Thread: FA Daryl Smith-ILB Ravens

Originally Posted by underrated29

I'd call the offseason a wrap if we can land both of those guys.

jared allen is the one guy i want the most in free agency, and i think it's a legit possibility. . . i'd happily take an off-season that centered around re-signing DRC (or adding a comparable talent like verner or vontae davis), getting allen, and just adding competition at MIKE with one of our higher picks. . . we'll see if the coaches think irving can play inside, but he looked good enough to me down the stretch that i'd feel comfortable with him as a two-down starter if he can handle the middle. . . i do think he comes down hill physically enough to play MIKE if he can handle the mental aspects, but that part IS easier here, where trevathan's already comfortable and established as the guy that wears the green dot and makes the calls for the front seven. . . gap discipline and some coverage are the things nate needs to show-- and he actually had one of the few bright plays of the stupid bowl when he broke up that pass for kearse (a wide receiver) in the end zone. . .

NOT that i wouldn't like to sign smith, or war's guy rey for that matter. . . i'd love to. . . allen would be my absolute top priority, though-- we should already have a solid offer in to his agent. . . he's exactly what we need-- a leader, a playmaker, and just an all-around ass-kicker. . . seriously, another KC defensive end, alte in his career? except allen is even better than neil smith. . . dude draws huge respect around the league, he'd be the unquestioned leader on that side of the ball by the end of OTAs. . . and as hard as he's busted his ass on crap teams with no offense, how good would he be on a team where he just has to be the best player on one unit? how good could he be if we get a healthy von on the other side by the end of the year, and allen doesn't even have to be the man on that side of the ball every down, and fight double and triple teams?

the guy's been such a grinder, he'd bring instant accountability and improved toughness where we need them the most. . . and you know he has to be hungry to compete at the highest level. . . he's made a ton, and accomplished everything he can in the game besides seeing significant post-season success. . . great fit here on a ton of levels. . . seattle brought in bennett and avril last off-season to get them over the top-- let's go get allen to do the same. . .

Originally Posted by dogfish

jared allen is the one guy i want the most in free agency, and i think it's a legit possibility. . . i'd happily take an off-season that centered around re-signing DRC (or adding a comparable talent like verner or vontae davis), getting allen, and just adding competition at MIKE with one of our higher picks. . . we'll see if the coaches think irving can play inside, but he looked good enough to me down the stretch that i'd feel comfortable with him as a two-down starter if he can handle the middle. . . i do think he comes down hill physically enough to play MIKE if he can handle the mental aspects, but that part IS easier here, where trevathan's already comfortable and established as the guy that wears the green dot and makes the calls for the front seven. . . gap discipline and some coverage are the things nate needs to show-- and he actually had one of the few bright plays of the stupid bowl when he broke up that pass for kearse (a wide receiver) in the end zone. . .

NOT that i wouldn't like to sign smith, or war's guy rey for that matter. . . i'd love to. . . allen would be my absolute top priority, though-- we should already have a solid offer in to his agent. . . he's exactly what we need-- a leader, a playmaker, and just an all-around ass-kicker. . . seriously, another KC defensive end, alte in his career? except allen is even better than neil smith. . . dude draws huge respect around the league, he'd be the unquestioned leader on that side of the ball by the end of OTAs. . . and as hard as he's busted his ass on crap teams with no offense, how good would he be on a team where he just has to be the best player on one unit? how good could he be if we get a healthy von on the other side by the end of the year, and allen doesn't even have to be the man on that side of the ball every down, and fight double and triple teams?

the guy's been such a grinder, he'd bring instant accountability and improved toughness where we need them the most. . . and you know he has to be hungry to compete at the highest level. . . he's made a ton, and accomplished everything he can in the game besides seeing significant post-season success. . . great fit here on a ton of levels. . . seattle brought in bennett and avril last off-season to get them over the top-- let's go get allen to do the same. . .

I like you're sale pitch but I don't know Dog Elway hasn't been one to venture into the high end of free agency market other than Manning so it seems like this might be a long shot.

I'm glad someone else is finally willing to talk about Irving in the middle. ..took you long enough.

Originally Posted by slim

I'm glad someone else is finally willing to talk about Irving in the middle. ..took you long enough.

Who mentioned Irving?

Dogfish...lol

Originally Posted by slim

Dogfish...lol

I like Nate. I'm in the minority that believes he's got a shot to win the Mike job.

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

I like Nate. I'm in the minority that believes he's got a shot to win the Mike job.

I right there with you.

Smith is a proven impact Mike with connections to JDR. If it doesn't break the bank I'd love to sign this guy. He's a huge upgrade over any Mike we currently have and this is def a position of need.

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

I like Nate. I'm in the minority that believes he's got a shot to win the Mike job.

Didn't they try this already? Irving is better suited to SLB IMO. He played the position very well filling in for Miller. Not so much in the middle. We need a three down player at that position with great instincts and coverage ability.

Originally Posted by Traveler

Didn't they try this already? Irving is better suited to SLB IMO. He played the position very well filling in for Miller. Not so much in the middle. We need a three down player at that position with great instincts and coverage ability.

One year the effort was derailed due to Nate not being fully recovered from injury. He didn't fail in TC in 13'. He was first on the depth chart at Mike, but the team moved him to SAM when they realized Miller was going to miss significant time.

I don't think anyone honestly knows how the team feels about him at Mike. I'm just going by what I see with him on the field. He's physical and athletic. I honestly don't know how he would do with the mental side of it, but he seemed to do really well with it in the last half of the season at SAM.

He's been in the league long enough now that I think if he was going to assert himself in the middle he would have done it already. Good depth, but the team needs to look elsewhere for the starter.

Originally Posted by spikerman

He's been in the league long enough now that I think if he was going to assert himself in the middle he would have done it already. Good depth, but the team needs to look elsewhere for the starter.

That's where I am on Irving. Okay, he missed ONE season to injury, but we drafted in him in the third round to be our starting Mike and he hasn't managed to crack the lineup as more than a backup Sam in THREE seasons of trying. Sure, he's a strong downhill run-stopper for first and second down: That's a classic Sam, NOT a Mike, who must also cover well enough to play ALL downs. Sam's first off the field in nickel; Mike stays, so even the most glowing descriptions of Irving put him in the former category.

As to the price tag on Smith, again, $6-8 million/year for the first legit Mike we've had in just under a decade would be more than worth it. Even if he didn't play Mike (though our great need there makes it hard to imagine he wouldn't) a guy good at ALL things—run stuffing, covering RBs and TEs over the middle AND blitzing—would be an invaluable asset. Not saying it must be Smith, especially since he is >30, but if he can do that job and has three good seasons left in him, $30-35 million over 4-5 years sounds not only fair, but desirable. Just hope the FO agrees.

Well for whatever reason, it seems like JDR likes a veteran in the ILB spot. Between that, Smith's productivity and history with JDR, I'd say it's a strong possibility. The question is, how much is he asking and how long can he still be an impact player? It's one thing to get him on a two year deal like Knighton and Adams, but how much of his money will be guaranteed?

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

I like Nate. I'm in the minority that believes he's got a shot to win the Mike job.

He is a beast against the run.

Originally Posted by TXBRONC

I like you're sale pitch but I don't know Dog Elway hasn't been one to venture into the high end of free agency market other than Manning so it seems like this might be a long shot.

i wouldn't say that. . . luis vasquez was probably the top guard on the market, and welker's a big name as well. . . obviously, we have to operate under the cap, but elway hasn't been afraid to go after impact guys in FA. . . with philips hitting free agency and the price on edge rushers coming down the last two years, i very mcuh think allen will be on our radar-- unless we happen to re-sign philips quickly (which doesn't look like a priority), i really expect us to make a serious run at JA. . .