It has become clearer over the last few days that in order for the Ravens to bring back Ray Lewis it is going to cost them. Signing Lewis back, at 33 would leave less money for younger players like center Jason Brown and linebackers Terrell Suggs and Bart Scott.
General manager Ozzie Newsome is a very smart football man, and he should do what any smart GM would do and that is to follow the blueprint of the Pittsburgh Steelers. By letting go of older players when their contract runs out and using that money to bring in younger, fresher talent at the position. The Steelers have let go of fan favorites like, Rod Woodson, Carnell Lake, Levon Kirkland and Joey Porter only to replace them with what is always a perennial top 5 defense. The Ravens are not unfamiliar with this practice either, and have replaced veterans like Adalius Thomas, Ed Hartwell, Sam Adams, and Will Demps without missing a beat.
Baltimore has in many ways already modeled themselves after the Steelers. Stop the run, suffocate the quarterback, and create turnovers on defense. On offense run the ball, go for the big plays in the air, and let the QB manage the team to a victory.
Now Newsome and Coach John Harbaugh, should look to April’s draft for their next man in the middle. With the team picking 26th there will definitely be an immediate starter available, either at middle linebacker or cornerback. With the Ravens history of excellent drafts, this year should not be any different.
While it may hurt fans minds to accept, Ray Lewis is not worth a huge contract at 33. He also is not the second coming of Cal Ripken Jr. who the Orioles had to keep because he was the only player that sold tickets, a problem the Ravens do not have. The NFL is a cutthroat business and one player is never above the team. Just look down south in Tampa Bay where the Buccaneers just released the franchise’s best defender of all time. Derrick Brooks might be the best player to compare to Lewis, they each have been defensive cornerstones on their respective franchises for the last decade and both helped lead their teams to super bowls. Look for their busts to go into Canton around the same time. Tampa just released Brooks yesterday, the Ravens don’t even have to be the bad guys this weekend, they are not cutting the beloved Ray Lewis, just allowing him to move on to greener pastures for the rest of his hall of fame career.
The defense will still be very talented, surrounding a new middle linebacker with Haloti Ngata up front, Ed Reed in the deep secondary and veterans Suggs and Scott if they manage to re-sign both. Not bad players to learn from coming into the NFL for your first season. With a new defensive coordinator in town the timing could not have been better.
There are talented run stoppers in this year’s class, most notably, Ray Maualuga of USC and James Laurinaitis from Ohio State. You know who the Ravens selected 13 years ago when they had the 26th pick of the first round? I do and I bet Mr. Newsome remembers that one as well.
I agree completely. Ray can be replaced considering his age. Bart Scott learned from him and is younger — much more important to keep Scott around for the long haul over the next few years.
Sign one player and lose four others because they don’t have enough money, get rid of Ray. He’s been a constant while here, but they have been good enough in their draft picking to keep up the stellar defense. If it means they can sign their other defensive players as well as add higher end players on offense, then I’m all for it.
What about the change in the defensive system with Rex Ryan gone. Dont you think that it would be nice to have RAy back with the team to help the younger guys pick up a new system. I think his leadership is cruecical to the Ravens sucess
Rex leaving is not a big deal…note the number of defensive coordinators our top ranked defense has gone through thus far. I’m all for keeping Ray, but not for breaking the bank.
Very good points, BSR. Very good.
But what revelation are you basing this on in the last few days, something in particular or just your overall thoughts.
While I want to agree, there is still a big part of me filled with emotion and sentiment and there is no place for this in business. It’s difficult to put a value on the leadership that Ray has provided and would continue to give, even if his body is two or three steps off. He’s got that force in him that makes everyone better. You can’t teach it…
With Rex gone too, I think Ray has been the driving force of the dee and keeping him can only benefit. He is THE reason the dee has done so well with all our defensive coordinators.
At this point, it is what it is. I just want to freaken know which way we are going.
In Ozzie we trust!
Molly, you are right he is a great leader. One of the best in recent memory. I am not a Ravens fan, from an objective viewpoint I think it would benefit their team to not pay him a huge salary at the age of 33. The Steelers D is young and the Ravens need to get younger as well. Lewis will still go in the hall a Baltimore Raven.
He’s a great leader and was helpful in bringing these guys together this year under a new coach. BUT, he’s older and to pay him money they could possibly use to bring in a few more players to strengthen more positions would be a waste and moving in the wrong direction.
Under Harbaugh, they need a new start and if that means letting Ray go, then so be it. This franchise will simply remember Ray and move on.
Whats more frustrating is how Ray has always been vocal about the team, we play as a team, and to suddenly have memory loss talking about himself and “I don’t play less, do I take less” crap is a bunch of bull. Cut ties with him. There are a lot of similarities between this and the Favre situation in Green Bay. What will the Ravens do.
While I totaly agree about letting Ray Lewis go, I am not sure writing about the Ravens is worth the time it took. After all, the good people of Baltimore can get the Redskins’ games.