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Thread: Ellerbe
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01-03-2013, 07:18 PM #25
Re: Ellerbe
His ability in pass coverage is what gives him a huge boost. I wouldn't throw the kitchen sink at him but im definatly fine with paying him a good ammount. Him beside a rookie would look okay with Suggs and Upshaw/Kruger (pass downs) on the outside
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01-03-2013, 07:38 PM #26Regular 1st Stringer
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Re: Ellerbe
Rigth player rigth price.
You may believe Ellerbe is a more talented than McClain.. and you may be rigth.
Is he also a better leader? More dependable? More durable? + deadmoney (McClain),
Is Ellerbe the leader we need year 0 after Ray.. Ellerbe who have had two dissapointing seasons 2010-2011, and then he is performing better on a defense ranked 17th in yards and 12th in score.
And then you are telling me 8-10 teams wants him.. If that is so I do believe his agent will tell him to do what Cary W. is doing, decline Ravens offer and ask for more.
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Re: Ellerbe
You bring up good points.
Let me argue back that I'm not sure that the Ravens are hosting a playoff game in 2.5 days if not for Ellerbe this year. I'm not sure they make the playoffs in fact. You can argue that he was our 4th best defensive player this past year behind Ngata, Pollard, and Kruger. Ellerbe possesses a level of play that McClain doesn't. I wouldn't call him a great LB, but he was well above average for the bulk of the time he saw the field this past year. We saw flashes of it as a rookie, and then it went into hibernation for two years, and this year it returned. I'd much rather roll the dice on his abilities than accept the mediocrity of McClain.
I think Josh Bynes, an undrafted 2nd year player who was on the practice squad less than two months ago, has played significantly better than McClain did at any point this past year. McClain can't cover anyone on passing downs, doesn't make any splash plays, and misses far too many tackles in comparison with the amount he makes. I think he's a great human, but as a linebacker, he is a backup-caliber MLB in my opinion. Ellerbe is starter-caliber and even above-average starter-caliber at times. That's why I'd prefer to keep him. You can find Jameel McClains fairly easily, but finding someone who can play like Ellerbe has this past year is a far tougher task.
Ellerbe is a bigger risk for sure, but if you want to win a Super Bowl, you need to gamble on guys like Ellerbe. Jameel McClain just isn't the type of MLB who can lead a defense to a championship without having great contributions from those around him. Ellerbe has shown enough these past 3 months to make me think he has that type of potential that McClain lacks.
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Re: Ellerbe
Guess I'm not the only one who think if we go into next year with our current crop of ILB's were in trouble. Sorry but we need to resign Ellerbe, AND use a high draft pick on a immediate contributor there. Cut McClain if needed, although with all his cap numbers ad dead money you might as well leave him on the squad if next year is less dead money to cut him, or we have more space.
Edit: Guess I should've put. Need to resign Ellerbe at no more than wha McClain got. Period. If he wants more than he can go elsewhere, but I doubt teams are gonna be linning up to throw more money at him. Not as a one year wonder.
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01-03-2013, 08:44 PM #29
Re: Ellerbe
id argue when he was on the field he was the best. I wouldn't even mention ngata he's been poor after he got hurt early. That's no fault of his own but he hasn't been one of our best.
Ellerbe, Kruger surprisingly, art jones recently, pollard, Graham recently.
No one has dominated the length of the season, pollard has had poor stretches as well. But every game ellerbe was fit, he was our best player, without a doubt in my mind.
Coming from a guy who would have cut bait with him this past offseason. He's been a great player this year. I just hope it's not the looming contract has out that fire in his belly
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Re: Ellerbe
Good discussion. I don't think there's a clearcut best Raven defender this year like we had with Ngata in 2009 and 2010 and Sizzle last year and Reed in 2008.
You could argue that Ellerbe has been our best and I'd mildly disagree, but I don't think you are wrong by any means. Same with Pollard. He's been consistent, but probably has had a few more down moments than Ellerbe. Heck, you can even argue that Cary Williams has been our best defender this year mainly because he's been the only one of our starters who has been healthy and contributed all year. After a rough stretch in games 2-3, he turned in a very consistent season at a position where consistency was critical.
For my money, I'd still go with Ngata as the defensive MVP. He's had a bad year by his standards, but the bar was so friggin high that even a down year, he was still our most dominant defender....although that's not saying a whole lot this year.
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Re: Ellerbe
as much of a fan of ellerbe i am, im not so sure were better off with an ILB (low value) with an injury history, than a 8-10 sack passrusher (high value), thats been getting better and better. Its a really hard decision to make there. They wont earn anything near the same on the market. If youre taking into account which one more likely played their way out of our price range, id agree its likely Kruger. Ideally we try to keep both and cut fat elsewhere (McClain), but even that isnt easy with our lack of depth.
I still think if it werent for injuries last year (11 weeks on Injury Report), youd have seen this same Ellerbe then. Coaches pointed out he was making the strides needed, and played well in the little time he was healthy, iirc. The problem with ellerbe at this point, if you accept hes past his "doghouse days", is health and that does seem to be an issue for him the past two years.-JAB
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01-04-2013, 12:16 PM #32
Re: Ellerbe
I don't think the market is there for Ellerbe.
Last year, perhaps due to circumstance, solid young IlB'ers were plentiful and cheap. Players like David Hawethorne, Stephen Tulloch, Curtis Lofton, and McLain all sat around and had some visits, but it was not a market in demand.
Kruger and Williams however, will get multiple offers onthe first day of FA in my opionion.
Because of that, I think Ellerbe can be retained reasonably. THe other two, IMO cannot.
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01-04-2013, 12:47 PM #34iggyman555 Guest
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01-04-2013, 12:56 PM #35
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Re: Ellerbe
Most guys say they want to stay a Raven...
It's all about the money they want. I'm sure Bart Scott wanted to remain a Raven...to the tune of a buttload of money, which we wanted to pay Ray instead.
Good to know, but I wouldn't expect any hometown discount..
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“When I think of a Baltimore Raven - we go in there, we take your lunch box, we take your sandwich, we take your juice box, we take your applesauce, and we take your spork and we break it. And we leave you with an empty lunch. That’s the Baltimore Raven way.” - Steve Smith Sr.
Call me a Special Teams coach again. I dare you! I double dare you, MFer!
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Re: Ellerbe
I do agree that Kruger is a much higher priority than Ellerbe. If we have to pay to keep him at the expense of keeping Ellerbe, so be it.
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