I don’t get this one at all…
Sure, the Ravens need back-up help at OT… maybe even a guy who can start at RT… but why choose McKinnie?
The Minnesota Vikings save $5.9 million this season by dumping McKinnie… Maybe I’m wrong, but I just don’t envision McKinnie as a “Ravens Way” type of player…
Troubled past…out of shape…and you probably know all the stories from his “love boat” adventures up in Minnesota… Man, I just don’t get this one…
Bryant McKinnie, 6-8, 355 when in shape, 10th year out of Miami, has signed for 2 years with the Ravens at about $7.5 with incentives…assuming he passes his physical…
I’m not even going to do the “Earthquake” jokes going around about the signing of the overweight giant McKinnie, who came into camp this year at a reported 400 pounds, or roughly 50 pounds over his playing weight—and that’s being generous.
The guy is talented at playing offensive tackle, don’t get me wrong. McKinnie was a dominant force for the Minnesota Vikings during the past nine seasons. The former first-round pick has started 131 games during that time.
He was cut by Minnesota after reporting to training camp overweight following the lockout. McKinnie weighed in at nearly 400 pounds, according to reports. He was listed at 6-foot-8, 335 pounds last season. If you ask me, I think his true playing weight was closer to 350 give or take 5 pounds at various points of the season…
It’s unknown at this writing whether the Ravens intend to use McKinnie on the left side or right. He’s played mostly at left tackle for the Vikings. But Michael Oher has been working exclusively at left tackle in camp and in his second year on the blind side after originally playing on the right.
Rookie third-rounder Jah Reid and newly-signed veteran Mark LeVoir have been the main combatants at right tackle…
If McKinnie passes his physical, the Ravens get a player that has the flexibility to play on the left side or right side…. I just hope that McKinnie can act like a responsible veteran player. As I read posts all over the web, people are definitely joking about the fact that the Ravens signed this guy. With that said, he was a Pro-Bowler in 2009 so the guy has talent. Hopefully this works out.
Maybe the stabilizing presence of his old Miami Hurricanes teammate Ed Reed would have to come into play to justify this personnel decision.
I wonder what the front office is planning… McKinnie on left side maybe with Oher moved back on the right?
First things first…he’s got to pass his physical exam on Wednesday prior to Thursday’s preseason game with the Redskins.
McKinnie/Grubbs/Birk/Yanda/Oher? I admit I think the Ravens run game would be pretty good with that lineup and fullback Leach leading the way.
Apparently Ray Lewis (another former Hurricane) has vouched for McKinnie’s renewed character and fitness to play, and of course Ozzie had to sign off the deal, which guarantees McKinney $1 million even if he is cut, apparently.
He also played on the same line with center Matt Birk, who should be back leading the Ravens O-line by September 11’th’s home opener against the Steelers. Let’s also remember this guy did a lot of lead blocking for guys like Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor over the years. He’s probably still a pretty decent pass protection blocker, too, having allowed only 36 sacks over a 9- year pro career.
So maybe I’m overreacting…maybe this is a great move by the Ravens…
This will all play out soon enough… But for now, I will leave judgement to the coaches and team physicians…and defer to cautious optimism over the McKinnie signing.
Coming up: Redskins at Ravens, Thursday night, 8:00 pm, August 25, 2011.
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