So with the Browns & Bengals having boatloads of money to spend...

[baltiMOREO&R]

How concerned are you that their high priced free agents (some from Steelers & Ravens) will propel them over the Ravens?

I would guess little concern about the Browns, moderate concern about the Bengals.

I still like the Ravens depth filling lost free agent positions and their ability to draft players who can step right in.

If signing the best available free agents gets you over the top, the Redskins would have been over the top many times. btw, how do they do it with CAP limits?

[rgh]

I am not sure which free agents the Ravens have that are franchise changers.

Reed is at a stage where I would imagine he won't go to anyone who does not have a shot at a SB right away.

Kruger is a situational pass rusher.

Williams is an average CB.

McKinnie is a huge risk. I think with a big contract he will go back to being the overweight, out of shape, lazy player he was going into his last two training camps. Had he not been benched and forced to earn his starting spot and a contract for next season I don't think he would have been nearly as good as he was in the playoffs.

Ellerbie I hope will be a priority for the Ravens but Jamie Sharper is the only LB who performed anywhere near the same level he did once he left the Ravens. (Barnes did well once he left but he never cracked the lineup here)

Leach will probably be let go and he has some gas left in the tank but I don't think he can make that much of a difference.

[Brohan]

How concerned are you that their high priced free agents (some from Steelers & Ravens) will propel them over the Ravens?

I would guess little concern about the Browns, moderate concern about the Bengals.

I still like the Ravens depth filling lost free agent positions and their ability to draft players who can step right in.

If signing the best available free agents gets you over the top, the Redskins would have been over the top many times. btw, how do they do it with CAP limits?

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would say zero.

[JasonM]

I think the Bengals will be more of a challenge than the Browns because Marvin Lewis is a very good coach, Green & Dalton are better than their Cleveland counterparts. But that team has one of the worst owners in the league, so I don't see them doing much damage in the postseason.

[Pickle20]

Both teams are getting better, so I think any additions they make will help propel them to become better teams. Meanwhile, the Ravens and Steelers are handcuffed with the cap and the Ravens needs to re-sign Flacco.

[ivanbalt]

Both teams are getting better, so I think any additions they make will help propel them to become better teams. Meanwhile, the Ravens and Steelers are handcuffed with the cap and the Ravens needs to re-sign Flacco.

Browns are getting better? Since their fluke 10-6 season:

2008: 4-12
2009: 5-11
2010: 5-11
2011: 4-12
2012: 5-11

Seem consistently terrible.

[JasonM]

Browns are getting better? Since their fluke 10-6 season:

2008: 4-12
2009: 5-11
2010: 5-11
2011: 4-12
2012: 5-11

Seem consistently terrible.

I blame Art Modell.

I guess we can also blame him for the Browns making the "worst coaching hire ever":
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ini/index.html

[ivanbalt]

I blame Art Modell.

I guess we can also blame him for the Browns making the "worst coaching hire ever":
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ini/index.html

That's a pretty funny article and Mangini definitely sucks.

[Ravens2006]

Yeah, I don't see most of the guys the Ravens might part with as incredibly difficult to replace. I just don't see Ellerbee as anything remotely special. Honestly, NONE of the classic LB corps last year really stood out much. Kruger's taken 4 years to become a decent pass-rusher, but does little in run support. Cary Williams is an upgrade over many guys we've seen play the position here over the years, and I don't discount his loss completely. But Graham and Brown both played admirably when called upon, Webb should be able to come back, and now's the time for Smith to put up or shut up anyway.

I think they need to find a way to retain Boldin and Jones. If you can talk Jones in to doing what Torrey Smith has done... work tirelessly to improve his hand-catch ability, and stop grabbing everything like a punt... he could be a bigger weapon next year. Granted, it's rare that a guy like Jones at this stage in his career will excel as a different type of pass catcher... but it's a long off-season, and he needs to see the potential benefit.

[baltimoreron]

If we do lose McKinnie, I hope we don't revisit the KO at RT and MO and LT alignment again. Both play better where they were playing during the playoffs.

[Ravens2006]

If we do lose McKinnie, I hope we don't revisit the KO at RT and MO and LT alignment again. Both play better where they were playing during the playoffs.

Yeah, while I'm not losing sleep over Ellerbee, Kruger, and Williams... maybe even not Leach... the McKinnie situation is difficult. I don't think he's particularly special at LT at this point in his career either. He was beaten like a drum on a few plays in the post-season where Joe made a move to avoid disaster. His blown assignment (I didn't see anybody else you could MAYBE blame on it either) that led to a sack in the Superbowl contributed to the momentum swing that helped the 49ers get back in the game. That said, the line OVERALL was so much better in pass pro in the playoffs. I said it after the Denver game... when the Flacco bashers were out in force... that O-line performance was absolutely DREADFUL. One of the worst I've ever seen here. But the playoff O-line configuration literally led to upgrading 3 spots (add in Yanda's improved health, and they got better play from 80% of the line at the most critical time).

If McKinnie's gone, that in and of itself isn't a huge deal. But if they can't replace him with something comparable, and they revert to the old setup without wholesale improvement at several spots... THAT could be a major downer.

[baltimoreron]

Yeah, while I'm not losing sleep over Ellerbee, Kruger, and Williams... maybe even not Leach... the McKinnie situation is difficult. I don't think he's particularly special at LT at this point in his career either. He was beaten like a drum on a few plays in the post-season where Joe made a move to avoid disaster. His blown assignment (I didn't see anybody else you could MAYBE blame on it either) that led to a sack in the Superbowl contributed to the momentum swing that helped the 49ers get back in the game. That said, the line OVERALL was so much better in pass pro in the playoffs. I said it after the Denver game... when the Flacco bashers were out in force... that O-line performance was absolutely DREADFUL. One of the worst I've ever seen here. But the playoff O-line configuration literally led to upgrading 3 spots (add in Yanda's improved health, and they got better play from 80% of the line at the most critical time).

If McKinnie's gone, that in and of itself isn't a huge deal. But if they can't replace him with something comparable, and they revert to the old setup without wholesale improvement at several spots... THAT could be a major downer.

Well said.

I'm also concerned about his work ethic and how giving him a new contract "if the price is right" as he has said, affects it.

If he is not re-signed, please, please leave the line as is (except maybe Gradkowski for Birk) and find a comparable, or better LT.

[NYCRavenFAN]

Its all about the QB these days. and ours isn't going anywhere.....

[Pickle20]

Browns are getting better? Since their fluke 10-6 season:

2008: 4-12
2009: 5-11
2010: 5-11
2011: 4-12
2012: 5-11

Seem consistently terrible.

Talent-wise, they are getting better.

[bmore_ken]

Talent-wise, they are getting better.

The problem is they end up not keeping the talent. There's no way in today's NFL that a team can be that bad for so long. Hell even the Lions made the playoffs 2 years ago

[OriginalColtsFan]

I think the Bengals could possibly do some damage. But Mike Brown is tight, and doesn't really like to spend money, so that's the main mitigating factor there. But if he opens up the coffers, the Bengals could be highly competitive.

[baltiMOREO&R]

I think the Bengals could possibly do some damage. But Mike Brown is tight, and doesn't really like to spend money, so that's the main mitigating factor there. But if he opens up the coffers, the Bengals could be highly competitive.

This year, for the first time ever, they are required to spend a certain amount of CAP.

[baltiMOREO&R]

The problem is they end up not keeping the talent. There's no way in today's NFL that a team can be that bad for so long. Hell even the Lions made the playoffs 2 years ago

The 'dynasty' as far as the playoffs anyway [insert Colts and Patriots], seems to be (1) ELITE QB; (2) a handfull of great players and (3) scrapheap fill ins. I think in the next 5 years, we will find out IF Joe is 'elite' or not.

[ivanbalt]

The 'dynasty' as far as the playoffs anyway [insert Colts and Patriots], seems to be (1) ELITE QB; (2) a handfull of great players and (3) scrapheap fill ins. I think in the next 5 years, we will find out IF Joe is 'elite' or not.

Not to mention terrible divisions.

[bmore_ken]

The 'dynasty' as far as the playoffs anyway [insert Colts and Patriots], seems to be (1) ELITE QB; (2) a handfull of great players and (3) scrapheap fill ins. I think in the next 5 years, we will find out IF Joe is 'elite' or not.

I've grown not to like that word. I'm actually sick of hearing it