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Go with Smith (5′10″ or 6′0″) who cares. He’s athletic, did a fine job last year during his rookie campaign, acts like a leader and has a pedigree that neither Boller nor any of the others on the scrap heap never had.

Preston is a hack. I’m sure he will eventually ride Harbaugh like did Billick. Its the failed ex-jock inside of him that can’t be relieved any other way. What a jerk.

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He did not screw anyone last year either. He tried to play through pain, and did until he got hurt worse. He still worked out, and came back to finish the season off strong and went out waxing the Steelers and helpng soften them up for the Jags.

J.O. may pull a Srahan and come back at some point during the season, so may McNair if we have an injury and are in contention as I expect.

McNair played well in 06, but that division winning team featured the best defense in football since 2000, a lot more than it did Air McNair. Since then we have upgraded at almost every other offensive position, and will feature some SD style smashmouth Guard and FB power run/ deep seep passing attack, to compliment the #1 defense in football healed up and with a couple impact rookie CBs and pass rusher.

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If the Ravens do not make a move for a young QB in the draft this year, it could be that Harbaugh is willing to settle on this being a rebuilding year and then trade for McNabb NEXT year. The Eagles will certainly be looking to move #5 next year if they think Kolb is the answer.

If McNabb comes back from his injury this year, the Ravens might want a seasoned veteran in place for the next few years until they can groom the right young QB to take over. A healthy McNabb at QB for the Ravens next year would certainly give Harbaugh a jump start on his new head coaching career.

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They draft someone who can make more of an immediate contribution - the best player available - and actually earn all the money that goes to a top draft choice. Someone who can step in, make an impact and earn a ROY trophy (and they’ve had great success with picking those guys). They take a DB or DE - who knows, maybe even a TE - with their top pick.

I think they try to sign a veteran QB - like Daunte Culpepper - instead (again, fits their pattern to a T) to be the starter right out of the gates while the young QB(s?) continue to learn and develop. I mean, that is if they actually want John Harbaugh to stick around for a little while instead getting fired after his first season or two with Cam Cameron and Rex Ryan breathing down his neck with their own HC aspirations.

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Nobody played through more pain than McNair. How many other quarterbacks would have played through what he did during his entire career?

To say that a guy who spent more time on the training table than anyone else but still went every Sunday is intimidated by the prospect of hard work under a new coach seems a little suspect. He was the epitome of toughness in his time in the NFL and his list of injuries is sufficiently long for me to believe him when he says he just physically couldn’t do it any more.

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Mac’s #’s under the Titans are unbelieveable considering the offensive heart of Jeff Fisher was to run first and pass if you have to….

#9 is missed in the TN Huddle….

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first, if this is not mcnabb’s last year, and mcnabb is also the qb in 09, that means kolb sat for 3 years. so then when he starts in his 4th year, you waited 4 years just to find out what you have; possibly waited 4 years just to find out a guy can’t play. that’s idiocy.

second, a fair trade would be for the ravens 1st and 2nd picks this draft. for the ravens, mcnabb is in esscence your first round pick. so basically you’re only giving a 2 for your starting qb. asking for a 1 and a 2 is fair and realistic.
and you do it this year because the ravens are picking in a really good spot. and if you’re the eagles, that’s how you load up for your next run. and if he gets injured again, you lose.
also, with his age no matter what kind of season he has you’re getting nothing for him next year.

third, in going with mcnabb instead of trading him, they’re saying we’re going for it this year. however, if they do that they have to continue that philosophy, and load up on talent all the way which they haven’t (the interest in fitzgerald and moss is a load of b.s; they made a phone call to two receivers they knew from the start they couldn’t get. it’s a p.r. show to shut the qb up. they can in fact make an offer to the lions for williams that the lions can’t refuse without destroying the franchise if they really wanted to). so it makes no sense to not trade mcnabb and keep him, yet not push your chips to the middle of the table and go all in around him. if they think they can get lightning in a bottle by keeping mcnabb and suddenly be a champion, then they have to go all the way in.
but yet again, they’re stuck in the middle. they don’t want to trade him to build, but they don’t want to go all the way in. yet again, more idiocy. whichever way you’re gonna go, you have to go all the way. you can’t…. kinda…. go all in or…. kinda… build. it’s idiocy sitting on a fence.

but then again, that’s what happens when coaches have burnout and no one in the echo chamber can see it.

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With regard to the FA retreads that the Ravens “lost out on” because of the timing of McNair’s decision — no loss whatsoever, IMO.

Kudos to coach Harbaugh. If his tougher training expectations caused McNair to go, great. If it had nothing to do with McNair’s exit, but is setting a new standard that Brian Billick seemed incapable of setting, that’s great too. It’s been long over due.

What to do at this point? Say no to Ryan, Brohm, & McNabb. Go with Smith, Boller, and either Henne, Flacco, Johnson, or Dixon. Beef up the O-line. Grab a CB for sure. Get a DE or DT if possible. Get a center in the mid rounds. And draft another RB and WR, and smile towards the future. WELCOME, COACH JOHN HARBAUGH!

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Wonder if Ozzie’s still interested in Byron Leftwich? With a decent line, I’d have to think Lefty is a better option than Kyle Boller. But maybe not.

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McNair did not quit because he was unwilling to work. He had been training with the team all off season. He simply was out of gas.

Aikman and Young still had some game, but they did not get to walk off the grid iron for the last time. Perhaps Steve just did not want to go out like he did last year again.

The notion that this hurts the Ravens in any way is misguided at best. He may just be giving them cap relief and skipping training camp. Brett Favre and Vinnie retired also, but if they stay in shape and the phone rings on the right Sunday while they are watching some football, perhaps he will return for one last playoff run.

Troy Smith and Kyle Boller may have been already penciled in ahead of him on the depth chart anyway.

the most disturbing thng about the whole McNair retirement talk is the contrast to the Favre talk. Favre is not a better QB than McNair. McNair has very solid numbers that would have been a lot better if he had as much luck with injury as Brett did.

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Troy Smith may surprise us and prove to be an excellent QB. The two knocks on Troy Smith are his height and the forgettable National Championship game. With regard to his size, there is a guy in NO that is also 6′ and plays a pretty good game. Smith is so much more athletic than Brees why can’t he be as good? As for the National championship game; take away any teams running game and their number one receiver/kick returner and see have they fair.

Summary - give Smith a chance. Boeller can be the back-up. If the Ravens aren’t fortunate enough to pick up Ryan or Flacco, go to the scrap heap and pick up Culpepper, maybe Leftwich - who cares. We will all pray everyday that neither has to play. And, they likey will be the third option anyway.

The Ravens will likely struggle mightly this year so that a high pick next year might yield the star QB we have coveted for 10 years now. Then again, that QB might be here already in the name of Troy Smith.

Go Ravens!

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This entire draft for Harbaugh should be about the offense. Offensive linemen, another QB, and a few WR’s. Defenses might win championships, but this “O” right now looks like the car Christine after Buddy Repperton and the auto shop guys got done with it.

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