Debate the Ravens’ offseason possibilities in The Football Fan Forum
2010 Preview:
The Baltimore Ravens’ offense has a chance to be one of their best this decade. They haven’t really had a true elite franchise quarterback in a long time, but Joe Flacco has put together two very solid years in his first two seasons as a pro, and with the additions of Anquan Boldin, Donte Stallworth, Ed Dickson, and Dennis Pitta to the receiving corps, he looks poised to break out this year and become, at the least, a top 15, if not top 10 or 12, NFL quarterback. Their running game with Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and LeRon McClain will once again be one of the best in the league.
Actually, the unit with the most questions this year may be their defense. How will Ed Reed do coming off of an injury plagued season? Is this the year Ray Lewis finally shows his age? How will Terrell Suggs do coming off of a bad year? Will he be able to give their pass rush the spark it needs? All in all, I think this should be one of the best teams in the NFL again this year and they will probably play better than the 9-7 they were last year, with their offseason additions, and the situation going on with Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension in Pittsburgh.
Projection: 10-6 1st in AFC South
Power Ranking: 9
Last season: 9-7
Grade:
#43 RLB Sergio Kindle (Texas)
They did take Paul Kruger in the 2nd last year, but Kindle will really help them to push Terrell Suggs, who looked pretty bad last year after signing a big contract. He won’t be counted on to help right away, but he has more upside than any other rush linebacker in this draft class. If everything works out, they could always trade Suggs, and start Kruger and Kindle, with Jarrett Johnson as a nickel guy.
Grade: A-
#57 NT Terrence Cody (Alabama)
Cody was a great value at this point. The Ravens don’t have a true run stopping nose tackle like Cody. They have guys like Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg, but Cody is unlike anything they have. He probably won’t play more than half of their snaps, but he won’t have to do make a Cody sized impact and he provides more much needed youth on their defensive line. Also, the Ravens have a lot of veteran leaders on their squad so if anyone can bring the most out of him and him keep in shape, this team can.
Grade: A
#70 TE Ed Dickson (Oregon)
The Ravens already got a lot of upgrades on their receiving corps this offseason, but Dickson is an upgrade over Todd Heap and a solid value here in the 3rd. They quietly have put together one of the best receiving corps in the league. Joe Flacco likes this.
Grade: A-
#114 TE Dennis Pitta (BYU)
A cornerback would have been preferable, but it’s hard to argue with Pitta’s value here. He gives Flacco yet another weapon.
Grade: B
#156 WR David Reed (Utah)
Reed gives them another young receiver. If Derrick Mason retires before his contract is up, Reed could give them an option across from Boldin. Even if not, Reed provides slot depth behind Boldin, Mason, and Stallworth and he’s a solid value here.
Grade: B-
#157 3-4 DE Arthur Jones (Syracuse)
Jones had been slipping down draft boards this season with injury issues, but there’s no reason he should have been available in the late 5th. He provides good young depth on Baltimore’s veteran defensive line.
Grade: A
#194 OT Ramon Harewood (Morehouse)
I didn’t have him in my top 300, but I can see why they’d take him here. He has huge upside at 6-7 360 and gives them a right tackle if Oher moves to the left side, if Jared Gaither leaves.
Grade: B
Overall:
I really only have one complaint about this draft and that’s that they didn’t get another cornerback, but they drafted so well and so many good players that I can pretty much cast that complaint off and look at their talent. Every single one of their picks filled a need of some sort and had very good value. I think they really made themselves a lot better in the near future and the fear future with this draft.
Grade: A
Key undrafted free agents
RB Curtis Steele (Memphis)
3-4 DE John Fletcher (Wyoming)
Positions of need:
Wide Receiver:
If you thought the Ravens were bad at receiver this year, wait until next year if they don’t get help. The only receiver currently under contract for 2010 is Donte Stallworth who didn’t play at all last year because of suspension and is sure to be rusty. Most of their receivers are restricted and could be back if wanted back, but no receiver other than Derrick Mason was any good last year and he’s an unrestricted free agent. If he isn’t brought back, they’ll have nothing at the position and even if he is, he will be 36 next season and could retire soon. They need some young depth at the very least and I’d like to see the Ravens take 2 receivers early.
Signed Donte Stallworth, Traded for Anquan Boldin, Drafted David Reed (#156)
Cornerback:
After Lardarius Webb went down last year, the Ravens had to start Chris Carr, their kick returner. I’m guessing they don’t want to have to do that again. Webb is good, but Domonique Foxworth was borderline average last year as QBs posted a 79.3 rating against him last year. They also were one of the most penalized secondaries in the league. They need some depth at the position.
Tight End:
Todd Heap was finally alright this year because he didn’t get hurt, but how long can he keep that up for. The Ravens may want to either upgrade him or simply bring in some depth behind him.
Drafted Ed Dickson (#70), Drafted Dennis Pitta (#114)
Rush Linebacker:
The Ravens only had 32 sacks last year. I don’t think it’s so much a lack of talent as it is a lack of motivation at the position, especially with Terrell Suggs. After he got his large contract last offseason, he looked complacent this year and only had 4.5 sacks. They need some young depth at be brought in to challenge Suggs and Jarrett Johnson.
Drafted Sergio Kindle (#43)
Middle Linebacker:
Ray Lewis is getting up there in years while Tavares Gooden is average at best opposite him and there is very little depth behind either. They need to bring some depth in this offseason.
Safety:
I don’t believe Ed Reed when he says he could retire, but Dawan Landry had an awful year last year at strong safety. It isn’t a huge need, but he could be upgraded and if the Ravens, who like taking best available, find a capable safety that they like available to them in the mid rounds, they’ll take him.
Signed Ken Hamlin
Free agents:
QB Troy Smith (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
QB John Beck (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
FB Le’Ron McClain (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.4 million
FB Charles Ali
#5 WR Derrick Mason- resigned 2 years 8 million
He’d be rated a lot higher if he wasn’t 36 and didn’t retire for about a week last July. He is the most underrated wide receiver in the league and has been for the entire decade. He has 1000 yards or more in 8 of his last 9 seasons despite playing for the Titans and Ravens, two of the most notoriously conservative teams in the league in terms how much they throw the ball. He has some of the surest hands and in the league and is a phenomenal route runner. He never was much of an athlete, so you don’t have to worry about him losing his speed. He could play at a high level for 2-3 more years, the question is, does he want to?
WR Mark Clayton (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.8 million
WR Kelley Washington (restricted)
WR Demetrius Williams (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
TE Quinn Sypniewski
TE Todd Heap
OT Jared Gaither (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.4 million
OT Adam Terry (restricted)- not tendered, signed with Colts
OT Tony Moll (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
G Marshal Yanda (restricted)- tendered (2nd)
G Chris Chester (restricted)- resigned 1 year
3-4 DE Dwan Edwards- signed with Bills 4 years 18 million
3-4 DE Justin Bannan- signed with Broncos 5 years
NT Lamar Divens (exclusive rights)
RLB Antawn Barnes (restricted)- tendered (4th)
MLB Jameel McClain (exclusive rights)- resigned
CB Fabian Washington (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.8 million
CB Frank Walker
CB Samari Rolle
CB Walt Harris
S Dawan Landry (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million
P Sam Koch (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million
K Billy Cundiff (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
# refers to unrestricted free agent rank
Offseason moves:
Ravens cut CB Walt Harris
Ravens trade QB John Beck to Redskins for CB Doug Dutch
Ravens sign CB Walt Harris
Ravens sign QB Marc Bulger
Ravens sign S Ken Hamlin
Ravens re-sign FB Le’Ron McClain
Ravens re-sign S Dawan Landry
Ravens re-sign OT Jared Gaither
Ravens sign K Shayne Graham
Ravens re-sign MLB Jameel McClain
Ravens re-sign CB Fabian Washington
Ravens re-sign P Sam Koch
Ravens re-sign WR Mark Clayton
Ravens announce retirement of CB Samari Rolle
Ravens waive FB Charles Ali
Ravens re-sign WR Demetrius Williams
Ravens re-sign OT Tony Moll
Ravens re-sign QB Troy Smith
Ravens cut CB Samari Rolle
Ravens re-sign G Chris Chester
Ravens re-sign K Billy Cundiff
Ravens re-sign QB John Beck
Ravens sign 3-4 DE Cory Redding
Ravens re-sign WR Derrick Mason
Ravens acquire WR Anquan Boldin and 2010 5th-rounder from Cardinals for 2010 3rd-, 4th-rounders
Ravens tender NT Lamar Divens
Ravens tender G Marshal Yanda
Ravens tender WR Mark Clayton
Ravens tender RLB Antwan Barnes
Ravens tender QB Troy Smith
Ravens tender OT Jared Gaither
Ravens tender FB Le’Ron McClain
Ravens tender G Chris Chester
Ravens tender WR Demetrius Williams
Ravens tender CB Fabian Washington
Ravens tender S Dawan Landry
Ravens tender QB John Beck
Ravens tender P Sam Koch
Ravens tender OT Tony Moll
Ravens tender K Billy Cundiff
Ravens cut TE Quinn Sypniewski
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