Blocking out talk of being the backup

"Obviously, I'd like to have the job right off the bat, but I know that nothing worthwhile comes easy.

[Brian]

"The one knock, however, against Chester has been that he doesn't have the bulk to deal with interior defensive linemen. At times, Chester has struggled against Kelly Talavou and Lorenzo Williams in training camp, but Chester said he has a short memory."

Chester may have a short memory but I don't. I remember him getting manhandled on just about every play last year by opposing DT's. Sounds like nothing has changed. My guess is that the only reason the Ravens are keeping him at this point is becuase he knows the offense and he can play G or C. Just pray that we don't have an injury at any of those positions during the season

[Shas]

"At times, Chester has struggled against Kelly Talavou and Lorenzo Williams in training camp."

That kind of says it all, doesn't it?

[Bob]

I think the day off is what is needed right at this time..

[Jim from Dundalk]

Chester , Terry , Cousins , pretty poor line picks , how are you going to build a line with picks like that,,,,,,,,,,does anyone really think any of our Q-backs can survive behind this line,,,,,,,,,,we are looking at maximum protection on every play just like Billick's vanilla offense..........another 5 and 11 season coming up..........

[Sam]

Jim from Dundalk wrote:

Chester , Terry , Cousins , pretty poor line picks , how are you going to build a line with picks like that,,,,,,,,,,does anyone really think any of our Q-backs can survive behind this line,,,,,,,,,,we are looking at maximum protection on every play just like Billick's vanilla offense..........another 5 and 11 season coming up..........

You build a line with picks like Jason Brown, Ben Grubbs, and Marshall Yanda; all starting interior linemen. They have looked dominant in camp.

The tackles have looked bad because our starters have been out the entire camp.

Granted, those tackles are probably nothing special, but don't act like Ozzie hasn't been forming a solid o-line. That interior is going to be dominant given a year or two.

[dyno don]

Interior O line is solid IF we avoid injuries. Anyone want to see Chris Chester back at C or G???

OT position looks shaky AT BEST. And that means we do NOT start Flacco. Let him learn the position and the offense while Smith and Boller get pounded.

Pray that Gaither is the real thing and that Cousins or Slaughter, or Wade can step in when Terry inevitably goes down.

[Wil]

I watched Chester get beat up one side and down the other in last years scrimage against the redskins.When you draft someone based on what you hope they may some day be capable of, not what they did in college, then you are left with just what we see. I wish him the best but the odds are against him.Remember Casey Rabach, he is the starting center for washington.Could we have used him now.We will get this line developed, because of the coaching staff we now have.But we must aquire the talent either in the late first or second round not as free agent works in progress.

[Shas]

Wil wrote:

When you draft someone [Chester] based on what you hope they may some day be capable of, not what they did in college, then you are left with just what we see.

I don't mind them drafting a guy based on a projection of what he might be able to do...but I do mind when they expend a second round pick on this type of player.

The Ravens have a long, repetitious history of being hypnotized by a player's athleticism and drafting him in the second round, only to discover athleticism doesn't translate to on-field success.

DeRon Jenkins, Patrick Johnson, Gary Baxter, Dwan Edwards, Dan Cody, Adam Terry, David Pittman, Chris Chester.