Losing C.J. Mosley was a bitter pill to swallow for Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, particularly following the departure of captain Eric Weddle. Word is that the Ravens were willing to pony up $14M per for the 3-time Pro Bowl linebacker but $17M was a stretch – for everyone but Martindale, who is said to be furious with the club for letting Mosley get away.
A source close to RSR tells us that there’s a growing rift between Wink and John Harbaugh and if things don’t go well for the Ravens defense in 2019, there is likely to be a shakeup in the coaching staff. Eyebrows were raised recently when Harbaugh and Chuck Pagano were seen having dinner during the owners’ meetings in Arizona. Many believe that Pagano is anxious to get back in the game and is completely amenable to accepting a coordinator position.
Winty, Winty
The Ravens acquisition of Earl Thomas not only took fans by surprise, but it also shocked the Cleveland Browns and even the Ravens coaching staff. The Browns had just arranged for Thomas to be flown into Berea, OH to meet with GM John Dorsey but when Thomas heard that the Browns had just traded for Odell Beckham, Jr., he opted out. There is bad blood between the two, stemming back to their collegiate days. When OBJ’s LSU Tigers hosted Thomas’ Texas Longhorns, the cocky receiver taunted Thomas with chants of, “Winty, Winty”.
Winty is Thomas’ middle name.
As for the surprised brass at One Winning Drive, we’re hearing that the signing of Thomas was all Eric DeCosta’s doing. The Ravens GM expressed concerns over the team’s ability to defend the deep center of the field against the Browns, particularly after Jarvis Landry and Breshad Perriman torched the Ravens during the 2018 regular season finale. DeCosta resisted the less expensive option of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and rolled the dice on Thomas, going against the recommendations of the team’s medical staff to pass on Thomas.
For comparative purposes, Thomas’ deal was 4 years, $55M with $32M guaranteed. Clinton-Dix signed a 1 year, $3M deal with $500K guaranteed. Put this one in your clip and save file.
Crabtree Reunion?
The Ravens cupboard is pretty bare at the position of wide receiver and 2019 might not provide much in the way of pass catching options for the club. So, it comes as no surprise that offensive coordinator Greg Roman is open to the idea of a Michael Crabtree reunion. Crabtree hasn’t even received a sniff from other clubs and the Ravens are said to be contemplating a team-friendly offer of 1 year, $2M with no guaranteed money. Crabtree is said to be considering a return to Crabtown but wants to wait until after the 2019 NFL Draft to see how rosters across the league shape up.
The Ravens 2019 Schedule
This season’s schedule will be out soon and it appears that John Harbaugh will finally get his wish – a home Monday Night game. The Ravens will host the Jets on December 16 as they welcome back C.J. Mosley and they get a look at Le’Veon Bell in new colors. Maryland native and singer/songwriter Jimmy Charles will perform his song Back to Baltimore just prior to kickoff. The Ravens will be giving away handsome skullcaps with a new team logo to all fans in attendance.
Happy Endings
His colleagues might not want to admit it publicly, but privately many think that Patriots owner Bob Kraft is an embarrassment to the shield. From drunken public speeches to his young girlfriend having a baby that isn’t his to weird videos and unscrupulous ones, Kraft has been a train wreck ever since the passing of his wife Myra.
Owners are a bit edgy these days pending the release of the sordid details of the massage parlor video that allegedly captures Kraft in a very uncompromising position. We’ve been hearing that there may be an even bigger fish to fry in this scandal and some believe that the premature retirement of Rob Gronkowski is somehow tied to this home of happy-ending masseurs.
LaCanfora on Flacco
Jason LaCanfora is an interesting guy, particularly on Twitter. But as an NFL Insider he’s really a Johnny-Come-Lately. To say he consistently delivers worthy inside info is akin to suggesting that the Orioles Chris Davis is a contact hitter.
LaCanfora is wrong more than he’s right but when he does stumble into something solid he pounds his chest like King Kong. But let’s give credit where credit is due. His latest scoop, one that no one else has caught wind of, will certainly be of interest to fans here in The Land of Pleasant Living.
According to the CBS storyteller, Joe Flacco demanded a trade the moment it became apparent that the Ravens planned to ride the Lamar Jackson train through the balance of the 2018 season following Flacco’s hip injury. Not only was Flacco perturbed by the decision, he also caused quite a stir internally when discussions surfaced about building an offense suited to Jackson’s unique skill set. LaCanfora reports that the Ravens former signal caller was irate and engaged in at least one heated exchange with Ozzie Newsome, accusing the team exec of ignoring weapons for Flacco that likely would have helped produce at least one more Super Bowl championship.
The suddenly strained relationship forced Eric DeCosta’s hand and some say the new GM was willing to accept a lesser trade package just to move the disgruntled quarterback. A few executives around the league believe that John Elway fleeced the Ravens by giving up just a fourth-round pick for Flacco. Making things even more difficult for DeCosta was the Super Bowl 47 MVP’s refusal to accept a trade to any team on the Ravens schedule in 2019.
The Ravens did have a deal set with the Redskins for a third-round pick in 2019 and a fourth-round pick in 2020 but Flacco didn’t want to play in DC. Jacksonville was also an option but when word came out that the Ravens and Jaguars planned joint practice sessions this summer, Flacco nixed that trade option as well. No word on what the Jaguars offered but it is believed to be something north of what the Ravens secured from Elway.
Cheap, Cheap
Chuck Sapienza, Director of Sports Programming at 105.7 The Fan, recently sent out the Tweet below, further proof of the extreme frugalness of station personality Jerry Coleman. But the story doesn’t stop there.
Reviewing @sportswcoleman expense report for Sarasota. A $2 tip on a $34.75 bill? Really? @RobLongSports @Joe__LaCroix @ednorris @1057TheFan pic.twitter.com/urSF7F9HDP
— Chuck Sapienza (@chucksapienza) March 27, 2019
A source close to RSR who tries civil cases for a local law firm and speaking under the condition of anonymity, recently shared that Coleman is now suing the station’s parent company Entercom Communications and Sapienza for defamation of character. Coleman claims that his carefully crafted image has been compromised and it will take years to restore his good name and consequently his earning power.
Word is that upon being served, Sapienza wanted to remove Coleman from the Big Bad Morning Show lineup but corporate officers advised otherwise, hoping that an out of court settlement could be reached.
SPF 8
And finally, Fox Sports’ Jason Whitlock had some unflattering things to say about Baltimore’s offense, particularly Lamar Jackson, who Whitlock labeled, “Tim Tebow with a suntan.”
Whitlock: “What’s going on with the Ravens this offseason are actions that reveal the truth about Lamar Jackson… Lamar Jackson is Tim Tebow with a sun tan.” @WhitlockJason pic.twitter.com/4pnGlRpms0
— Speak For Yourself (@SFY) March 28, 2019
Now there was a day when such comparisons with light racial overtones would have been completely overlooked from jump street – cast aside as innocent. Apparently, that is not the case during these sensitive times in our nation’s history. On the heels of his comments on Jackson, Whitlock’s employers at Fox are now considering relieving the feisty sports talking head of his duties. When he learned that his job may be in jeopardy Whitlock deadpanned, “Never let them fool you on the first of April!
“You know what I’m saying?”
