King: Compensatory Pick System ‘Out of Whack’
After examining how the NFL divvied out 32 compensatory choices to 23 teams last Friday, Peter King concluded the compensatory system is “out of whack.”
What’s the problem?
The provision that only allows teams to be awarded – at best – a pick at the end third-round, which is equivalent to the first pick of the fourth round.
King believes sometimes the player a team loses in free agency is worth more than the 97th overall pick.
“I think I’d be in favor of compensatory picks being higher,” wrote King. “I’ve thought this for a while, but came to a conclusion the other day when I saw the Panthers were getting the first compensatory pick for losing Julius Peppers to the Bears.
“When I see [the Panthers awarded the 97th pick] — and when I see the Baltimore Ravens getting two end-of-the-fifth-rounders for Justin Bannan and Dwan Edwards, I know the system’s out of whack.”
King believes the Ravens were fairly awarded two fives for Bannan and Edwards, but he argues that if the Panthers traded the 97th pick, they would get a little more in value than the 164th and 165th picks given to Baltimore.
Plus, “Peppers for Bannan and Edwards is a mismatch.”
“The NFL should value compensatory picks somewhere in the top 50 for the best players who are lost in free agency,” proposed King. “There’s not a Peppers every year, but when there is, the value must be higher.”
Best Comp Picks in Ravens History
With the two extra picks for Bannan and Edwards, the Ravens’ total of compensatory choices reached 31 – the most in NFL history.
As The Baltimore Sun’s Jamison Hensley wrote, the success the Ravens have had with these extra selections has not been highly publicized.
General Manager Ozzie Newsome has turned those picks into four starters and four quality backs. Hensley ranked the top 5:
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.- G Edwin Mulitalo; fourth round, 1999; started for seven years alongside left tackle Jonathan Ogden
- FB Le’Ron McClain; fourth round, 2007; two-time Pro Bowler
- FB Ovie Mughelli; fourth round, 2003; became the highest-paid fullback when he left the Ravens for Atlanta
- RB Chester Taylor; sixth round, 2002; never a starter with Jamal Lewis atop the depth chart, but was a solid backup for three years in Baltimore
- OT Tony Pashos; fifth round, 2003; took over for Orlando Brown as the starting right tackle for 1.5 years before leaving for Jacksonville
Ravens Not on Draft Busts List
It’s one of the most amusing lists of the season: draft busts.
Last week, ESPN’s Mel Kiper cataloged 13 of the biggest quarterback busts since he’s been evaluating prospects.
For all you Kyle Boller supporters and haters, the Ravens’ 2003 first-round draft pick was not included in Kiper’s list of 13 quarterbacks.
Coincidently, days before Kiper’s rankings were published, CSNBaltimore.com’s Joe Platania said he “vehemently” disagreed with anyone who would apply the term “bust” to Boller.
“A true quarterback bust is someone who, to us, never showed the proper aptitude for the position and proved to be completely inept,” Platania wrote. “Boller was inconsistent, not inept, and there is a big difference between the two.”
In another ranking published this weekend, Kiper put together a compilation of 40 non-quarterback busts. There were no Ravens picks on that list either.
Granted, the draft guru only considered picks that went in the top 10, and the Ravens only have six top-10 picks in franchise history: Ogden, Peter Boulware, Duane Starks, Chris McAlister, Jamal Lewis and Terrell Suggs.
Not only could the six not be considered anything close to a bust, but each of them boasts either a Pro Bowl or Super Bowl victory (or both) on his resume.
Not too shabby, Ozzie.
Quick Hits
- RavensInsider: Ravens attended NC State Pro Day to scout linebacker Nate Irving. [Twitter]
- The Ravens attended LB Sidney Tarver’s workout at Tennessee State, where he ran a 4.65 40-yard dash. [National Football Post]
- “If I were Harbaugh, I wouldn’t be thrilled [about Tom Zbikowski's boxing career], either” wrote Kevin Cowherd. “There’s a reason you don’t see anyone else boxing and playing in the NFL at the same time. And that reason has to do with the cuts, bruises, concussions, etc.” [The Baltimore Sun]
- Zbikowski, who is now 3-0 as a professional boxer, says he would like to schedule a boxing match at M&T Bank Stadium. If the season is cancelled and promoters could organize a fight in Charm City, Hensley wonders if the city would support it and how many fans would attend. [The Baltimore Sun]
- AnquanBoldin: Very happy to announce that #Ravens Pro Bowl Running Back @RayRice27 will be joining us at #QFest 2011! #Pahokee [Twitter]
- untouchablejay4 (Terrell Suggs): Just wrapped up the casting in L.A. not bad. But I expected nothin but the best from L.A. can’t wait to see what phoenix has to offer!!!!!!!
- One of the world’s leading experts on performance-enhancing substances in sports, Dr. Gary Wadler, said NFL players have no excuses when it comes to consent for human growth hormone testing. [FoxSports.com]
- He’s no doctor, but he is Peter King, and he supports HGH testing being included in the next CBA. “I’d bet every clean player in the NFL wants it in the substance-abuse policy, too,” wrote King. [SI.com]
- "I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t be playing games in September, starting in September, starting the first week," said Ravens center Birk. "The season will start on time, I have to believe." [Minneapolis Star Tribune]
