5:05 PM EST Monday, February 27 2006
After reading Michael Smith's article on the top 3 QB prospects, I think the picks at the top of the draft is getting pretty clear:
- Texans - Reggie Bush
- Saints - Matt Leinart
- Titans - Jay Culter
Now here's where it gets interesting. The Jets are at 4 with Vince Young available. My advice to the Jets? Trade down. My reason is this: I have no faith in Vince Young's ability to pass. In the NFL, you must pass to be successful. Running helps QB's, but only if you use to keep plays alive and run if you have to. Guys who do/did this well are John Elway, Steve Young, Donovan McNabb, and Ben Rothlisberger. Guys like Randell Cunningham and Michael Vick are impressive, but they don't lead teams to Super Bowls. Some team will likely give you a lot for Vince Young (the Ravens, for example), but in the long run I think you are better off trading down.
And I'm saying this honestly to Jets fans. I don't want Vince Young on the Ravens, but I think if we make any move on draft day, he's the guy we will do it for. I don't see what we could offer any of those top 3 teams to get Leinart or Culter. My bet though is that some other team (Oakland?) ends up with Young, either through trade or slipping down. I think the Ravens are headed for an inevitable clash with the Kerry Collins era, which should lead to a few more semi-hopeful, almost/barely-playoff making seasons, in which we never convince anybody even for a minute that we are legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
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8:58 PM EST Monday, February 13 2006
I think it's appropriate for my first post on the Ravens to be a "State of the Union"-type post. Let's assess where we're at and where we're going. The hot topic is definately QB. Kyle played below average in all but a few games, was regularly critized by many fans (including myself) and got less than stellar support from Billick at the end of the season. The leading theory is that we will go after a veteran. Don Banks seems to think Jon Kitna is the likely choice, with Brad Johnson coming in second. Kerry Collins obviously makes sense too, since the Raiders will likely cut him rather than pay him $12.9 million, and Jim Fassil's past success with Kerry Collins. Given Drew Brees' injury, I don't see the Chargers letting Phillip Rivers go.
So given those choices, I like Brad Johnson the best. He's a veteran, he can make plays when you need him to, but most important he takes care of the ball. If the Ravens are going to continue to be a team built on defense and running, Johnson is a good fit for the passing game.
On the other hand, both Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton showed signs of developing into top receivers. Todd Heap has proven he is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the league. The Ravens have been reluctant to give Jamal Lewis the franchise tag, and I think he will ultimately end up somewhere else, which sets up Chester Taylor to be the premiere back, who is a better receiver than Jamal. Combined that with Ravens fans' increasing frustration with the offense over the past few years and it may be time for a change. If we bring in Kerry Collins, we could develop a legitimate passing attack and hopefully a rounded offense.
So ultimately what we do with Jamal could end up affecting what we do at QB. If we are going to keep Jamal, it looks like we are going to stick with our "run the ball and play defense" plan. Which I personally don't like, because it has no plan B. If teams stack the line against us, and we run the ball for no gain on 1st and 2nd down, you end up with Kyle throwing on 3rd and 10 against a full blitz, which isn't pretty. If we let Jamal go, I think that signals a change in offensive philosophy, hopefully one for the better.
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