Dear Santa,
Now that the 2015 season is over for us, here is what we would like for Christmas-in-April, also known as the NFL draft.
1) A starting cornerback. Webb can move over to free safety and Davis can probably do a decent job as a nickel corner when he's healthy, but we need a starting cornerback desperately. Desperately! Desperately! Desperately! Can Dasher cover?
2) A pass rusher. Suggs and Doom will need help next year, and they won't be playing at a high level forever. Please, Santa, find us a guy who can put pressure on the quarterback so our secondary doesn't have to cover guys for five, six and seven seconds on every play. We are, of course, exaggerating, but not by much.
3) Three offensive linemen. Maybe four. Or five. Eugene Monroe doesn't appear to be worth the money we are paying him even when he is healthy which isn't very often. We sincerely hope he is not another Jared "Game Day" Gaither whose serious health issues began on the day he got paid. In any case, Monroe probably won't be back next year. Osemele will be a free agent and he may or may not be back as our starting left tackle. Hurst, Jensen, Urshell and Wagner are looking less and less effective with each game that they play. We were planning to pencil in Wagner and Urshell as starters next year, but that is becoming less and less likely. Marshal Yanda needs help and lots of it if we ever want to run the ball and keep one or more of our quarterbacks upright.
4) A fast wide receiver who can stretch the field. Perriman may be the answer to our prayers if we can ever get him on the field. Aiken is steady. Butler and Daniel Brown are showing promise now that they are finally getting playing time. Campanero and Waller were showing promise until they got hurt. Marlon Brown doesn't seem to know how to get open. Chris Givens doesn't seem to know how to make a play on the ball even when he does get open. Maybe you could ask all of your elves to write letters to Steve Smith.
5) An inside linebacker. Darryl Smith has been a great linebacker for years, but he is starting to show his age. We may not be able to count on him for very much longer.
6) A backup quarterback. Even if Matt Schaub can somehow break his string of throwing pick sixes, he is not the answer. Clausen is 1-12 as a starter. Mallett threw away an opportunity to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Please, Santa, please, find us another Tyrod Taylor in the fifth round.
Give our best to Mrs. Claus, and wish us luck in next year's reindeer games!
Signed,
The Ravens