ravens will sign DEZ to practice squad

[VermontRaven]

Just a couple clarifications:
1) Gilchrist did, indeed, have one more PS callup left since his callup the Sunday before last was covered by Williams' brief stint on the COVID-19 precautionary list. So mark me down as also in the "confused" camp as to why he was waived.
2) I believe this year the new acquisition period prior to being able to play is 5 days for COVID testing purposes.

I think there might be a limit of how many veterans you can have on practice squad. So, maybe Dez signing meant they had to cut vet???

[organizedchaos21]

I think there might be a limit of how many veterans you can have on practice squad. So, maybe Dez signing meant they had to cut vet???

I think this is the winner.

edit: nevermind, looks like the limit is six players with 4+ years of experience. The Ravens now have three (Bryant, Sean Culkin, and Nate Hairston).
Source 1: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/...e1osdcuczpyjln
Source 2: https://theramswire.usatoday.com/202...e-eligibility/

[Captain Silver]

Pareto principal?

Addition by subtraction as well.

[JimZipCode]

even after trade? how long did bell quarantine for

Yannick had to quarantine for 5 days after the trade. He joins the team tomorrow (Wednesday) for the first time.

[don raven]

Here we go again. Signing an over the hill receiver and thinking it will fix our WR problems. When will this team ever learn to get #1 receivers in the draft. Their history is brutal.

[JimZipCode]

Here we go again. Signing an over the hill receiver and thinking it will fix our WR problems. When will this team ever learn to get #1 receivers in the draft. Their history is brutal.

That thought is why i would've been against signing Dez to a multiyear free agent contract. Building the WR corps thru the draft is clearly the right way to go about it; and it's very exciting that DeCosta has committed to doing that. Three straight drafts they've double dipped at WR, including a 1st-rounder & two 3rds. The results haven't shown up yet, but they're taking shots and will take more.

But this practice squad thing is different. First of all it doesn't clog up the top of the depth chart with an old guy. He'll play when & if he's ready.

Second, and I think this is huge, they have a specific role for him. Dez won't be an every-down high volume guy (unless he seriously turns back the clock! ). He'll be a 3rd-down and Red Zone guy. A "possession receiver": post up at the sticks and convert. A little like Boldin & Pitta were for Joe.

(I just randomly thought of Don McCauley! Anyone remember him?)

High-leverage plays, but a low-volume role.

It's different from asking an over-the-hill receiver to carry the team. This is adding an aging role player.

It still might not amount to anything, of course. Who knows if Dez has anything left. But at least no one is asking him to be the #1 guy. An old WR is more likely to be successful in a defined & limited role.



If you really squint your eyes & tilt your head, you can maybe see Dez bringing to the Ravens some of what Sammy Watkins brought to the Chiefs a couple years ago. I mean, if we get super duper ridiculously lucky. A little bit of older statesman experience & toughness, some wiley old vet tricks, and hopefully some clutch catches in key situations.

[John Reglarperson]

Here we go again. Signing an over the hill receiver and thinking it will fix our WR problems. When will this team ever learn to get #1 receivers in the draft. Their history is brutal.

What are our "WR problems"?
In what way have these "WR problems" effected the score in a relevant way?
What are "#1 receivers"?
What are the characteristics of a #1 receiver different from the other types of receiver?
What are the other types of receiver and what are their characteristics distinct from a #1 receiver?

[John Reglarperson]

That thought is why i would've been against signing Dez to a multiyear free agent contract. Building the WR corps thru the draft is clearly the right way to go about it; and it's very exciting that DeCosta has committed to doing that. Three straight drafts they've double dipped at WR, including a 1st-rounder & two 3rds. The results haven't shown up yet, but they're taking shots and will take more.

But this practice squad thing is different. First of all it doesn't clog up the top of the depth chart with an old guy. He'll play when & if he's ready.

Second, and I think this is huge, they have a specific role for him. Dez won't be an every-down high volume guy (unless he seriously turns back the clock! ). He'll be a 3rd-down and Red Zone guy. A "possession receiver": post up at the sticks and convert. A little like Boldin & Pitta were for Joe.

(I just randomly thought of Don McCauley! Anyone remember him?)

High-leverage plays, but a low-volume role.

It's different from asking an over-the-hill receiver to carry the team. This is adding an aging role player.

It still might not amount to anything, of course. Who knows if Dez has anything left. But at least no one is asking him to be the #1 guy. An old WR is more likely to be successful in a defined & limited role.



If you really squint your eyes & tilt your head, you can maybe see Dez bringing to the Ravens some of what Sammy Watkins brought to the Chiefs a couple years ago. I mean, if we get super duper ridiculously lucky. A little bit of older statesman experience & toughness, some wiley old vet tricks, and hopefully some clutch catches in key situations.

If Dez doesn't work out, the Ravens really really should get Terrelle Pryor. I was making arguments that, although I thought the WR situation was fine, if they Ravens were to get another WR, they should get Pryor. Now, it's fairly clear that they want to add a vet, even it's just for practice squad. If Dez doesn't make it, Pryor should be there. If Pryor has been out of the league too long, Dez was out of the league for over a year longer. If Pryor's best years are behind him, Pryor's last 1000 yard season as a WR was 2016, Dez's last 1000 yard season was 2014. Point being, many of the arguments against Pryor are negated by the Ravens bringing Dez in. The Ravens have no problem bringing in a guy who last played in 2017, Pryor last played in 2019 preseason.

[JimZipCode]

Point being, many of the arguments against Pryor are negated by the Ravens bringing Dez in.

They're about the same age, and Dez was always better

Dez last made a Pro Bowl in 2016, which is a fairly long time ago. Pryor last made a Pro Bowl never, which is even longer ago.

Dez last got a thousand yards WAY back in 2014. But even when he was no longer a thousand-yd guy, Dez still offered value as an 800-yd guy and Red Zone target. Pryor once barely eked out a thousand yards when Cleveland dumped a massive 140 targets on him. Otherwise has never offered anything as a receiver or been worth a roster spot.



Gawd, listen to me! I dont even like Dez all that much.

But Pryor -- ! He is completely useless to a team trying to win football games. Has absolutely no value.

[WrongBaldy]

there is really no down side to this.

[John Reglarperson]

They're about the same age, and Dez was always better

Dez last made a Pro Bowl in 2016, which is a fairly long time ago. Pryor last made a Pro Bowl never, which is even longer ago.

Dez last got a thousand yards WAY back in 2014. But even when he was no longer a thousand-yd guy, Dez still offered value as an 800-yd guy and Red Zone target. Pryor once barely eked out a thousand yards when Cleveland dumped a massive 140 targets on him. Otherwise has never offered anything as a receiver or been worth a roster spot.

Gawd, listen to me! I dont even like Dez all that much.

But Pryor -- ! He is completely useless to a team trying to win football games. Has absolutely no value.

You didn't counter the specific time / age arguments. You added different arguments. The timeline is more favorable to Pryor. Pryor was largely hurt after 2016, but he was good with the Jets and Darnold in 2018, after Dez was in the NFL.

Here's Pryor in 2018, the next year after Dez left the NFL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODfNsZbvA_o


Is Dez Bryant a running QB? Pryor can do Boykin stuff, Duvernay run stuff, and Lamar stuff. Bryant probably fits somewhere between Boykin and Andrews.

Pryor is still very good. He's been hurt a lot. If the Ravens were to get a healthy Pryor, the Ravens would get excellent results. I can't say that he's not going to get hurt. All the arguments in favor of Bryant would also apply to Pryor, regarding cost and risk - low cost and low risk.

There will always be some who would argue against Pryor, but Darnold did have a 111.0 passer rating when targeting him and Pryor did have 10.7 yards per target with the Jets in 2018.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Pryor is still very good? Alrighty.