There is still a month until the NFL Draft, and the Ravens likely have almost all of their potential targets ranked accordingly on their board.
In the meantime, they still need to add a few more veteran playmakers because of the uncertainty surrounding the draft and the teams selecting ahead of them.
The Ravens are still looking for a tight end and/or another receiver, despite the signings of Michael Crabtree and John Brown. However, this does not mean the team will sign a veteran player prior to the draft.
Ozzie Newsome has always been patient in the free agent market and could wait to see what players become unexpectedly available because of cuts. The Ravens also might even deviate from their long-time philosophy of “best player available” to fill the void in this year’s draft.
While that strategy has been ingrained into the franchise, the game has changed and there is different value for different positions, according to Eric DeCosta.
Newsome did shed some light into the Ravens’ long-term strategic plan. The team does appear on course to take a player that can support quarterback Joe Flacco and boost the passing attack.
“When we had our personnel meeting here, then the meeting down in Jupiter [Fla.] with [owner] Steve [Bisciotti], that was a topic of conversation,” Newsome said.. “If you dial back to a year ago, we talked about wanting to get our defense stronger, and we did that. Then we said that we wanted to run the football, and we were able to do that. Well, the next piece is to get a better passing game – that comes with protection. Hopefully Alex [Lexis] and [Marshal] Yanda are going to be healthy, and signing James Hurst, who has been a starter for us, [will be important].”
Some draft pundits have the Ravens taking Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey with their first-round pick. This selection might not create much excitement among the fanbase, but it would be a solid addition and help fortify the offensive line, which has struggled with injuries. McGlinchey would provide Flacco with added protection so he has more time to drop back and throw the ball downfield.
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The Ravens are confident they can find value at wide receiver in the later rounds of the draft. Nonetheless, DeCosta appears to be taking a different approach because the overall landscape of the NFL continues to evolve.
“Either you continue to do what you did 15 or 20 years ago, or you start to change your thinking a little bit,” DeCosta said on a podcast produced by the team. “You’re saying, ‘OK, well, this receiver may not be graded quite as high as this offensive guard, but in terms of the value that they bring to the team in terms of scoring points, maybe he’s actually more valuable than that offensive guard.”
The Ravens are hosting their pre-draft press conference and luncheon on Wednesday, April 4 at the Under Armour Performance Center, but don’t expect them to tip their hand. That annual event is often called the “Liars’ Luncheon” by some members of the media because the Ravens sometimes make comments that steer the competition away from their actual motives.
Nonetheless, the excitement of the offseason is beginning to build. By April 30, the Ravens’ roster will have taken shape, barring injuries.
Newsome will step down as the general manager following the 2018 season and DeCosta will assume that role. Newsome is determined to go out a winner and the rest of the franchise wants to oblige him.
“As I’ve stated before, once we get in the playoffs, we make some things happen,” Newsome said.
