Let Grubbs walk? Running back replacement?

The more I think about it the more I think maybe we should let grubbs walk. It would save us so much money to go after a big name free agent in a positon we are hurting in like WR, LB,Center. It would save a us a ton of money and it has to be somewhat tempting to the front office considering Jah Reid has looked capable when in the game. Grubbs may as well be already gone because the price will be to high for the Ravens taste. Grubbs is an outstanding guard but for what he will be asking Im not sure he is worth it.

As for replacing Ricky I have heard many rumors. I dont want to bank on the current back ups, I think this is jason parmalee experiement all over again and i dont think it will work , Anthony Allen hardly ever dressed. If they really liked the guy he could have been doing special teams stuff. We have to go free agency ...

Avaliable names,  Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Thomas Jones and Cadillac Williams. I really like Green Ellis but I think the Patriots will resign him.

Avaliable names,  Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Thomas Jones and Cadillac Williams. I really like Green Ellis but I think the Patriots will resign him.

No to all.  C-Bens will cost too much.  Of the rest law firm is the best, but Rice is only about 3lbs lighter and is a lesser back.  We need a complimentary style runner - a power back.  Le'Ron McClain is available as UFA as well and I'd prefer him over the list above.

Random but just saw the top 50 free agent list looked at the top 10 I would like to see the Ravens go get either Mario Williams, DeSean Jackson, or Vincent Jackson.... Not sure how realistic that is with salaray and the cap though

I have resigned myself to the idea that Grubbs is going to be too expensive to keep, I am curious to see who they are going to get to replace him, I don't really think Jah Reid is going to be the answer (honestly I think he will be the RT next year and Oher gets moved back to LT.) if the coaching staff thinks it can be done however great so long as draft a C/G behind them. Actually I would like to see the Ravens draft a C/G prospect as well as a T/G prospect. Whomever we get to replace Running Back I want the contract to make sense. In response to OvechkinsDA**** comments on Free Agents Mario Williams is an intriguing possibility but likely is too expensive for the Ravens.

Random but just saw the top 50 free agent list looked at the top 10 I would like to see the Ravens go get either Mario Williams, DeSean Jackson, or Vincent Jackson.... Not sure how realistic that is with salaray and the cap though

Mario Williams - Yes, but his season ending pectoralis injury is a concern as well as his paycheck

Vincent Jackson - Maybe.  I wanted him last year.  We got Lee Evans for a song, but didn't produce.  He has 3 more years under contract and N-Jax will be expensive.  He is a mercenary and has no allegience to 'team'.  That may change, but we risk having another "Lee Evans". 

DeSean Jackson - No.  Already too expensive and he'll be a cancer in the locker room.

If Torrey Smith and th TE's can develop on the Ravens then so can other rookies.  Like Ozzie, I'm all about home-grown talent through the draft.  I think that getting a late round speedster that can be a project and start on special teams would be more ideal than buying expensive UFA with potential attitude issues.

No to all.  C-Bens will cost too much.

I disagree Benson is turning 30 this year and no one is getting paid the big bucks at his age and troubled past. I think he fits the Ravens system perfect, a very tough runner who just needs better guidance from ravens vets.

Another concern I had was Ed Reed and when is he gone. I think the ravens should spend some money or draft picks to bring in Michael griffins  from the Titans. He was a big name when drafter and ha yet to produce what tennesse was hoping for but with the right coaching and system I think he could flourish in Baltimore. I possible replacement for ed reed. I know he isnt a solid superstar but from a money managing standpoint it could work and he is no bum.

Did anyone else notice how bad the OLine was while Grubbs was out with his injury?  What is the point in signing a big name FA at WR or RB if the line won't be able to protect Flacco?

I honestly did not think the line took a huge hit when Grubbs was out. Week one they all looked like pro bowl starters ...... Ever since they all looked average except yanda who is a beast

Nah, the left side of the line looked bad without Grubbs.  Like you said, week 1 they all looked like probowlers then Grubbs was out week 2.  But I think that's because you had two new lineman on the left side that didn't fully understand the protection schemes so neither of them could help the other like Grubbs could help McKinnie.

That said, I expect Grubbs to walk at this point but I don't think Reid is the answer at LG.  He's too tall for the position to be great in the run game from LG in my opinion.

I don't like the idea of LeRon back either at RB.  I'm a fan of letting Allen get some carries but there might be something about him I don't know that the coaches do.  I guess we'll see come preseason.  But if they were willing to leave Tyrod as the only backup QB as a rookie, then I can't see that big a deal in having your backup RB be a one year vet unless, like I said, there's a big problem that we don't get to see.

#3 WR I'm just not that concerned about since we just played most of the season with a rookie #2 and second year TEs, both of whom played very little in their rookie season.  Outside of depth concerns, I don't think this position is that important right now, let alone to throw money at big name stars.  Mario Manningham, Stevie Johnson, or Steve Smith from the Eagles are my top three candidates right now

I forgot Laurent Robinson.  Replace Johnson with Robinson on my top three only because I don't think Johnson would be fine with going from #1 to #3 and the others would be cheaper

I suppose im just trying to spin the positive spin on the Grubbs situation because I dont see how we bring him back without the franchise tag. Which i think will go to rice or flacco

Does anyone have any idea what the franchise tag would cost if we put it on Grubbs?

Not sure this year, but I think going off of last year, Grubbs would be in the 10M range. Pretty steep for a Guard. I don't think they break it down by position along the line, so any OL franchise would be in that range, so unless you are franchising a LT, it is a steep price. Franchising Rice would likely cost a few Million less.

Which i think will go to rice or flacco

Flacco still has a year under contract, so he won't get a Franchise Tag. I see Rice being the most likely candidate for the tag. 

Does anyone have any idea what the franchise tag would cost if we put it on Grubbs?

Should be at least $10 million

I don't think they break it down by position along the line, so any OL franchise would be in that range, so unless you are franchising a LT, it is a steep price

I think this is correct, it's not separated by positions on the o-line so it's just the average of the top 5 out of them all in the league.  It's mainly going to be LTs that factor in anyway since they are usually paid the most.  That's why o-lineman usually don't get franchised

I think this is correct, it's not separated by positions on the o-line so it's just the average of the top 5 out of them all in the league.  It's mainly going to be LTs that factor in anyway since they are usually paid the most.  That's why o-lineman usually don't get franchised

If that's true then that seems a little unfair.  Do they do that with any other position?  I would imagine fullbacks and halfbacks both get lumped into running backs (and I'm not sure about that) but do any other positions get lumped together?  You could make an argument that many play different parts of the line but a lot of players play multiple positions.  Remember they had to make up a hybrid position for Suggs.  He got franchised as a DE/LB.  I don't know, does it matter if you are an ILB or an OLB, or are all linebackers equal under franchise rules?

Does anyone have any idea what the franchise tag would cost if we put it on Grubbs?

It's $9.4 mil in 2012 down from $10.1 in 2010.

It looks like Jah Reid at OG (if Ben Grubbs is gone) is getting more press.

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/blog/ra
vens-talk/post/Is-Jah-Reid-ready?blockID=648806
http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/20
12/02/08/could-reid-be-the-answer-a
t-guard/

Now which one of you said that this wasn't likely because he was drafted as an OG?   Whether it happens or not its certainly a possibility to the brass.

If that's true then that seems a little unfair.  Do they do that with any other position?

I think safeties get lumped together also.  I don't know about FBs since I don't think anybody has every franchised a FB.

Now which one of you said that this wasn't likely because he was drafted as an OG?

Assuming you mean drafted as a RT, that would be me.  I still don't think it's a good idea just like I didn't think Oher moving to LT was a good idea, despite all the "he's the LT of the future" talk that 85% of the fanbase and media said after his rookie season.  Difference is Oher actually played LT at college and started every game as a rookie.  Reid's played only RT in college if I recall and barely played as a rookie.

Just because it's rumored doesn't make it a good idea but I guess we may see how it works out

Just because it's rumored doesn't make it a good idea but I guess we may see how it works out

I never said it was ideal.  And it's probably more than rumor.  More like a tennative plan.  His size is all wrong for playing guard, but we have guys who fill in multiple spots on the line all the time.  McKinney has another year on his contract and was more than serviceable, but if he comes in at 400lbs again we might see Reid and Oher as bookends then.  If he's as good as Ozzie thinks he is (and he has a great mid-round track record) then he should do fine for a year.

Do they do that with any other position?

I think they do that on the D-line also... A few years ago, the issue with Suggs was whether he was classified as a lineman or a linebacker. I don't think they break it down more than that.