Cover 1 Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Sounds like Whaley and Rex are trying to recreate the old Ravens defense. After that draft I would have to say they did a great job of bringing in the right talent. Ragland is the LB that this defense needs.
hondo in seattle Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 (edited) I know the OP is not saying Ragland will be the next Ray Lewis. Still, it's hard for me to wrap my head around the phrase "Ray Lewis type." What is the Ray Lewis type? A LB who can dominate a game? A defensive player so good that offenses have to scheme around him? I just can't bring myself to make any kind of Ray Lewis comparison. But do I think Ragland will be a good player on Rex's D. (Incidentally, cool highlight video... but I could live without the vulgar soundtrack). Edited May 2, 2016 by hondo in seattle
KOKBILLS Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 It's all up to Ragland...If, like Ray Lewis, he really buys into the work behind the scenes to get better he could become a great Pro... Ray Lewis though? Who has been Ray Lewis besides Ray Lewis? I went back and watched Ragland tapes again today...Goodness...I'm still a little worried about the coverage responsibilities...Clemson hit his Achilles heel hard by running crosses in front of him...But man...When he sees it, and he usually does, he's so quick to the ball...And he's looking to bring pain when he arrives...The majority of the tape I saw he was clearly Alabama's best Defender...Now maybe that had a lot to do with Bama's D-line keeping blockers off of him...Regardless...He's instinctive, and he's really smart on the field...I'm more impressed with him now than I was before the Draft...I just did not want the Bills to take a LB in the 1st Round...But man am I happy to have Ragland now, knowing we got Shaq first...Watching those two play in College was joyous...They were both very, very good...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 It's all up to Ragland...If, like Ray Lewis, he really buys into the work behind the scenes to get better he could become a great Pro... Ray Lewis though? Who has been Ray Lewis besides Ray Lewis? I went back and watched Ragland tapes again today...Goodness...I'm still a little worried about the coverage responsibilities...Clemson hit his Achilles heel hard by running crosses in front of him...But man...When he sees it, and he usually does, he's so quick to the ball...And he's looking to bring pain when he arrives...The majority of the tape I saw he was clearly Alabama's best Defender...Now maybe that had a lot to do with Bama's D-line keeping blockers off of him...Regardless...He's instinctive, and he's really smart on the field...I'm more impressed with him now than I was before the Draft...I just did not want the Bills to take a LB in the 1st Round...But man am I happy to have Ragland now, knowing we got Shaq first...Watching those two play in College was joyous...They were both very, very good... Mike singletary and pat Willis held their own
BADOLBILZ Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Sounds like Whaley and Rex are trying to recreate the old Ravens defense. After that draft I would have to say they did a great job of bringing in the right talent. Ragland is the LB that this defense needs. Not as talented as former Alabama ILB and current Cowboy Rolando McClain. So basically no way he will ever hold a candle to Ray Lewis. Rex is hoping for another David Harris. Also doubtful but a better comp. Should have just passed on trading for an $8M RB and paid David Harris the extra $1M per to leave the Jets and follow him to Buffalo. That was the formula that worked in NY with Bart Scott following him from the Ravens. Preston Brown and Bradhams struggles communicating defensive adjustments played a huge part in sinking last season.
John from Riverside Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Not as talented as former Alabama ILB and current Cowboy Rolando McClain. So basically no way he will ever hold a candle to Ray Lewis. Rex is hoping for another David Harris. Also doubtful but a better comp. Should have just passed on trading for an $8M RB and paid David Harris the extra $1M per to leave the Jets and follow him to Buffalo. That was the formula that worked in NY with Bart Scott following him from the Ravens. Preston Brown and Bradhams struggles communicating defensive adjustments played a huge part in sinking last season. Its just too early to say any of this.....
BEAST MODE BABY! Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Ray Lewis was (is?) much faster than Ragland. Lewis ran like a mid 4.5 forty IIRC. I think a better Ray Lewis comp is Patrick Willis. I like Ragland, don't get me wrong. He has great instincts. And most of his power comes from his legs. He can still put on weight on his upper body, but that boy can hit. Holy Moley. There is no perfect Madden-type linebacker. But Ragland has skills.
....lybob Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 I'd say more a David Harris type. exactly and Shaq Lawson is Terrell Suggs , Adolphus Washington = Trevor Price, Cardal Jones= Steve McNair , Jonathan Williams = Fred Jackson, Kolby Listenbee = Mark Clayton, Justin Zimmer = Kelly Gregg?
Dragonborn10 Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Let's say Ragland is even better than Harris but not as good as Lewis. The more important question is has Rex kept up with the modern NFL? He was embarrassed by Brady once and then Rex adjusted quite nicely. Who hasn't been torched by Lucifer himself. Wade has adjusted nicely from team to team. Can Rex do the same? Why did he have to change the entire defense instead of just adding a few of his own concepts? Now he is dumbing it down for his players. Will that translate into more aggressive play or will it just be easier for Brady et al to carve them up. I think last year was more about injuries than it was about the scheme. Add Mario quitting on the team and it was a disaster. Look for a bounce back year by the defense. Just need TT, Watkins, and Clay to stay healthy.
GunnerBill Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Should have just passed on trading for an $8M RB and paid David Harris the extra $1M per to leave the Jets and follow him to Buffalo. That was the formula that worked in NY with Bart Scott following him from the Ravens. Preston Brown and Bradhams struggles communicating defensive adjustments played a huge part in sinking last season. I know you hate the McCoy move but if we want to talk about the biggest money waste last offseason it was not LeSean McCoy it was by a distance Percy Harvin.
machine gun kelly Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Not as talented as former Alabama ILB and current Cowboy Rolando McClain. So basically no way he will ever hold a candle to Ray Lewis. Rex is hoping for another David Harris. Also doubtful but a better comp. Should have just passed on trading for an $8M RB and paid David Harris the extra $1M per to leave the Jets and follow him to Buffalo. That was the formula that worked in NY with Bart Scott following him from the Ravens. Preston Brown and Bradhams struggles communicating defensive adjustments played a huge part in sinking last season. I cannot remember a post where you didn't find a way to bash the McCoy free agent pick up. We get it. You hate the pick. You don't have to bring it up hundreds of times. Literally, when I see your avatar, "ok, what Is he going to say today to bring it back to how much he hates the McCoy pick up". It's not even that I disagree with your thoughts, but I just don't need to hear it over and over again. Honestly, not because I hate McCoy, but thought logically in the draft picking up the Razorback kid if pans out, we could save money in 2017 by dropping McCoy. That is if Karlos Williams proves the concussion was a fluke, and McCoy is another year Older. For this year, I'm hoping he has a great year, because I want us to win. Badol, I don't dislike your opinions at all. You think through your posts, but you have a blindspot in that everyone knows you hate the McCoy pick. You don't need to keep finding creative ways to weave it into the conversation.
GG Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Rex is hoping for another David Harris. Also doubtful but a better comp. Should have just passed on trading for an $8M RB and paid David Harris the extra $1M per to leave the Jets and follow him to Buffalo. That was the formula that worked in NY with Bart Scott following him from the Ravens. Preston Brown and Bradhams struggles communicating defensive adjustments played a huge part in sinking last season. Yes, David Harris is the model and that's why Jets paid up to extend Harris before he hit FA, so Bills never got a chance to overpay. But details like that are not important.
Mark80 Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 (edited) In short, no he cannot. Ray Lewis had everything Ragland has but was also quicker and faster. That is something you can never really get much better at. That speed is the difference between all-time great MLBs and good ones (Willis and Kuechly too). Ragland could be good, very good, but he's not going to be an all-time great. Edited May 2, 2016 by Mark80
Formerly Allan in MD Posted May 2, 2016 Posted May 2, 2016 Lewis was a player. But he was much more as he was the dynamic leader of his team. If Ragland can even approach Lewis' value to the team, he's one of our best picks ever.
Cover 1 Posted May 2, 2016 Author Posted May 2, 2016 I know the OP is not saying Ragland will be the next Ray Lewis. Still, it's hard for me to wrap my head around the phrase "Ray Lewis type." What is the Ray Lewis type? A LB who can dominate a game? A defensive player so good that offenses have to scheme around him? I just can't bring myself to make any kind of Ray Lewis comparison. But do I think Ragland will be a good player on Rex's D. (Incidentally, cool highlight video... but I could live without the vulgar soundtrack). By Ray Lewis type I meant that he is filling his role/position on the defense. Ragland isnt the athlete Ray was but Ragland is the same type of leader that Lewis brought. Ragland is an intelligent linebacker that can get the defense on the same page etc. Physically, yeah he is more comparable to David Harris, but I wasnt trying to say that he would be Ray Lewis. The film obviously shows that Ragland isnt on that level haha.
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