LB tryouts

**FruitPunch** · 10-13-2021, 10:46 AM

I wonder why we are not seeing any LBs come in for tryouts. On the CB side they are very active, but I would like to see them at least bring in a few UDFA or poach a guy from someone's PS. We have the roster spots at the moment, so a PS poach couldn't hurt too much, right?

**iceman43** · 10-13-2021, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by FruitPunch

I wonder why we are not seeing any LBs come in for tryouts. On the CB side they are very active, but I would like to see them at least bring in a few UDFA or poach a guy from someone's PS. We have the roster spots at the moment, so a PS poach couldn't hurt too much, right?

I think they happy with what they have inside

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**WNCRavensFan** · 10-13-2021, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by iceman43

I think they happy with what they have inside

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Sort of. I think blaming all of the defense's woes on ILB play is a bit short sighted, but they're still not playing well.

The thing is, most LBs in the NFL can't cover. Not to the standards you want anyway. Vast majority of them. So what you can ask from Board, Harrison and Bynes is just to do their job. And I believe they can do that as good as anyone off the street. And if Queen is going to get any better, he needs to keep playing.

The best answer IMO is to play fewer ILB and more DBs. Which they kind of do anyway. But with Peters out for the season and injuries to Westry and Stone and Elliott being inactive... you know the drill.

**FruitPunch** · 10-13-2021, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by WNCRavensFan

Sort of. I think blaming all of the defense's woes on ILB play is a bit short sighted, but they're still not playing well.

The thing is, most LBs in the NFL can't cover. Not to the standards you want anyway. Vast majority of them. So what you can ask from Board, Harrison and Bynes is just to do their job. And I believe they can do that as good as anyone off the street. And if Queen is going to get any better, he needs to keep playing.

The best answer IMO is to play fewer ILB and more DBs. Which they kind of do anyway. But with Peters out for the season and injuries to Westry and Stone and Elliott being inactive... you know the drill.

Yeah, agree that a PS LB would be unlikely to be able to cover, but as long as they are in position and can tackle that would be an improvement. I suppose it would be hard to find someone better than Bynes, Harrison or Board. It just seems a bit strange that they're not at least seeing what else is out there, unlike when we brought in Bynes or Fort.

I haven't lost all hope for Queen yet, either. But I think he needs to sit on the bench for a week to refocus.

**QtR Nevermore** · 10-13-2021, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by WNCRavensFan

Sort of. I think blaming all of the defense's woes on ILB play is a bit short sighted, but they're still not playing well.

The thing is, most LBs in the NFL can't cover. Not to the standards you want anyway. Vast majority of them. So what you can ask from Board, Harrison and Bynes is just to do their job. And I believe they can do that as good as anyone off the street.

I would blame most of the defense's woes on the ILBs. The secondary and D line are both still average or above, I'd say.

ILBs are the most victimized position group in the NFL today though I don't think the position as a whole is quite as bad as PFF makes it out to be. There are degrees of bad however and the Ravens group is rock bottom. You just don't see other teams getting gashed like the Ravens, particularly on defenses that are reasonably sound up front, on the edges and in the back end (other than Averett on Monday). It's the middle of the defense that kills us more often than not.

I'd guess there are two reasons we don't see the ravens working out ILBs
1. They are still chasing the sunk costs that are Queen and Harrison and don't want to damage their confidence.
2. They are tight against the cap and don't have a lot of room to manoeuvre and maybe they already have a player in mind.

Originally Posted by WNCRavensFan

And if Queen is going to get any better, he needs to keep playing.

If there were any signs of progress, I might agree with you.

**Minion** · 10-13-2021, 12:05 PM

Why do you assume any of these street FAs or PS guys would be any better? ILB play across the league if rough right now. There’s a reason these guys are available and not on rosters.

**FruitPunch** · 10-13-2021, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by QtR Nevermore

I would blame most of the defense's woes on the ILBs. The secondary and D line are both still average or above, I'd say.

I'd guess there are two reasons we don't see the ravens working out ILBs
1. They are still chasing the sunk costs that are Queen and Harrison and don't want to damage their confidence.
2. They are tight against the cap and don't have a lot of room to manoeuvre and maybe they already have a player in mind.

I agree with you on the ILB assessment and you give two solid reasons.

In terms of tight against the cap, that's why I was thinking UDFA, PS type guys.

But I also feel that you may be on to something. They may have a trade target in mind and don't expect to gain from bottom of the roster guys.

**Ravenswintitle** · 10-13-2021, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Minion

Why do you assume any of these street FAs or PS guys would be any better? ILB play across the league if rough right now. There’s a reason these guys are available and not on rosters.

yeah this right here. I watched hours of football on Sunday and it's a league wide issue - nobody is tackling. Titans Jax game was unreal.

The reason there are no tryouts are documented in the multiple 'trade' threads on the board. lack of cap, target, and trade partner

**FruitPunch** · 10-13-2021, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Minion

Why do you assume any of these street FAs or PS guys would be any better? ILB play across the league if rough right now. There’s a reason these guys are available and not on rosters.

I'm not assuming they are better, but I believe sometimes it's about opportunity and luck. So I do think we should take some chances on guys. Remember we signed Fort off the street a couple years ago. And others, such as UDFAs may just need to get the right opportunity. Like Alex Collins etc.

**Minion** · 10-13-2021, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by FruitPunch

I'm not assuming they are better, but I believe sometimes it's about opportunity and luck. So I do think we should take some chances on guys. Remember we signed Fort off the street a couple years ago. And others, such as UDFAs may just need to get the right opportunity. Like Alex Collins etc.

Fort had just been released and was on a roster all season. Unless that happens again, we’re pretty much SOL.

They have scouting reports on all of these guys. If they thought there was a better option, someone would be here by now. Throwing darts isn’t an answer. Again, the guys that are available are available for a reason. The likelihood of there being some secret star out there is incredibly slim.

**ERey** · 10-13-2021, 12:21 PM

I realize some fans aren't happy with Patrick Queen. But they aren't throwing the towel in yet on a 1st round draft pick who hasn't even played two full seasons. There's to much invested. Not to mention the question at the end of the day is "who can you get that can play a lot better at ILB?". Finding someone who can play marginally better is not helping.

**FruitPunch** · 10-13-2021, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Minion

Fort had just been released and was on a roster all season. Unless that happens again, we’re pretty much SOL.

They have scouting reports on all of these guys. If they thought there was a better option, someone would be here by now. Throwing darts isn’t an answer. Again, the guys that are available are available for a reason. The likelihood of there being some secret star out there is incredibly slim.

Point taken. I forgot Fort had been released, my bad.