So we franchised Suggsy....what happens next?

McNabb?
Ocho Cinco?
Derek Anderson (god i hope not)?

Maybe those guys are alittle farfetched but crazier things have happened I'd love it if we made a play for 85.

i don't think the Bengals will trade with a division rival in regards to a player of Ocho's caliber.
if the Eagles do in fact get rid of McNabb, he'll go to the highest bidder... not sure if Balt would make that big of a commitment to an aged QB under a new regime.
i have a sneaky feeling that nobody will give up a first and third for DA and he'll play another year or more for Clev... they have tons of cap room this offseason i've heard.

I dont think the division Rival thing would be a big deal, I mean they already have our former D-coordinator and the Browns have our 2,000 yrad rusher.......

We already put a pin in the McNabb rumors and I never bought it anyway and Anderson sure as hell isnt worth a 1st round pick not to mention a third as welll.......did anyone see him in the Pro-Bowl??? He over threw his receiver at least 5 times....

Our best bet is to draft Matt Ryan or Chad Henne...........and while Id love Ocho Cinqo, him wearing a ravens hat and bro'ing out with Ray Lewis at the PB looks like he'd want to be in Bmore......it doesnt neccessarily mean he does or that we'd consider a trade for him....

Just say no to a 1st round QB, think a mid rounder like Ainge, O'Connell or Dixon. At WR there are loads of talented prospects in this class, in the 2nd Bubba Caldwell or Devin Thomas likely will still be there, Eddie Royal or Lavelle Hawkins or D.J Hall in the 3rd. All would be immediate upgrades.

Ill say no to any first round qb besides Ryan, as for receivers....who said we need WR help?

Are you satisfied with WR corps?

For this year...I mean Id love to bring in a big time loud mouth like Chad but I wouldnt consider it a need. Think about it....Derrick Mason is old yes, but doesnt get hit often and will probably keep going for a few more years. Not to mention he's one of the best route runners in the league and dispite an awful offensive production in 2007, lead the league in receptions for a while.

Mark Clayton hasnt been what we thought he'd be but is still solid, Demetrius Williams is one of the best young receivers in the league and we have a couple decent backups in Devard Darling, Willis, and the speedy Yamon Figurs who hasnt proved himself as anything more than a return man yet but as the 6th receicer, doesnt really need to.

Again I wouldnt mind a big time receiver but bringing in a 5th round guy or something wont do us any good especially since we need to get younger on D and OL.

There needs to be a lot of work done very quickly in order for the Ravens to become more competitive and not regress this year. You have to believe Cleveland will be better. Pittsburgh too. Cincy is always a question mark, but they have the ability to improve a lot if their injured players return, and they have a good draft. The main thing that holds them back from becoming an elite team, is Mike Brown's unwillingness to add a player or two via FA, otherwise the Bengals could be real good, real fast.

However, back to the Raven's issues.

1st, you have a new HC, so there's going to be an adjustment period there. It could happen quickly, or it might never happen, especially since Ryan is basically a HC in waiting should there be problems, and his well known ego was probably hurt by being passed up for the job. How well he and Harbaugh coexist could be telling.

Your former LB coach is now in Cleveland, so that doesn't help either.

I am a Giants/Chargers fan. It is as a Chargers fan, and a current resident of south Florida that I seriously question the hiring of Cam Cameron as OC. True, the Chargers offense was prolific while he was there. But truthfully, that wasn't his offense. It was the offense current Charger HC Norv Turner installed when he was the OC in 2001, and the same offense the Chargers have run ever since until he came back as HC this year and refined it. If you can point out to me what innovations Cameron implemented while acting as SD's OC, let me know. He followed that up with a 1-17 record as HC in Miami. Prior to the pros, he first coached under Bo at Michigan...well known for their prolific and innovative offenses;)...he became Indiana's HC in 1996, and astutely guided them to a 18-37 record while he was there. Based on his lifetime record, I find it hard to fathom why this guy keeps getting great jobs. It's like our current president, who essentially failed at every business venture he ever entered into as the head guy, and now runs our economy. Why? I will give you this about him, I do believe he has a way with QBs. He has worked with a bunch of them, and been very successful at coaching them...IMO, his best position may actually be as a QB coach.

Now for your roster.

You really need some young CBs. You really need a QB. You need OL depth, especially interior linemen, and you'll need a LT in a year or two if not sooner. Your LBs are starting to age, and Ray Lewis will soon be a memory, so some youth there sure wouldn't hurt either.

On the plus side, your WRs aren't anything to write home about, but they aren't the worst in the NFL either...plus they're young for the most part, so they could come on. It would really help your WRs if there was some offensive stability, especially from a QB. I really like your TE. RB is fine too. Safety is one position you can mark off your draft board, yours are good.

Now for the really bad news. You just tagged Suggs, and you only have approx. $3.5 million in current cap space. Who ya gonna cut? How will you compete in FA, especially since you know the Browns will be very active there with all the cap room they have, and Savage as their GM? You'll also have a player or two who are going to want a raise. You'll have draft picks that you have to pay. Somebody, or somebodies have to go.

IMO, your window was two years...last year...and the year before...it's closing now, and I don't think you have the horses to get out of the barn door before it closes, nor the resources to go out and buy some. You have two teams in your division who are both better right now, and likely to get better than you in the off season. A third place finish in your division, perhaps even forth is what I'm afraid your Ravens are facing. Of course I could be wrong...but I don't think that realistically the Raven's prospects are too promising in the near future...good luck though.

Well thanks for poitning out how depressing the Ravens are as a team lol, I know Clevelna dlooks better than us from last season but I have a feeling theyll be the same old Browns again next year, Anderson just somehow didnt screw up this year but its not going to last and Brady Quinn will take his job and take some years to develop IMO.....

I am worried about the Steelers and Bengals however, but honestly if we get a qb, a depth corner, and another tweener 3-4 old, maybe some guard and tackle depth I think we can turn it around quick....

As for cap room, I say we cut Todd Heap. I love the guy, but we cant affoprd to pay him to be injured every year, hopefully Ogden retires and clears some room as well. Yeah we do need a young LB to replace Lewis but he's the only againg LB in the entire core, the rest are rookies and young guys!!! Also you know Ray's gonna stick it out for at least 3-5 more years. He hasnt slowed it down yet, and hes that kinda guy.

We dont really need to draft a tackle either if Gaither starts playing well as Ogden's replacement...and as for receovers I wouldnt worry about it until Mason is gone.

You do need the QB if the Ravens are to contend, that's for sure. There is a QB, not a FA, who does have talent, and will likely be made available before the draft. What the asking price is, or if he'll get released outright, I can't tell you. However, I'm almost certain J.P. Losman of the Bills will not start the season on their roster.

From what I've heard his biggest detriment was his standoffish attitude, and that he rubs his teammates the wrong way because of it. Perhaps losing his job to Edwards has stripped away some of that...and going to the Ravens with Ray Lewis as the Big Dog already in place could bring him back to earth in that regard. He did have a very nice season with a very good QB rating in 2006, and then got hurt last year giving Edwards his chance. Losman has a very good arm, quick release, and is fairly mobile. He needs to work on reading a defense, and checking down, but practicing against the Ravens D everyday should help in those areas. If the price isn't too high, he might be someone worth trading for. I think if he's released and hits the open market there will be a number of teams interested, starting with the Bears, Jets, and Falcons, to name a few, so trading for him if the price isn't too high might be the best avenue.

Id be interested in Losman, but I dont see why if McNair is ready to go you dont think he's capable of running the offense./

If I were confident that McNair would stay healthy all year, I wouldn't even consider a QB, other than grooming one for a year or two behind him.

However, in the last 5 years, he has only played the whole 16 game schedule only once. Even when he did play all 16 games, he wasn't at 100% in a number of games. When he was younger, McNair was almost as much a runner as he was a passer (and very good, I might add), and he has absorbed a lot of hits over the course of his career. So, if I'm a Raven fan, I would not be very confident that he will play 16 games this year, and to get to the SB, he needs to play 19. With his history, and at his age, I find the likelihood of that somewhere between slim and none.

That being said, I did allude to the one skill I believe Cam Cameron has...and that is as a QB coach, mentor, or whatever. The fact is, as either a college or pro coach, he has coached some talented QBs. How much he influenced them, I can't tell you for sure, but he must have had some input that helped these players. At Michigan, he was responsible for coaching the QBs & WRs. Among some of those QBs & WRs, you'll find: Jim Harbaugh, Elvis Grbac (I'm sure you're familiar with him), Desmond Howard, and Amani Toomer. At Indiana, he coached Antwaan Randle El. In the pros, with the Skins he coached Ferotte, and at San Diego, he coached Brees and Rivers.

Now, I don't know if he directly influenced these players to the point where they owe any of their success to him or not, or if he was just fortunate to have been around them. I do know Norv had a huge influence on Brees in his one year working with him, and Brees was really disappointed when he left. I also know that despite what everyone likes to say about the 49er's Alex Smith, he experienced a lot of success under Norv the one year he spent there.

So I can't tell you for sure that Cameron had any positive effect on Brees or not. I do know that Rivers was immediately in awe of Turner, and of Turner's knowledge and grasp of the QB position when he became the HC for San Diego. Turner worked very hard with him last off season, and as the year went on, it began to show. In the previous year, Rivers actually regressed as the year went on.

Now what does all that have to do with Baltimore? Well, if Cameron is a QB guru, perhaps he can do something to help Boller realize his potential, or any young QB you might select in the draft. He also had extensive coaching experience working with WRs, and you have some young ones with talent and potential not yet realized. Perhaps he can bring them up to that potential. Only time will tell. Keep your fingers crossed, t_HOG33.

I guess thats good news considering we have a bunch of young undevelop wide outs, and I still have high hopes for Boller and Troy Smith! Maybe he'll make something happen...

Give Smith and Boller a chance if they don't develop 2 years from now a GREAT QB crop will come out.

I'm all for that! F it its not like we're super bowl bound next season anyways! we've got some rebuikding to do!

Losman has the talent but, if on a young team he rubbed the squad the wrong way, what will happen to a team with Lewis, McCalister, etc who will need to be sold on a guy who thinks he's Joe Namath but has not translated that talent and confidence into true leadership.

I like that analogy, bcdrama...Joe Namath...ha! However, you're right on. Still, if there's a team that can reel in his ego, I believe the Ravens are one of them because of the veteran leadership already in place. If they did acquire him, the first thing I'd do if I were Ray Lewis in the locker room is go over, shake his hand, and welcome him to the team. The second thing I'd do, is look him in the eyes and tell him he hasn't earned anything yet, to keep his mouth shut, work hard, and not to bring any drama to the team. I think he'd listen.

If you are right he could have a Testaverde like 2nd and 3rd act to his career, Carr, Mckown, Culpepper, how would you rank them and why?

McCown is the best of them, and is a quality backup QB who won't really hurt you, he just won't really wow you either. I wouldn't touch Carr or Culpepper.

McCown is a good natural athlete with one of the 10 strongest arms in the league, he could wow you under the right circumstances, thrust me. Culpepper healthy and confident could be an elite QB again, Carr was a better college QB than Ryan he still has all the prototypical measurables.

I trust you on that, bcdrama...but it hasn't happened yet. He has had some flashes though, and he is pretty consistent when you compare these 3.

Thanks, I still have cut up tapes of both the McCowns, if they were in this draft they'd be getting love on or above the Flacco level. Those two and Patrick Ramsey just need good coaching and an opportunity.

Ramsey is another QB who I used to like, but it seems he's been tagged with the lifetime backup QB title. The one thing I did notice with him was it seemed to take him too long to make a decision. He has the arm, size, and everything else though.

Would the Ravens dare draft Flacco with the 7th pick of the draft? His recent showing at his pro days had scouts and coaches from 16 NFL teams in attendance, and after looking good at the combine, he reportedly WOWED them. Certainly looks like he may have moved into the 1st round...the only question now is how high will jump?

What's intriguing about him and the Ravens, is he's virtually up the road...a local star makes good?

It looks more and more like Ogden is retiring...this really could alter the draft for the Ravens.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/footbal...0,1135052.story

Isn't Josh Brown a good young gaurd from the Ravens? I thought I saw that he wasn't signed with any team yet. Is that true and why?

Adam Schefter is reporting that Steve McNair will announce his retirement today.

News conference to be held at 1pm ET. This leaves the Ravens with nobody Kyle Boller and Troy Smith at QB.

Will the Ravens now attempt to move up in the draft for Matt Ryan?

That would make zero sense IMO

Man, I guess the Ravens fans are few and far between these days... :-)

Of course if my team couldnt beat another team atleast once out of 3 I probably would be looking for another team somewhere also..

Very funny. We'll see what happens next year chief....