DreamKid Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 7 minutes ago, drd23 said: More than the Ravens being #1 by this metric, the thing that surprised me most is how wrong PFF is on Marlon Humphrey All their grades deserve skepticism, but DB and OL usually take the cake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danand Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 While I do think we have a good team, I also think having the best roster is a slight reach. Skura, Mekari and Bozeman was good enough last season, but not exactly great players. We have little outside pass rush, and the guy who gets the most sacks gets them versus tight ends, on stunts and clean up sacks - not by winning his one-on-one matchup. We have nothing proven at inside linebacker, but there is potential. The same could be said about our wide receiver core. No great proven pass catcher, but especially Marquise Brown could be the guy. We are an injury to Mark Andrews away from having to rely on a UDFA to be our pass catcher at the position. I think the Saints, 49'ers have better rosters. Teams like the steelers, Chiefs are even with us, as they have some roster holes as well. Cowboys, Tampa and Eagles could be in the conversation as well. Seattle is build in an odd way, so I won't include them in the top 5-8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavensfanRD Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 5 hours ago, Danand said: While I do think we have a good team, I also think having the best roster is a slight reach. Skura, Mekari and Bozeman was good enough last season, but not exactly great players. We have little outside pass rush, and the guy who gets the most sacks gets them versus tight ends, on stunts and clean up sacks - not by winning his one-on-one matchup. We have nothing proven at inside linebacker, but there is potential. The same could be said about our wide receiver core. No great proven pass catcher, but especially Marquise Brown could be the guy. We are an injury to Mark Andrews away from having to rely on a UDFA to be our pass catcher at the position. I think the Saints, 49'ers have better rosters. Teams like the steelers, Chiefs are even with us, as they have some roster holes as well. Cowboys, Tampa and Eagles could be in the conversation as well. Seattle is build in an odd way, so I won't include them in the top 5-8 For the bold part, it boils my blood each and every day that Andrews and Hurst weren't groomed to be the new Gronk and Hernandez. And I'm really scared about the injury part because of what you eluded to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danand Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 42 minutes ago, RavensfanRD said: For the bold part, it boils my blood each and every day that Andrews and Hurst weren't groomed to be the new Gronk and Hernandez. And I'm really scared about the injury part because of what you eluded to. By getting a runningback with the 2. round pick Hurst brought us, I don't think we got good value. It is more difficult to find tight ends and they take longer to develop. We had backups at the RB position already - we don't for the tight end position. Hurst was still relatively cheap. I still don't think it was a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavensfanRD Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 3 minutes ago, Danand said: By getting a runningback with the 2. round pick Hurst brought us, I don't think we got good value. It is more difficult to find tight ends and they take longer to develop. We had backups at the RB position already - we don't for the tight end position. Hurst was still relatively cheap. I still don't think it was a good idea. Wasn't a good idea in any situation. And I also wanna know why the Ravens hate Gus Edwards. I mean, the man is everything you'd want in a running back. Powah! Downhill runner who can move a little, too. I'll never understand the Dobbins pick unless they're gonna cut Ingram next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp6488 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 7 hours ago, Danand said: While I do think we have a good team, I also think having the best roster is a slight reach. Skura, Mekari and Bozeman was good enough last season, but not exactly great players. We have little outside pass rush, and the guy who gets the most sacks gets them versus tight ends, on stunts and clean up sacks - not by winning his one-on-one matchup. We have nothing proven at inside linebacker, but there is potential. The same could be said about our wide receiver core. No great proven pass catcher, but especially Marquise Brown could be the guy. We are an injury to Mark Andrews away from having to rely on a UDFA to be our pass catcher at the position. I think the Saints, 49'ers have better rosters. Teams like the steelers, Chiefs are even with us, as they have some roster holes as well. Cowboys, Tampa and Eagles could be in the conversation as well. Seattle is build in an odd way, so I won't include them in the top 5-8 I think you're being overly deferential/almost trying to hard to avoid being a homer. I think we have as good of an argument as any team for best roster top-to-bottom. I would certainly disagree that the Steelers are even with us. I would say it's us, Chiefs, and 49'ers vying for the top spot. Then Saints right behind those three, then everyone else you mention after a clear gap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danand Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 I am not trying to avoid being a homer, I just don't put much emphasis on rookies and I also value some position groups more than other. We have a giant questionmark at inside linebacker - the potential is there though and it might be considered a strength already mid season, but so far its not a position of strength. The inside of the oline might be good enough, but this is also a position of either upside or status quo at best after losing Yanda. We have go expect a significant growth from Boykin in year 2 to consider our WR core something for the opposing defense to think about. It is Andrews and Brown and then only upside to rely on. Our best pass rusher is a guy almost no one in the fan base consider worthy of a big contract extension and neither Bowser, Ferguson, Ward has shown the capability to provide great pass rush to push the position group up in rankings. While we have great great depth and talent at especially the RB position and secondary and an experienced but old dline with some young guns in the wing, I don't think that is enough to get us considered as one of the top 3 talented rosters in the league. Too many unknowns, too many holes in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalvadorsDeli Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 We have a really strong roster, and even with the lack of a dominant EDGE we probably have as good a defense on paper as anyone beyond San Francisco. But I really doubt anyone would be talking about the roster as a whole as being the best in the league if it wasn't for Lamar tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davesta Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 17 hours ago, RavensfanRD said: For the bold part, it boils my blood each and every day that Andrews and Hurst weren't groomed to be the new Gronk and Hernandez. And I'm really scared about the injury part because of what you eluded to. This. So many ravens fans on twitter and Facebook had that mindset of “we got Andrews, Hurst is expendable.” What made us great was that we could deploy 3 TEs with 2 of them deadly in the passing game. People forget Andrews only played like 50% of the snaps, if he goes down, we’ll be in big doo-doo. As much as I love the Dobbins pick, I’m kind of bummed we weren’t able to draft a TE in the later rounds. This TE draft class was weak though. Draft experts even mentioned if Hurst was to come out this year, he would’ve been TE1. All I know if that I’m going to be drafting the Garnet Thor in all my fantasy leagues while everyone reaches for Andrews lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondbull424 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 People really are getting their panties in a bunch over Hurst? 😂😂 His actual usage was more like that of a day 3 pick at TE. What’s more we have shown time and again that TE isn’t a position that we historically struggle with coaching up and fielding productive talents. We didn’t replace Hurst with a TE, no. But we also didn’t replace him with a RB either, Hurst was replaced in large part by Duvernay/Proche. They are both over the middle threats. If Andrews were for some reason to go down, Boyle is still a top 3 blocking TE in the league, followed by the best blocking FB in the league that would be inserted in blocking scenarios. Though we also have the flexibility to operate a spread system with getting more WRs on the field. Its not like replacing Hurst’s legitimate production will be some incredibly tall task. Hurst also wasn’t interested in playing Robin. He was clearly becoming disgruntled. In terms of JK Dobbins, if it was said that we had a stacked RB room but could trade Hayden Hurst for Ray Rice... I’m sure most would do it. Dobbins is a lethal running threat that has the shiftiness to be similarly effective in space as Rice; that alone will be huge as it means Lamar won’t have to take as much damage by scrambling for those yards himself. All these things are far more valuable than what Hayden Hurst provided to this ball club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondbull424 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Oh and in terms of talent, Lamar plays a pivotal role in that ranking. We’ve got a top 5 player at the most important position in the league; the teams most comparable with us in talent, many don’t bring that to the table. The Chiefs have Mahomes, but have bigger flaws on their team outside of Mahomes, he makes up the difference though. San Fran doesn’t have a top 10 QB. The Saints are incredibly talented but Brees is another year older, it’s quite possible he looks like something closer to a fringe top 10 QB this season if he experiences a decline. The Browns are yoked with their roster, but Baker Mayfield has shown to be too Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to this point. So yeah, we may not have the best pass rushing squad, but that’s really the only true weakness... LBs. We have the most talented secondary in football. We also have a DL that’s likely to be top 5 considering how deadly each of those dudes are at run stuffing, how they bring some pass rush to the equation, and how much depth we have at the position. Then offensively we still have one of, if not the best TE room, in the league with Andrews as a Pro Bowl pass catching TE talent, Boyle is arguably the best blocking TE in the game, and Ricard would likely be most closely related to the TE room as well as he will play more of that H-back role that Hurst saw himself in the past few seasons. This not counting any talent cultivated from UDFA options. Without Lamar in the equation, we now have one of the best RB rooms in the league... before JKD, that wouldn’t have been as clear. Dominant collegiate RBs that put up 2k YFS don’t typically take forever to translate like other positions. So we’re getting someone that can provide immediate impact. With Lamar however we have clear and away the best RB room in the league. OL still has two pro bowlers on the unit at bookend. We were on pace to have 4 pro bowlers before Skura’s injury last season. I’m higher on other guys but the reality is that he was one of the most effective at his position last season, considering the Lamar effect in pass protection. The OL will have question marks, but so will all the other OLs in the league. How many OLs can say they bolster even two legit PB level talents, if not closer to three? Even without Yanda we have what should be expected a top 5-10 OL in the league. WR- Lastly it’s our weakest position group. But with lesser weapons last season, we still had one of the most efficient offenses of the last decade. This with a gimpy Brown. Imagine adding a healthy version... that’s already an upgrade. The group looks no worse than last season. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFlaccoSeagulls Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 This offseason has felt like the longest one ever. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berlin calling Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 so how confident are we in Queen (and Harrison for that matter) to develop into starters during a shortened, maybe non existent training camp w/o a seasoned vet at their side who actually has something to give? Whos their sensei. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondbull424 Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 (edited) On 6/27/2020 at 3:51 PM, berlin calling said: so how confident are we in Queen (and Harrison for that matter) to develop into starters during a shortened, maybe non existent training camp w/o a seasoned vet at their side who actually has something to give? Whos their sensei. Chuck Clark and Pernell McPhee seem to me like great guys to get them up to speed. Clark is said to be an encyclopedia for our defense and considering he was given green dot responsibilities and shifts the defense around, that likely means he can help mentor the new LBers. I’m sure both guys will play pivotal roles in both leadership as well as mentoring different techniques, looks, etc for different situations. Both bringing a unique perspective to the table. edit: Whats more, these rookies literally have nothing better to do I’m sure considering COVID-19 is keeping most everyone indoors... they better be studying their playbook especially. Edited June 29, 2020 by diamondbull424 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatJaxxenGuy Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 (edited) On 2020-06-27 at 1:51 PM, berlin calling said: so how confident are we in Queen (and Harrison for that matter) to develop into starters during a shortened, maybe non existent training camp w/o a seasoned vet at their side who actually has something to give? Whos their sensei. Pretty confident in Queen to be a playmaker early and often, but I doubt either of them are 3 down guys to start the year. we have guys like LJ Fort who are safe and known commodities, and then guys who he team is high on such as Chris Board who was probably going to start last year before injury. We also have a pretty crazy track record with undrafted linebackers so we can’t count that out. They won’t be just thrown into the fire and expected to be an immediate anchor on the defense, but better believe Wink is going to be coming at you fast and furious with special plays for a guy as athletic as Queen. Edited June 29, 2020 by ThatJaxxenGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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