PATRIOTSFANINPA

Looks like Adalius is the latest player of the Ravens glory days when that defense was at its peak that went elsewhere and totally underplays with his new team.

How many times will a team take it up the ass by signing these guys?

There is definately a former Ravens player jinx going on because I don't think anyone can name a Raven from this decade that has gone elsewhere and prospered.

The Patriots were victims twice with Belichick blunders of the signing of Adalius Thomas and the infamous Duane Starks.

Others who have failed from the early decade Ravens defense currently includes an add-on in Bart Scott although in his first full season as a Jets has done about as much as Thomas.

It does not end there as on offense Jamal Lewis has never done much with the Browns and look at thier former DC Rex Ryan who appears to have been a major mistake judging by his first season.

Ray Lewis was smart enough to stay there as he probalby would be horrid on another team and even Ed Reed would probably become less than average elsewhere.

Lets stop signing these duds from Baltimore..O.K. BB??

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BradyFTW!

WTF are you smoking? You actually think that guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed would be "less than average" outside of Baltimore?

BTW, Jamal Lewis has surpassed 1,000 yards in both of his full seasons since leaving Baltimore, and was the focal point of their offense in 2007 when they went 10-6, rushing for 1300+ yards and 4.4 YPC. If anything, he's exceeded expectations since leaving Baltimore.

Priest Holmes set the TD record after leaving Baltimore.

Brandon Stokley has done far more since he left the Ravens than he ever did with them.

Chester Taylor had 1200 yards in his first year out of Baltimore, and has been splitting carries very efficiently with AP since.

Bart Scott is on pace to equal the production that he had with the Ravens, where he was always valuable for his versatility (and still is).

Jim Leonhard has been an excellent on-the-field leader for the Jets, and his production is right on par with what he did as a Raven.

Feel free to compare that track record to FAs from other teams. Seriously, check out how Pittsburgh's FAs have done over the past few years. Allan Faneca, Joey Porter, Larry Foote, Kendall Simmons, Kordell Stewart, Plaxico, Jason Gildon, Nate Washington, etc. - hits and misses across the board. Or check how the Pats' own FAs tend to do when they leave: McGinest, Vinatieri, Vrabel, Samuel, Gay, Gaffney, Stallworth, etc.

HarkDawg

you are only as strong as the supporting cast around you.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

Was Adalius Thomas not one of the most sought after LBs in 2007 - Are you going to say you saw his putrid performance here coming?

Don't BS,You like me and all other Patriot fans had hard ons the day he was signed,Adalius was the TOP FA in 2007

How can you be so sure of the others? - No one has proven this wrong this decade as far as I can see.

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HEY BRO! WHAT UP?

To be fair, Baltimore ran Jamal Lewis into the ground before he went to Cleveland. Starks went to Arizona and didn't do jack, so it's not like he came straight from Baltimore to New England. That was just a stupid trade from the beginning.

When Thomas went to New England he was misused from the start. He showed flashes of what he did in Baltimore when New England used him more as a pass rusher. But New England's scheme is the exact opposite of what Baltimore does - blitz multiple people almost every play. Thomas was a beneficiary of teams having to worry so much about Ray Lewis, Trevor Pyrce, Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs coming off of the edge. Here in New England, they had a washed up Vrabel, Seymour until he was traded, Colvin for half a season, a young LB in Mayo and now Tully Banta-Cain. Last but not least, he's in coverage way to much.

As for Bart Scott, he doesn't see any drop off in his game because he's with Rex Ryan. As much as people don't like him on this board, I'd take him on my team any day of the week. Scott teamed up with Mayo would give this defense a nasty edge that they desperately need. The exact ingredient they have been missing since 2005.

BradyFTW!

Priest Holmes alone is enough to completely invalidate your premise; the rest just make it even more ridiculous. I gave plenty of examples in my first post. And Lewis and Reed are both among the most talented all-time at what they do. If you think that simply changing teams would turn them from all-world talents to "less than average", then you know even less about football than I thought you did. Even Adalius is still is a pretty good LB; he's simply a headcase and a cancer in the locker room, which destroys his value. And Lewis and Reed are both 5 times the player that Thomas ever was or ever will be (maybe not anymore for Lewis, but in his prime it would be a joke to even compare the two).

As for the Thomas signing, I was cautiously optimistic at the time. I was excited that we were getting a guy who could rush the passer and cover tight ends, but reserved judgment until I saw how he could do in our system. He's always been an extremely athletic, versatile guy who didn't dominate in any facet of the game. I was 10x more excited about Moss.

BoTown

Ex-Raven player jinx?

Adalius Thomas, Duane Starks, Vinny Testaverde, Brian Kinchen, Rick Lyle, Anthony Pleasant, O.J. Brigance...

That's your entire list of ex-Raven players that joined the Patriots since 2001. I think we're grasping at straws just a little bit here.

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BradyFTW!

Lewis was fantastic for Cleveland in 2007.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

Maybe not less than average as I mentioned but most likely not as dominating as they are now.

You see top players with a certain team go elsewhere and do little,some are a product of their former team while so do adjust,few in Baltimore have but some of the players you mentioned.

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HEY BRO! WHAT UP?

Yeah, he did have a good year for them. I forgot about Priest Holmes. He was an absolute stud for KC for years. I remember New England was rumored to trade for him during the Pete Carrol era.