Ravens making moves - Mckinnie

[Gumby]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6889527/bryant-mckinnie-baltimore-ravens-agree-two-year-deal

First Levoir on Right side; now McKinnie on Left side.

Baltimore beefing up the OL. Is this their answer (well reaction is maybe better word) to the Pats DL improvements?

Do these signings move the Ravens up any on your 'perceived threat matrix'?

I think so. Certainly a lot more than the Fish signing larry johnson.

 

[randomk1]

McKinnie and Levoir ? No...Ravens have also lost some players.

 

[RayClay]

Bryant McKinnie, Baltimore Ravens agree to two-year deal - ESPN

First Levoir on Right side; now McKinnie on Left side.

Baltimore beefing up the OL. Is this their answer (well reaction is maybe better word) to the Pats DL improvements?

Do these signings move the Ravens up any on your 'perceived threat matrix'?

I think so. Certainly a lot more than the Fish signing larry johnson.

Yeah, I'm quaking to see that line now that they've added our permanent backup as a starter.

Apparently, there's quite a bit of marbling on the McKinnie beef these days.

 

[smg93]

Bryant McKinnie, Baltimore Ravens agree to two-year deal - ESPN

Baltimore beefing up the OL. Is this their answer (well reaction is maybe better word) to the Pats DL improvements?

This is their answer to not having a good OL throughout camp.

 

[Bigatrop]

By making someone we released as their starter? For some reason that doesn't make me nervous...

 

[BTTA]

This is actually reassuring. That's one of the worst starting tackle combos in the league. The Ravens depend on a strong running game to make Flacco effective, and it will be hard to do with those two guys.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

What's interesting is if you look at the "elite" teams, there are many bad offensive lines.

Maybe they are being proactive.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Levoir singing isn't exactly a big deal

You make it sound as if he is an all pro

 

[patchick]

This is actually reassuring. That's one of the worst starting tackle combos in the league. The Ravens depend on a strong running game to make Flacco effective, and it will be hard to do with those two guys.

Psst...Michael Oher's still going to start for them.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Psst...Michael Oher's still going to start for them.

My wife has watched that movie about Oher 100x...I barely got through it once.

Now if he became a Patriot,I may be able to stomach it again....

 

[HomerSchooled]

All it shows is that their tackles, including Michael Oher, have been playing really, really terribly.

 

[patchick]

All it shows is that their tackles, including Michael Oher, have been playing really, really terribly.

I don't see how this is an indictment of Oher. He was the only quality OT on the roster, and a guaranteed starter. They still needed a starter opposite him plus a halfway decent swing tackle, so they tabbed Mckinnie and LeVoir. :confused2: That said, I suspect Oher really belongs at RT.

 

[HomerSchooled]

I don't see how this is an indictment of Oher. He was the only quality OT on the roster, and a guaranteed starter. They still needed a starter opposite him plus a halfway decent swing tackle, so they tabbed Mckinnie and LeVoir. :confused2: That said, I suspect Oher really belongs at RT.

If McKinnie plays LT, and all indications are he will, it's certainly an indictment of Oher's play at that position. Had he been playing well there, they'd have pursued someone to play RT. Instead, they clearly weren't happy with either position's performance, so they tried to kill two birds with one stone by upgrading at LT and moving Oher back to RT. If McKinnie, a player cut from a middling Minnesota team, is an upgrade at LT, then Oher wasn't cutting it. You don't mess with good LT play.

Oher's reputation is propped up quite a bit from his high profile feel-good story. Everyone wants him to be great. I'm rooting for him too. But this is clearly a signing that a team who's OL had been playing well wouldn't have made.

 

[BTTA]

Psst...Michael Oher's still going to start for them.

Doh. In my defense, I'm suffering from a grade 10 summer cold. But still.

 

[Deus Irae]

If McKinnie plays LT, and all indications are he will, it's certainly an indictment of Oher's play at that position. Had he been playing well there, they'd have pursued someone to play RT. Instead, they clearly weren't happy with either position's performance, so they tried to kill two birds with one stone by upgrading at LT and moving Oher back to RT. If McKinnie, a player cut from a middling Minnesota team, is an upgrade at LT, then Oher wasn't cutting it. You don't mess with good LT play.

Oher's reputation is propped up quite a bit from his high profile feel-good story. Everyone wants him to be great. I'm rooting for him too. But this is clearly a signing that a team who's OL had been playing well wouldn't have made.

McKinnie has never played RT. It makes sense to move Oher in that case. And, per PFT, that's what's happening. McKinnie to start at LT, Oher to start at RT.

 

[Shelterdog]

I don't see how this is an indictment of Oher. He was the only quality OT on the roster, and a guaranteed starter. They still needed a starter opposite him plus a halfway decent swing tackle, so they tabbed Mckinnie and LeVoir. :confused2: That said, I suspect Oher really belongs at RT.

Yup. Oher was a great RT and a not great LT. Ironic given the book and all but what can you say.

 

[l_j_r]

Yup. Oher was a great RT and a not great LT. Ironic given the book and all but what can you say.

... on sirius radio they are saying this as well ...

... moving Oher to RT where he is more comfortable ...

... McKinnie supposedly working himself back into shape now ... will be their LT ...


... ray lewis & ed reed will police the locker room & ensure McKinnie doesn't slack off ... he's been to the probowl before, so they expect him to return to that level ...

... all that being said, i'd think the ravens make moves to beat the steelers ... as jets & pats battle each other for division title & easier route in the post season ...

 

[HomerSchooled]

McKinnie has never played RT. It makes sense to move Oher in that case. And, per PFT, that's what's happening. McKinnie to start at LT, Oher to start at RT.

Totally agree. All I'm saying is that had Oher been playing LT effectively, they wouldn't have signed another LT to start. You don't spite the left to improve the right, so they obviously hope to better both sides by this move. I'm not suggesting Oher isn't a good player and won't succeed at RT. All I'm saying is they clearly weren't happy with his LT play. Their whole OL has been struggling. I don't think anyone would dispute that.

Maybe it's just the RT position that's a disaster, and they're trying to get the best players possible on the field however they can. I just don't think anybody messes with proven success at the LT position, especially just for the sake of getting McKinnie on the field.

 

[Deus Irae]

Totally agree. All I'm saying is that had Oher been playing LT effectively, they wouldn't have signed another LT to start. You don't spite the left to improve the right, so they obviously hope to better both sides by this move. I'm not suggesting Oher isn't a good player and won't succeed at RT. All I'm saying is they clearly weren't happy with his LT play. Their whole OL has been struggling. I don't think anyone would dispute that.

Maybe it's just the RT position that's a disaster, and they're trying to get the best players possible on the field however they can. I just don't think anybody messes with proven success at the LT position, especially just for the sake of getting McKinnie on the field.

The RT position is a disaster. They didn't get Gaither back, and the rookie they wanted to start hasn't been able to get the job done.

 

[HomerSchooled]

The RT position is a disaster. They didn't get Gaither back, and the rookie they wanted to start hasn't been able to get the job done.

Again, I agree. It's obviously a disaster. But if he were a great LT, they wouldn't move him, no matter how dire the RT situation. Would you move Joe Thomas or Jake Long to the right side to get McKinnie on the field? I wouldn't. He's mediocre at best. I just don't think Baltimore would be willing to allow a precipitous fall off on the left side to improve the right, no matter how drastically. And if McKinnie's anything less than a major drop off from you, you are not a great LT.

Aside from this purely hypothetical stuff, anyone who watches Oher should be able to tell he's obviously not a stud LT. He's a penalty machine, and he allows a ton of sacks. Even Cunningham abused him last year. Their running game's effectiveness also fell off a cliff when they lost Gaither (from 4th in YPA in 2009 to 28th in 2010.) That's clearly not all on Oher, but that's still inexcusable.