Baltimore goes to help offense with their #1 pick

[BengalszoneBilly]

I'm expecting them to continue to mainly go offensively thoughout this years draft. I wouldn't be shocked in the least to see them draft a QB later today for two reasons.

#1: Kyle Boller may need the motivation of some serious competition for the job to get him to improve his play and be the QB they invisioned he could be. Oh...and to stop making the defense responsible for having to score in a game for the team to have any chance at a win.

#2: To be their starting QB. This would be because the scenario in #1 above never came to pass, he continued to play at the subpar levels he has played at so far, and the Ravens coaching staff finally relegates him to the backup role, which I believe more suit his abilities.

[Turi]

I think Kyle Boller will one day be a good starting NFL QB. He'll never be great or special or have a Drew Brees 2004 type season but he'll probably improve each year.

[jditty47]

dude boller sucks. he will never be good.

[Arizona]

Take Carson Palmer, take away the wide receivers, give him 2 seconds of pass blocking on any passing play and you have Kyle Boller.

I think Kyle Boller is going to be a monster this year. He's got the weapons finally. The last two years he's been throwing to 6th round rookies, converted QBs and back up tight ends.

Between Mason and Clayton we have legitimate outside threats. It should be a fun season.

[bengalboomer7]

Best division in the league even with the Turds. Too bad for you Zona that we take it :player: Seriously thoug, I heard some stuff about Clayton;s knee(probably just draft overkill research) but he is a real fine, smart player

[BengalszoneBilly]

Take Carson Palmer, take away the wide receivers, give him 2 seconds of pass blocking on any passing play and you have Kyle Boller.

I think Kyle Boller is going to be a monster this year. He's got the weapons finally. The last two years he's been throwing to 6th round rookies, converted QBs and back up tight ends.

Between Mason and Clayton we have legitimate outside threats. It should be a fun season.

Boller had an average of much more than 2 seconds of pass protection from what I saw, although I'll agree his OL wasn't the most adept at picking up the blitz! That game with the defensively weak chiefs sort of shocked me! IMO he simply became "jumpy" too quick after finding his primary recievers covered.

(Was he ever pounded really hard in a sack during his 1st season taking snaps? His style seems very "David Klingler-ish," who was blasted by a blitz at an early stage and never got over it.)

Will that change now that there has been a serious upgrade at WR for the Raven's? It may. We'll see. Like you say, that's why we play the games!

[BengalszoneBilly]

I wouldn't be shocked in the least to see them draft a QB later.

Can I call 'em or what!?! Here's the QB the Ravens took in round 6 who'll be having Kyle Boller looking over his shoulder for a while. Then again...maybe not. Boller might be looking straight ahead from his seat on the bench at this kid! He's built much like Ben Roethlisberger, who's 6-5, 240.

Derek Anderson; Height: 6-6; Weight: 227; Position: QB; College: Oregon State

OVERVIEW

The third-year starter was the first quarterback to lead the Beavers to three bowl games during the school's 112-year history … Possesses 20 of the top 50 passing marks (281 yards-plus) in OSU annals … Only the second player in Pac-10 Conference history to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season … Only Andrew Walter of Arizona State (85, 2001-04) threw for more touchdowns in Pac-10 annals than Derek's 79 … A seven-handicap golfer, he is a big athlete who wore size-17 shoes prior to age ten,[ ] forcing his parents to order shoes from the Portland Trail Blazers … .A right-handed passer, but writes left-handed … [WTF?]First player in Oregon prep annals to earn Class 3A Player of the Year honors in both basketball and football in the same season … One of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in Oregon State football history, as he possesses all the tools that made him among the most productive players in Division I-A football … Has excellent arm strength and ended his career as the school's record holder for most of the program's passing records … Played in five games as a true freshman, hitting on 17 of 41 passes (41.5%) for 263 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions … Moved into the starting lineup in 2002, setting school season-records with 3,313 yards and 25 touchdowns passing, topping the previous marks of 3,053 yards by Jonathan Smith in 1999 and 20 scoring strikes by Smith in 2000. He completed 47.0% of his passes (211 of 449) with thirteen interceptions that season, but was sacked 25 times and had nine fumbles … Broke his own school record and had the second-best season in Pac-10 Conference annals when he threw for 4,058 yards in 2003 (record held by Washington's Cody Pickett, who threw for 4,458 yards in 2002) … Connected on 261 of 510 passes (51.2%) with 24 touchdowns as a junior, but also set a school record and tied a conference mark with 24 interceptions, sharing those dubious Pac-10 honors with Dan Fouts of Oregon (1970), Ty Paine of Washington State (1970) and Chris Rowland of Washington (1973) … Extended his consecutive starts string to 38 in 2004, completing 279 of 515 passes (54.2%) for 3,615 yards, 29 touchdowns and 17 interceptions … One of only six Pac-10 quarterbacks to pass for in excess of 10,000 yards – joining Carson Palmer (Southern California), Steve Stenstrom (Stanford), Cade McNown (UCLA), Cody Pickett (Washington) and Andrew Walter (Arizona State) … For his career, Anderson completed 768 of 1,515 passes (50.7%) for 11,249 yards, 79 touchdowns and 57 interceptions, breaking the old school career-records of 9,680 yards and 55 scores by Jonathan Smith (1998-2001) … Only Erik Wilhelm (870, 1985-88) had more pass completions in OSU annals and Derek's 57 interceptions are surpassed only by Wilhelm's 61 on the school and Pac-10 all-time record list … His 10,716 yards in total offense broke Smith's previous school record of 9,680 … While his passing statistics are impressive, his turnovers are equally alarming … Anderson's 57 interceptions resulted in 999 yards and six touchdowns in returns by opponents … He fumbled the ball 23 times, with 14 resulting in turnovers and his indecision in the pocket resulted in him being sacked 95 times for losses of 665 yards during his career. [Well everyone does have a bit of a downside ya know! ]

I really wouldn't be surprised to see him under center for the Ravens in the not too distant future!

[redsfan2]

Take Carson Palmer, take away the wide receivers, give him 2 seconds of pass blocking on any passing play and you have Kyle Boller.

I think Kyle Boller is going to be a monster this year. He's got the weapons finally. The last two years he's been throwing to 6th round rookies, converted QBs and back up tight ends.

Between Mason and Clayton we have legitimate outside threats. It should be a fun season.

Bollers speed and his ability to throw from difficult situations were supposed to be his strong suit. Remember his throwing from his knees stunt ???? With the running game he had and even marginal receivers ( not to mention Heap ) I'd have expected a little more out of him.

The good thing ( from your point of view anyway ) is NOW he does have the targets to throw to .......... the bad thing is that if he still doesn't produce then he's kind of out of excuses.

I wish you guys a lot of luck with your new players, and hope they do well for you ............ as long as they don't do it against us .

[ArmyBengal]

This is it for Boller... He might get a reprive to give his receivers time to adjust to him and give Clayton time to adjust to the NFL, but you have to think the clock is ticking on Boller...

WHODEY !!!

[jjakq27]

I really thought that the Bengals were going to take Clayton at 17.

Also I read somewhere that the Ravens were considering taking Aaron Rodgers with their first pick. Sounds like Boller really has everyone brimming with confidence in Baltimore.

[Arizona]

I agree with the assessment that if Boller doesn't do it now, he's done. Don't worry, the Ravens fans will be the first to throw him under the bus (and by bus I mean a large 4 wheeled machine and not Jerome Bettis.)

The Rodgers pick would have been simply best athlete available. I wouldn't have seen it as an indictment of Boller, as I don't see the QB we picked as a threat. We needed a third stringer. We already have Anthony Wright on the roster, if anyone is going to take Boller's job near term it will be AW, but as I've expressed, I don't see that happening.

The last part of this equation is the addition of Jim Fassel. Our old OC just called his five favorite plays like he was playing Madden. I expect things to be better this year in terms of play calling.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

I agree with the assessment that if Boller doesn't do it now, he's done. Don't worry, the Ravens fans will be the first to throw him under the bus (and by bus I mean a large 4 wheeled machine and not Jerome Bettis.)

The Rodgers pick would have been simply best athlete available. I wouldn't have seen it as an indictment of Boller, as I don't see the QB we picked as a threat. We needed a third stringer. We already have Anthony Wright on the roster, if anyone is going to take Boller's job near term it will be AW, but as I've expressed, I don't see that happening.

The last part of this equation is the addition of Jim Fassel. Our old OC just called his five favorite plays like he was playing Madden. I expect things to be better this year in terms of play calling.

But Boller sucks! I'd even take David Klingler over Kyle Boller!

[Bobcat Bengal]

I agree with the assessment that if Boller doesn't do it now, he's done.  Don't worry, the Ravens fans will be the first to throw him under the bus (and by bus I mean a large 4 wheeled machine and not Jerome Bettis.)

The Rodgers pick would have been simply best athlete available.  I wouldn't have seen it as an indictment of Boller, as I don't see the QB we picked as a threat.  We needed a third stringer.  We already have Anthony Wright on the roster, if anyone is going to take Boller's job near term it will be AW, but as I've expressed, I don't see that happening.

The last part of this equation is the addition of Jim Fassel.  Our old OC just called his five favorite plays like he was playing Madden.  I expect things to be better this year in terms of play calling.

But Boller sucks! I'd even take David Klingler over Kyle Boller!

I wouldn't go THAT far now.

Clayton is a good pick for you guys.

He and Mason might give us trouble.

[jditty47]

look what vick did to price in year 1. if u dont have somebody to throw to a good receiver, it makes them a bad receiver. mason will have a terrible year. quote me on that.

[BengalszoneBilly]

mason will have a terrible year. quote me on that.

Okay...I did. Feel better now?

I also don't think he'll do as well as his previous seasons, but that's normal for someone (except a Terrell Owens!) going into a new system.

[bengalsfan33]

Ravens will give us a lot of trouble as a team, but I think they've had an excellent offseason with the additions of Rolle, Mason, and Clayton in the draft. But I think we have the guys on defense to stop the Ravens now.

[BengalNation1281]

It all comes down to Boller...

...and Boller SUCKS!

I say the Ravens go 9-7 and miss the dance again. I like the additions they've made to stay in the hunt, but I still don't think that it will mean anything this year. Maybe in 2006, but not this year.

[BengalsDieHard1]

Boller + Ramsey x 3.14 = Carson Palmer ( How do ya like my South Cackalacky math?????)