Albert didn't start cracking the top 10 in mock drafts until this past week. I'm not sure Baltimore jumps on this guy; does he really fit the bill of "best player available"? Besides a poor Wonderlic score, what makes Albert any better than Ryan Clady?
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I wasn't lobbying for the guy ... but he's in the top five on Kiper, McShay and others.
-- Bill O.

The real impact of this deal on the Ravens is that despite serious character and potential suspension issues, Allen got a boatload of money from the Vikes - more total and more guaranteed than Freeny got from the Colts - so it probably just got that much harder to sign Terrell Suggs to a long term deal.
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Tim,
Very good point.
-- Bill O.

The Chefs! Great googly moogly!
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I loved that commercial. I wonder how many non-football zanies, like me, got the joke that the Chiefs grounds crew were the superstars of the league.
-- Bill O.

The Chiefs picking at 17 also imperils our ability to trade back beyond there and guarentee a shot at our #2 QB. They've long been rumored to be in that market and may use that second 1st rd pick on Brohm, Henne, or Flacco.
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Yeah, that crossed by mind too but I'll bet they go D-line ans O-line in some order in the first. They can't pull the plug on Brodie Croyle this quickly, can they.
-- Bill O.

I agree with RL and Tim.

With regard to how good Albert really is, I think Mike Florio has the proper perspective:

"As we noted on Tuesday, Albert played guard at Virginia because D’Brickashaw Ferguson was entrenched at left tackle there. But the notion that Albert couldn’t beat out Ferguson, who has been so-so in two seasons with the Jets, and that Albert wasn’t sufficiently dominant to take over the key position in the two years after Ferguson left provides some ammunition for wondering whether Albert will be all that good in the NFL."

http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/
(Posted by Mike Florio on April 23, 2008, 7:13 a.m.)

Also, many prognosticators had the Chiefs and Falcons as the most likely teams to select Ryan ahead of the Ravens. Given the make up of this QB class, I think this trade makes it likely that the Chiefs would take a DE at number 5 and perhaps take the second QB at 17. But if Ryan goes to Atlanta, this could make it interesting if the Ravens want their choice of the second tier QBs.

Doesn't JO need to decide if he is coming back this week? Can't imagine he would wait until after the draft to say that he isn't coming back. This could determine if they feel they need a LT to come right in or can wait and see with Gaither and draft someone next year if he isn't the answer.
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Connin,
I've been tempted to write that JO was the next shoe to drop but I honestly don't think he feels obliged to go public, or even make up his mind, before the draft.
-- Bill O.

The Ravens should be shopping Suggs to see if there is interest in him. He obviously doesnt want to be here and has even filed a grievance about his position and how that effects his franchise status. The Ravens need to start looking at LB because Ray wont be there forever.
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Josh,
With Suggs attending the voluntary camp as a gesture of goodwill I don't see that he's campaigning to leave Baltimore. The grievance is about money and I get his point. When the team wants him to be a DE, he plays DE. When they want him to play LB, he does it. But when it comes time to pay up -- even under a franchise tag situation -- they want to give him the short money, although I realize you and I would split the 8 mil gladly.
-- Bill O.

What's your take on the Seahawks releasing Shawn Alexander? Obviously they are opening up cap room, and he hasn't performed since his big payday, but I find it hard to believe that he is done. Properly motivated, he has the potential to put up big #'s for someone.
I doubt the Ravens would look at him, but they DO have a lack of proven depth at RB, since Musa and Anderson were allowed to walk.
I think there are a lot more issues with depth on this team than most people realize.
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Mather,
Soon I'm going to write that about that ... how thin this team really is on the depth chart. As far as Alexander is concerned, I fear he has fallen victim to the 2,000-yard curse. In his case, 1,880. The guy averaged well over 300 carries for five years. There's another 450 on his odometer since then. If you can get him real cheap, you can add him for depth but I think his days as a feature back are finished. Great career.
-- Bill O.

Albert is a fine player, but not a top 10 choice. Of course, I would say the same thing about offensive tackle Jake Long because every write up I saw on him said he will never be effective on the left side.

If Ryan and Ellis are gone, the Ravens would do well to trade down. And for the right offer they probably should let the opportunity to draft Ellis go by. If they can get an extra number 2 pick, I think they ought to be willing to drop down in to the 20s. They will still be able to get one of the next two top QBs in the first round.

Furthermore, if they think Gaither is just another year away from being ready for the NFL, why over draft another offensive tackle.
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Beekay,
I'm a big advocate of trading down, especially in this draft. The problem is who can you get to do that.
-- Bill O.

Personally, I'd be pretty disappointed if Baltimore used the first rounder on Albert or Clady. I really see Gaither as the future left-tackle, and, like the other poster, I'm very suspicious of the idea of either Albert/Clady as the best player available. I vote to take a big-time player like Ellis if he's there (even if DT is covered for the present, having an elite DT you can rotate in to keep guys fresh--so critical for the d-line--and then become a starter down the road, is not a bad deal). If not, try to trade down, maybe get the CB later in the first, then trade back up in the second round to get the QB of choice, be it Henne, Flacco, or whoever they deem best.

I wonder if the Ravens might look to trade down the # 8 pick to the Chiefs and get the #17 pick and another first day pick. It might better suit their needs if Matt Ryan is unavailable at #8. This could be a scenario for the Patriots, too.
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Bob,
I had wondered about who might be a trade-down partner and you make an excellent suggestion. The Chiefs just might be willing to do that if there are two must-have guys they want in the top 10.
-- Bill O.

Here's how it's gonna go:
2. Dorsey 3. Ryan 4. McFadden 5. C. Long 6. Gholston 7. Trade down to N.O. who take Ellis 8. Trade down.

If the Rams take Long instead of Dorsey, then it will be 3. Dorsey 4. McFadden 5. Trade down with N.O. whi take Ellis 6. Gholston 7. Trade down to Ravens who take Ryan

Every year lately there seem to be only 3,4 or 5 players who are worth the money awarded to the slot they are chosen in. Until the NFL makes it a situation where you are paid for performance and not potential, you will continually get all this involved manuevering to avoid have to overpay a high draft pick. I'm sure writers love the intrigue and there is something entertaining about the "game" behind the game but it would be refreshing to actually draft people on merit. I'd also like to hear more from the media on what Cameron and Harbaugh's offensive philosphy will be. To my knowledge there hasn't yet been one substantive interview of Cameron. My guess is he won't want to give one before Saturday.
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Bob,
The rookie pool has at least restored some sanity to the signings but there has always been an inequity about how NFL players are paid. Free agency has also allowed players who were later picks or UDFAs to have their performance rewarded but as we know, their timing has to be just right.
-- Bill O.