Ravens Sign Alejandro Villaneuva to a 2-year Deal

[leachisabeast]

We will probably be running a lot more inside zone again, like we were able to in 2019 with efficiency. We weren't able to do that last season because of the personnel.

[BcRaven]

If Stanley is healthy this is going to be one hell of an OL. Even without the receiver upgrade this is going to do wonders for the passing game.

C&D, I agree that it has the potential to be much stronger than we've recently seen. However, I do expect a "receiver upgrade" with the additions of veteran Watkins, Bateman (our 1st round draft choice), and perhaps a more developed Hollywood who will be in his 3rd year here... Bc

[edromeo]

We will probably be running a lot more inside zone again, like we were able to in 2019 with efficiency. We weren't able to do that last season because of the personnel.

I would love that. I love zone in general inside or outside. But going from memory I don't recall Roman using a lot of zone even back in 2019 w/ a better OL then last year.

I would love but what makes you think they'll do more inside zone?

[John Reglarperson]

Boykin at left tackle ��

Pulling Left Tackle.

Any time someone puts a too small player on the oline, that player could be pulled. Boykin could pull and block, he could pull into the backfield, take a handoff and run, take a pitch. If Boykin could throw, there is an extra receiver on the field, Lamar.

Here's youtube of a pulling right guard throwing a pass.

[John Reglarperson]

we could sign him though? or maybe vlad guerrero jr with a bat? he’s hitting balls 115mph with a vengeance now and is nearly the size of an oline? sparq probably good? what you think? do u think they’d let him use the bat on the field? he’d be dinging d linemen out the park left and right

nope, but you sure have the free time.

Maybe instead of starting new threads, you could address the real and possible things that I've been mentioning.

It does seem that I'm somewhat on the same wavelength as the Ravens are. Pre draft I was jumping up and down for Oweh, and the Ravens got him, and for giant OT/TE, who I identified as Spencer Brown and Drew Himmelman. The Ravens didn't get either of them, but they did get Villanueva, who has the quality NFL experience and has more catching experience, in college (and NFL) than those other 2. So, the Ravens got the NFL vet, war hero version who had more experience catching in college. Same type of player, all 6'9 320, give or take.

They also added to the good blocking part of the roster with Ben Mason, and possibly Tony Poljan, if he makes the 53. Lamar plus 10 blockers, the Ravens have more good blockers to put on the field to make that play more effective.

Ben Cleveland looks like the most athletic of the giant class on either side of the ball. Freakbeasts with high sparq, giants, giant freakbeasts, versatile freakbeasts, versatile giants, versatile giant freakbeasts, running QBs, versatile giant running QB freakbeasts. 2 versatile running QB freakbeasts, 1 a giant, the other Lamar. You'd have Lamar there for the passing and everything else that he does, running, and the other takes the snap under center (or doesn't) and runs or (mostly) throws/pitches back to Lamar. Last year, the Ravens had problems, sometimes, with snaps and them going over Lamars head. I'm going to say that front QB would get the ball to Lamar better than the snappers. But having a giant freakbeast QB taking the snap from under center adds a dimensionality of quick hitting power run up the middle, which brings people in to stop it. Just have that one big guy there, and do that some time, and have it be effective.

If we're talking about players from other sports who could do things, I'll go with Sim Bhullar, Basketball, former Sacramento Kings, 7'6 360. He lacks endurance, which is a problem in Basketball, when you have to run up and down the court without stopping. You can use Bhullar's 7'6 and 360 for single plays, like catching a TD pass. He could also block kicks. He's playing basketball in Taiwan now, so, I'd guess he'd join the NFL if he was asked, it would be an upgrade for him.

The Ravens normal offense has been good enough to make the playoffs every year since Lamar. Should happen again this year, and, unless the Ravens are trying to have fun, they really wouldn't have any reason to do these things. Lamar can run when he needs to and throw a lot and still get to the playoffs, probably. The throwing too much doesn't lead to wins.

But in the playoffs, the Ravens have lost too much, have not won enough, and these things that I'm talking about, basically, I'm talking about 2nd half of playoff games in the red zone. When it really matters, when the Ravens have failed before in similar situations. Red Zone, Lamar running with blockers, score a TD in the 2nd half of a playoff game. Perhaps he can throw an easy pass to Villanueva for a TD. That pass could go to Ricard, Boyle, Mason, Andrews. That's 6. Mason ran for 9 TDs for Michigan.

To me, that's a big thing, fix the real problems that caused the only important loss. The Ravens have added new talent to the offensive line. (Did lose O Brown and Skura, too). Flaws in the oline were apparent. I'd say that the oline is better, but it's unclear at this point who is playing what.

And the other thing is to have players on the field, in the red zone, in the 2nd half, who are doing things and are the physical size, so that Lamar does not throw to Andrews if he's covered by 4 guys. Just doing things to prevent "Mark Andrews is covered by 4 people, throw to him" make that not happen. If you're running with blockers, you aren't throwing. 6'9 Villanueva should be a tempting target, others would too. Something different than Lamar throwing almost always to the big red zone threat that he has. Small WRs are not the most useful in the end zone, yet there were a lot out there in the 2nd half of the Bills game. Send in the bigs at the 20 in the 2nd half of playoff games.

[JimZipCode]

i was wondering about maybe putting ovechkin in at center and using his skates to block!?!

Ovechkin's a TE / DE. Double digit sacks & TDs.

[Kyle Cactus]

https://twitter.com/RavensSalaryCap/...01849397899266

Brian McFarland tweeted contract details for AV.

$6.5M Signing Bonus
$1.5M 2021 Base Salary
$2.0M 2022 Roster Bonus
$4.0M 2022 Base Salary

Cap Hits
$4.75 2021
$9.25 2022

I believe that if we cut him before after this year and before the roster bonus we would end up paying $8M for 1 year of play. There would be $3.25M in dead money. The 2022 cap savings would be $6.0M.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

https://twitter.com/RavensSalaryCap/...01849397899266

Brian McFarland tweeted contract details for AV.

$6.5M Signing Bonus
$1.5M 2021 Base Salary
$2.0M 2022 Roster Bonus
$4.0M 2022 Base Salary

Cap Hits
$4.75 2021
$9.25 2022

I believe that if we cut him before after this year and before the roster bonus we would end up paying $8M for 1 year of play. There would be $3.25M in dead money. The 2022 cap savings would be $6.0M.

That's not bad at all IMHO.

[leachisabeast]

I say keep him for 2 years if he holds that spot down at RT unless Phillips makes big progress

[BcRaven]

I say keep him for 2 years if he holds that spot down at RT unless Phillips makes big progress

leach, that is also my position. If Phillips does develop and/or we draft an OT early in 2022, then AV is not only a competent RT, but has LT experience as well. Sure it may be a higher price to pay for a back-up OT, but if your team is a serious contender then capable, veteran depth is necessary... Bc

[cleaver]

i was wondering about maybe putting ovechkin in at center and using his skates to block!?!

That would be so exciting for him

[Kyle Cactus]

I say keep him for 2 years if he holds that spot down at RT unless Phillips makes big progress

I agree that that's a likely outcome, but it's good that they have an out that's not too painful.