Ravens Roost 4

Ravens:
Don’t blame the O’s for the Ravens opening up on the road, probably in Denver or Pittsburgh. Blame Roger Goodall. In all fairness, the O’s had their schedule out first. In a game featuring potentially 2 playoff teams, the O’s host the Chicago White Sox, in what is scheduled as the Sox only trip to Baltimore in 2013, thanks to a new schedule restructuring intent on reducing travel costs. The potential lost revenue for moving that game time could be significant if the O’s shock analyst again and challenge for the division title. Don’t get me wrong. The Orioles could have moved that game, and still profited from it. That’s not the issue. It’s Baseball versus Football at the commissioner’s level. Goodall’s statement that the season could not open up on Wednesday night in Baltimore is petrified bovine fecal matter. The NFL has never strayed away from placing games on religious holidays. They have played on Rosh Hashanah in the past, and have repeatedly put games on Christmas Eve and Christmas night, without hesitation. Mr. Goodall played the playground bully card: It’s my ball, and I’m going home — Whose gonna stop me?

With the Orioles already schedule to play on the same night as the NFL season would like to kick off in Baltimore, the Ravens could open on the road if an agreement between the NFL and the Orioles cannot be made, reports a Bleacher Report Article. I saw this coming soon after the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

Ravens:
I think the diaspora has finally dissipated. The Offense lacks a go-to receiver, and the defense is in runes… or is it? Pete Prisco on CBS had an interesting article outlining what we lost, and what we have to replace the holes. His summary is that we will be okay, and I feel the same way. We do have money available, and we have pulled in a few lesser free agents, but all in all, the only thing we really need right now is a go-to receiver (I guess we were too quick to trade Q), and McKinnie to sure up the front line, because without that front line, Joe is just average, and not Super Bowl MVP.

Ravens:
With Flacco now the highest paid player in the NFL, the Ravens need to fill in the pieces around him. Next up on the priority list is Ellerbe, who could command significant dollars on the open market, but has expressed his desire to stay in Baltimore. Meanwhile, the Ravens are trying to negotiate a pay cut for Boldin. If unsuccessful, the Ravens would release Boldin, who has already stated his intent to retire if that does happen. The bigger implication is the loss of a “go to” receiver for the Ravens, that is not easily filled. Other free agent news has Cary Williams on the market, Ed Reed still in limbo, and Paul Kruger heading for the exit. Restricted free agents Pitta, Dickson, and Art Jones have been tendered contracts, but if the Ravens want to keep Ellerbe, they will have to do more acrobatics, which may include the release of Vonta Leach, and/or restructuring contracts of big names, like Ngata, Suggs, and Yanda. That is fine and dandy for 2013, but only amplifies future salary cap problems (see the stealers for a prime example).

On Monday, Joe Flacco will sign a long term deal with the Ravens that will make him the highest paid quarterback in the NFL, but if the deal doesn’t include Bryant McKinnie, we won’t get our money’s worth. It was the addition of McKinnie to the O-line at the start of the playoffs that finally gave Joe the time to throw and be the elite quarterback, albeit for 4 games, that he claims he is. Traditionally, the year after a huge contract signing (6 years, $120.6M) is a huge let down. Retiring Ray Lewis and Matt Birk freed up $6M in cap space, but more must be freed to keep us a contender. If Flacco was under a microscope before (Remember, I keep calling him “Average Joe Flacco”), the next several seasons will amplify the magnification on him, as he now tasked with proving he is worth of every dollar now being paid to him.