Ravens Get Their Man
As you no doubt know by now, the Ravens have traded for — and signed — WR Anquan Boldin. In no uncertain terms, this is a huge move.
We’ve known for years that the Ravens needed a player like Boldin. The price to get him — third and fourth round draft picks — can only be described as reasonable. That the Ravens also got a fifth round pick makes it that much more so.
Plus you’ve got to love a guy who arrives in town saying “The Ravens play a certain way. They play as hard and as physical as any team in the league, and I want to add to that. I think I play the way they play.”.
Boldin’s injury history is a concern worth noting, but that sometimes comes with the territory for a guy who plays hard. Call it acceptable risk.
A tip of the cap is in order for Ozzie Newsome and the rest of the braintrust. If you didn’t already understand that they know what the hell they’re doing out in Owings Mills, you do now.
What is Boldin’s injury history? A helmet to helmet hit that wasn’t his fault?
@Greg – In seven seasons he’s only played a full 16 games twice — 2003 and 2006. He played 15 last year but missed both the season finale and the playoffs with injuries to his ankle and knee.
The helmet-to-helmet wasn’t his fault but part of the reason it happened is that he tends to play fearless. Guys who are willing to mix it up like he does get banged around.
Don’t get me wrong — I don’t think it’s a huge issue. Fearless play is good and it’s part of why he’s a great addition. I only mention his injury history in order to point out that it’s reasonable to expect him to miss a game or three per season heading forward, especially as he gets a bit older.
This is a great move by the Ravens. The have needed a threat in the passing game for a long time now. To give up a third and fourth round pick for a player of Boldin’s caliber is outstanding as the chance of drafting a player as talented in those rounds is uncertain at best.
If the defense continues to play as they have in the past, and Ray rice continues to develop into an MVP type of back, the Ravens are poised to make a deep run of things. Not to mention that Flacco will finally have a threat other than a running back to throw at.
So injuries aside it is hard to argue with a receiver who over the last seven year has gained 7,500 yards and caught over 40 touchdowns while playing second fiddle to Larry Fitzgerald.
Very interested to see the moves made as a result of this, including what happens with Mason and the rest of the receiving group, and also how it impacts the draft.
Bottom line, Flacco is getting help. Priorities next, I guess, are corner, tight end, and pass rusher. Not necessarily in that order, but maybe.
It’s another signing of a dude with character issues for a team that’s perceived as thuggish league-wide, but I suppose it’s a smidge better than trying to sign Marshall.
@Ryan – Couldn’t care less. Give me a dozen thugs who win games over a dozen guys who help little old ladies across the street but play like Kyle Boller.
I love having a team full of thugs. I think it’s awesome.
ummmm regale us with boldin’s “character issues”. he’s a hard nosed player who has never gotten in trouble as far as i can tell.
also ben’s going down this time. even pittsburgh is apparently up in arms about this one.
human garbage, to quote a friend.
now there’s a real “character issue” for you.
@Ryan – I have to agree with BBM on Boldin. You must be thinking of someone else because his rep is pretty clean. Unless we’re missing or forgetting something?
i never minded the thug image either but at this point it’s such a completely misinformed opinion. the ravens are almost unparalleled in the work they do in the community – look it up.
hell,any player who even bucks a little gets shown the door (hello cmac). it’s part of what makes them an exceptional organization.
i usually try to temper my optimism a little this time of year but if ed reed returns, suggs reports in shape, and the ravens have another good draft i think they could give ray a bookend trophy for his career.
I suppose I’m just still a little dumbfounded that they signed Stallworth after Harbaugh’s high and mighty talk about not signing Marshall because of his problems. That’s pure hypocrisy.
And as to Boldin, he’s a money grubber and he only plays hard when he’s worried about contract. He bitched and moaned constantly while in Phx. because he was never gonna’ beat out Fitzgerald for the star spot.
If you ascribe a character to your team—and I generally believe you should—the Ravens have clearly chosen for their fans. Talking about valuing wins over character is the province of Yankee fans.
Sayin’.
Boldin is a devout Muslim. He’s never had a single drop of alcohol in his life. Ryan, I know that rubs you the wrong way, as you’re probably drunk right now, but them’s the facts.
Dood, I’m so drunk right now I can barely swallow this haterade.
@Ryan – Gotta disagree here. The Ravens talked explicitly about not being afraid to give guys “second chances”. They didn’t say “tenth chances” which is where Marshall is at right now. Marshall has multiple on and off the field transgressions, he purposely dogged it in practice, etc. Stallworth on the other hand, had one (albeit much more severe) case, but has since said and done every single thing right. He seems genuinely remorseful and thankful to still be playing football. Read some of his interviews – I think what Harbaugh preaches is having good character on the field, being a team player, and playing hard. All of these things Stallworth will do, none of which Marshall would do.
And Boldin had one shouting match with his coach. That’s it. So has Mason. Boldin does not have character issues in my opinion. He’s going to be a great fit.
let’s google this shall we:
Results 1 – 10 of about 109,000 for baltimore ravens criminals. (0.24 seconds)
Results 1 – 10 of about 126,000 for denver broncos criminals. (0.11 seconds)
Results 1 – 10 of about 243,000 for baltimore ravens good organization. (0.13 seconds)
Results 1 – 10 of about 238,000 for denver broncos good organization. (0.11 seconds)
hahaha WOW:
Results 1 – 10 of about 26,600,000 for ray lewis. (0.14 seconds)
Results 1 – 10 of about 525,000 for john elway. (0.08 seconds)
better comparison:
Results 1 – 10 of about 5,580,000 for joe flacco. (0.15 seconds)
Results 1 – 10 of about 525,000 for john elway. (0.18 seconds)
To be fair, you need to put those search terms in quotes. I’m not sure it means much either way but without the quotes you’re getting results that don’t directly correlate to the terms.
For example:
Results 1 – 10 of about 431,000 for “joe flacco”. (0.23 seconds)
Results 1 – 10 of about 515,000 for “john elway”. (0.22 seconds)
Results 1 – 10 of about 420,000 for “i could give a fuck”. (0.18 seconds)
btw that term is a great example of something that makes no sense but i use enthusiastically anyway.
http://www.incompetech.com/Images/caring.png
Well, fair enough.
Chad Johnson doesn’t drink either. I want him to be a Raven someday.
Stallworth doesn’t have the same kind of problems Marshall has. Marshall’s problem is maturity, Stallworth just drank too much one night and killed a guy with his car. We all do that.
For someone incapable of caring less, BBM, you certainly did a fair amount of research to illustrate your point, and a little more to CYA in terms of avoiding the fabled butthurtedness.
To quote the trolls: “U mad, doggie?”
dude it took me like .18 seconds ten times
.18 seconds ten times = caring.
sayin’.
i will cop to caring that accurate football assessments are made on football threads (unless it’s steeler related and even then it’s usually true).
plus it’s fun to make fun of people.
And Mason’s back. Awesome news. Stallworth is going to get some bombs down the field with teams worrying about Boldin/Mason. If you keep Clayton, he’s as good a number 4 as you’re going to get. Gotta love it.
yeah i love the mason re-signing. he goes from a questionable number 1 to an extremely solid number 2 especially assuming stallworth can stretch the field a bit. they pick up that tight end in the draft and watch out.
also i just cannot believe how much of a jackass ben r is, even by my standards.
good times in baltimore.