He was definitely more aggressive the year prior and I'm sure the brace would have something to to with his desire for contact. It's one of the reasons I brought up the idea of him getting a crack at playing LB. If you put on the college film for Deone Bucannon and compare that to Edmunds there are some similarities there. Then you look at their athletic profiles and they are very similar in build with a slight edge in dynamic numbers to Edmunds. If I knew for sure that Pittsburgh planned on using him in that capacity I would probably have given it a touch better grade, but if he is being utilized at safety I'm in disagreement with selecting him over Reid.
Yeah, they really screwed us good on that one. Not great at all. The Packers move back 4 spots and get a first next year to probably get their guy, anyway. Ugh.
I wasn't suggesting you were and the Ravens obviously think highly enough to do something they never have done. Watching interviews with Ozzie and Co. they are of the mind that they needed to do this in the vein of New England, though I don't remember them ever doing this. Garappolo was the closest in the 2nd rd and he ended up getting traded for a 2nd - more or less a push. If the same came to pass in Bmore, I doubt they get 2nd let alone a first. If we're talking quality back-up and eventual successor to Flacco, it makes sense. They seem to have made some kind of leap though in their interviews they say Flacco is their QB "this year." That might be splitting hairs, but it may not either. Joe has suffered a bit with injury, revolving OCs, poor WR choices and a lack luster OL. He had all the pieces in 2012 which they've never really been able to reproduce except maybe for 2014 during the Pats controversial SB run and a score away from another title. Harbaugh is not BB and Joe is not TB, and they are not as flexible. Some of that is Ozzie too. So I have to think that this scenario is more of the case. But what if Joe rises to the occasion for the next 4 years and they maintain continuity? It would then seem a loss of picks and a waste, when they could've continued to fortify the OL or receiving corps, or land a top RB. Maybe Joe is giving them notice he's not planning on playing much longer? I may just not see it and need to get used to this, but they appear confident that the draft went exactly as they planned. To me that means they just planned for life without Joe.
I think Lamar Jackson is going to end up a failed NFL QB. That said, if the Baltimore brass doesn't, then they're planning for either Joe's retirement, Joe's lack of performance, or draft-pick trade bait for the future. If he spends three years being a contingency plan, and then ends up recouping draft picks in trade, then that's not a bad scenario. If he replaces Joe, then you've got your replacement in hand, rather than having to go get him, which can be difficult and crippling. If Jackson is the man, then they look like geniuses, simple as that. Mason Rudolph waiting to hear his name called... who's going to grab him early 2nd? Which team will be the beneficiary of a trade up?
Joe was hungry in 2012. He was on the last year of his rookie deal, felt that he was low-balled by the Ravens the summer before and had listened to people question his "eliteness" for years. He was a very driven guy in 2012. Afterwards? Not so much. He's been paid (twice), he's 33 years old, has 5 kids and as of 2012 still had never touched his '08 signing bonus according to him. The NFL doesn't happen by talent alone. You have to work incessantly because everyone else is working to beat you. If you read the local guys they have all at some point over the last few years questioned his commitment to winning, often noting how he's the last to arrive and first to leave. Doesn't take extra time with his receivers in the off-season like many of his peers and doesn't show up for all the non-mandatory workouts (yes I'm aware he showed up this year). I could be wrong but I just don't think Joe cares enough about winning anymore. That's the problem.
When did anyone say he had durability concerns? He had one injury, played through it until he could go no longer and had surgery. There probably isn't a guy on our team that hasn't had at least one surgery.
He was the offense. Joe used to stare down the pass rush and fire the ball down the field on 3rd down. Now he checks down to the closest guy he can find or throws the ball off his back foot. He's not the same player.
He played differently but he definitely had more weapons on offence even if they were average by NFL standards.
I flip flop. Offence is used everywhere outside the US. Same for defence/defense. And in the US there is this.
