Ravens offseason and draft thread

I'd hope they were looking at WR regardless. I liked Hurst at LG, but he's not some game changer to the o-line.

 

I could have seen a scenario where they take Connor Williams and move him inside

 

Webb cut

 

I saw the Hurst signing. Is he worth that kind of scratch and also is he the best we could have gotten for that salary? I was tending to think we may have waited to see what the market was. I could be off base, but perhaps the FO knew that he would be sought after and maybe he was the best for that price. I understand the O Line is thin all around so maybe it was prudent to lock up our versatile guy before the teams with crazy money blow our offer out of the water....

 

Yeah the Ravens definitely have never really stacked themselves at the position to their own detriment. Instead it's always been about "hope" and "promise". I admit that I more than 100% bought and fell for it hook line and sinker with some guys, but after the whole Deonte Thompson and whoever else season, I quit buying into that junk.

Time and time again during the draft, they simply don't value the position. Last year, I said get Cooper Kupp (and they could have). Others didn't like that as they liked Juju earlier. Fast forward, and either one would have been the best receiver on the Ravens last year.

 

If adding quality wide receivers is a goal, an equal and possibly more important goal should be building a quality offensive line. With all the injuries last year, it wasn't bad and IF Yanda and Lewis come back healthy, and if they can keep Jensen and find a better RT than Howard, we might have something.

Signing Hurst, even if he only plays in a reserve role in 2018 is a good signing. He adds experienced depth and was ranked the 49th best guard in football last year. This is what Bleacherreport.com had to say:
"James Hurst is a vanilla player from a traits perspective, but he's a solid fill-in depth option because of his versatility and length. That said, he lacks play strength when deployed inside, but he can mirror in pass protection and match up with one-gap penetrator's when he needs too." He ranked higher than Jermaine Eluemunor (79) and Skura (75).

Ryan Jensen was rated the 8th best center in the league, ahead of both Pounceys and is probably a contributing factor to Hurst, Skura and Eluemunor ranking as high as they did. PFF had this to say "Ryan Jensen had a fantastic season. The Colorado State-Pueblo alum has improved in each of the five seasons he's been in the league and has become a vital cog in the Baltimore Ravens' creative run game. Jensen's schematic importance in what they want to do on the ground cannot be overstated, as he's become the catalyst inside."

 

I'm almost positive that Jensen will be on another team next season. I think the Ravens didn't want to lose two interior lineman in the same season, so the opted for the cheaper guy. Also factor in that Lewis, Yanda, and Siragusa are all coming off season ending injuries, meanwhile Hurst has stayed relatively healthy.

He's below average in the run game, but decent as a pass protector. I'd bet he's the LG again unless Siragusa can beat him out for it. Hurst, to me, played the position better than Lewis which is important since they have the exact same strengths and weaknesses at the LG position.

Now if Yanda can come back healthy, maybe Skura lines up at center and the o-line doesn't end up looking too bad

 

Ok, so it looks like the reports are that Watkins goes to the Chiefs and Robinson goes to the Bears. Looks like the Ravens will be picking over Richardson and perhaps Grant. I like Richardson but , again, he's not a 1 so if we can sign him and draft our #1 then I think keeping Wallace looks like a critical resigning.

The pool got REALLY shallow REALLY quickly!

 

I agree that Jensen is elsewhere. I think we have enough depth (pending the return of the walking wounded in Lewis, Siragusa and Yanda) that we can afford to let Jensen sign the huge contract elsewhere and fill his role with either Skura or one of the other back ups in Lewis or Siragusa or give Skura the starting role and backfill him with a draft choise or UDFA.

 

Looks like both Robinson & Watkins are off the boards.

Watkins to The Chiefs 3/$48 mil

Robinson to The Bears, although that one has not been "finalized".

Looks like another year of 2nd/3rd tier WR's and more draft picks that may or may not be developed (I'm guessing on the latter).

 

Beat me to it.

 

Basically we're at the same point we always are at. Hoping we get a top end talent in the draft.......only to end up watching the team skip over the position until the 3rd round, 2nd at best.

I won't even be surprised or angry (because it's expected), but if they draft another 3rd round d-lineman I'll be flat out pissed. I don't care if a can't miss first rounder falls to the 3rd, I don't want to see a d-lineman drafted at all unless they immediately cut one

 

I feel like they are also banking on a veteran being cut before during or immediately after the draft at the WR position. Not that it is a different philosophy than in the past to snag a veteran (ala Maclin last year and Mason/SSS as well).

I would also not altogether rule out a trade for a reasonable priced veteran receiver like we did for Boldin. There are some other options on the board. Not that I am particularly hopeful, but it is possible.

 

I just saw an update that the Ravens cut Woodhead and Howard freeing up an additional 5 million in cap space. Perhaps Maclin is staying put since we missed out on some of the other vets.

 

Well, I guess we'll see who ends up at RT between Hurst and Lewis, or a draft pick.

 

Eagles want all he Ravens' DTs
"Former Lions’ DT Haloti Ngata intends to sign a one-year deal with Eagles"

 

Brandon Carr gets option picked up

 

I made my next pick. I don't know how you'll like it but considering the moves I made so far and who was available I went with an OT.

Kolton Miller, OT - UCLA

He struggles a bit this year but I think that was him not being used to LT. I want him to be a RT though anyways. A bit raw but I do like his potential.

 

Neither Sutton or Ridley were available?

 

I took Sutton in the 1st. This was the 2nd round.