Ravens install Micheal Oher at LT in mini-camp, Gaither expected to be traded
by shake n bake on May 7, 2010 3:18 PM EDT
in Colts Analysis
Email
PrintNFL.com reports that former starting LT Jared Gaither was not taking snaps at left tackle in today's minicamp and a team source says that the move is intended to be permanent. Gaither took over Oher's former position at RT, but ESPN's Adam Shefter says that sources around the league expect Gaither to be traded before the season, with Buffalo as the main player.
The Colts passed on OTs Rodger Saffold and Charles Brown in the 1st (and the 2nd in the case of Brown), but the post draft comments framed it as a lack of value at LT, not necessarily a lack of need. If the price is right for Gaither the Colts would have a place for a talented OT. The Colts had interest in LTs in the draft, just none that fell within their reach. Beyond price the major stumbling block would be the rumored attitude issues which soured the Ravens on Gaither in the first place. If an organization that stresses character like the Colts sees it as more than just standard grumbling about a new contract then Gaither is likely off the table and any price the Ravens would reasonably accept.
During the draft the Ravens were reportedly looking for a early 2nd round pick, but as time passes that price could be slashed as the Ravens have solid RT options in Oniel Cousins and Marshall Yanda. On the other hand the Ravens are looking to contend for a title this year so there's only so low they'll go to give up an insurance policy on Oher and what would be expected to be fantastic RT play.
A final stumbling block comes from his contract situation. Any deal for him would likely require a new contract in place, as a team wouldn't want to pay out picks for a 1 year rental of Gaither, who has yet to sign his 1 year RFA tender. Acquiring Gaither would take a significant financial investment as well, with franchise LT money needing to be negotiated before a deal would take place.
29 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Lets think about this, if gaither came in and started at LT at a level as high as Tarik Glenn (If not higher) did for the next 7-10 years would a first rounder (28-32nd) not be worth it?
I think so.
without a doubt
but if he has attitude problems and ends up a marginal starter for 3-4 years, he’s not worth anything to us.
"If you don't [draft me], I promise you I'll come back and kick your ass for the next 15 years."
^^ This
I would definitely want to know more about Gaither and what those supposed attitude problems were before I’d want Indy to try to pick him up. This team is good enough to where we can be intolerant of head cases and pass on them when they become available.
On the other hand, if this is a case where someome simply doesn’t fit, yet is a good football player in all other aspects (including the mental and team social ones), then yes, he should be considered. There’s nothing wrong with the team performing due dilligence on him. And while LT is definitely in need of an upgrade (sorry, CJ!), it’s tolerable enough at this point where the Colts lose nothing by being patient. You can’t just jump at the first guy that becomes available until you make sure that guy isn’t suddenly being traded for bad reasons. Indy is not a franchise built on rehabilitation.
------
"How can a pickup truck contain enough mass to unfold into a towering machine? I say if Ringling Brothers can get 15 clowns into a Volkswagen, anything is possible."
Attitude
Shake, I think you hit the nail on the head. My concerns about Gaither are not about cost but about value. Newsome is almost as savvy as Polian and the Ravens are up there with the Colts when it comes to a classy organization (though we can continue to deride Baltimore fans). I worry that this is not just about a contract but is a character issue. Ugoh can still be salvaged and CJ did a servicable job last year and it got us to the Super Bowl. Hopefully the value at LT is there next year’s draft class.
by 2ndBlueGeneration on May 7, 2010 3:30 PM EDT reply actions
Ugoh can
maybe be salvaged.
/fixed
"We'll put em in the pot, shake it up and see what comes out." - Howard Mudd
"Nothing's complicated if you understand it." - Tom Moore
"It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law." - Hofstadter's Law
My vote reflects my pessimism.
"We'll put em in the pot, shake it up and see what comes out." - Howard Mudd
"Nothing's complicated if you understand it." - Tom Moore
"It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law." - Hofstadter's Law
forgot about his contract situation, which adds another layer
edited.
Luck is probability taken personally, clutch is probability attributed to individuals.
Just how deeply can your senses be wrong? With some VR goggles, a camera and a touch on the back researchers were able to overcome a person's sense of being inside their own body.
Not sure what they could learn.
You would Terry would vouch for his teammate.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Finals suck.
All I know is just because Manning may not need a great LT
His replacement in a few years will, because I doubt we find the next generation Manning on our first shot, although I’m not actually sure I wouldn’t put it past Polian too. Just think about in a year or two when we are really starting to get desperate to find our franchise LT, and we still don’t draft one. It is going to make all this Charles Brown love-fest from this past draft look like a minor case of the “Aww-shucks,” in comparison.
"I shall not fear. Fear is the Mind killer. Fear is the little death that leads to total obliteration. I will face my fear and let it pass through me. When the fear is gone, there shall be nothing. Only I shall remain."
-Frank Herbert "Dune" (1965)
Peyton
Favre will likely be playing at 41 while Kurt Warner could easily have played at 40. And Peyton’s taken a tenth of the hits of either QB. Peyton’s a young 34 and could easily play 6-7 more seasons, if not more. With advancements in training and medicine, you will regularly be seeing QBs playing into their early 40’s in the near future. So, I wouldn’t worry just yet about lining up a LT for Peyton’s successor.
by Cole Farrington on May 7, 2010 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions
I disagree... wish i didn't.
But, unlike Favre, who seems to make his ‘return or retire’ decision based on his enjoyment level, Mr. Manning seems more the type to make the decision on his ability to perform to HIS expectations.
I can tell you from experience, the physical drop off from 30-35 is minor compared to the drop off from 35-40. I’d like to think that 18 will play well into his 40’s, i’m afraid he’ll decide to retire when his performance STARTS to decline.
just a hunch…
Careful what you wish for... a government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take everything you have.
I'd wet myself
If they got him for less than a first rounder. Doubt it happens though. Not really the franchise’s M-O.
"You're hitting the wrong person. Don't you know you're hitting Ron Artest?"
Come visit The Fantasy Ninjas. We'd love to hear from you.
To me, it says a lot that the Ravens would give up on him.
Firstly, they are one of the best drafting organizations in the league, and in player development. Would they really give up a good to great LT talent wise that is 6’9" like this. Oher wasn’t even spectacular at LT when he played there for three or four games last year. When Oher was moved the LT and Cousins was put at RT last year when Gaither was hurt, the Ravens struggled. There has to be a reason they are so willing to kick him aside.
Also, that said, I don’t think the Colts go for him even if he had no attitude questions. That is not their style, plus he would have to be given a fairly nice contract as well.
EVH+DLR=BFFs........ God I Hope So!!
I would love to see it happen
But I’d put the chances at less than zero.
Insert Clever Statement Here
What did we give up for
Booger? It’s unlikely the Colts would pull the trigger on this, but they have done it before…
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
Well I think Gaither
would be worth a 2nd rounder…
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on May 7, 2010 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I would agree with that
Insert Clever Statement Here
would love to know the truth
about the attitude but doubt anything is happening between the Colts and Gaither. O-Line moves so far seemed directed at the interior, not where we have been focusing a lot of our attention on Stampede Blue.
How can you not love a team that does this?
by LovinBlue on May 7, 2010 4:00 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
C'mon man!
I refuse to get excited all over again about a franchise LT. Some team like Buffalo is going to outbid what the Colts would/could offer.
I voted first rounder.
I personally would give a 1st. Polian and co however will not pull the trigger on this trade. They don’t do trades. If manning wants to continue to play til “favre” age then he will need a quality LT. We’re one missed block and bad sack away from being 5-11…and that’s being optimistic.
"I'm pretty sure my cats been reading my diary"
1st rounder
I vote first rounder… Though if he was on a NFC team I would throw out a Bob Sanders and maybe a fourth offer, but him being in the AFC and Bob “maybe” getting healthy I will stick with a 1st rounder and not have to worry about playing Bob down the road.
Wow, thanks for the report guys
Did not really know that there was a trade in the works. I hope he goes to Buffalo rather than you guys. Peyton doesn’t need to be on his feet any longer. But if you guys offer the right deal, we will do it. We want a 1st round pick at least. I expect more.
You have to hate losing more than you love winning.
you're welcome, come again soon
"We'll put em in the pot, shake it up and see what comes out." - Howard Mudd
"Nothing's complicated if you understand it." - Tom Moore
"It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law." - Hofstadter's Law
I don't want to give more.
"I am in favor of censorship ‐ not against what is supposed to be sexy or dirty, but against what is idiotic." -Jean Renoir
Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Finals suck.
even if he was too inconsistent to be a dominating LT
he’d be an instant upgrade at RT. I realize this is a bit of Madden Think, but our tackle situation is scary from a talent perspective. Bill Polian is really pushing the, ‘haha, I have Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday, I can put 4 stiffs out there and still win 12 games’ theory to the max. Ryan Diem either needs to visit the Rodney Harrison Fountain of Youth or GTFO, because he’s been slippin the past 3 years.
The story of me
(Warning, perhaps NSFW audio, unless you work in a pharmacy(No Cussing, just a description of me that you may not want your boss to hear))
Man, I keep cutting off thoughts mid stroke
So basically, even if Gaither’s attitude/focus problems kept him from being a force at LT, I still think its worth a 2nd rounder (I really hate giving up first rounders because of Polian track record of never missing, and now that more is coming out about his mental problems, I’m not sure I’m as willing to take that gamble as I was a month or two ago) to upgrade the Tackle situation in total.
The story of me
(Warning, perhaps NSFW audio, unless you work in a pharmacy(No Cussing, just a description of me that you may not want your boss to hear))
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
