What if we picked up Adalius Thomas and turned him into a pure DE

He's 29 & surrounded by star players in the Ravens team. Put him in a less talented unit & his stand out abilities willl probably be watered somewhat.

I'd rather see our cash for defensive FA's spent on the secondary & the D line.

 

I think that's kinda what we're talking about.

No, for some reason I don't think it will work. I would also imagine that he would prefer to go to a team that plays a 3-4, since that's what he has thrived in.

 

Adalius Thomas, Future Titan.

Adalius Thomas could single handedly take our defense up to playoff caliber. Him, a FA corner and a good draft and I'm thinking more than just playoff caliber. Don't believe me? Here's an exerpt from ESPN the magazine that shows why he's unique. Vince Young unique.


"Thomas, a sixth-round pick out of Southern Mississippi in 2000, plays eight different defensive positions for the Ravens -- everything from nose tackle to press corner -- often on consecutive downs. That's partly why, since Thomas became a full-time starter in 2004, he leads all NFL linebackers with 26 sacks and four defensive touchdowns, including a 57-yard fumble return in a Nov. 26, 27-0 whitewash of the Steelers. His display of Swiss Army knife versatility has rejuvenated the Ravens defense, put Baltimore back among the AFC elite and single-handedly transformed the term tweener from scout cussword to compliment. "I've been around football a long time," Ray Lewis told the Baltimore Sun earlier this season, "but he's one of those guys you look back at and say, Wow."
At the Ravens' minicamp in June, then-offensive coordinator Jim Fassel chuckled in disbelief as Thomas jumped in with the defensive backs for one-on-one coverage drills. It looked like an oak tree lining up to cover a daffodil. Then Thomas blanketed wideout Devard Darling on a 35-yard deep fade, knocking the ball down just as it arrived. "Probably the most impressive thing I've seen since I've been involved in football," says Fassel."

Besides. All those who wanna steal a Raven throw your hands up! :ravens:

 

great ideas here for sure but we already have bulluck and thorton. thomas is also a olb, this would mean keith or david would ahve to move in to mlb. so i dont think that will happen but if it did i would assume thorton would move to mlb. we aslo have tulluch who looked like he could develop into somthing. if we could make it work i say do it, but im sure hes gonna demand top dollar and we cant sign him and a corner. i say corner.

 

Can you say "franchise tag"?

That's the problem with the really good players....their teams want them just as bad as we do.

 

he thrives in a defensive scheme that preaches mismatches and uses a lot of creativity with its blitz's. we dont do those type of things here.

 

First of all he absolutley kills it at MLB which is where he would play for us. When Ray-Ray went down for ten games, Thomas came in and registered 86 tackles, nine sacks and two picks! Bulluck and Thorton would stay put. Secondly, why can't we sign him and a corner? We're 40 million under the cap. This is why we dumped our entire roster over the last three years.

 

no gettin him would be great....we wouldnt put him in at OLB...we already have an elite and an possible elite at those positions we would put him in at DE opposite KVB. on bullucks side they could exchange rushing responsibilties as both can tackle, cover, and rush (bulluck can pressure the qb very well and would benfit from more oppurtunies to rush the qb)...i see taht right side amazing w/ bulluck and tohomos on it.

and he is a pressuer situational corner mostly used to cover close to the line where he jams....dont know where u get the idea he is capable of always coverin a WR as a full time CB....he would get beat a lot...more then hill...a lot more then hill

 

Well...

Sounds like hype to me! I'm reading a good book on the Ravens right now and I'm sure I'll get to Thomas. Be interesting to see what the author writes about him.

And Thomas basically plays 2 positions....OLB and rush OLB (pass rushing DE). The Ravens are an awesome D because of 3 things. They have excellent and unique talent, they put those players in positions to ulitize their talent, and play a creative and attacking style of D (can you say 46D? I can!)!!!

The only 'problem' with getting Thomas is that Schwartz may just stick him at DE or someplace and not alter the scheme to suit his talents (much like he frequently leaves our worst pass defenders one on one on 3rd and a mile)! Then, Thomas could end up being a very expensive overpaid free agent aquisition. If we had a good DC, I'd be all for it but until I see enough game film of him as a DE, he's not the #1 choice (though might certainly be the most viable if Freeney is franchised). He's a very good player and he's learned well and we could certainly use him (MLB, DE, OLB in a 4-4 or goaline). I don't think we'd break the bank for him though.

Gut

 

Simply put, he's going to look to get PAID. I don't think we spend the money on a position that we're already covered in. Tolluch, will be fine at MLB. He's talanted but I don't believe that you should pay big bucks to a renisance player, a player who's good at a lot of things, but great at none. It also looks like Schwartz is staying, that's all I have to say about this move.