Ron is feeling a bit under the weather, so I’m filling in today. Let’s get to it!
Yesterday, Kevin talked a lot about the Ravens’ overarching theme of “family,” and how betrayed we feel when someone “goes against the family,” as Za’Darius Smith did last week. It seems to have worked out for Z, as his visit with the other purple team ended in a contract (unless he backs out, of course).
Za’Darius Smith agreed to terms with the #Vikings, source said.
3 year deal
Base value of 42 million
Worth up to 47 million with incentives
14 million APY— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 22, 2022
Whatever, good for him.
Speaking of guys departing the family, yesterday Kevin also mentioned Jihad Ward, who joined Wink in New York. Chris Board, like Z, also opted to take his talents to the NFC North.
We asked @kylepbarber to help us get to know new #Lions LB Chris Board.
One teammate called him “by far the best special teams player in the league.”@POD_Payton has more: https://t.co/buke1bTJFn
— Pride of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) March 23, 2022
Losing Board is a bummer for special teams. Hopefully John Harbaugh doesn’t convince EDC to spend draft picks on special teamers, or insist on using the non-teams draft picks on teams…of course, that would never happen BUT I DIGRESS.
Staying with the theme of players getting fitted for new jerseys, the AFC, having already added Russell Wilson to its ranks, will also feature yet another veteran NFC gunslinger.
ATL ➡️ IND pic.twitter.com/SYFJGh6eXK
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 22, 2022
Matt Ryan becomes the latest washed-up QB to head to Indy to be put out to pasture, following Philip Rivers &, to a lesser degree, Carson Wentz. Maybe I’m being too harsh, but Ryan turns 37 next month, and most NFL quarterbacks aren’t Tom Brady (in any respect really, but especially in the way-too-old-to-still-be-good one). Rivers was a bit older (39) for his only season in Indy, a season which provided us with this wonderful memory:
Philip Rivers lmao pic.twitter.com/cFZ4p2IM7a
— Kyle Madson (@KyleAMadson) November 8, 2020
As a Ravens fan, I also still harbor my totally illogical vendetta against Ryan, solely due to the fact that he was drafted the same year as one Joseph Vincent Flacco.
And now he’s gonna be lining up for the Indianapolis Irsays? Yeah, I’ll have no problem continuing to root against Matty Ice.
I’ll finish up this hump day edition of Out to Lunch with some good news for the Flock. While the 2022 draft class is largely considered a weak one for quarterbacks, as always happens around this time, a few guys start to move up draft boards following their Pro Days. While Mel Kiper has both Kenny Pickett and Malik Wills going after the Ravens pick at 14, there are now rumblings that one or both could be Top 10 selections.
Should the Lions draft Maliks Willis at No. 2?
Getting this right could set Detroit up with a franchise QB for years to come. But if they get it wrong…
"It could be the undoing for this entire regime." – @ChrisBurkeNFL https://t.co/Sqve1B7SWd
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) March 23, 2022
Here are my biggest takeaways from the last two days on the Pro Day circuit with Kenny Pickett (QB2) and Malik Willis (QB1). https://t.co/cTYGJnL7VV
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) March 23, 2022
Yes, please. The more QBs who go before the Ravens pick, the more true blue chip players will still be on the board for EDC to pick from. Take those gunslingers, bad teams!
