61 replies to this topic

[makoman]

Some things:

 

He said it will be nice to have two first round CBs back, which implies Peters is coming back like Mike indicated.

 

He listed a bunch of negatives of the offense, which could have been reasons to fire Roman, and then said he expects Roman to be back but it's still early (whatever that means). They are going to look at everything with the offensive scheme.

 

Acknowledged that a lot of times a bunch of receivers end up in the same place. Said often that is people running the wrong routes, or the receivers have flexibility to alter routes and sometimes aren't on the same page. Says it is dealt with internally.

 

Pointed out that the run game wasn't that good despite yardage, no explosive plays, too much of it was QB scrambling.

 

Said he's second guessed some of the 2 point calls but would make the same calls today. Wants to be aggressive but not irresponsibly aggressive.

 

Steve Saunders will be back but they will look at what happened this year.

 

Tee Martin is interviewing for OC of Buffalo.

 

Reiterated that Lamar is their guy and is incredibly determined to improve. Bone bruise just didn't heal well but he's feeling good.

 

Confident the injured guys will be back. Stanley is very important since you win in the trenches.

 

I listened some, not fully, so some of this is paraphrasing from other sources. Nothing really unexpected there except the perhaps minor waffling on Roman.

[Ravens2006]

He leaned on poor execution a lot for offensive struggles and not picking up the blitz. I wish somebody had asked him why they threw the ball about 11 times more PER GAME this year if they kept seeing OL not hold guys off long enough, WRs kept running the wrong routes, etc.

Asking players to execute plays they can't (as a group) consistently and reliably execute week after week... eventually the "execution" issue should take a back seat to "why are you asking them to do that?" questions...

Asking Villanueva and Phillips to hold off that speedy edge rusher is as much a coaching problem as it is a player problem.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I expected Sauders to be a fall guy. Maybe deservedly. SOunds like Roman situation may be the same as WInk?? Has a year lft on his deal and the Ravens might let him go if he tried to pull a power play. 

[TwentyThirtyFive]

He leaned on poor execution a lot for offensive struggles and not picking up the blitz. I wish somebody had asked him why they threw the ball about 11 times more PER GAME this year if they kept seeing OL not hold guys off long enough, WRs kept running the wrong routes, etc.

Asking players to execute plays they can't (as a group) consistently and reliably execute week after week... eventually the "execution" issue should take a back seat to "why are you asking them to do that?" questions...

Asking Villanueva and Phillips to hold off that speedy edge rusher is as much a coaching problem as it is a player problem.

He also apparently said the run game sucked . Which it did. So dont throw 11 more times a game but do what instead??

[Mackus]

Stanley returning at all and returning at a high level is probably the single biggest question mark for improvement that is possible for the team from 2021 to 2022.  And the most necessary, since he's going to be a major portion of the cap under any circumstance.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Stanley returning at all and returning at a high level is probably the single biggest improvement that is possible for the team from 2021 to 2022.  And the most necessary, since he's going to be a major portion of the cap under any circumstance.

Its necessary that Lamar is healthy but yes otherwise Stanley being healthy and even 70 or 80% of his former self is massively important.

[Ravens2006]

He also apparently said the run game sucked . Which it did. So dont throw 11 more times a game but do what instead??

I'll ask this... Did Derrick Henry "suck" this year?

The Ravens top 3 RBs averaged 4.3, 4.2, and 5.3 YPC. That's not GREAT, and down from last year, but it's not horrendous in my opinion.

If you combine Murray and Freeman, they combined for about 250 attempts, a 4.3 average, and 11 TDs.

Derrick Henry had about 220 carries for a 4.3 average and 10 TDs.

To be clear, I'm not saying I'd trade Henry for those two if I'm TEN. But the actual results were comparable.

I don't recall John using the word "sucked" in regard to the running game. But just because it wasn't as good as it used to be, or they hoped it would be, doesn't mean they shouldn't have leaned on it more. So yeah, they should have run the ball more.

They actually finished 5th in the NFL in YPC for what that's worth

[Mackus]

Its necessary that Lamar is healthy but yes otherwise Stanley being healthy and even 70 or 80% of his former self is massively important.

 

Yeah, I added the "question mark" part with an edit.

 

Lamar returning to health isn't really in doubt, IMO.  Stanley's is a big question.

[BSLMikeFast]

Ravens currently $8.5M below the cap, with another $16M possible thru post-June cuts. However, they have a good amount of starters set to become UFA in March (Elliott, Bozeman, and Ricard among them). Who makes your "must-sign" list?

BSL: Ravens 2022 Salary Cap

https://baltimorespo...ry-cap-outlook/

[Mackus]

Ravens currently $8.5M below the cap, with another $16M possible thru post-June cuts. However, they have a good amount of starters set to become UFA in March (Elliott, Bozeman, and Ricard among them). Who makes your "must-sign" list?

 

 

Post-June cuts do not really help all that much for signing FAs.  You don't get the cap space until June, when all the FAs are gone.

 

You also need to have $12-15M left over after free agency to account for signing draft picks, paying practice squad guys, and for injury replacements throughout the season.  You could benchmark the pending June cap space as that space needed for draft picks and practice squad guys and injury replacements throughout the season, but you don't have enough to cover everything that you have to spend on and still go do extra.

 

It'll take cuts and renegotiations to have enough space to sign some free agents.  Expect to see Humphrey and Stanley reworked when needed. That's also money that could be freed up later to cover draftees, PS and in-season signings rather than needing to do it in March.

[BSLMikeFast]

Stanley returning at all and returning at a high level is probably the single biggest question mark for improvement that is possible for the team from 2021 to 2022.  And the most necessary, since he's going to be a major portion of the cap under any circumstance.

 

Well said. As he goes, so goes the offense.

[BSLMikeFast]

I'd prefer Bates if he hits the market, or Mathieu.

And I'd much prefer a premier CB like Jackson over a safety. Great CB play has a much greater impact than great safety play.

 

Mathieu would be very interesting, especially considering what Elliott may be asking for

[bmore_ken]

He leaned on poor execution a lot for offensive struggles and not picking up the blitz. I wish somebody had asked him why they threw the ball about 11 times more PER GAME this year if they kept seeing OL not hold guys off long enough, WRs kept running the wrong routes, etc.

Asking players to execute plays they can't (as a group) consistently and reliably execute week after week... eventually the "execution" issue should take a back seat to "why are you asking them to do that?" questions...

Asking Villanueva and Phillips to hold off that speedy edge rusher is as much a coaching problem as it is a player problem.

Preaching to the choir here.  

[bmore_ken]

He also apparently said the run game sucked . Which it did. So dont throw 11 more times a game but do what instead??

The biggest problem with the running game is it was consistently under utilized. That group didn't set the world on fire, but they weren't horrible either when given the chance. Especially late in the season. It seems hard to complain about the run game when your top three backs were on the shelf all season. Particularly when you're barely using the replacements.

[Steve55]

Post-June cuts do not really help all that much for signing FAs.  You don't get the cap space until June, when all the FAs are gone.

 

You also need to have $12-15M left over after free agency to account for signing draft picks, paying practice squad guys, and for injury replacements throughout the season.  You could benchmark the pending June cap space as that space needed for draft picks and practice squad guys and injury replacements throughout the season, but you don't have enough to cover everything that you have to spend on and still go do extra.

 

It'll take cuts and renegotiations to have enough space to sign some free agents.  Expect to see Humphrey and Stanley reworked when needed. That's also money that could be freed up later to cover draftees, PS and in-season signings rather than needing to do it in March.

 

 

I'm seeing articles of the cap going up to $260 by 2024. Does that make 2023 around $235 .? They could back load a few knowing the big jump is coming.

[Biggsy]

I'll ask this... Did Derrick Henry "suck" this year?

The Ravens top 3 RBs averaged 4.3, 4.2, and 5.3 YPC. That's not GREAT, and down from last year, but it's not horrendous in my opinion.

If you combine Murray and Freeman, they combined for about 250 attempts, a 4.3 average, and 11 TDs.

Derrick Henry had about 220 carries for a 4.3 average and 10 TDs.

To be clear, I'm not saying I'd trade Henry for those two if I'm TEN. But the actual results were comparable.

I don't recall John using the word "sucked" in regard to the running game. But just because it wasn't as good as it used to be, or they hoped it would be, doesn't mean they shouldn't have leaned on it more. So yeah, they should have run the ball more.

They actually finished 5th in the NFL in YPC for what that's worth

I think the problem with the run game was the consistency. They could go 4 or 5 straight drives where they would run on first and get only a yard or 2. Plus they didn't mesh well with Lamar. They ran almost no read option, for good reason.

What makes Dobbins and Edwards special is that they can consistently get 5 or 6 yards, even when the defense knows its coming. And both can easily take any carry for 20+. On top of that, defenses respect their ability. Especially Dobbins with his big play ability. When you have that threat, the read option becomes a huge problem for defenses at the mesh point.

[BSLMikeFast]

It was almost maddening when the Ravens managed to replace their three RBs with very good back in Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray, yet didn't give them nearly enough of a workload as they merited. Really hoping that's fixed in 2022.

 

Good run game=good offense.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Balt Sun: Where the Ravens can — and can’t — create salary cap space in a pivotal offseason | ANALYSIS

[makoman]

It was almost maddening when the Ravens managed to replace their three RBs with very good back in Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray, yet didn't give them nearly enough of a workload as they merited. Really hoping that's fixed in 2022.

 

Good run game=good offense.

I think "very good" is pretty generous. They were adequate, and apparently couldn't run the mesh stuff that is this offense's bread and butter and opens up so much for Lamar. Off tackle runs just aren't the same. They were also 31 and 29. Murray had 8.5 carries per game and hasn't had 10 since 2017 so his usage seems reasonable, he was also at 3.4 YPC before he exploded in week 18 so not exactly inspiring confidence. Freeman barely played the first quarter of the year but had 10.5 carries per game over his last 12 games and I never particularly thought "this guy needs to have the ball more." It's hard to get too mad when everything is being held together with scotch tape.

 

But yeah, with Dobbins and Gus I am happy if they want to go back to pounding the ball and letting that open things up to being highly efficient in the passing game.

[PrimeTime]

Given our circumstances in the secondary, I'd be much more inclined to look for a free safety as opposed to a cornerback. Marcus Williams from the Saints is an intriguing option if it he does shake loose. He's played 76 games in his first 5 seasons and has 15 career INTs. Plus, he's only 25 years old.

I am some kind of sorcerer. Lol