40 replies to this topic

[bmore_ken]

Gus Edwards looked great. He should be the main guy with Hill as the 3rd down guy.

Agree and it should stay that way.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I think it's a little more nuanced than this. You can point to multiple highly drafted dual threat QBs over the years as counterexamples to the idea that it was strictly race. I think that Lamar's voice/accent makes him come off as much more culturally black compared to Vick and RG3 and Cam. The latter 3 you could make the argument that they (naturally or through training) had to whitewash their mannerisms to be seen as acceptable in the draft process, but Lamar couldnt, or wouldnt, and so it led to the racially charged questions about his mental acuity for the position. And then you have the bs wonderlic result adding gasoline to that fire.

While there may be more elements of racism for black QBs, the draft process is pretty much equal opportunity degrading for every draftee. That's why the NFL has had to clamp down on some of the most egregious examples of teams behaving badly. Like asking if your mom is a hooker.

I think his mechanics/footwork were worth giving pause to him, there's no guarantee he would be able to clean that up in the pro level against higher level opponents. And certainly as an athletic QB you wonder if his (or anyone's) athleticism will play against 280 lb guys that run sub-4.5 40s. Obviously with the latter it turned out that he's still the best athlete on the field by a mile, but that's hard to predict.

I think it's ridiculous that he was available at 32. But I'm glad the Ravens picked him up.

Yeah def some nuance involved. Little bit of everything you touched on here.

[makoman]

I would bet the lack of an agent probably didn't help Lamar in the draft process either. Narratives start to come out as the league nitpicks everything about you, and normally I imagine you have some push back from your advocates rewriting or respinning things, not just publicly but behind the scenes, and he simply didn't have those people on his side.

[Mike B]

Agree and it should stay that way.

I agree for the most part, but I think there are going to be times where the Ravens are in the spread, where I could see Hill being the choice.

 

It was nice to have Gus healthy and able to bludgeon the Bengals at the end of the game yesterday.

[Mike B]

The thing that has not been discussed enough the last 2 weeks is how well the Ravens are tackling.

 

And IMO, Smith and Queen are elite in the middle of this defense.

[Mike in STL]

The thing that has not been discussed enough the last 2 weeks is how well the Ravens are tackling.

 

And IMO, Smith and Queen are elite in the middle of this defense.

Queen has been a joy to watch. His athleticism, cutting off the edges, really coming through. It's a night and day difference when he was the strong side versus the weak side. He can make a nice career for himself as Bart Scott to Roquan Smith's Ray Lewis. These guys aren't that expensive, I'd like to see an extension if this continues. 

[makoman]

Queen has been a joy to watch. His athleticism, cutting off the edges, really coming through. It's a night and day difference when he was the strong side versus the weak side. He can make a nice career for himself as Bart Scott to Roquan Smith's Ray Lewis. These guys aren't that expensive, I'd like to see an extension if this continues. 

Queen has been awesome. Everyone uses the bust term too quickly sometimes, he's younger than three of the team's six 2023 draft picks. I'd love to have him the next few years, seems a great compliment to Roquan, but I have no idea how much I would spend or how much it should take.

[Mike B]

Queen has been a joy to watch. His athleticism, cutting off the edges, really coming through. It's a night and day difference when he was the strong side versus the weak side. He can make a nice career for himself as Bart Scott to Roquan Smith's Ray Lewis. These guys aren't that expensive, I'd like to see an extension if this continues. 

My son and I were talking last night.  I said this is the best inside duo, since Ray and Bart.

 

Queen is going to get paid though.  I don't think the Ravens can afford it.

[Mike B]

Queen has been awesome. Everyone uses the bust term too quickly sometimes, he's younger than three of the team's six 2023 draft picks. I'd love to have him the next few years, seems a great compliment to Roquan, but I have no idea how much I would spend or how much it should take.

I have been the guy who defended Queen, but I do that with everyone so no big deal, but his speed and energy has always been on display.  Playing in the NFL is tough. it takes time to adjust.

Fans are not big with patience though.

[hallas]

The thing that has not been discussed enough the last 2 weeks is how well the Ravens are tackling.

And IMO, Smith and Queen are elite in the middle of this defense.

I saw Queen chase down guys in the flat on like 4 different plays, and finish the tackle for no/short gains. It was almost enough to wash my memory of him getting trucked by CEH against the Chiefs. If that's who he is now, yeah he's finally a big hit.

[hallas]

I have been the guy who defended Queen, but I do that with everyone so no big deal, but his speed and energy has always been on display. Playing in the NFL is tough. it takes time to adjust.
Fans are not big with patience though.

I'm one of his earliest critics, and I'm ecstatic about how he's playing. But I think patience only gets you so far. I'm fine calling him a hit if this is who he is, but you have a limited window to make an impact. He's on the last year of his rookie contract. 2 bad years, 1 okay year playing next to a pro bowler, and 1 great year in a walk year isn't bad but I think you're looking for a bit more consistently impactful players than what Queen has given us out of the first round.

[BSLChrisStoner]

He was pretty much the youngest player in the league as a rookie... in the middle of a pandemic, with limited off-season work. 

After not playing a ton in college.  It was always going to take some time. 
There has been consistent progression.  

[bmore_ken]

My son and I were talking last night.  I said this is the best inside duo, since Ray and Bart.

 

Queen is going to get paid though.  I don't think the Ravens can afford it.

I was thinking the exact same thing. 

[hallas]

He was pretty much the youngest player in the league as a rookie... in the middle of a pandemic, with limited off-season work. 

After not playing a ton in college.  It was always going to take some time. 
There has been consistent progression.  

 

I get that, but fair or not you get placed on a clock with a rookie contract no matter what age you are when you're drafted.  We already declined a 1/12 option on him, so what are we going to be able to extend him for?  3/30 with 2 years guaranteed?  Is that going to get it done?

 

If he balls out he's probably pricing himself off the team.

[Mackus]

He's gone.  No way they pay a second inside linebacker, especially after already using draft capital on his replacement.  Can't see them offering him more than about what Bowser gets, and I think unless he has a major injury he's very likely to get that type of contract elsewhere and earn the Ravens a 5th or 6th round comp pick which we know they like.

[BSLJamieSieck]

A few other thoughts.

The Bengals are a dirty football team. #55 especially always seemed to be diving on players after they were already down.

The Ravens have multiple plans in short yardage. I think if we are spreading the field it will be Hill, and if we are in the power package it will be Gus. The wild card is LJ. It was very impressive the way they ended the game yesterday.

The defense again did a job on Burrow. Hats off to Stephens, Rock Ya Sin, Ronald Darby, Stone, Washington etc. I heard the Ravens think Marlon may return to practice this week. Let him have 2 weeks to get ready and play a limited snap count against the Browns if he does return this week.

Clowney looks like he is going to help. He has plenty of juice left.

Lamar in this offense is going to be fun.

In this vein, the Bengals WRs definitely like to push off at the top of their break. Being big, physical players, they seem to get away with it. On Higgins 2nd TD, he pushed off Darby right in front of the side judge and no flag.

[BSLJamieSieck]

He's gone. No way they pay a second inside linebacker, especially after already using draft capital on his replacement. Can't see them offering him more than about what Bowser gets, and I think unless he has a major injury he's very likely to get that type of contract elsewhere and earn the Ravens a 5th or 6th round comp pick which we know they like.

More than likely, you're correct but the market can be weird sometimes. Adalius Thomas comes to mind. Everyone thought he was going to find a good deal on the free agent market and it just wasn't there, so the Ravens retained Thomas on a fairly modest contract.

Again, not likely but stranger things have happened.

[hallas]

In this vein, the Bengals WRs definitely like to push off at the top of their break. Being big, physical players, they seem to get away with it. On Higgins 2nd TD, he pushed off Darby right in front of the side judge and no flag.

If you're a receiver these days and you don't push off are you even trying? Andrews does this a lot and it never gets called. I honestly want a rules change to make passing plays riskier. It's too easy to design timing routes that are piss simple for offenses to execute and impossible for defenses to defend. I'd like to see the no PI zone expanded to 3 yards and an emphasis on illegal contact by receivers.

[Mackus]

More than likely, you're correct but the market can be weird sometimes. Adalius Thomas comes to mind. Everyone thought he was going to find a good deal on the free agent market and it just wasn't there, so the Ravens retained Thomas on a fairly modest contract.

Again, not likely but stranger things have happened.

Not sure who you're thinking of, but don't think it's Adalius Thomas. He signed a huge contract with the Patriots.

[Biggsy]

Not sure who you're thinking of, but don't think it's Adalius Thomas. He signed a huge contract with the Patriots.

Maybe Bowser?