Party on the Terrace!

[L. G. Dupre]

Did you know that sandpaper is made from the same mineral that makes ruby and sapphire?

It's called Corundum, Al₂O₃, and the trade name for corundum rock used as abrasive is emery, like with "emery board".

Thus spake the geologist.


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[ravensromp]

hopefully we’re now past geology class ...


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[The Wizard of OZ]

hopefully we’re now past geology class ...


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Had some medical stuff come out today that will probably keep him out of the 1st round. I don't think it is overly serious but might be a concern.

[JimZipCode]

Dude, I work 2 corners on this board One, the arrogant, condescending, obnoxious windbag.

Goddammit. That's MY turf!

[Stevo]

Sandpaper best describes the Ravens 2020 season. A dramatic change from the ‘open seas, smooth sailing’ success we enjoyed in 2019. Quarantined DC’s with plenty of time on their hands to dissect what our offense did well and how to make it harder for us, then giving us their focused attention and best game every week. A grind of a season, followed by the angst of losing a ‘groundhog day’ playoff game in which we scored three points.

Our defensive needs are easily seen. The pass rush has been uneven for years. We’ve lost many front seven defenders over recent seasons, and three more from this past year. The need for retooling on the edge needs no discussion. The D line is in capable, veteran hands, but a younger group needs to be assembled to contribute now and be ready to take over. Justin Madubuike is a good start on this. Improvement can be had with a better inside pass rush and a younger run stopper. The secondary remains a team strength. Anthony Averett’s improved play last season was a plus. But with looming roster changes and the ‘it happens every year’ injury bug, we can use added corner depth, especially in the slot. A ball hawking, playmaking safety would expand our back-end capabilities.

The Ravens have built a productive, high-scoring offense, one based on the unique running talents of Lamar Jackson. It’s his running ability that threatens and scares defenses, it’s what they must account for. While Lamar is still young and fast he can deal with the hits. But not forever.

Before too long, we need to transition from an offense based on Lamar’s legs to one based on his arm. I suspect our intentions to start on this last season were derailed by the Covid off-season and mid-season team outbreak. By November, the exigencies of the season caused us to call for Jackson to “just be Lamar” again. When he did, we won five straight to roll into the playoffs. And then win a playoff game because Lamar was Lamar and made an otherworldly play against the Titans that only he can make.

Many of us revel in being the contrarian team that operates a power running attack in a pass dominated league. But in the middle of the night when the playoff nightmares come, it’s always in the form of a stacked defensive front that our offense can’t crack. Better run/pass production balance is needed, not for balance sake, but so that we can dictate to the defense and not the other way around.

Our clear challenge is to develop a productive passing game that retains and complements our league-best running attack. Unlike some, I don’t doubt Greg Roman can stand at a board and draw up a robust pass scheme and game plan. But he’s not shown the ability to have his offensive unit successfully execute such on the field. Is this due to poor teaching or training, lack of practice time emphasis, player abilities, or what? The bottom line is that you don't see anywhere in our passing game the creativity and precision that you see everywhere in our run game. And this needs to change. When you score three points in a playoff game you don’t play more playoff games.

I hope Harbaugh’s comments about the role of new Pass-Game Coach Williams, emphasizing his focus on route-running, signals a new, quick pass approach. There’s nothing an NFL quarterback needs to do that Lamar Jackson can’t do. Always the best athlete on the field and blessed with an easy ability to extend and make a play, Lamar’s never had much need to read and deliver quickly. But we’ve seen how that inexperience fares against NFL defenses that commit to stacking the box and attacking the line of scrimmage. Let’s value an eight yard pass completion as much as an eight yard run, and be able to execute it. It keeps drives going. Block, separate, deliver the ball quickly and accurately. Crack the stack! The bigger plays will come.

A large measure of stability up front was gained with Kevin Zeitler’s addition. He’s a plug & play, pro’s pro, at RG. Since Harbaugh is notoriously sketchy concerning injuries, we’ll just have to accept that Ronnie Stanley is back and ready come September, as he says. Orlando Brown Jr. is gone this year or next and RT needs to be addressed. If traded before or during the draft, you have to assume the acquired or a current early pick will be used to select his replacement from a plentiful OT class.

The team needs to sort out just what we have at the C, LG, and backup OL spots. My tea leaves are cloudy. Patrick Mekari has shown himself to be a valuable Oline piece, but not yet a solid starter. Bradley Bozeman has developed into a respectable starter at LG. Can he play with similar competence if moved to his college position at center? Trystan Colon-Castillo was a pleasant surprise. Undrafted, he started two games at center when circumstances required and impressed. The team tendered him at seasons end so they must like him, but did we see a ceiling or a floor?

Ben Powers played a big role in returning a semblance of order to the OL last year after the Stanley injury, but rookie Tyre Phillips beat him out at season start and it tells you something that the team brought in a free agent at his position. Phillips was a college tackle, drafted higher than expected to play guard, and then was bounced between both. His ‘up, down, & sideways’ rookie season is understandable. Ben Bredeson was among the better-regarded guard prospects coming out last year, but what confident judgment can you make with the little we saw.

I know we love them, but there’s no need to draft a TE this year. With our other needs, we’re not drafting a TE before Saturday, and we already have three ‘Saturday-selection equivalents’ on the roster. Jake Breeland, Eli Wolf, and Josh Oliver all collegiately showed the ‘run, catch & run’ ability we’re looking for in our 3rd TE. We resigned Eric Tomlinson who is a plus blocker. Let them compete!

Sammy Watkins is talented, a good teammate and veteran presence. He comes on a one-year deal and multi-year heals. I’m a Watkins fan but realistically we should expect him to do what he’s always done, a season of nice plays wrapped around health issues. Even with his addition, the continued upgrade of talent is needed for the receiver group to grow and develop into a solid offensive contributor.

Some say we’re a running team, so why draft a receiver in the first round when we won’t get their best use. Some say there are good receiver prospects in every round so we should wait to draft one later. Both good points, but this logic can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Unless you’re lucky (and when it comes to receivers, we’re not), when you choose a prospect of lesser quality, the probable result is a player of lesser quality. Will any Ravens receiver put up true WR1 numbers? Likely not. That’s not why they’re here. They’re here to put up big plays, not big numbers.

Three points in a playoff game does not a Lombardi make. Now’s the time to Party on the Terrace!

27 – Terrace Marshall, WR (it’s with good reason so many mocks and ‘best-fit’ analysts pair Marshall with the Ravens. He’s got the size, strength, speed, inside & outside versatility, big catch radius, and overall physical play that well complements the receivers we now have, and gives us an outside receiver who can expand our passing capabilities and productivity. Only 20, the SEC battle-tested Marshall projects as a significant contributor to a hopefully evolving Ravens passing attack) (alt pick, Rashod Bateman)

58 – Joe Tryon, Edge (physical, aggressive, and tough-as-nails, his 2020 opt-out didn’t help his development but Tryon has classic 3-4 outside backer tools) (Payton Turner)

104 – Spencer Brown, OT (a ‘better ranked’ OL prospect, huge size, mean & nasty, good athlete, our starting RT in 2022 after a year of development) (Walker Little if there)

131 – Cameron Sample, DL/Edge (powerful inside pass rusher & penetrator, versatile, plays over & outside the tackle and can also stand up) (Jordan Smith)

171 – Ambry Thomas, CB (athletic, competitive, speedy press cover corner, Saturday depth pick, has return ability) (Tre Brown)

184 – Christian Uphoff, S (good sized, smooth moving, ascending prospect, needs to get stronger, also has return ability) (Darrick Forrest)

210 – Naquan Jones, DT (late round, big-bodied run stuffer to get younger there) (Khyiris Tonga if there)

This approach is a way to both provide a talented wide out and new book-end tackle, and our defensive needs. Wink has always made the defense work with whatever talent he’s given, and he’s got a veteran foundation to build on. He’ll make good use of a rough & tumble, athletic 3-4 backer, disruptor and run-stopping additions to the DL, and secondary depth.

It does not address center. I didn’t see a good alignment of players and current picks. Creed Humphrey’s a reach at 27, but won’t be there at 58. Quinn Meinerz and Josh Myers are reaches at 58, but gone by 104. Landon Dickerson is easy to like, but how do you ignore the four season-ending injuries in his five college seasons? Later round options are no better than what’s now on the roster. Some draft day trades could open up the board to get us center help.

With the draft being so well stocked in their areas of need, any way it goes, the Ravens are certain to have exciting choices to make. Time to party!

Your draft choices are right on the money. I can tell you do your homework.

[GOTA]

If you want the most optimistic, see Bc I can do it!, pro comparison for Terrace Marshall Jr. it's Michael Thomas of the Saints. Thomas was a 2nd round pick for lot of the same reasons that Marshall is a low 1st or 2nd round pick. These guys are not great at getting lots of separation. They get seams and windows and then catch everything thrown their way. They are grinders as opposed to home run hitters.

Honestly that's what I believe Lamar needs. Let Hollywood be the big play receiver. Get someone who can work the outside and move the chains. That's Terrace Marshall. He's big. He's physical. He's very fast but he doesn't seem to have that extra gear you see with the real fast guys in the NFL. This is most like a really good #2 WR but like Thomas it's possible that he could just click and be a real #1.

What impressed me this past season was that when he was told that Chase would opt out Marshall did take on the at #1 role. There was also no Clyde Edwards Helaire, no Justin Jefferson and no Thaddeus Moss. That's a ton of guys who massive in the passing game no longer on the team. Now it's Marshall's receiving corp. The only other good looking receiver was Kayshon Boutte who was a freshman. There was no real CEH replacement for the running game and obviously no more more Joe Burrow. We didn't see that drop-off that Bateman had in Minnesota when his surrounding talent graduated. Terrace still looked like Terrace until he got hurt. I like that mental makeup. I do hope he ends up a Raven but if he doesn't then some other team is going to get a productive NFL receiver.

[BcRaven]

Had some medical stuff come out today that will probably keep him out of the 1st round. I don't think it is overly serious but might be a concern.

Wiz, depending on how serious, but if not just remember we drafted Hollywood in the 1st round with Lisfranc/2 screws in his foot. He still caught 7 TDs in 14 games (2019)... Bc

[GOTA]

Wiz, depending on how serious, but if not just remember we drafted Hollywood in the 1st round with Lisfranc/2 screws in his foot. He still caught 7 TDs in 14 games (2019)... Bc

There were no details released so there is no way to know if this is something recurring or related to the injury he had last year. All the teams know which is what is most important.