Predict the Week 1 Roster

[sp6488]

9 hours ago, AngusMcFife said:

Okay, I'm not aware of other opinions of Levine. My observation is the Ravens have 4 good safeties (2 vets and 2 rising young players), and a glut of CB talent (4 studs plus young talent). Plus Bethel. If one of the UDFA ILBs flashes, I don't really see the point of keeping Levine given his age. 

Levine has been pivotal to the Ravens successful use of the dime package.  I personally don't see more utility coming from carrying an additional UDFA ILB.  You are right, though, about the glut of talent in the secondary.

[diamondbull424]

On 6/19/2019 at 9:50 PM, sp6488 said:

Every year we seem to have more NFL roster caliber guys than we can fit on the 53-man, but this year seems more extreme than ever (IMHO, of course). A lot of this will likely be sorted out by injuries in camp/preseason, but we definitely have a few guys who could be dealt to other teams for late round picks or other roster pieces.  Let me be clear, I don't think we will be able to get compensation for all of our potential cuts, nor do I think it will be particularly eye-popping, but I would love to see EDC pick up some draft ammo for at least one or two guys who won't make the team. Listing top-5 most likely candidates below (order is not specific):

1. Kaare Vedvik, PK/P - There was speculation last year that a team could deal for him before his unfortunate, bizarre injury situation.  I could definitely see a team parting with a day-3 pick to solidify their ST if he balls out again this preseason.  Teams like the Cowboys or Bears (who aren't particularly high on the waiver order) could definitely be interested in such a trade.

2. Kenneth Dixon, RB - I like Dixon, but the signing of Ingram, the drafting of Hill and the presence of Gus Edwards put his roster spot in danger, particularly in the final year of his rookie deal.  I don't think the team will cut him, but I think he could be pried away via trade if another team has early injuries.  DeLance Turner could slide into the 4th RB spot should they wish to carry another.

3. Seth Roberts, WR - As I mentioned in another thread, I see Roberts as an insurance policy.  If we jettison him now, we would still be on the hook for $1MM of his $2MM deal.  That's a small price to pay for a bit of peace of mind at the position before we knew Hollywood and Boykin would be Ravens.  A team that loses a #2 or #3 could definitely be interested, particularly since his cap number will easily fit for just about any team.  I would seriously doubt he'd garner more than a conditional pick, but still someone who could garner interest. That said, there are likely street options at the position that are better than the two positions above.

4. Maurice Canady, CB - We seems to have an embarrassment of riches at the CB position.  Canady has played some very competent corner when given the shot (definitely outplaying his 6th round pedigree), but injuries and great options in front of him have largely kept him off the field.  Being in the final year of rookie control is what may do him in (behind Averett, Bethel and Iman Marshall-who I think will be IR stash), but I definitely think there might be teams out there who would be interested in a 6-1, 200lb 25 y.o. corner with decent NFL tape. 

5. James Hurst, OT/OG - Yes, I know... why would anyone trade for James Hurst? Well, The Baltimore Ravens traded a conditional 2018 seventh-round draft pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for freakin' G/C Tony Bergstrom in early 2017 in an attempt to bolster their line depth.  Hurst has experience and ability to play all over the line and seems to be a good team guy.  Honestly, he's not the worst player to carry for depth as he can play 4/5 spots in a pinch (thus reducing the amount of OL you may need active on gameday).  His salaries are reasonable for a fringe starter ($3.5MM in 2019 and $4MM in 2020/21) and the Ravens would save $1MM by moving on from him this year (less than that effectively because he would be replaced on the roster). The biggest inhibitor to a deal here is that he's not the type of guy a competitive team is necessarily looking to add.  He'd probably be a good fit for a team like Arizona, but I'm sure they would prefer to see what's available on the waiver wire rather than trade future assets.

Dark Horse: Brandon Carr, CB - I seriously doubt this happens as it would seem silly to weaken our CB core, BUT his salary numbers are very cheap for 2019 and 2020 (4.5MM base in each) relative to other starting-caliber corners and he would fit nicely into the salary structure of a team that thinks they are a competitor should they lose a significant piece in the secondary.  Again, I doubt this would happen nor do I really want it to, but his ability to fit into a team's cap sans extension could lure a desperate team into making a very nice draft pick offer.

My dark horse pick that I’ve been recently thinking about is Gus Edwards. I mean, realistically Edwards value is at an all time high at this point and is only likely to go down from this point. He’s at the same point that Alex Collins was at last offseason.

Both Edwards and Dixon both only have one season left on their deal. Dixon is the more complete back of the two and is a better fit within the read option due to his ability to secure handoffs from Lamar.

While Dixon might only net a conditional 7th, Gus might have enough value to secure a 5th round pick, perhaps a conditional 4th round pick if someone falls in love.

Lastly, throw in the fact that Dixon seems like a good candidate to resign for a cheaper amount as a third back, Gus just loaded up with DR as his agent. There’s very little chance that he would be brought back, thus trading him prior to the season might be the best course of action.

[AngusMcFife]

20 hours ago, diamondbull424 said:

My dark horse pick that I’ve been recently thinking about is Gus Edwards. I mean, realistically Edwards value is at an all time high at this point and is only likely to go down from this point. He’s at the same point that Alex Collins was at last offseason.

Both Edwards and Dixon both only have one season left on their deal. Dixon is the more complete back of the two and is a better fit within the read option due to his ability to secure handoffs from Lamar.

While Dixon might only net a conditional 7th, Gus might have enough value to secure a 5th round pick, perhaps a conditional 4th round pick if someone falls in love.

Lastly, throw in the fact that Dixon seems like a good candidate to resign for a cheaper amount as a third back, Gus just loaded up with DR as his agent. There’s very little chance that he would be brought back, thus trading him prior to the season might be the best course of action.

Not sure where you are getting some of the info. Edwards was a rookie last year, so the Ravens control his rights for the next 3 years. It doesn't matter who he signed as his agent, I'm pretty sure he isn't getting any new money until 2022. I believe Edwards would be a ERFA in 2020 and a RFA in 2021. Dixon is UFA in 2020. 

Also, I can't agree with the statement that Dixon is a better fit with the read option. We saw Edwards torch defenses last year with his one cut running style. Dixon was effective too but nearly as good as Edwards.

It is true Edwards had difficulty with the read option, but that can be fixed with practice and good coaching. On the other hand, Edwards fumbled 0 times and Dixon fumbled twice in much fewer touches. Not a good look for Dixon, 2 fumbles in 60 carries vs 0 fumbles in 137 carries for Edwards. 

Lastly, Dixon has been suspending for both substance abuse and performance enhancing drugs. I can't see the Ravens trading a more reliable, more productive running back who they control for 3 years for a wild card like Dixon. 

[Danand]

Gus Edwards is signed through 2019 and is an ERFA in 2020.

Also, Drew Rosenhaus is not always interested in his clients best fit, but is mostly concerned about getting the biggest contract possible and some GM's are not fond of negotiating with him.

DB424 talked about maximizing a potential deal/trade. I think it is plausible to see another team viewing Gus Edwards as the better option because of the reasons mentioned about Dixon. If Ingram and Hill are going to see the majority of the snaps, then getting a 5th for Gus Edwards seems like a pretty good deal.

[AngusMcFife]

1 hour ago, Danand said:

Gus Edwards is signed through 2019 and is an ERFA in 2020.

Also, Drew Rosenhaus is not always interested in his clients best fit, but is mostly concerned about getting the biggest contract possible and some GM's are not fond of negotiating with him.

DB424 talked about maximizing a potential deal/trade. I think it is plausible to see another team viewing Gus Edwards as the better option because of the reasons mentioned about Dixon. If Ingram and Hill are going to see the majority of the snaps, then getting a 5th for Gus Edwards seems like a pretty good deal.

Can anyone verify how long Edwards is under contract? I am thinking it is through 2021 season (3 more years). For instance our 3 UDFAs in 2016 (Peanut, Pierce, and Skura) are all signed through this year, which makes them under control for 4 total years. 

If the Ravens don't have to negotiate a contract with Edwards for 3 years, the agent doesn't detract from a client's value. 

I just don't think its a smart idea to trade away a nice offensive player like Edwards for a future pick. We are trying to build a new offense, and Edwards style meshed really well with Lamar last year. He balled out, he is part of the solution, a possible piece of the foundation. It's not the time to trade away young talent under team control for 3 years.

Dixon, on the other hand, could be a contributor this year for sure, but he's not the kind of player the Ravens invest in. I would rather trade Dixon for a 7th than Edwards for a 5th. Edwards can be that bruising back who can complement Lamar for years.   

[drd23]

This will be Edwards 2nd season in the NFL and he is under contract for 1 year at $570k. 

Therefore he'll be an ERFA at the end of this coming season, and will be able to be signed for the minimum contract for a 3rd year player for the 2020 season.

In the off-season before the 2021 season he'll be a RFA, which means that he'll potentially be under another cost controlled contract.

The only ways that Rosenhaus can have an influence on how much money Gus earns in those years is by:
- Organising endorsements
- Holding out for an extension (which can happen, as the contract Indy gave to their NB this off-season attests)
- Finding another team to sign him to an offer sheet in 2021 when he's a RFA

[diamondbull424]

On 6/22/2019 at 5:54 PM, AngusMcFife said:

Not sure where you are getting some of the info. Edwards was a rookie last year, so the Ravens control his rights for the next 3 years. It doesn't matter who he signed as his agent, I'm pretty sure he isn't getting any new money until 2022. I believe Edwards would be a ERFA in 2020 and a RFA in 2021. Dixon is UFA in 2020. 

Also, I can't agree with the statement that Dixon is a better fit with the read option. We saw Edwards torch defenses last year with his one cut running style. Dixon was effective too but nearly as good as Edwards.

It is true Edwards had difficulty with the read option, but that can be fixed with practice and good coaching. On the other hand, Edwards fumbled 0 times and Dixon fumbled twice in much fewer touches. Not a good look for Dixon, 2 fumbles in 60 carries vs 0 fumbles in 137 carries for Edwards. 

Lastly, Dixon has been suspending for both substance abuse and performance enhancing drugs. I can't see the Ravens trading a more reliable, more productive running back who they control for 3 years for a wild card like Dixon. 

True. I must’ve misread an article during the season. Thought it mentioned that their was some ambiguity to his contract after this season. But now, of course, I can’t find it.

Either way, the stat that says Gus hasn’t fumbled is wholly inaccurate. He fumbled multiple times from handoffs after the ball was placed in and he took a couple steps, those just don’t count because they’re given to Lamar as a fumble instead. No other back fumbled Lamar’s handoffs but Gus.

Either way, I like Gus’ running power, but he also reminds me of LeRon McClain... only with the added bonus of Lamar Jackson creating additional space. Perhaps this season might be too soon based on the contract, but getting rid of him before his final season could maximize return and he’s not a franchise RB. But I’ll concede the point until a further time.

[DreamKid]

 

[sp6488]

On 6/19/2019 at 9:50 PM, sp6488 said:

Every year we seem to have more NFL roster caliber guys than we can fit on the 53-man, but this year seems more extreme than ever (IMHO, of course). A lot of this will likely be sorted out by injuries in camp/preseason, but we definitely have a few guys who could be dealt to other teams for late round picks or other roster pieces.  Let me be clear, I don't think we will be able to get compensation for all of our potential cuts, nor do I think it will be particularly eye-popping, but I would love to see EDC pick up some draft ammo for at least one or two guys who won't make the team. Listing top-5 most likely candidates below (order is not specific):

1. Kaare Vedvik, PK/P - There was speculation last year that a team could deal for him before his unfortunate, bizarre injury situation.  I could definitely see a team parting with a day-3 pick to solidify their ST if he balls out again this preseason.  Teams like the Cowboys or Bears (who aren't particularly high on the waiver order) could definitely be interested in such a trade.

2. Kenneth Dixon, RB - I like Dixon, but the signing of Ingram, the drafting of Hill and the presence of Gus Edwards put his roster spot in danger, particularly in the final year of his rookie deal.  I don't think the team will cut him, but I think he could be pried away via trade if another team has early injuries.  DeLance Turner could slide into the 4th RB spot should they wish to carry another.

3. Seth Roberts, WR - As I mentioned in another thread, I see Roberts as an insurance policy.  If we jettison him now, we would still be on the hook for $1MM of his $2MM deal.  That's a small price to pay for a bit of peace of mind at the position before we knew Hollywood and Boykin would be Ravens.  A team that loses a #2 or #3 could definitely be interested, particularly since his cap number will easily fit for just about any team.  I would seriously doubt he'd garner more than a conditional pick, but still someone who could garner interest. That said, there are likely street options at the position that are better than the two positions above.

4. Maurice Canady, CB - We seems to have an embarrassment of riches at the CB position.  Canady has played some very competent corner when given the shot (definitely outplaying his 6th round pedigree), but injuries and great options in front of him have largely kept him off the field.  Being in the final year of rookie control is what may do him in (behind Averett, Bethel and Iman Marshall-who I think will be IR stash), but I definitely think there might be teams out there who would be interested in a 6-1, 200lb 25 y.o. corner with decent NFL tape. 

5. James Hurst, OT/OG - Yes, I know... why would anyone trade for James Hurst? Well, The Baltimore Ravens traded a conditional 2018 seventh-round draft pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for freakin' G/C Tony Bergstrom in early 2017 in an attempt to bolster their line depth.  Hurst has experience and ability to play all over the line and seems to be a good team guy.  Honestly, he's not the worst player to carry for depth as he can play 4/5 spots in a pinch (thus reducing the amount of OL you may need active on gameday).  His salaries are reasonable for a fringe starter ($3.5MM in 2019 and $4MM in 2020/21) and the Ravens would save $1MM by moving on from him this year (less than that effectively because he would be replaced on the roster). The biggest inhibitor to a deal here is that he's not the type of guy a competitive team is necessarily looking to add.  He'd probably be a good fit for a team like Arizona, but I'm sure they would prefer to see what's available on the waiver wire rather than trade future assets.

Dark Horse: Brandon Carr, CB - I seriously doubt this happens as it would seem silly to weaken our CB core, BUT his salary numbers are very cheap for 2019 and 2020 (4.5MM base in each) relative to other starting-caliber corners and he would fit nicely into the salary structure of a team that thinks they are a competitor should they lose a significant piece in the secondary.  Again, I doubt this would happen nor do I really want it to, but his ability to fit into a team's cap sans extension could lure a desperate team into making a very nice draft pick offer.

1 down.  I think Canady is probably the next most likely.

[berlin calling]

O - 24

QB (3) – Jackson / RG III / McSorley

RB (3) – Ingram /  Edwards / Hill

WR (6) – Moore / Snead / Brown / Boykin / Floyd / Scott

TE (3) – Andrews / Hurst / Boyle

OL (9) – Stanley / Brown Jr / Yanda / Hurst / Skura / Eluemunor / Bozeman / Powers / Mekari

D - 26

DL (6) – Williams / Pierce / Wormley / Henry /  Ricard /  Mack

LB (9) – Onwuasor / Young / Board / Alaka /  Judon / McPhee / Bowser / Williams / Ferguson

CB (6) – Humphrey / Smith / Carr / Averett / Jones / Jean-Baptiste

S (5) – Thomas / Jefferson / Levine / Elliott / Clark

can't see Rodgers making the team over Floyd at this point when he was hurt for weeks and Floyd performed when called upon.

 

[BareYourTeeth]

On 5/10/2019 at 9:24 PM, BareYourTeeth said:

Offense (24)

QB: Lamar Jackson, Robert Griffin III, Trace McSorley

RB: Mark Ingram II, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill

TE: Nick Boyle, Mark Andrews, Hayden Hurst

WR: Miles Boykin, Jaleel Scott

WR: Marquise Brown, Chris Moore

WR: Willie Snead IV, Seth Roberts

LT: Ronnie Stanley, Greg Senat

LG: James Hurst, Ben Powers

C: Matt Skura, Bradley Bozeman

RG: Marshal Yanda, Patrick Mekari

RT: Orlando Brown Jr.

 

Defense (26)

 

DT: Michael Pierce, Chris Wormley

NT: Brandon Williams, Daylon Mack

DE: Patrick Ricard, Zach Sieler

RLB: Pernell McPhee, Tim Williams, Jaylon Ferguson

MLB: Patrick Onwuasor, Kenny Young

WLB: Chris Board, Otaro Alaka

SLB: Matthew Judon, Tyus Bowser

LCB: Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Carr, Justin Bethel

RCB: Jimmy Smith, Anthony Averett, Cyrus Jones

FS: Earl Thomas III, DeShon Elliott, Chuck Clark

SS: Tony Jefferson, Anthony Levine

 

Special Teams (3)

 

K: Justin Tucker

P: Sam Koch

LS: Morgan Cox

 

IR: Gerald Willis, Tavon Young

 

PUP: Iman Marshall

 

Practice Squad: Antoine Wesley

Update.

Edited August 31, 2019 by BareYourTeeth

[coordinator0]

QB: Lamar Jackson / Robert Griffin III / Trace McSorley

RB: Mark Ingram / Gus Edwards / Justice Hill

FB: Patrick Ricard

WR: Marquise Brown / Miles Boykin / Willie Snead / Chris Moore / Seth Roberts

TE: Nick Boyle / Mark Andrews / Hayden Hurst

OT: Ronnie Stanley / Orlando Brown / Greg Senat

OG: Marshal Yanda / James Hurst / Ben Powers / Patrick Mekari

C: Matt Skura / Bradley Bozeman

 

DL: Brandon Williams / Michael Pierce / Chris Wormley / Willie Henry / Daylon Mack / Zach Seiler

OLB: Matt Judon / Pernell McPhee / Tyus Bowser / Tim Williams / Jaylon Ferguson

ILB: Patrick Onwuasor / Kenny Young / Chris Board / Otaro Alaka

CB: Jimmy Smith / Marlon Humphrey / Brandon Carr / Cyrus Jones / Anthony Averett / Justin Bethel

S: Earl Thomas / Tony Jefferson / Chuck Clark / Anthony Levine / Deshon Elliot

 

K: Justin Tucker

P: Sam Koch

LS: Morgan Cox

 

IR: Tavon Young / Iman Marshall

[DreamKid]

@coordinator0 I've seen quite a few people predicting the end of our UDFA streak in 2019. Glad to see you standing tall with Mekari and Alaka. 

Nothing is more important than our Preseason win streak and UDFA to 53 streak.

[AngusMcFife]

1 hour ago, DreamKid said:

@coordinator0 I've seen quite a few people predicting the end of our UDFA streak in 2019. Glad to see you standing tall with Mekari and Alaka. 

Nothing is more important than our Preseason win streak and UDFA to 53 streak.

I get the feeling that the Ravens are going to go with an established veteran who gets caught in the numbers game over Mekari, and try to sneak Mekari on the PS. 

The question is, if he's put on the field, can Mekari play for us this year? He looks good in pass pro vs 2s and 3s and is nimble enough to pull, but if he can't block guys straight up on running plays, he can't really help the team. I'm not sure I'd trust him vs Sheldon Richardson, Cam Hayward, etc, he'd be a big liability that could cripple the offense. 

[diamondbull424]

Offense (23)

QB: Lamar Jackson, Robert Griffin III, Trace McSorley

RB: Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill

XWR: Chris Moore, Marquise Brown 

ZWR: Miles Boykin, Jaleel Scott

SLWR: Willie Snead IV, Seth Roberts

TE: Mark Andrews, Hayden Hurst, Nick Boyle

LT: Ronnie Stanley, Jermaine Eluemunor

LG: James Hurst, Ben Powers

C: Matt Skura, Patrick Mekari

RG: Marshal Yanda

RT: Orlando Brown

Defense (27)

DE: Chris Wormley, Patrick Ricard, Zach Sieler

NT: Brandon Williams, Daylon Mack

DT: Michael Pierce, Willie Henry

RUSH: Pernell McPhee, Tyus Bowser, Jaylon Ferguson

MIKE: Patrick Onwuasor, Kenny Young

WILL: Chris Board, Anthony Levine, Otari Alaka

SAM: Matthew Judon, Tim Williams

RCB: Jimmy Smith, Justin Bethel

LCB: Marlon Humphrey, Anthony Averett

SCB: Brandon Carr, Cyrus Jones

FS: Earl Thomas III, DeShon Elliott

SS: Tony Jefferson, Chuck Clark

Special Teams (3)

K: Justin Tucker

P: Sam Koch

LS: Morgan Cox

Edited August 25, 2019 by diamondbull424