NFL Offseason Thread

[sbr]

The Patriots wouldn't shock me; Belichek loves versatile players and they have strong enough leadership to keep Vick from getting sideways at all.  They are one of the few teams to still be considering him.  I also think they like to take on "troubled" players and turn them around; see Dillon, Cory and Moss, Randy.

Why would Vick play in New England?  They wouldn't pay him what a shittier team would, and he'd have to live in the most racist part of the US six months out of the year, which wouldn't be good for his recovery.

He may not have the luxury of being choosy; he may also see being a part of a winning team and appearing to be a good citizen as more important in the short term than money or a bigger role on a losing team.  In "on-the-field" football terms it would be the best thing for Vick, IMO.  I have no idea what exactly he is looking for, or how many offers he may get.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Training camp!



55 looks like he might be fucking up there.

Oh and the first bootleg of the Texans training camp: 

http://www.texansbullpen.com/09photogallery/Preseason/2009-07-31-TrainingCamp/Photos/DSC_0148.JPG

Ended like this, which probably would have been fatal for Schaub if they were on different teams or something: http://www.texansbullpen.com/09photogallery/Preseason/2009-07-31-TrainingCamp/Photos/DSC_0151.JPG

[Neil]

55 looks like he might be fucking up there.

Looks like he's holding him, in order to make up for getting beat bad.  That's a good time to hold.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Looks like he's holding him, in order to make up for getting beat bad.  That's a good time to hold.

Day 1 of Training Camp:  Chris Myers continues to suck.

[CountDeMoney]

Once again, it's the Summer of Ray.

While many questions remain after the Ravens' first full-team practice of training camp, one was answered resoundingly Friday: Fans still have a love affair with No. 52.

Ray Lewis rankled some of his most ardent supporters five months ago when he didn't make it clear during free agency that he wanted to return to the Ravens. But a fervent announced crowd of 11,078 welcomed the middle linebacker with open arms at McDaniel College.

When Lewis stepped onto the field to start his 14th training camp, fans shrieked and started chanting his name. One woman asked for a kiss and he obliged with a peck on the cheek. In the crowd, Lewis' jersey was the most popular. Down the street at Harry's Main Street Grille, someone carried a sign that read: "Ray-vens."

"I don't want to ever go anywhere," said Lewis, who re-signed for $44.5 million over seven years (essentially $22 million over three seasons). "I'm bred here, and I'm going to end my career here. [Signing elsewhere] is just not worth what's invested in my city, what I give back to my city and what my city gives back to me. There's no greater reward than that. I love Baltimore."

This is Lewis' town. And this remains Lewis' defense and team.

At 34, he is the oldest player on the Ravens. But his teammates contend that only makes him wiser.

The 10-time Pro Bowl linebacker is still the unequivocal leader.

"He's like King Leonidas; he's been out there and fought the war," said Tavares Gooden, who will start beside Lewis for the first time this season. "He just doesn't do it one time. He doesn't play hard for one week. He does it all the time. So, you can't question him. That's when you say, 'Let me follow him because I want to be great.' "

This year, the Ravens will have to hustle to follow Lewis. After bulking up to 260 pounds last season (to help him provide more of a punch on tackles), he has slimmed down 15 pounds after talking to new linebackers coach Vic Fangio.

With a four-man rotation ( Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg, Justin Bannan and Brandon McKinney) clogging up the middle, Lewis wanted to be fast enough to meet running backs at the hole.

"Ray is like the Michael Jordan on this team," free safety Ed Reed said. "His work ethic is totally off the charts. His intensity and his character and what he knows about the game is what makes you want to get better. Ray is just that father on the field that's getting guys lined up and they can learn to play the game by just watching them."

There has been some concern about how the departure of coordinator Rex Ryan will affect the defense. But the Lewis Factor has been in effect for the past decade.

Under three coordinators (Marvin Lewis to Mike Nolan to Ryan), the Ravens' defense has finished sixth or better for nine of the past 10 seasons. The common thread on the field has been Lewis.

"If it's anybody's defense, it's Ray's defense," coach John Harbaugh said. "Obviously, a great tradition has been built here, and you've got to say that he's been what it's been built around."

Lewis' excellence is matched only by his longevity.

He has already played more seasons than the other great linebackers in NFL history - Dick Butkus (nine seasons), Jack Lambert (11) and Mike Singletary (12). With the Ravens, Lewis is the only player remaining from the team that won the 2001 Super Bowl and represents the last link to the inaugural 1996 season.

"Many times when guys get older, they really lose their passion for the game before they lose their physical abilities," Fangio said. "But football is in [Lewis'] blood. I think he'll be one of those guys that we'll have to kick out of here rather than retire on his own."

There seemed to be a chance that Lewis might exit Baltimore over the offseason.

A few days before the Pro Bowl, Lewis acknowledged in an interview with the NFL Network that he would be interested in both the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets. Then, leading up to the start of free agency, Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware said Lewis told him it was his "dream" to play in Dallas.

Asked about his "flirtations" with other teams, Lewis said with a laugh: "I flirt when I pass by a beautiful woman walking down the street. That doesn't mean I talk to her."

Now, Lewis is back with the Ravens, where he wants to reward the cheers with another championship.

"Making plays for me is the easiest thing I can do. Influencing men is what my challenge is every day," Lewis said. "When you ask me if I'm good, I'm only better because what's around me is better. Every year, they said, 'Your defense is getting old.' But it's hard to be old when you're always No. 1 or No. 2. Those things will energize me day in and day out to come back and always be a better leader."

[Neil]

I wonder if Tavares Gooden knows who Leonidas actually is, or if he just thinks that he was some guy that kicked a negro down a well.

Also, they forgot L.T.s 13 seasons on their list of all-time greats that Ray has outlasted.

[CountDeMoney]

hy Neil, Mike Oher's first practice was yesterday.  All signs point to: beast.

One of the first things you notice about Michael Oher is his explosion. When he comes off the snap of the ball, he can get an opponent's attention quickly. Upon first contact, he can make heads turn, which he did Friday in his first full practice as a Raven.

"Strong. Just so strong - as in really strong," Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said of Oher, the former University of Mississippi offensive tackle and the Ravens' top draft pick in April.

There were many other compliments.

"If that man keeps working, he is going to be an absolute beast," said Ravens defensive tackle Justin Bannan, who butted heads with Oher several times Friday.

It was a solid debut for Oher at the practice fields on the McDaniel College campus. Oher had missed the first three days because of a contract holdout, but on Day 4, he started making a name for himself.

Oher, the No. 23 overall pick in the first round, will wear No. 74. You can see what the Ravens liked in him and why they might pay Oher as much as $13.8 million over the next five years.

At 6 feet 4 and 310 pounds, Oher is built like two brick houses. Usually, when offensive tackles come out of college, they have a frame like a power forward or have too much baby fat.

Oher is a tweener, and this big man can run.

"He is in really good shape, really good condition," Ravens offensive line coach John Matsko said. "The offseason program really helped him, and he did a really good job on his running test."

It wasn't so easy with some of the other tests on the field. If you're a rookie offensive lineman, you don't want to have your NFL baptism against a team that has as much depth on the defensive line as the Ravens.

During a two-hour morning practice, Oher had to go against Trevor Pryce, Bannan and Brandon McKinney. On passing downs, he had to battle Suggs or Pryce. And this wasn't an offseason minicamp.

"It was full throttle, full speed, and this is what it's all about," Oher said. "I wasn't nervous. I was ready to practice. I did some positive things, and some things that weren't so good. But I have to stay positive and stay focused because I can get a lot better."

Agreed.

The athleticism in Oher is clearly evident. There are times when he can overpower an opponent on a running play, as he did against tackle Dwan Edwards. There were two occasions when he double-teamed with left tackle Jared Gaither on an unbalanced line, and they just blew defensive linemen away.

But Oher has a lot of work to do, especially in pass protection. He has a tendency to stand too high and get overextended. He is still confused about the playbook and appears to step to his left when he should step to his right and step to his right when he should step to the left.

But that passion, brute strength and athleticism is always on display.

"I got to keep working on the fundamentals of the game," Oher said. "I like Coach Matsko. He wants you to be hard-working, and he wants you to be physical and nasty. He wants you to step on peoples' throats."

You have to love that mentality. But football isn't all physical, especially for offensive linemen. It's also a thinking man's game, and Matsko says Oher is picking up the offense quickly.

"He has some work to do, like they all do," Matsko said. "When you're first starting out, you are nowhere near where you want to be. You just keep working, and each time you put your hand in the ground, you have to do better than the last time.

"Michael is very willing, and has a big, big heart with great determination. He's a lot of fun to be around, is very bright and has great retention."

All signs point to Oher's becoming a good offensive lineman. The Ravens might have gotten a glimpse of his future Friday.

"He probably was a little nervous, but he had a good first day," Bannan said. "He is athletic and really quick. When you're a rookie, you need to be like a sponge and soak everything up, and then apply it. But I ain't telling him a thing. I don't want him getting the upper hand on me. Eventually, he is going to be a beast out there."

[Ed Anger]

I'm sure the Bungles first round pick is too busy consuming the contents of an entire Gold Star chili franchise.

[Neil]

Excellent.  The stout Ravens line of last year will hopefully be even better.  Recent Ravens line picks (Grubbs, Yanda, Chester and Gaither on the offence, Ngata on the defence) have been  pretty damn good, so there's no reason to expect Oher to be anything short of great.  A line like Gaither, Grubbs, Birk, Yanda/Chester, Oher means serious business.

[CountDeMoney]

You forgot that Buddy Lee himself, Kelly Gregg, is back and 100% healthy.

[Neil]

You forgot that Buddy Lee himself, Kelly Gregg, is back and 100% healthy.

It's a good D-line too.  Ngata, Gregg and Pryce, plus Edwards, Bannan and McKinney.  The only place where the Ravens D isn't marquee is at cornerback.

[sbr]

55 looks like he might be fucking up there.

Looks like he's holding him, in order to make up for getting beat bad.  That's a good time to hold.

Yes indeed, a hold is much better than a sack.

[sbr]

Derek Mason has returned from his sabbatical, should be at practice tomorrow.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-ravens-masonreturns&prov=ap&type=lgns

[CountDeMoney]

Whew.

[MadBurgerMaker]

  Nice catch by the dude who takes all these photos.

Edit:  Hey they signed Cushing today too.