Our number one priority next year HAS to be upgrading our passing game.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I don't know how they will do it, or what specifically they can do, but we need to be able to win a game or 2 passing the ball.

Joe has regressed in the second half of the year and while he can carve up the little sisters of the poor, he really struggles against the top teams in big games. In 5 playoff games Joe has gone 57 of 120 for 660 yards, 1 TD and 6 INT's for a QB rating of 46.5. He doesn't need to be Dan Marino, but you have to at least be average out there.

Obviously, the most obvious thing is WR...I definitely would NOT count on Mason coming back. If there is no extension to the CBA, we would get Clayton/DWill back, but only a fool would go into next year with those 2 plus Kelley Washington and a rookie. We need to be bold and go out there and get a legit #1 guy...and a guy who can stretch the field. Hopefully the Harbs and Ozzie don't have thier heads in the sand again like they did this last offseason.

I think the D really came around this year and I don't think CB is anywhere near the huge hole most of us thought it was around midseason. I do think we need another pass rusher, but I think the second half of this season showed that we need to be able to throw the ball to take it to the next level.

[NC Raven]

No doubt. Kills me we didn't end up with either Hakeem Nicks or Louis Murphy in the last draft one way or another. Kruger may turn out to be a player, but in terms of this year specifically, that particular draft pick may have been a killer.

I said on the game thread, you know we totally overhauled the CB position the last 2 years, and now it appears to be coming together pretty well. I think people confuse perfection with really good. I think the secondary is doing very well, and getting better, as the players have gelled and adjusted to their roles. People forget that players are people who need time to blend together, not blobs of statistics like they are in Madden, where they play the same all the time because of their ratings -- not like that in real life.

The WR corps needs a major overhaul. I'm happy if Mason comes back but we need somebody about twice as effective as he is lined up on the other side of the field, and we need a 3rd WR who can give us big grabs like Collie does for the Colts, or that rookie for Pittsburgh who caught that last second pass against GB. We get 1 first down a game from K Wash and to us, it's like a godsend. That's how desperate we are for an impact at WR.

[4G63]

Why Oz and Co. never trade a 1st for a proven commodity like a Brandon Marshall is beyond me....this has got to be dealt with because, as was shown tonight, when a defense can take away your running game and you've got a guy like Mason(whose great BTW) that's playinig the role of a #1, but in reality is a #2, you've got serious problems.....

[RavenScallywag]

Part of that is a TRUE proven commodity that's NOT a headcase...No team wants to give them up! Look at Andre Johnson...Reggie Wayne...their team won't trade them because they KNOW that is way too valuable.

Bowe and Marshall have character/off the field issues that you have to consider...And I know everyone says "who cares about it", but consider that both these guys are one transgression away from a likely year long suspension. So you trade your #1 for them, they screw up...well, there goes your season. Because you gave away that 1st, didn't take a backup plan, and if they are a free agent too...well, nice investment there.

I still say it's time to trade that 1st for either one, but it's not a simple deal. Draft picks are younger, usually healthier, someone you can get under a cheape contract for 5-6 years.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

You know what I'm afraid of? Harbs came from Philly and the same train of thought of Andy Reid.

Reid for years had Donovan McNabb waste some of the best years of his career with guys like James Thrash as his #1 WR and Todd Pinkston/Freddie Mitchell as his #2 and 3 guys. When opportunities came for them to get elite WR's, they never did it...even when they got TO, they only offered a 4th rounder and would not have gotten him if TO didn't practically demand to go there. And when time came for a contract extension, they refused to negotiate even though he obviously took McNabb and that offense to a whole new level. Until the last 2 years, their WR's were a joke.

I think Harbs is trying to model this offense after that Philly offense...mediocre WR's with a multitalented RB as the focus of your run and passing game.

He needs to realize that we need legit WR in here.

[Purpleguy]

It has been obvious for years befor Harbaugh got here that we have needed a legit #1 receiver. Ozzie is just completely incapable of getting it done.

[BmoreBrawla]

Why Oz and Co. never trade a 1st for a proven commodity like a Brandon Marshall is beyond me....this has got to be dealt with because, as was shown tonight, when a defense can take away your running game and you've got a guy like Mason(whose great BTW) that's playinig the role of a #1, but in reality is a #2, you've got serious problems.....

Brandon Marshall is a no-brainer for this team. Anita was right on this.

[Brtnder81]

honestly its been about 5 hrs since the game ended and im still not ready to talk about it or except that our season is over all i want to do is scream. aaaaaaHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ok that didnt help. im still pissed.

[RustonRifle]

I have little confidence the passing game can or will be upgraded. The past offseason the FO saw fit to bring in the one TE who has less durability than Todd Heap and who may have the most fragile body in the NFL. LJ Smith makes Daniel Wilcox seem like he's Lou Gehrig like in comparison. The past draft was deep in WR talent and the Ravens failed to get one on the first day.

The NFL rules in place benefit the teams that can wing it, trying to win with a 2000 Super Bowl formula is not going to happen.

[jonboy79]

Why Oz and Co. never trade a 1st for a proven commodity like a Brandon Marshall is beyond me....this has got to be dealt with because, as was shown tonight, when a defense can take away your running game and you've got a guy like Mason(whose great BTW) that's playinig the role of a #1, but in reality is a #2, you've got serious problems.....

Brandon Marshall is a loser that belongs nowhere near this lockerroom.

Anquan Boldin will be wearing purple, write that down.

[Lee Van Cleef]

Anquan Boldin will be wearing purple, write that down.

I'd prefer a guy that can play a full season. As much as I love his attitude and ability, he's hitting 30 this year and is constantly getting injured.

[RavenScallywag]

I have little confidence the passing game can or will be upgraded. The past draft was deep in WR talent and the Ravens failed to get one on the first day.

eh, most of the talented WRs were picked ahead of us anyway. Crabtree, Harvin, Maclin were all off the board when we drafted. And while I would've loved to get Nicks or Britt, I can't argue with the Oher pick.

So if we discount round 1 receivers, you've got Massaquoi, Louis Murphy, and Mike Wallace stepping up...anyone else?

Because you also had Brian Robiskie, who most people wanted us to take, failing miserably. And that's not even covering Heyward-Bey.

Looking over the draft, only guys I can find are Brian Hartline, who wasn't really a big playmaker, just a starter in Miami...Collie and Edelman, who both benefited from having the best QBs throwing to them...Knox in Chicago...that's it.

So discounting Round 1 WRs, and any WR picked ahead of Kruger...that leaves you Louis Murphy, Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, Austin Collie, Julian Edelman, and Johnny Knox who could've made a huge impact on this team this year. Can you honestly say if we had drafted any of those guys, you wouldn't be blasting Ozzie for another great WR gamble like Patrick Johnson or Clarence Moore?

[StingerNLG]

I have little confidence the passing game can or will be upgraded. The past offseason the FO saw fit to bring in the one TE who has less durability than Todd Heap and who may have the most fragile body in the NFL. LJ Smith makes Daniel Wilcox seem like he's Lou Gehrig like in comparison. The past draft was deep in WR talent and the Ravens failed to get one on the first day.

The NFL rules in place benefit the teams that can wing it, trying to win with a 2000 Super Bowl formula is not going to happen.

And the saddest part? LJ Smith has not been on an injury report in weeks. And he's been active! I double checked to make sure he wasn't put on IR and I missed it. He was healthy, active, and never sniffed the field.

I think they figured Ray Rice was all we needed to win.

[Jeremiah W]

I like Gresham in round 1 and Thomas from GT in round 2. A couple of huge and fast targets that could open up who ever else we keep as the possesion types.

[jonboy79]

I'd prefer a guy that can play a full season. As much as I love his attitude and ability, he's hitting 30 this year and is constantly getting injured.

You listed the reasons that he has become attainable.

I doubt we make a high=flyer move for Bowe or Vincent Jackson for a 1st and a third... Marshall shouldn't be on the radar... so at this point we are looking at Boldin or Malcolm Floyd, and Boldin is likely to be cheaper.

[Mwjergs]

Didn't we have this conversation after the playoffs last season?

It's the one area that was never addressed correctly. Washington was a surprise as a #3 but not a difference maker. They didn't do it in Free agency and they didn't even draft a player. So it's no surprise that the reason you can't advance is because your offense scores 3 points.

You just have to wonder how they move forward with only Marcus Smith under contract for next season.

In order for Flacco to continue to grow they must surround him with players who can make plays.

[Bez513]

I agree with the original post of upgrading the O 1st. Here is my list of priorities in order :

1. WR - Mason may retire and Clayton just isn't a #1 or #2. Slot reciever at best.
2. TE - LJ Smith was nowhere this year, always hurt. Davon Drew? Heap only has a few years left in him.
3. DE - Pryce was another one you never heard his name called. We need a legit pass rusher like Freeney. Teamed with Suggs on the other side.

I'm not 100% sold on Gaither. Maybe move Oher back to LT get get a new RT. I think we are ok with Webb/Foxworth/Washington at CB. Might want to get a big/physical CB. With Reed might retiring is Zibby capable of being a good safety?

[HoustonRaven]

You listed the reasons that he has become attainable.

I doubt we make a high=flyer move for Bowe or Vincent Jackson for a 1st and a third... Marshall shouldn't be on the radar... so at this point we are looking at Boldin or Malcolm Floyd, and Boldin is likely to be cheaper.

Agreed. Far too much douchebaggery surrounding Marshall. Harbs needs team players so he can establish more control in the locker room. Marshall does not accomplish that goal.

Give me the guy that broke bones in his face then played the next week any day of the week!

[Carey]

I think guys like Webb, Ellerbe, Edwards shoring up some spots have been great for us. Pass rushing from the DE/DT spot is our only need on defense imo. We need to be ultra aggressive on offense in the off season. If we dont add 2 starting caliber WR's and a TE capable of forcing Cam into 2 tight end sets and being the heir apparent to Heap then i think we failed.

[NC Raven]

And the saddest part? LJ Smith has not been on an injury report in weeks. And he's been active! I double checked to make sure he wasn't put on IR and I missed it. He was healthy, active, and never sniffed the field.

I didn't realize LJ Smith was an active member of the roster until he committed that penalty on the kick return last night. Please tell me he only had a one year contract. :ralph:

[StingerNLG]

I didn't realize LJ Smith was an active member of the roster until he committed that penalty on the kick return last night. Please tell me he only had a one year contract. :ralph:

Wow. I didn't even see him.


So........maybe we can trade Minnesota for Sydney Rice. He just caught his third touchdown, his second downfield. Must be nice.

[festivus]

Agreed with the OP. I'm not going to complain about anything done in previous off seasons; it's not like we have a bad team out there and it's our FAs, like Pryce, and draft picks, like Oher, who make it that way. But the time has come to upgrade at WR.

[4G63]

Brandon Marshall is a loser that belongs nowhere near this lockerroom.

Anquan Boldin will be wearing purple, write that down.

I didn't say Marshall specifically, but someone who can/will make an impact immediately. A 1st-rd WR should still be on "the list", but they usually take a year or two to develop....

[jonboy79]

I didn't say Marshall specifically, but someone who can/will make an impact immediately. A 1st-rd WR should still be on "the list", but they usually take a year or two to develop....

I specifically don't want Marshall, but don't feel that we will make a big move to grab Vincent Jackson or Bowe either. I think Boldin is the move that is priced where the Ravens would like to go. I think they want to use the first two rounds of the draft.

They need a first round corner and a first round passrusher too.

[baltimore_hokie]

Boldin was out and they still scored 50+ points. Doucet stepped right in and tore it up. Are there no concerns over that?

Marshall is much more what Cam wants in a WR, and he's younger. We could probably get Boldin for a 2, but I would rather give up a 1 for Marshall.

[StingerNLG]

My problem with Bolden is his current injury status. The fact he is missed the playoffs is a little concerning to me.

Marshall to me is the logical option if you want to make a sizeable upgrade to the WR position. I don't know if Bolden is enough of a field-stretcher to be that guy. Bolden benefits from having Larry Fitzgerald on the other side. He would have no such benefit here.

At this point though, he'd be an upgrade to Mark Clayton. So I guess I'll take about anyone right now.

[Dont Know]

Marshall is much more what Cam wants in a WR, and he's younger.

:iagree:

Look at the receivers in San Diego when Cam left, 3x 6-5 and then some 6-1 guys.

Drew Bennett, who played for like one day, also 6-5.

Even the practice squad guys Harper/Riley are 6-3.

Going forward, size seems to be really important and Boldin, while bigger than our current receivers, isn't 6-5...

[jonboy79]

Marshall is a major dbag that doesn't belong in a winning team's lockerroom. This team has made the playoffs and won games two years in a row. He is not what we need. I'd much rather pay MUCH more for either Bowe or Vincent Jackson if you really want a big splash. All are RFA's, likely tendered first and third.
I'd probably even rather have Braylon dropsies Edwards over that cancer.

[camdenyard]

My problem with Bolden is his current injury status

My problem with Marshall is that he has a ten-cent head. But after watching that miserable passing display over the last two games, and yet another loss to the Irsays because we can't score against them, drastic measures are called for.

* Mason - I'd bet it's 75-25 that he retires.

* Clayton - This guy runs some of the worst routes I have ever seen. Everything is rounded so nicely, making it sooo easy for the DB to cover him. And even when he gets open, the hands are just average. He's a slot receiver at best, but the Ravens seem not to know how to run slant-ins.

* Williams - He's a turd, plain and simple. I never want to see him in a Ravens uniform again.

Well, there you have it. Pretty pathetic. We have a Man With A Golden Gun and no bullets.

Ozzie had better get on the phones and orchestrate a couple trades. Willis looks marketable now. While he's at it, maybe we can get a bag of used footballs for LJ Smith...what a disaster he was.

[StingerNLG]

I know Camden. I know. BUT, and I only offer this as a devil's advocate position, maybe the issue with Brandon Marshall really is Josh McDaniels specifically. That is the reason Jay Cutler was traded to Chicago.

But after watching not just us, but other teams with rookie and even 2nd year receivers drafted in the 1st round that are actual game-changers on their respective teams, and watching a 5th year 1st round draft pick make 35 catches all year, we need SOMETHING.

We should NOT be talking about Mark Clayton just being a slot receiver at this point in his career. And yet we are, because as far as I am concerned, he has been a bust. And we've heard all the excuses. It was Boller's fault, so we upgraded the QB. It was the OC's fault so we replaced the OC. Billick sucks, so we replaced the HC.

And two years into a new OC, HC, and QB, Mark Clayton has actually REGRESSED! He became MORE invisible if that is possible (and apparently it is).

If we can bring Brandon Marshall in here and give him an attitude adjustment, then lets do it! If we can get Vincent Jackson in here (and not overpay him as Jonboy suggests. Between overpaying for a receiver and Gaither, we'd have no money at all), then do it.

On the flipside, you all know none of this is going to happen. Ozzie will not trade a first round pick anything not draft related. I would be shocked if we parted with a 1st rounder for any player trade. Ozzie would rather go into 2010 with Clayton as our #1 receiver than do that, and put on the "We believe in Mark Clayton" face. So all this talk is exactly that.

[camdenyard]

Stinger, maybe I wasn't clear but I am advocating bringing Marshall in.

And 1-2 other guys. I've frankly had enough of this entire group of underachievers (sans Mason - a true pro).

RE: your comment on Ozzie being OK with going forward with this bunch - I am not buying it. He has eyes. He can see how ugly this is. And he knows that Flacco is now going into what should be his most productive years. We've waited for a real QB for years. It would be criminal not to give him real receivers to throw to.

[purplepoe]

Stinger, maybe I wasn't clear but I am advocating bringing Marshall in.

And 1-2 other guys. I've frankly had enough of this entire group of underachievers (sans Mason - a true pro).

RE: your comment on Ozzie being OK with going forward with this bunch - I am not buying it. He has eyes. He can see how ugly this is. And he knows that Flacco is now going into what should be his most productive years. We've waited for a real QB for years. It would be criminal not to give him real receivers to throw to.

And yet his answer this offseason was signing Kelly Washington and Drew Bennett.

PP

[camdenyard]

And yet his answer this offseason was signing Kelly Washington and Drew Bennett.

Uh huh, and now the Clayton and Williams Show got booed off the stage.

Time for a new act.

I gotta think Harbaugh, Cameron and especially Bisciotti are tiring of the old act, too.

[effo5231]

And yet his answer this offseason was signing Kelly Washington and Drew Bennett.

PP

A team can only address so many needs per offseason. We completely revamped our DBs, our O-Line, and redesigned a huge portion of our running game to suit our favorite little droid, R2-TD.

This year we'll almost certainly look to improve our receiving corps and pass rush.

[StingerNLG]

Uh huh, and now the Clayton and Williams Show got booed off the stage.

Time for a new act.

I gotta think Harbaugh, Cameron and especially Bisciotti are tiring of the old act, too.

But at this point I'm taking a "gotta see it" approach.