Ravens Free Agent Thread

Well, I'm hoping Dumervil makes a decision today.  He's received the only two offers from his top two choices.  Return to Denver or go follow the LB coach that helped him get 17 sacks in his one season as an OLB.  As of now, I actually hope he signs here because I keep reading that the Ravens backup plan is Freeney.  And I can't express how much I don't want to see Freeney signed.  Wait, yes I can.  I'd rather have Foxworth back and Oher at LT than sign Freeney.  That should tell you my feelings on him<br /> <br /> Reed has officially signed with Houston.<br /> <br /> In terms of the remaining list, I'm still surprised Dansby hasn't been picked up yet.  I also think McKinnie gets signed after the draft during the "second" free agency period unless someone better is released.<br /> <br /> Lastly, it's a random hunch but I think the team looks for a WR after they sign a pass rusher.  LT may be a bigger need, but I think they will wait until the draft for a LT and ILB.  <br />      

I could see them waiting until after the draft for ILB and LT because the Free Agency class is so damned thin and perhas Beach is right, maybe their emergency plan is to have KO play left tackle still one thing is clear can't just do nothing because as it stands right now we have no Left Tackles on the roster. I too agree that Dumervil is the best option for us at Pass Rusher. I heard on Serious XM that Dansby is refusing to panic and he is trying to get one more big pay day out of being cut. If that is true then it is very likely the Ravens don't get him as everyone knows. Call it my own hunch I just don't think he is going to command a huge salary but as they say it only takes 1 team.

#1 why no freeny?


Anyone know Joes cap hit next year?  

<blockquote class="QuoteMessage"> #1 why no freeny?</blockquote>

Besides age, he's not the pass rusher he used to be.  He's horrible against the run and setting the edge.  How do you start 13 games and end the season with 12 total tackles???  As an OLB, he can't drop into coverage.  Freeney the most one dimensional pass rusher in the NFL and he isn't even that good anymore at that.  Like Ksig, if Dumervil isn't signed I hope they just go for Harrison if anybody.  And if the plan is secretly to change to 4-3 then sign Abrahams or Umenyiora before Freeney.<br />

<blockquote class="QuoteMessage"> <br /> Anyone know Joes cap hit next year?</blockquote>

About 14M next year and in 2015 <br /> <br />

<blockquote class="QuoteMessage"> If KO can't do it, then you try Jah Reid</a> </blockquote>

Oh god, you serious?  He's the Terrence Cody of the o-line.  Putting Reid on Joe's blind side will lead to more sacks and fumbles, as well as panicky Joe, than when Oher was there.<br />    <br />   

How do we know? Have we seen him play tackle? I think he has the ideal size and quickness to play T. I have no idea what the guy was doing playing guard...i think hes 6'8? Oher on the other hand might make a probowl guard, hes great at lunging forward and helping his guard try to do a run block when a guy is blitzing off the blindside [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBHaAkj12PU]

I saw saw Ed Reed wearing a Texans hat, thats seriously depressing

<blockquote class="QuoteMessage"> How do we know? Have we seen him play tackle?</blockquote>

We've seen him play at the end of a few unbalanced lines and he wasn't good then either. <br /> <br /> Him getting constantly pushed over at LG showed that his footwork isn't good enough, unless he's that physically weak.  Either way, that weakness will translate over to LT.<br /> <br /> Oh and Oher isn't the answer at LT either   <br /> <br /> <br />   

Not a fan of freeney i dont think he translates well to us. Honestly if we can grab elvis, im ok with what we have as i stated in my previous post, that would lead to a solid amount of depth in the front 7. I like Osi if we cant get Elvis but that may just be preference. Remember Upshaw was very good against the run last year and if he can develop his technique a bit beyond the bull rush i think he can be a force against the pass too- depth is good. the big thing will be how good sizzle and ngata perform. We really dont need them to underperform, Ngata can be a serious force when not hurt but he really has to take care of his body- as for sizzle, if he drops some weight and gets in shape he will command double teams all day long.

The more i think about the draft the more i see us moving up for someone we deem a real starter at either ILB or S. We had a lot of injuries this year and we need to get healthy and i still think i like this team. Oh and spears and canty i think can be absolutely huge alongside kemo, mcphee and jones.

It seems like we are really trying to stuff the run this year. Dumerville will help with the pass rush then we just have to sit there and figure out what the hell the middle of our back field will look like...

2k

Looks like Miami is now in the hunt for Dumervil. And if we've learned anything, they don't care about a players value, its just about outbidding the other team. So i think we can rule all other teams out of the race. Looks like Miami is going to have to learn the hard way like Philly 2 years back.

Not a fan of freeney i dont think he translates well to us. 


R2,  Here's a quick excerpt from beach ... apparently your radar is in full heightened mode and it looks like a case could be made Freeney's abilities beyond pass ruch won't translate to any NFL team...

Look at those numbers ... how can that be ?  Especially since he seemed so well respected .. just wow ...

MoS

i am sorry but Freeney has been the most over rated player the last 10 years in the nfl.  he makes 2 plays a game (sacks) and is an absolute turn style the rest of the game.

Gospel ^^^^!!!!

And I will add how does a guy play 768 snaps at defensive end and have 8 tackles? The year before he played 697 snaps and had 5 tackles. How does that happen? 

I was saying KO should play LT last year after I had enough of watching Oher play LT. Thought KO played pretty well at RT, and he played LT in college, of course i thought this same thing about Oher one time. But at the end of the day you never know until you play them and see what they can do. If KO can't do it, then you try Jah Reid. One thing I know for sure, we've seen what Oher can do for years now...he's the best in the business...at giving James Harrison a clear lane to Flacco.

T - Bryant McKinnie, Max Starks, Ryan Harris, Eric Winston, Andre Smith, Sebastian Vollmer, [Sam Baker], Jake Long

C - Robert Turner, Chris Spencer, Jeff Faine

WR - Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kevin Walter, Laurent Robinson, Danario Alexander, Brandon Lloyd, [Mike Wallace], Greg Jennings, Wes Welker, Brandon Gibson, Donnie Avery, Danny Amendola

NT/DT - Justin Bannan, Richard Seymour, Steve McLendon, [Pat Sims], Terrance Knighton, Desmond Bryant, Isaac Sopoaga

DE - John Abraham, [Richard Seymour], Elvis Dumervil, [Jason Jones], Glenn Dorsey, Ricky Jean Francois, Cliff Avril

OLB - James Harrison, Shaun Phillips, [Paul Kruger], Connor Barwin, [Antwan Barnes]

ILB - James Anderson, Daryl Smith, Brian Urlacher, Karlos Dansby, Nick Barnett, D.J. Williams, [Dannell Ellerbe], Rey Maualuga, [Brad Jones]

CB - Tracy Porter, Nnamdi Asomugha, [Antoine Cason], Cary Williams, Sean Smith, Aqib Talib

S - Charles Woodson, Dawan Landry, Kerry Rhodes, Quintin Mikell, Tom Zbikowski, [Ed Reed], [Dashon Goldson], Adrian Wilson, Chris Clemons, Kenny Phillips

Losses:
Ed Reed
[Cary Williams]
Dannel Ellerbe
Paul Kruger
[Anquan Boldin]
[Bernard Pollard]

Additions:
[Chris Canty]
[Marcus Spears]

Resigning:
[Dennis Pitta]
[Arthur Jones]
[David Reed]
[Ramon Harewood]
[Morgan Cox]


Zbikowksi signed a one year deal with the Bears at the vet minimum.

DJ Williams signed with Chicago yesterday.  He wasn't crossed off previously

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/e
ye-on-football/21932515/agents-take
-where----and-for-what----top-free-
agents-will-sign

If this article from Joel Correy is accurate at all we could have Charles Woodson at a Veteran Minimum Contract, Michael Huff and Karlos Dansby. That would mean we would need to draft a pass rusher or possibly sign Harrison to a one year deal and would still leave us with a glaring need at Left Tackle.

Mckinnie is going to get resigned once he realizes that noone is going to give him any decent money.

I highly doubt Ozzie is going to sign Charles ( he is trying to get younger on D, not older)    Huff is on the radar for sure.  Ozzie is probably going to draft an ILB somewhere in the first 3 rounds.  Dumervil is still first priority for the Ravens it seems.  If Ozzie gets him, they will be restructuring either Ngata's or Webby's contract to accomodate him.

T - Bryant McKinnie, Max Starks, Ryan Harris, Eric Winston, Andre Smith, [Sebastian Vollmer], Sam Baker, Jake Long

C - Robert Turner, Chris Spencer, Jeff Faine

WR - Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kevin Walter, Laurent Robinson, Danario Alexander, Brandon Lloyd, [Mike Wallace], Greg Jennings, Wes Welker, Brandon Gibson, Donnie Avery, Danny Amendola

NT/DT - Justin Bannan, Richard Seymour, Steve McLendon, [Pat Sims], Terrance Knighton, Desmond Bryant, Isaac Sopoaga

DE - John Abraham, [Richard Seymour], Elvis Dumervil, [Jason Jones], Glenn Dorsey, Ricky Jean Francois, Cliff Avril

OLB - James Harrison, Shaun Phillips, [Paul Kruger], Connor Barwin, [Antwan Barnes]

ILB - James Anderson, Daryl Smith, Brian Urlacher, Karlos Dansby, Nick Barnett, D.J. Williams, [Dannell Ellerbe], Rey Maualuga, [Brad Jones]

CB - Tracy Porter, Nnamdi Asomugha, [Antoine Cason], Cary Williams, Sean Smith, Aqib Talib

S - Charles Woodson, Dawan Landry, Kerry Rhodes, Quintin Mikell, Tom Zbikowski, [Ed Reed], [Dashon Goldson], Adrian Wilson, Chris Clemons, Kenny Phillips

Losses:
Ed Reed
[Cary Williams]
Dannel Ellerbe
Paul Kruger
[Anquan Boldin]
[Bernard Pollard]

Additions:
[Chris Canty]
[Marcus Spears]

Resigning:
[Dennis Pitta]
[Arthur Jones]
[David Reed]
[Ramon Harewood]
[Morgan Cox]

Sabastian Volmer just agreed to terms with New England on a 4 year deal. It shouldn't affect market value of those left because they are all older than Volmer but it is one less option for the Ravens at Tackle. Now that we are through the Owners meetings Free Agent prices should come down and they will come down significantly more after the draft.

T - Bryant McKinnie, Max Starks, Ryan Harris, Eric Winston, Andre Smith, [Sebastian Vollmer], Sam Baker, Jake Long

C - Robert Turner, Chris Spencer, Jeff Faine

WR - Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kevin Walter, Laurent Robinson, Danario Alexander, Brandon Lloyd, [Mike Wallace], Greg Jennings, Wes Welker, Brandon Gibson, Donnie Avery, Danny Amendola

NT/DT - Justin Bannan, Richard Seymour, Steve McLendon, [Pat Sims], Terrance Knighton, Desmond Bryant, Isaac Sopoaga

DE - John Abraham, [Richard Seymour], Elvis Dumervil, [Jason Jones], Glenn Dorsey, Ricky Jean Francois, Cliff Avril

OLB - James Harrison, Shaun Phillips, [Paul Kruger], Connor Barwin, [Antwan Barnes]

ILB - James Anderson, Daryl Smith, Brian Urlacher, Karlos Dansby, Nick Barnett, D.J. Williams, [Dannell Ellerbe], Rey Maualuga, [Brad Jones]

CB - Tracy Porter, Nnamdi Asomugha, [Antoine Cason], Cary Williams, Sean Smith, Aqib Talib

S - Charles Woodson, Dawan Landry, Kerry Rhodes, Quintin Mikell, Tom Zbikowski, [Ed Reed], [Dashon Goldson], Adrian Wilson, Chris Clemons, Kenny Phillips

Losses:
Ed Reed
[Cary Williams]
Dannel Ellerbe
Paul Kruger
[Anquan Boldin]
[Bernard Pollard]

Additions:
[Chris Canty]
[Marcus Spears]

Resigning:
[Dennis Pitta]
[Arthur Jones]
[David Reed]
[Ramon Harewood]
[Morgan Cox]

Sabastian Volmer just agreed to terms with New England on a 4 year deal. It shouldn't affect market value of those left because they are all older than Volmer but it is one less option for the Ravens at Tackle. Now that we are through the Owners meetings Free Agent prices should come down and they will come down significantly more after the draft.

Ravens agreed to terms with DE/OLB Elvis Dumervil, formerly of the Broncos.

Rotoworld.com is reporting that we got THE man just a bit ago.  SCORE!   Terms as of yet undisclosed.

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/c
i_22861666/elvis-dumervil-agrees-co
ntract-baltimore-ravens

Elvis is coming to town ladies and gentlemen.  Are people going to stop freaking out now?

In Ozzie we trust

According to a few sources on twitter 5 year deal

T - Bryant McKinnie, Max Starks, Ryan Harris, Eric Winston, Andre Smith, [Sebastian Vollmer], Sam Baker, Jake Long

C - Robert Turner, Chris Spencer, Jeff Faine

WR - Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kevin Walter, Laurent Robinson, Danario Alexander, Brandon Lloyd, [Mike Wallace], Greg Jennings, Wes Welker, Brandon Gibson, Donnie Avery, Danny Amendola

NT/DT - Justin Bannan, Richard Seymour, Steve McLendon, [Pat Sims], Terrance Knighton, Desmond Bryant, Isaac Sopoaga

DE - John Abraham, [Richard Seymour], Elvis Dumervil, [Jason Jones], Glenn Dorsey, Ricky Jean Francois, Cliff Avril

OLB - James Harrison, Shaun Phillips, [Paul Kruger], Connor Barwin, [Antwan Barnes]

ILB - James Anderson, Daryl Smith, Brian Urlacher, Karlos Dansby, Nick Barnett, D.J. Williams, [Dannell Ellerbe], Rey Maualuga, [Brad Jones]

CB - Tracy Porter, Nnamdi Asomugha, [Antoine Cason], Cary Williams, Sean Smith, Aqib Talib

S - Charles Woodson, Dawan Landry, Kerry Rhodes, Quintin Mikell, Tom Zbikowski, [Ed Reed], [Dashon Goldson], Adrian Wilson, Chris Clemons, Kenny Phillips

Losses:
Ed Reed
[Cary Williams]
Dannel Ellerbe
Paul Kruger
[Anquan Boldin]
[Bernard Pollard]

Additions:
[Chris Canty]
[Marcus Spears]
Elvis Dumervil

Resigning:
[Dennis Pitta]
[Arthur Jones]
[David Reed]
[Ramon Harewood]
[Morgan Cox]

The best part about the Dumvervil signing is that he doesn't hurt next year's comp picks since he was officially cut by Denver.  It's reportedly a five year deal so it should be cap friendly for the first two or three years.  By the time it "should" get bad, Suggs' and Ngata's contracts should be off the books or at much lower cap hits.  Oh, and Terrell Suggs now has a threat opposite him. 

This is why we don't freak out in week 1 of free agency as Ravens fans.  Last season's defense just wasn't that good.  As of now, we have a better d-line and better OLBs.  Sit back, and watch what else Ozzie does

This is why we don't freak out in week 1 of free agency as Ravens fans.

But it seems like some fans do every year.  Looks like the Ravens got Elvis for about the same money that the Browns got Kruger.  Sounds like a coup to me.  As much as I liked Kruger when he was here, I'd much rather have the guys who has proven it over several years over the guy who had it for one half of a season.  Hopefully this motivates Suggs to get into the best shape of his life and we have a killer combo.  Approximately how much money will this leave the Ravens with to sign more players.  Will any players get re-structured?  Will Leach get cut?

But it seems like some fans do every year

You would think they just started watching the Raven last season.  Same thing every year and every year people lose their minds.

Approximately how much money will this leave the Ravens with to sign more players.  Will any players get re-structured?  Will Leach get cut?

Leach probably gets cut.  I think the Ravens had about 10-12 million before this signing and word is Dumervil will get 8.5 million the first year so it looks like a front loaded contract so he'll be cut around year 3 or 4 for cheap.  Anyway, Yanda may get restructured.  Suggs could be extended to make him a Raven for life and also lower his cap hit.  Same for Yanda.

Correction, Dumvervil will get 8.5 million but that won't be his cap hit.  1 million salary and a 7.5 million signing bonus spread over five years (1.5 a year) so he'll only be a 2.5 million cap hit this year.

With such a low signing bonus, unless there's an option bonus that kicks in somewhere, expect Dumervil to only make it through the third year of that contract, around the time they resign Upshaw.

Starting to really love our front 7 with this move.  We can use Upshaw next to Haloti inside if need be now, canty and spears handling the end duties with Art Jones and Tyson on a rotation and ofc Suggs doing his thing.  Still need another LB but we do have Adrian Hamilton, Nigel Carr, Josh Bynes, Albert McClellen among others on the roster.  I don't doubt that Ozzie will draft a ILB but the D is starting to come together now with a solid bookend passrushing duo that has been missing since the Boulware,McCrary days.

Still need another LB but we do have [Adrian Hamilton], [Nigel Carr], [Josh Bynes], Albert McClellen among others on the roster

I'll be honest here, I'm not all that concerned about ILB anymore.  You simply can't have all-stars at every position and people forget that.  Right now, our d-line looks great on paper with some very, very, good backups to come in during rotations.  Also on paper, Suggs and Dumervil will be a great OLB tandem.  That just leaves ILB.

We've seen McClellen do well at ILB although only for a few games.  I'm one of the people that's on the Josh Bynes bandwagon.  I'd be perfectly fine with McClellan and Bynes starting at ILB if McClain can't play.  Of course we'll probably need some more depth since everybody at ILB is very limited on experience.  Don't be surprised if they trade up for Ogletree if he makes it to around the 22nd, 23rd spot.  Too many draft picks to not trade up somewhere

Next focus is safety.  I still think they keep McKinnie as a last resore option at LT since nobody is calling him at the moment.  Huff is probably the next signing.

T - Bryant McKinnie, Max Starks, Ryan Harris, Eric Winston, Andre Smith, [Sebastian Vollmer], Sam Baker, Jake Long

C - Robert Turner, Chris Spencer, Jeff Faine

WR - Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kevin Walter, Laurent Robinson, Danario Alexander, Brandon Lloyd, [Mike Wallace], Greg Jennings, Wes Welker, Brandon Gibson, Donnie Avery, Danny Amendola

NT/DT - Justin Bannan, Richard Seymour, Steve McLendon, [Pat Sims], Terrance Knighton, Desmond Bryant, Isaac Sopoaga

DE - John Abraham, [Richard Seymour], Elvis Dumervil, [Jason Jones], Glenn Dorsey, Ricky Jean Francois, Cliff Avril

OLB - James Harrison, Shaun Phillips, [Paul Kruger], Connor Barwin, [Antwan Barnes]

ILB - James Anderson, Daryl Smith, Brian Urlacher, Karlos Dansby, Nick Barnett, D.J. Williams, [Dannell Ellerbe], Rey Maualuga, [Brad Jones]

CB - Tracy Porter, Nnamdi Asomugha, [Antoine Cason], Cary Williams, Sean Smith, Aqib Talib

S - Charles Woodson, Dawan Landry, Kerry Rhodes, Quintin Mikell, Tom Zbikowski, [Ed Reed], [Dashon Goldson], Adrian Wilson, Chris Clemons, Kenny Phillips

Losses:
Ed Reed
[Cary Williams]
Dannel Ellerbe
Paul Kruger
[Anquan Boldin]
[Bernard Pollard]

Additions:
[Chris Canty]
[Marcus Spears]
Elvis Dumervil

Resigning:
[Dennis Pitta]
[Arthur Jones]
[David Reed]
[Ramon Harewood]
[Morgan Cox]

So the question remains, who is left that the Ravens may want to sign? I was reviewing CBS Sports list of the top 100 Free Agents just as a means of trying to see who they might be targeting next. In the next 6 weeks I would like to see the Ravens sign a Veteran left tackle, Safety and Inside Linebacker.

The most likely candidates in my opinion are McKinney (probably not signed until after the draft), Michael Huff or maybe Charles Woodson and finally either Daryl Smith or Nick Barnett. I believe Smith was cut so he wouldn't count against us for compensatory picks same as Huff.

Just trying to see where the rest of the fans are at now that Free Agency is settling down before I start looking at what the Ravens might do in the draft.

I'm actually starting to wonder if Ozzie is specifically targetting cut players so as not to mess with future comp picks.  I'm sure they'll go after someone who's contract simply expired, but it just seems like the good value cut players come first, which is why I think they'll do some things in the second free agency period

So the question remains, who is left that the Ravens may want to sign? I was reviewing CBS Sports list of the top 100 Free Agents just as a means of trying to see who they might be targeting next. In the next 6 weeks I would like to see the Ravens sign a Veteran left tackle, Safety and Inside Linebacker.

Isn't Michael Huff still out there?  I think Charles Woodson is too.  I don't think either will come at a high salary and Woodson may fall to the 2nd roound of FA.  Both have that SS experience and know pass coverage one being a CB and the other playing both safety positions.  Pair just one up with Omar Brown and and we're set there.

It may be more likely that we see the Ravens grab the best LT they can squeeze int the remaining cap space or possibly even bundle some picks to give to a team drafting in the top 15 to get a quality OT.  Then again guuys like Kyle Long and Terron Armstead will be available in the 2nd round.  If McKinnie is not coming back I say the latter, not the former is more likely.

For ILB, see my comments below.

Per the Glenn Younes show, Don "Wink" Martindale the Ravens are very excited about the prospect of Josh Bynes andAlbert McClellan. They may stand pat, when it comes to Inside Linebacker and back fill via the draft. Which would mean that we could focus on Left Tackle and Safety in Free Agency.

I've said this before.  McClellan has played both ILB and OLB professionally and collegately.  He's a fierce hitter and I'm not sure why he hasn;t been able to crack the starting line up.  Looks like he'll get his chance.  Same for Josh Bynes (not the OLB part).  He'll get his chance now too and they've had high hopes for since his they grabbed and a undrafted free agent two years ago.  They're raw talents and sittin in reserve behind Lewis and then Ellerbe.  I can imagine though that Ozzie will go after an ILB at some point in the draft as well to continue to build depth.

I'm actually starting to wonder if Ozzie is specifically targetting cut players so as not to mess with future comp picks. 

I hadn't thought of it exactly this way, but it is a smart M.O. especially in a rebuilding phase.  I'm not sure if the PM era Colts and the Pats have done this, but even with their bloated salaries they managed to get the right talent for the right proce, come in under the cap and field winning/play-off teams each season.  Looks like you're onto to something there, RR1.


Ozzie has been uncharacteristically agressive this offseason.  Not desparate, but filling needs AND some how mananging to get great value.   It hase made for an EXTREMELY entertaining offseason.  This may carry over to the draft.