Ravens sign Kevin Zeitler

[M.10.E]

I'm not expecting a pro bowl player these next two years, but just someone who's consistently solid and doesn't crap the bed in the playoffs.

[drd23]

 

[baltimoreRebel]

30 minutes ago, drd23 said:

 

Very nice deal. Love the numbers. 

[drd23]

Apparently Yanda helped get this signing over the line

 

[ravens5520]

We have a lot of mid round level graded IOL. If we truly trade Orlando, I see us allowing them another offseason to develop. 
 

Those numbers are amazing. Obviously EDC expects a rise for cap room over the next two years. Yet we still have big caps pushed off (Peters & Campbell). Then new cap hits coming with Andrews and Lamar soon. 
 

Just don’t want to see us get like our old ways of always back loading. Unless someone could tell me what we would save if we cut Zeitler after 2 years, prior to that 9.5 mill hit at 33 years old? 
 

edit: found it! 2.95 dead cap. Savings roughly of 6.5 mill. Not terrible if he declines 

Edited March 15, 2021 by ravens5520

[diamondbull424]

18 hours ago, DreamKid said:

@Edgar Highlighting why fans might want to be more skeptical about this move. 

 

So I don’t agree with Edgar’s analysis. Were there some bad plays? I saw two of them. Some of the other plays he calls out, were either VERY explainable OR Edgar’s analysis of the blocking scheme seemed definitely flawed.

2:00- Clearly this is a play where the LG is acting as the designed FB/lead blocker for the RB so as to create a crease into the c-gap. Thus Zeitler smartly angled his block to ALLOW the defender the inside penetration. Thus the defender making the play is irrelevant.

The defender made a play because the RB is an idiot and chose the wrong hole. He had 0 patience, didn’t follow the play design, and cutback inside for yardage. He ran into a gap that was designed to be unblocked. Zeitler blocked to his play responsibility and blocked it very well. To claim this as a ‘bad’ play is HIGHLY suspect analysis. The scheme on that play is very clear.

In fact the bad grade should go to the LG for his kick out block that he whiffs on. So if the RB follows the blocking scheme the edge defender has a shot at the play and perhaps gets similar or less yardage then his act of impatience allotted him. Perhaps the RB had zero trust in the play design for that specific reason.

Either way the result of the defender on that play is/should be irrelevant to Zeitler’s grading. He blocked his responsibility excellently there.

3:30- Estimating the time stamp. This was a play where he was in the process of calling out the stunt when the QB snapped the ball (would like to know how much time was left on the clock because that’s not very smart if there was time). Zeitler still adjusts to getting a slight hand on the rusher for the RB.

I do think he could’ve done a better job of getting a little more contact on that rushers before taking Cameron Hayward on the inside stunt, otherwise an inferior RB wouldn’t be able to make that block, luckily Barkley covers up Zeitler’s mistake there (and what a fantastic cut block as it keeps the defender behind the rusher from overwhelming the line).

But Zeitler does execute his ultimate responsibility, which was protecting the A gap- as the OL adjusts to the left as per adjustment. So Zeitler was trying to cover his responsibility, though he probably could’ve handle his original gap and then adjusted, though that might’ve kept Barkley from covering the inside gap as Barkley was initially looking to assist with the outside contain of Watt... so the way Zeitler handled the blocking assignment was ultimately not a problem when considering the end result of the play. So it’s possible he trusted Barkley to adjust based off of reps and knowing how he operates?

This play is more difficult to analyze, but since Zeitler protects his responsibility and still holds the original gap enough for his teammate to adjust, I’d probably give the play a neutral grade at worst, personally. At best if I knew his intent, but since I can’t know that or his connection with Barkley, I think I’d just give him a neutral grade on that play.
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The two bad plays I noticed came from 3:00 and 4:20. The former he gets beat by Tuitt pretty bad there, no defense outside of Tuitt being a beast that’s hard for any OL to contain 1v1.

The latter play he got beat by Alualu and had to hold him. That’s a negative play, though he did do just enough to allow the play to operate to its design and he didn’t get called for the hold, so it is what it is.
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All in all, watching that clip left me with zero concerns about Kevin Zeitler within a more competent structure. I think we would be able to maximize his strengths and he’d be back to a 72+ performance grade. He’s still a top shelf guard IMO.

[BareYourTeeth]