Jason LaCanfora nailed it about Harbaugh and this team

**esmd** · 01-10-2018, 05:09 PM

The article pretty much nails it. In fairness to Harbaugh, who I do like, this paragraph jumped off the page at me:

"Harbaugh, the son of a coach and the brother of a coach and the brother-in-law of a coach, understands better than most how that fraternity works, and constantly firing your own guys while the personnel department of the Ravens remains virtually unchanged year after year (despite a run of dubious drafts and decisions) isn't going to help your ability to lure and recruit new coaches to your staff. It starts to erode your status among your peers and obscures some of the major underlying issues, specifically a lack of blue-chip players across the board, especially at skill positions."

That's a great point. While MM and Pees suck, and I want John gone primarily because he sticks with those types of guys when they are clearly wanting, it's a VERY fair point that their seems to be virtually no accountability in the scouting department despite the lackluster drafts of recent years. Tony and others can blame that on John's influence all they want, but at the end of the day Ozzie and Eric are in charge of the draft and can overrule John. Something needs to change in the FO as well, which is why I've been advocating Ozzie's retirement. I can understand John trying to protect his reputation among the coaching community for when his next job rolls around, be it in the NFL or in college.

**BcRaven** · 01-10-2018, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by ravensfan55

I also liked the fact LaCanfora mentioned how bad our recent drafts have been. For some reason Ozzie is still put up on a pedestal nationally. I guess it goes back to drafting Ogden and Lewis in the same round... which was an amazing thing if you think about it. We need that Ozzie magic back in this years draft for sure.

I read earlier today, but sorry can't remember where, that the Ravens 2017 draft produced Humphrey (solid choice) and Chuck Clark (7th round special teams, possibly rising Safety). Otherwise, the 5 players drafted in-between hardly did a damn thing. IMO they also suppressed Bowser's possible impact on the pass rush too. Ozzie really needs a superior 2018 draft, not easy considering where we pick, but necessary if we want to make the playoffs... Bc

EDIT : OK, esmd posted the article. See post #40.

**esmd** · 01-10-2018, 05:26 PM

That was Hensley over at ESPN.

http://www.espn.com/blog/baltimore-r...second-guesses

Everyone screamed about the draft as it was happening, and though I always try and give the experts the benefit of the doubt at the time they're drafting these guys, it sure isn't smelling too good at this point based on the results thus far.

**mdduckman** · 01-10-2018, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by JonAB

Does everybody agree with the end of the article where La Canfora opines that Harbaugh should be given a fresh long term pact from the team?

Absolutely not. That's the thing that stuck out to me reading that article (most of which I agreed with, but not that part!)

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**LC_Ravens_87** · 01-10-2018, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by JonAB

Does everybody agree with the end of the article where La Canfora opines that Harbaugh should be given a fresh long term pact from the team?

La Canfora does it delicately but it's clear he's laying blame for the rot of the franchise on Ozzie Newsome and the front office.

Harbaugh doesn't come off clean, but it's the only way you can read his comments.

The Ravens are too old in some key roster spots, with not enough young talent on the rise.

Harbaugh, the son of a coach and the brother of a coach and the brother-in-law of a coach, understands better than most how that fraternity works, and constantly firing your own guys while the personnel department of the Ravens remains virtually unchanged year after year (despite a run of dubious drafts and decisions)

There are several factors pointing against a quick jump up. Baltimore lacks a haul of top picks in 2018 and any real tradeable commodities. They're also running out of big cap space and are stuck with the huge contracts for Joe Flacco and injured corner Jimmy Smith for another year. Recent draft classes have flashed next to nothing. Their huge needs are at pass catcher and the free-agent class stinks at that spot, while Baltimore's history of drafting receivers is spotty at best.

It's clear to me La Canfora is contrasting the "in his prime" Harbaugh to Ozzie whose "recent results haven't been up to his own standards"

**srobert96** · 01-10-2018, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

I read earlier today, but sorry can't remember where, that the Ravens 2017 draft produced Humphrey (solid choice) and Chuck Clark (7th round special teams, possibly rising Safety). Otherwise, the 5 players drafted in-between hardly did a damn thing. IMO they also suppressed Bowser's possible impact on the pass rush too. Ozzie really needs a superior 2018 draft, not easy considering where we pick, but necessary if we want to make the playoffs... Bc

EDIT : OK, esmd posted the article. See post #40.

Ozzie had some real stinkers of draft. This past year I am not sure if it was Ozzie or Pees that failed with the new guys. Bowser looked great in the pre season and was Gil Brandt's pick of DROY. When the season started he did not get many snaps at all. To me JH and Pees were guys that did not want to play rookies unless there was no other choice. They want to play guys that can stop the run and they focus the defense on stopping the run first and foremost. They don't creative to use guys like Williams as a situational player. The over play players like Suggs, Moseley and probably even Judon rather than going with younger high risk high reward guys. Suggs should be playing reduced snaps at his age. The only reason why Clark took over for Webb is because Webb was so bad there was no choice.

**Dirt1** · 01-10-2018, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dade

He really said that?! While I don't think Harbaugh would unemployed for very long if fired, no way he makes Gruden money.

I still remember a lot if people saying that Billick would be hired by another team right away. It didn’t work out that way.

I think Harbaugh would probably get another HC job at some point, but I don’t think that there would be a rush to hire him, and he would definitely not get Gruden money. Gruden shouldn’t have been paid Gruden money.

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**LC_Ravens_87** · 01-10-2018, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

I still remember a lot if people saying that Billick would be hired by another team right away. It didn’t work out that way.

I think Harbaugh would probably get another HC job at some point, but I don’t think that there would be a rush to hire him, and he would definitely not get Gruden money. Gruden shouldn’t have been paid Gruden money.

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I dunno. It's always hard to say what someone else would have done with this team. They definitely have defensive talent. But the coaching job they did with the O-line and the running game, and the way they at least got something out of a passing game that was putrid for much of the season

La Canfora posted the status of the their FA signings on offensive.......not impressive. Bottom line, if Ozzie had gotten it right in the 2015 draft, they would have probably made the playoffs.

He blew a 1st and 2nd round pick and the ripple effects are quite large.

**BcRaven** · 01-10-2018, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by srobert96

Ozzie had some real stinkers of draft. This past year I am not sure if it was Ozzie or Pees that failed with the new guys. Bowser looked great in the pre season and was Gil Brandt's pick of DROY. When the season started he did not get many snaps at all. To me JH and Pees were guys that did not want to play rookies unless there was no other choice. They want to play guys that can stop the run and they focus the defense on stopping the run first and foremost. They don't creative to use guys like Williams as a situational player. The over play players like Suggs, Moseley and probably even Judon rather than going with younger high risk high reward guys. Suggs should be playing reduced snaps at his age. The only reason why Clark took over for Webb is because Webb was so bad there was no choice.

Well said! The 2016 8 - 8 team that started out so slow in 2017 (4 - 5) had nothing to lose by playing Bowser (one of my very favorites) and Tim Wms more, especially in their comfort zones. Yes, Suggs (at 35) needed reduced PT although he did have a productive (11 sacks) year. However, these young guys need the reps to develop/thrive and take over moving forward. Seems we keep playing the vets, but missing out on the playoffs anyway... Bc

**LC_Ravens_87** · 01-10-2018, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

Well said! The 2016 8 - 8 team that started out so slow in 2017 (4 - 5) had nothing to lose by playing Bowser (one of my very favorites) and Tim Wms more, especially in their comfort zones. Yes, Suggs (at 35) needed reduced PT although he did have a productive (11 sacks) year. However, these young guys need the reps to develop/thrive and take over moving forward. Seems we keep playing the vets, but missing out on the playoffs anyway... Bc

You ignore Judon's growth though. He's developing well.

**BcRaven** · 01-10-2018, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by LC_Ravens_87

You ignore Judon's growth though. He's developing well.

No sir and I concur regarding Judon. However, the more the merrier when it comes to pass rush. Don't you agree? So should we waste Correa (2nd round draft choice who should have been an OLB), Bowser (2nd), and TimWms (3rd) because Judon has grown? No sir, keep that pass rush pressure coming, instill chaos in your opponents game plan, keep them on their heels and out-of-sync. Otherwise, why spend such high draft assets on pass rushers in the first place? ... Bc

**LC_Ravens_87** · 01-10-2018, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by BcRaven

No sir and I concur regarding Judon. However, the more the merrier when it comes to pass rush. Don't you agree? So should we waste Correa (2nd round draft choice who should have been an OLB, Bowser (2nd), and TimWms (3rd) because Judon has grown? No sir, keep that pass rush coming, instill chaos in your opponents game plan, keep them on their heels and out-of-sync. Otherwise, why spend such high draft assets on pass rushers in the first place? ... Bc

Depth is a great thing to have, no doubt. Especially at pass-rusher. but you could say the same thing about any position group. It would have been great to have WR depth in week 17.

BUT One does wonder why they drafted quite so many OLB pass rushers in 2015-2017. It seems they are struggling to put them all on the field. At the end of the day, you can only have so many OLBs active on game day. Esp when you know Suggs is going to be locking down most snaps at one of the positions.