Steve Davis: Thoughts On Ravens Moves
I know there is a certain segment of the fan base that is upset about the departure of some key Ravens, particularly Ngata and Smith.
This has been a tough 6 months, as we've seen 4 pretty beloved athletes, whose jerseys are sported by thousands of fans, get shown the door.
First it was Rice, which certainly meany people understood. Then, Markakis, Smith and Ngata, never mind Nelson Cruz, who became a fast fan favorite.
The thing we have learned about the Ravens is don't judge them in March and April. Their track record has been stellar at discarding players at the start of free agency, and then filling the holes later in the spring with cheaper free agents and talent in the draft. That doesn't mean there isn't reason for concern.
The Ravens have some serious holes to fill. They are really short at tight end. As of Wednesday with Forsett still on the market, they have a gaping hole at running back. They need to add a player at receiver. They might not be short on bodies in the secondary, but they could use to upgrade the talent. Plus, with Ngata, McPhee and Canty all gone, they could use some depth at defensive line.
It's easy to say the Ravens will fill those spots as always, but their cap situation is tight because they have $20 million in dead money, which is almost 1/7 of the salary cap going to players that aren't on their team. I still have confidence in Ozzie and the front office, but this will be a challenge to make the team better.
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