Saint Doug Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Interesting read... http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/footbal...sports-football Table all but bare, team throws dice Mike Preston The Ravens acquired running back Willis McGahee from the Buffalo Bills yesterday in a move that is supposed to upgrade their running game, but it's nothing to get really excited about - not when it cost the team three draft picks. To put it bluntly, within the past two days the Ravens have given up on an older malcontent of a running back with a bad knee for a younger malcontent of a running back with a bad knee. McGahee is a couple of years younger than former starter Jamal Lewis, and he might put a little more pizazz in the rushing offense, but the trade is somewhat puzzling. Soon after the 2006 season ended, top Ravens officials said they no longer were interested in mortgaging the present for the future, but they gave up third-round draft picks in 2007 and 2008 plus a seventh-round pick in April for McGahee. As of today, they don't have a third- or fourth-round pick in April's draft because they gave up the latter in the trade for quarterback Steve McNair last offseason. So, were the Ravens putting out a spin about a new philosophy or were they admitting that the window of opportunity was about to close because they mortgaged part of their future with the addition of McGahee? "I've talked to Ozzie [Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome] and told him I don't like some of the things that have gone on," said the Ravens' Pro Bowl offensive tackle, Jonathan Ogden, who still hasn't decided yet if he will retire before next season. "Ozzie has been in this business for a long time and is one of the best, so I can't criticize him, but there is a fine line in this business of getting ready now and getting ready for the future. I've been through salary-cap purges and rebuilding processes and I'm not sure where we're at." The addition of McGahee does make you scratch your head. It seems safe to assume that the Ravens, despite all the nice things they had to say about Lewis, really didn't want him back. Lewis signed with the Cleveland Browns for a reported $3.5 million, and the Ravens only offered about $2 million. If the difference were only $1.5 million, it would have been better to re-sign Lewis than to part with three draft picks. With Lewis, the team only had to give him a one-year deal. The word around the league is that the Ravens and McGahee have agreed in principle to a seven-year deal that could be worth as much as $40.12 million, which includes a $7.5 million signing bonus and an option bonus of $6 million for next season. Ouch! That hurts. McGahee has had success in his four seasons in the NFL, but he does carry some baggage. He's from the University of Miami, and that's both good and bad. Miami players play with a ferocious attitude (see Ray Lewis and Ed Reed). They are also the ultimate I-guys (see Ray Lewis and Ed Reed). McGahee complained in Buffalo about not touching the ball enough. There was a belief there that he demanded this trade, and the Bills were more than happy to oblige. There is also the injury factor. McGahee was one of the most explosive runners in the college game until he tore three ligaments in his knee during the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. He still has reasonable speed and can run inside as well as outside. He can pass-block and is a threat out of the backfield as a receiver, but he doesn't have the ability to hit the home run anymore. And after complaints about his role, he basically shut it down at the end of last season. That could be a problem, especially with coach Brian Billick, who often strays from the running game, even when effective. "Jamal Lewis is my boy and I wish him well," Ogden said. "I will say this, and that's during the last two years, we underutilized him. We should have run him more." It's a gamble by the Ravens, one they really had to make once negotiations with Lewis broke down a couple of days ago. McGahee's best season was in 2005 when he was named a Pro Bowl alternate after rushing for 1,247 yards and five touchdowns. McGahee has started 40 of 46 games in which he has played, carrying 868 times for 3,365 yards and 24 touchdowns. After McGahee, the only other alternative for the Ravens was former Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots running back Corey Dillon, another potential malcontent who once refused to go into a game against the Ravens in Baltimore during the 2000 season. So in the Ravens' eyes, they made a great move. With the No. 29 pick in the first round of April's draft, they probably couldn't have picked up an impact running back and they couldn't have drafted a player of McGahee's talents in the third round. But on the flip side, they probably could have selected a good offensive lineman with each of those third-round picks, and that would have significantly improved the running game. At least, though, the Ravens didn't give up a first-round pick for McGahee. Now, that would have really caused a stir. Giving up what they did is a big enough deal. mike.preston@baltsun.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrite Gal Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 A good article is a fair and balanced (to borrow Fox's phrase so clearly take this article for what it is worth) of the situation. In general, the thinking not only is a good estimation of the pluses and minuses of this deal from the Ravens standpoint but also from the Bills standpoint. We will know whether this was a good deal for the Ravens by the end of next season as they are a game away from the SB and if folks give McNair s bit more passing room to work with because opponents are more afraid of WM than Lewis (they really should have let WM play out his contract and franchised him if necessary in order to give him more financial motivation in 07 IMHO) then this is a good deal for them. We likely will be missing substantial information to assess the realities of this deal from the Bills perspective until at least the end of the 2008 season and maybe not until the end of the 2010 season. Most seem to agree that you need to give a draftee at least three years before one can make a reasonable assessment of his play for a team. The additional third round choice picked up by the Bills for WM next season is a first day pick who should contribute something significant to the team (should is the key word here). Three seasons for this player will be the end of the 2010 season. A lot in making a rational assessment of this deal depends upon how good of a job Marv and the gang do of team building using the resources acquired. Think of it for hypothetical purposes as the equivalent of whether 1 2006 McGahee is worth 1 2006 Youbouty (the 2007 third rounder acquired) + 1 2006 Kyle Williams (the 2008 third rounder but discounted because it is a future pick so it may have some value next year for trading and planning purposes) + 1 2006 Aaron Merz (the 2007 7th rounder). I think this thought experiment is a good indicator in that this case would show the Bills getting some value from this trade for the 2007 team, but a fairly inadequate value in terms of filling our needs, but it will provide some hope for the future teams in 2008 and beyond. If you are as future is now as I am then for the most part all you can do is hope for the best with this one, but the 2007 season is not looking pretty right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in San Diego Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Interesting read heh ! I think we got the best of this trade ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Interesting read heh ! I think we got the best of this trade ! I think it was a fair trade from all sides. 1. The bills get extra draft picks to address more needs 2. The Ravens get a featured RB that they were looking for. 3. McGahee gets his wish to play in a big market team that is more closer to the SB than the Bills. 4. The fans are happy that the Bills are willing to go in a different direction with the RB situation. I just hope the Bills don't short change the position and actually draft a Lynch or Hunter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBillsDrive Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 We'll see whether Willis is made of anything different next year. Baltimore has O-line issues. Jonathan Ogden (one of the best LT's ever) may retire. Mulitalo was cut. RT Tony Pashos is gone. If Willis is truly "the best back in the NFL", he'll have a great opportunity to prove it behind Baltimore's new O-line. We'll see what your made of Willis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formerly Allan in MD Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 We'll see whether Willis is made of anything different next year. Baltimore has O-line issues. Jonathan Ogden (one of the best LT's ever) may retire. Mulitalo was cut. RT Tony Pashos is gone. If Willis is truly "the best back in the NFL", he'll have a great opportunity to prove it behind Baltimore's new O-line. We'll see what your made of Willis. And Willis tells the Baltimore press he will accell behind that good OL, as he badmouths the Bills. Perhaps he should read a bit more. Or perhaps he was just desperate to get out of Buffalo/Toronto. Or maybe he learned of some easy "hits" in B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAF911 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 And Willis tells the Baltimore press he will accell behind that good OL, as he badmouths the Bills. Perhaps he should read a bit more. Or perhaps he was just desperate to get out of Buffalo/Toronto. Or maybe he learned of some easy "hits" in B. Dude, your making a big assumption...that Willis can read. Maybe that was the reason why he never understood the playbook...too many words and not enough pictures!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I 90 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Baltimore has O-line issues. Jonathan Ogden (one of the best LT's ever) may retire. Mulitalo was cut. RT Tony Pashos is gone. The loss of fullback Ovie Mughelli also figures in. Willis is a better toy for Billick than the man he replaces. He showed how good he can be alone in the backfield last year -- unexpectedly solid on blitz pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Gun10 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 The loss of fullback Ovie Mughelli also figures in. Willis is a better toy for Billick than the man he replaces. He showed how good he can be alone in the backfield last year -- unexpectedly solid on blitz pickup. Didnt they sign shelton, thought i read that somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I 90 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Didnt they sign shelton, thought i read that somewhere. Shelton remains unsigned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 "Jamal Lewis is my boy and I wish him well," Ogden said. "I will say this, and that's during the last two years, we underutilized him. We should have run him more." Well, that bodes well for McGahee's performance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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