Ravens News: Hot Off the Wire

[bassgtrst]

Ravens | Thomas understand tenure with team is over
Mon, 26 Feb 2007 08:38:36 -0800

Rick Maese, of the Baltimore Sun, reports Baltimore Ravens pending free agent LB Adalius Thomas realizes the chances of him returning to the team next season are slim, as Thomas figures to receive many lucrative offers on the market. "They don't have the money," Thomas said of the Ravens. "It's a business. I know that. It's always been that way. It didn't just start that way with me. It's always been that way."

Im glad to see that AD is taking this better than Ed Reed. What a class-act. If only we had the money AD, if only.....


Ravens | Abiamiri talks with team
Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:02:11 -0800

During his NFL Combine interview, Notre Dame DE Victor Abiamiri said he spoke "a little bit" with the Baltimore Ravens.

This guy went to High School around here, right? I dont know too much about him but I know that some are lobbying for him. There isnt really too much news about the Ravens at the combine so far.

Discuss..........

[Sephy]

Abiamiri went to Gilman. Was going to be a Terp too, until that whole Xbox scandal..

[RavensNTerps]

we gave the wrong LB a massive contract....:(

[GreenWave52]

we gave the wrong LB a massive contract....:(
Are you referring to Ray Lewis? If you are, you have to be kidding me. We gave Ray that deal 5 years ago when Ray was what 26? Letting maybe the greatest MLB of all time to leave the team in his prime (he won a DPOY under this contract) would have been THE STUPIDEST thing ever. We would have been the laughing stock of the league.

Adalius never ever ever will be as good as Ray was for the bulk of that contract. Ray may be a step slower but if you look how he played in the playoff game and how shitty the D was without him you would realize that even 2 steps slower Ray's leadership is invaluable.

It was classy by the Ravens not to franchise AD and I am glad there are no hard feelings on both sides.

[jonboy79]

Everyone needs to get off their knees and clean off their chin over this AD thing. Yes he is great, yes he is among the top 10 or 15 LB's in football at this time, but guess what, so are the other two starting LB's we have. Ray is still a better overall asset to this team. I'm not saying that Scott is, just that it's not a completely forgone conclusion. AD is a unique amazingly gifted player, but he is more then replaceable. He will not play as well wherever he goes, and whomever is inserted in his place will play well above your expectations. The thing is, with the Defensive talent around "that guy" he has no choice but to shine. You hear the saying about not being able to have a pro-bowler at every position... we last year, basically the entire starting 11 on defense could have made an argument. Rolle would get tossed out rather quickly, but that's IT. That means we still have 9 remaining pro-bowl caliber starters on D. Rolle is a top 32 corner, and whomever gets plugged in at LB will do quite fine. This will still be a top 5 defense and we will have the opportunity to improve on offense. If anyone that really, still thinks it's not for the best of the team to part ways with Adailius could please forward to me whatever toxin it is that you are injesting, I'm interested. This really shouldn't still be a discussion should it? AD is not the besgt LB in the league, he is not a freak that would be a better corner then Samari. he can line up at safety in certain circumstances, he can play all over the defensive front 7, but so can Johnson, Cody, Suggs, Pryce, Gregg... WE MADE THIS MONSTER, WE CAN AND WILL DO IT AGAIN. He is a freakishly athletic big man, but it's more the scheme then the player.

Thank you.

[RavensFanIAm]

GreenWave52, I would've thought that RavensNTerps meant Scott, not Ray..

As for AD, I love the guy and I hate to see him go, but jonboy79 has a great point... we can find someone else just as versatile. While We've grown to love him as a player and all of the things he could do, Ozzie is the king of free agency and drafting. I'm sure they knew that AD would be a free agent a year or two ago, and have been looking at their options for LB through their scouts.

I don't know how good AD is withotu this scheme. It has yet to be determined. I'm willing to take a risk and fine a draft pick who can fill the void until he comes into his own.

If we were a Top 5 defense without Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, we can still be that way without AD.

[GreenWave52]

GreenWave52, I would've thought that RavensNTerps meant Scott, not Ray..

As for AD, I love the guy and I hate to see him go, but jonboy79 has a great point... we can find someone else just as versatile. While We've grown to love him as a player and all of the things he could do, Ozzie is the king of free agency and drafting. I'm sure they knew that AD would be a free agent a year or two ago, and have been looking at their options for LB through their scouts.

I don't know how good AD is withotu this scheme. It has yet to be determined. I'm willing to take a risk and fine a draft pick who can fill the void until he comes into his own.

If we were a Top 5 defense without Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, we can still be that way without AD.
Its possible, but I would hardly call what we gave Scott a big money deal. He even took less to come back instead of more to go to Cleveland. Considering his age and his pro-bowl play, I think Scott is one of the better deals on the team.

[RavensNTerps]

Are you referring to Ray Lewis? If you are, you have to be kidding me. We gave Ray that deal 5 years ago when Ray was what 26? Letting maybe the greatest MLB of all time to leave the team in his prime (he won a DPOY under this contract) would have been THE STUPIDEST thing ever. We would have been the laughing stock of the league.

Adalius never ever ever will be as good as Ray was for the bulk of that contract. Ray may be a step slower but if you look how he played in the playoff game and how shitty the D was without him you would realize that even 2 steps slower Ray's leadership is invaluable.

It was classy by the Ravens not to franchise AD and I am glad there are no hard feelings on both sides.

1. Since 5 years ago, Ray Lewis has played 1 complete season (2003). He was pretty good last year, pretty bad the year before (missed half the season). He hasn't been dominant since 2003. Make him re-work the deal. He's going to count 9.43 mill against the cap this year, that is assinine for the level of play we receive from him, which is that of a good, not great LB.

2. The D wasn't shitty without him. Against the Titans they were screwed when Mike Smith went down on the first series. They dominated the second half, still. Remember, we plugged an UDFA in Ray Lewis's position in the most complex D in the NFL...of course there'd be a drop off. Give it a whole offseason, and we'd survive.

The next game, Ray also missed, the D dominated Vick and the Atlanta Falcons.

3. Right now, it's not even close as to who the better player is. Ray is the 3rd best LB on the team, only better than Suggs, IMO. AD is the most dominant defender in the league over the last 2 seasons. Not Ray.

[Tspot-D-Ravenator]

Are you referring to Ray Lewis? If you are, you have to be kidding me. We gave Ray that deal 5 years ago when Ray was what 26? Letting maybe the greatest MLB of all time to leave the team in his prime (he won a DPOY under this contract) would have been THE STUPIDEST thing ever. We would have been the laughing stock of the league.

Adalius never ever ever will be as good as Ray was for the bulk of that contract. Ray may be a step slower but if you look how he played in the playoff game and how shitty the D was without him you would realize that even 2 steps slower Ray's leadership is invaluable.

It was classy by the Ravens not to franchise AD and I am glad there are no hard feelings on both sides.

:iagree:

[Rochardrik]

1. Since 5 years ago, Ray Lewis has played 1 complete season (2003). He was pretty good last year, pretty bad the year before (missed half the season). He hasn't been dominant since 2003. Make him re-work the deal. He's going to count 9.43 mill against the cap this year, that is assinine for the level of play we receive from him, which is that of a good, not great LB.

2. The D wasn't shitty without him. Against the Titans they were screwed when Mike Smith went down on the first series. They dominated the second half, still. Remember, we plugged an UDFA in Ray Lewis's position in the most complex D in the NFL...of course there'd be a drop off. Give it a whole offseason, and we'd survive.

The next game, Ray also missed, the D dominated Vick and the Atlanta Falcons.

3. Right now, it's not even close as to who the better player is. Ray is the 3rd best LB on the team, only better than Suggs, IMO. AD is the most dominant defender in the league over the last 2 seasons. Not Ray.

Of course, YOU were smart enough to have forseen all that 5 yrs ago!:rolleyes:

[RavensNTerps]

No, but that's why you don't give players 7 year deals unless it's a franchise QB, IMO.

And they never tried to restructure him.