD Lamb but lost me at trade up. How would you feel about Ruggs / Reagor @ 28?

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

Lol, You had me at CD Lamb but lost me at trade up. How would you feel about Ruggs / Reagor @ 28?

I dont think Ruggs gets there.

Reagor intrigues me a lot. Shenault, Jefferson and Hamler are intriguing too (Mayeb not at 28 for Hamler - trade back type guy). Apparently Hamler is going to be a 4.3 guy and a PSU coach clocked him at 4.28.

[The Excellector]

A few questions for the thread:

(1) do you think Greg Roman is a good coach (2) do you agree that he built this offense around the talent of the players? (3) Do you trust that he’ll build around the players again? (4) Was there a WR on this roster that deserved a lions share of the targets? (5) If there was a WR that deserved the lions share why would Greg Roman prevent that from happening?

IF this offense had a #1 WR that player obviously becomes the focal point of the passing game and every else eats after

1. Yes, I do feel that Roman is a good coach. However, like most coaches, he has his niche. He's best at his niche and the drop-off is significant when he tries to deviate from it. That niche is a run-based offense with few passing attempts (Comparative to league standards), where they are just very efficient in those limited numbers). Outside of that realm, he is not the same coach and the difference is glaring.

2. Yes, I do believe that he built the offense around the talent of the players. Personally, I would have preferred Jackson not get so many carries, but I can't argue that it wasn't within his skill-set and wasn't an asset in the short-term.

3. If they plan on continuing to run the same offense, with Lamar getting 10+ carries a game and them being last in the league in passing attempts? Yes, I do trust that he'll build around the players again.

4. No, there was not a WR on the roster that deserved the Lion's share of the targets. I also don't believe that the coaching staff or the front office went into this season with that idea. By that I mean, they didn't go into this trying their darnedest to sign some high-priced WR, only to fail. No, they went in and one of the first things they did was sign Boyle to a considerable contract. WRs deserving of the Lion's share were not as high on their priority list.

5. If they were to, for example, sign AJ Green, 2018 was the only season in which he received less than 100 targets (Only played 9 games and still ended up with 77). The issue is that not only would you have to create more targets for Hayden Hurst, who is currently being victimized by his own good blocking ability, but you'd have to create another 100 for Green. Mark Andrews didn't even play the last game, and still had 98 targets. In 16 games, Hayden Hurst, the guy with the best hands on the team and best combination of size, speed, route running ability and hands........................only had 39 targets. There is no excuse for Mark Andrews having nearly 60 more targets than Hayden Hurst. That should be the disparity between Andrews and Boyle, not Andrews and Hurst. And Oh, by the way, Boyle had 43 targets.

So now, you've put yourself in a situation where Hurst needs far more targets, and you need to pull that off without Andrews' targets dipping too much, because Boyle's targets are probably near right where they need to be (2-3 per game, I would have him at 1-2). On top of that, you would then be adding a WR who is deserving as the Lion's share (For example, Green), so you'll need to come up with another 100 targets. Boykin barely had one target per game and Roberts barely had two targets per game. The absolute lowest amount of targets per game that Green has had in a 'full' 16 game season, is a little over 8. The absolute lowest.

[The Excellector]

Just doing the math here. Hurst needs at least fifty more targets (Would put him around 5 per game). Even if you give him Roberts' targets, Green would still need another 90-100 targets if he plays the full season.

Take 16 from Boyle and give them to Hurst, Hurst would still need about three dozen. And we haven't even gotten into the reality that Brown's snaps and targets were limited, as he was working his way through an injury.

So, bare minimum, you're going to have to add 130 targets to this offense. Which would put your passing attempts at 570, which is right where the Chiefs were, and that was with Mahomes missing games, and, that's only middle of the pack in passing attempts.

Greg Roman has never, as an OC, that I know of, had an offense that wasn't in the bottom eighth of the league in passing attempts. He would suddenly have to orchestra an offense that is, at the very least, 15th in the league in passing attempts.

Because when you have Andrews, Hurst, Brown (Lord willing, fully healthy and back to his Jr. year form) and Green, that becomes the strength of your offense. Throwing the ball. Especially, with a young QB in Lamar who developing so quickly.

[edromeo]

5. If they were to, for example, sign AJ Green, 2018 was the only season in which he received less than 100 targets (Only played 9 games and still ended up with 77). The issue is that not only would you have to create more targets for Hayden Hurst, who is currently being victimized by his own good blocking ability, but you'd have to create another 100 for Green. Mark Andrews didn't even play the last game, and still had 98 targets. In 16 games, Hayden Hurst, the guy with the best hands on the team and best combination of size, speed, route running ability and hands........................only had 39 targets. There is no excuse for Mark Andrews having nearly 60 more targets than Hayden Hurst. That should be the disparity between Andrews and Boyle, not Andrews and Hurst. And Oh, by the way, Boyle had 43 targets.

So now, you've put yourself in a situation where Hurst needs far more targets, and you need to pull that off without Andrews' targets dipping too much, because Boyle's targets are probably near right where they need to be (2-3 per game, I would have him at 1-2). On top of that, you would then be adding a WR who is deserving as the Lion's share (For example, Green), so you'll need to come up with another 100 targets. Boykin barely had one target per game and Roberts barely had two targets per game. The absolute lowest amount of targets per game that Green has had in a 'full' 16 game season, is a little over 8. The absolute lowest.

You lost me at the bolded and underlined portion. I or Greg Roman doesn't have to create more targets for Hurst or any ancillary players.

Parsing out who gets and who deserves more targets is personally speculative based on personal preferences.
The target distribution is going to change. Hurst might get less targets depending on how the personnel plays out.

Suffice it say that IF a #1 WR is acquired this offseason that player is likely going to eats first. The passing game is going to be built around whichever receiver/s give the team the best chance to win. (#1 WR then Andrews/Hollywodd) Pencil in ~120 targets for the lead dog and everyone else gets theirs afterwards and some people that got targets last year won't get them this year.

[simplesimon]

Best to make a trade for a Keenan Allen or Mike Evans. It going to cost us a top draft pick but this Ravens team is built for a championship. All it is missing is a top veteran quality receiver. The window of opportunity for a superbowl won't stay open forever. You also have to consider that Kansas City will be the team you will be challenging for the afc championship in the years to come. Don't come with half assed additions on offense. You have to come with the heavy weaponry if you're going to get by them. The Patriots weren't afraid to better themselves by getting a Randy Moss or an Antonio Brown even when they were winning superbowl after superbowl. They don't stand Pat. Neither should the Ravens if they want to get to a superbowl.