Why The Baltimore Ravens Don’t Need Gary Barnidge
There has been a lot of talk about the potential of Gary Barnidge coming to the Baltimore Ravens. Here is why it won’t happen, and why the purple and black doesn’t need it to:
The argument for bringing in Gary Barnidge is pretty solid. He is a 6’5″ target who caught 55 passes in Cleveland and averaged over 11 yards per reception. In theory anything that Barnidge can do with Josh McCown and Cody Kessler, he can do better with Joe Flacco. A strong case can be made for the move, but I’m going to lay out the countering points right now.
Barnidge would just add to a crowd at tight end. Surely the position is less populated after Dennis Pitta and Darren Waller have been removed from the picture, but it’s still uncertain and cloudy. Crockett Gillmore, Ben Watson and Nick Boyle are the Ravens trio at tight end. The Ravens want to use training camp and preseason football to determine their direction at tight end. They don’t want another option in the mix, unless they need one later due to injuries.
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Barnidge has big play capability and a big frame. These are attributes that Watson, Gillmore and Boyle all have. Barnidge’s production dipped this past season. In 2015 he had 79 receptions for nine touchdowns and over 1,000 yards. This past year he had 55 receptions for 612 yards. The 2015 productivity is impressive but he was all the Browns really had. Plus he had 15 receptions for 231 yards against the 2015 Ravens. Baltimore’s dysfunction really elevated his statistics.
Barnidge is a good player. He may even be an upgrade to what the Ravens have. Just don’t fool yourself into thinking he would take the Ravens to the next level. It’s hard to imagine that signing Barnidge would really move the needle for the offense. The purple and black can make do with what they have. Three tight ends is enough.
The Bottom Line:
The Ravens have enough tight ends to make it work. The Ravens made a ton of moves. Baltimore added what they absolutely needed. They signed defensive backs and drafted pass rushers. They signed a legit number one receiver in Jeremy Maclin. At the end of the day, Barnidge would be a luxury. When the Ravens have to start making tough decisions about the roster, they will have a bunch of players they want to, but can’t keep. The only players the Ravens should look to add to this team at this juncture are offensive linemen.
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The Ravens do not need Barnidge. Barnidge is not a great player, he’s a good player. If the Ravens had a chance to add a complete game-changer at the tight end position, it would be hard to say no to. For Barnidge, you can make the case either way. That’s kind of the point.