Tanier on Ravens free agent acquisitions

**JimZipCode** · 03-24-2020, 01:45 PM

Lamar Jackson's Ravens Have a Secret Weapon: The NFL's Next Great Defense
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-great-defense

Those are all defensive players. What do they have to do with Jackson?

Simple: One of the best ways to help a young quarterback continue to develop is to give him a great defense.
...
Great defenses help young quarterbacks develop by making it much easier for them to maintain the lead. ... Put another way, ordinary quarterbacks look great when punching in short drives after turnovers or tossing stat-padding screen passes on 3rd-and-long with a 17-point lead, whereas very good quarterbacks look ordinary-to-bad when forcing passes into coverage while playing catch-up.
...
The Ravens fielded an excellent defense last season: third in the NFL in points allowed, fourth in yards allowed, fourth in Football Outsiders DVOA. But that defense did have a few weaknesses. The run defense ranked 19th in the NFL, according to Football Outsiders, with opponents averaging 4.4 yards per rush. Also, the Ravens recorded just 37 sacks, 21st in the league.

Most opponents had to abandon the run once the Ravens started whomping them, so a high per-carry average didn't amount to much for most of the year. And no one except the defensive coordinator frets too much about a low sack total after a 45-6 victory. But minor flaws are still flaws, and the issues with the run defense came to roost against the Titans in the playoffs. A team that finished 14-2 must keep finding ways to improve to get over the playoff hump and keep pace with powerhouses like the Chiefs.

That's where Campbell and Brockers come in.

**jonboy79** · 03-24-2020, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by JimZipCode

Lamar Jackson's Ravens Have a Secret Weapon: The NFL's Next Great Defense
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-great-defense

It also means we are more free to add young offensive players through the draft to grow along side Lamar...

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**NjRavensFan** · 03-24-2020, 02:01 PM

Tanier is my favorite active sportswriter by a pretty wide margin

**BcRaven** · 03-24-2020, 02:12 PM

I'll play devil's advocate here :

"One of the best ways to help a young quarterback continue to develop is to give him a great defense."

I agree, but to pass on a talented offensive player (sure, I know Perriman was one) just to take a Sergio Kindle, Terrence Cody, Matt Elam, or Arthur Brown would be insane. A sure-handed WR or a solid Olineman could help a young QB too. IOW let's let DeCosta determine how best to aid LJ8's development, and the team over-all, before we pigeon-hole our draft one way or the other... Bc

**NjRavensFan** · 03-24-2020, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

I'll play devil's advocate here :

"One of the best ways to help a young quarterback continue to develop is to give him a great defense."

I agree, but to pass on an offensive player (sure, I know Perriman was one) just to take a Sergio Kindle, Terrence Cody, Matt Elam, or Arthur Brown would be insane. A sure-handed WR or a solid Olineman could help a young QB too. IOW let's let DeCosta determine how best to aid LJ8's development, and the team over-all, before we pigeon-hole our draft one way or the other... Bc

Well yes, drafting bad players is definitely worse than drafting good players. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that lol. Sometimes defensive players are Matt Elam or Sergio Kindle, other times they’re Ray Lewis or Marlon Humphrey.

And the article wasn’t even about the draft, it was about the FAs we’ve already signed.

**moviemaniacx** · 03-24-2020, 03:29 PM

Great read. I particularly liked this bit:

The Ravens could have tried to help Jackson take the next step by overpaying for receivers or offensive linemen during last week's frenzy, where the pickings were pretty slim unless you caught Bill O'Brien in just the right mood. Instead, they will develop Jackson by maintaining continuity, adding a piece or two in the draft and upgrading on defense, where more talent was available at need positions.

In addition to the amusing dig at BOB, it shows that DeCosta saw the draft was teeming with offense instead of defense, and chose to remedy that with Campbell & Brockers. They will target WR & OL in the draft while also adding a ILB. A step ahead of other teams as usual.

**Iscull** · 03-24-2020, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by moviemaniacx

Great read. I particularly liked this bit:

In addition to the amusing dig at BOB, it shows that DeCosta saw the draft was teeming with offense instead of defense, and chose to remedy that with Campbell & Brockers. They will target WR & OL in the draft while also adding a ILB. A step ahead of other teams as usual.

Great points - he's playing the hand he's dealt in FA and the Draft, not forcing anything. I'm excited to see how this all shakes out.

Maybe we pickup a vet who's cut around training camp (Marvin Jones? Brandin Cooks? Robert Woods? Marquise Lee?).

**JonAB** · 03-24-2020, 09:03 PM

I think what we’ve done in free agency, particularly Campbell, has been good. But I figured the same in 2017 when we ‘bought defense’ and assumed we’d use the draft to address the other side of the ball... and we proceeded to draft Humphrey, Bowser, Williams and Wormley with our first four picks. Of course Humphrey was a home run but the rest were not great while there was great talent on the O side... if we do that this draft I will be pissed, regardless of ‘perceived value’ that everyone crowed about in 2017. Of our 5 picks in the first 106, I hope for 4 on the O side. A LB is about all I want to see on defense. If a very good edge drops then I’ll be fine but any less than 3 of the 5 and I’ll be livid.

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 03-24-2020, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by JonAB

I think what we’ve done in free agency, particularly Campbell, has been good. But I figured the same in 2017 when we ‘bought defense’ and assumed we’d use the draft to address the other side of the ball... and we proceeded to draft Humphrey, Bowser, Williams and Wormley with our first four picks. Of course Humphrey was a home run but the rest were not great while there was great talent on the O side... if we do that this draft I will be pissed, regardless of ‘perceived value’ that everyone crowed about in 2017. Of our 5 picks in the first 106, I hope for 4 on the O side. A LB is about all I want to see on defense. If a very good edge drops then I’ll be fine but any less than 3 of the 5 and I’ll be livid.

EDC seems to be a bit more in tune with building around Lamar. Rounds 1 and 3 in the last two drafts have been on pass catchers.

I know it's a deep class, but I really think the top 3 guys, paritcularly Lamb, are really special.

If somehow Lamb falls to the 18-20 range, I hope we pull the trigger on a trade up.

**JonAB** · 03-24-2020, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteNorthRaven

EDC seems to be a bit more in tune with building around Lamar. Rounds 1 and 3 in the last two drafts have been on pass catchers.

I know it's a deep class, but I really think the top 3 guys, paritcularly Lamb, are really special.

If somehow Lamb falls to the 18-20 range, I hope we pull the trigger on a trade up.

Would love that but don’t see it happening. But I think Denzel Mims is gonna be the biggest steal of the draft so that’s my current hope for round 1. And then I hope they address again in round 3 or 4. Too much potential in this class to not double dip.
1-WR
2-iOL
2-LB
3-WR
3-TE/Edge/Oline

Crazy to have a team with this talent and this many day 1/2 picks lol

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 03-24-2020, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by JonAB

Would love that but don’t see it happening. But I think Denzel Mims is gonna be the biggest steal of the draft so that’s my current hope for round 1. And then I hope they address again in round 3 or 4. Too much potential in this class to not double dip.
1-WR
2-iOL
2-LB
3-WR
3-TE/Edge/Oline

Crazy to have a team with this talent and this many day 1/2 picks lol

The best mock I've had on TDN has been:

28 - Queen
55 - R. Hunt
60 - Pittman
92 - Anae
106 - Wallace

And then Pinkey (TE), Adams (OT), Perine (RB) and Joe Reed (WR) to round it off.

So it didn't fit your criteria, but I'd still be okay with it.

Hunt competes for LG. Pittman is an X candidate while Joe Reed is a return guy that can play in the slot behind Snead. Perine offers an interesting guy at RB and Adams is the OT developmental guy.

It does that by still adding Queen to be your MIKE and Anae into the group.

I've also seen some where both 2nds were spent on WR's (Pittman + Aiyuk) which I liked a lot.

It's fun with so many picks.

**BearArms** · 03-24-2020, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteNorthRaven

The best mock I've had on TDN has been:

28 - Queen
55 - R. Hunt
60 - Pittman
92 - Anae
106 - Wallace

And then Pinkey (TE), Adams (OT), Perine (RB) and Joe Reed (WR) to round it off.

So it didn't fit your criteria, but I'd still be okay with it.

Hunt competes for LG. Pittman is an X candidate while Joe Reed is a return guy that can play in the slot behind Snead. Perine offers an interesting guy at RB and Adams is the OT developmental guy.

It does that by still adding Queen to be your MIKE and Anae into the group.

I've also seen some where both 2nds were spent on WR's (Pittman + Aiyuk) which I liked a lot.

It's fun with so many picks.

Having that extra 2nd is starting to look like the smart play trading Hurst. This draft is pretty stacked in the top 3 rounds.

Can't wait for the draft. Picks will probably be called in and no big stage but having all these early picks is keeping me on edge.