OTL: Ravens Make a Trade, Fill Staff Vacancies

Good Morning and a very Happy Thursday to you, #RavensFlock.

Just as I was about to hit “publish” on this, some news dropped.

Trade: Jets agreed to send a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for safety Chuck Clark, per league sources. Trade is agreed to, but cannot be processed until new league year begins Wednesday.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2023

Note that it’s a 7th-round pick NEXT year, so the Ravens still only have five in the upcoming draft. Clark had spent his entire career in Baltimore, but with the drafting and emergence of Kyle Hamilton, he was more of a luxury than a necessity. This saves the Ravens…ya know what? I’ll let Brian tell you.

This will save the Ravens $4.14M in Cap space. Had he been released, the savings would have been about $600K, since some of his base salary was gtd. https://t.co/ZvRtcv9JIi

— Brian McFarland (@RavensSalaryCap) March 9, 2023

So long, Chuck. Thanks for everything.

In other news, the Ravens continue to fill out their staff for 2023, and made a couple more hires over the last several days.

We have hired Greg Lewis as our WR coach. pic.twitter.com/0vRnmsYGcw

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 8, 2023

We have hired Chuck Smith as outside linebackers coach.

📰: https://t.co/Mp8UIhm0hU pic.twitter.com/v7uyfDKIeV

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 8, 2023

We have named Dennard Wilson our defensive backs coach.

Welcome home❗️

📰: https://t.co/4JkmKuWoJ7 pic.twitter.com/PmlyxXhO6q

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 7, 2023

So that’s Greg Lewis as WR coach, Chuck Smith as OLB/pass rush coach, and Dennard Wilson as DB coach.

Smith is a particularly exciting one. The former defensive end had 58.5 sacks between 1992-1999 for the Atlanta Falcons, and in his post-playing days he goes by the nickname “Dr. Rush.”

I teach Pass Rush Confusion. Keep the Offensive Lineman guessing and bewildered, that’s a important part of the Art of Pass Rush.
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•#DrRush #myphilosophy #PassRushFamily #passrush #defensivelineman #linebacker #dline #defensiveend #defensivetackle #nfl pic.twitter.com/iad9RpfGaH

— Chuck Smith (@chucksmithnfl) March 7, 2023

I think we’re all excited to see what Dr. Rush can do with Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo at his disposal.

Wilson was a CB for the Maryland Terrapins from 2000-2003, and has also coached locally for the Terps and DeMatha Catholic High School. Most recently, he was the defensive passing game specialist/DBs coach for the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.

And finally…you knew it was coming…nothing to report on the Lamar Jackson front.

Now, if you want OPINIONS on the matter, well, there is certainly no shortage of those.

I can’t remember the last time I saw a situation where ~EVERYBODY~ had an opinion on something. The amount of people simply voicing opinions about Lamar and the contract situation is bananas. Reality TV.

— Spencer N. Schultz (@ravens4dummies) March 8, 2023

Current players, former players, Twitch streamers, financial pundits, political analysts, and everyone in between is happy to tell you what they think about the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson.

The ol’ “opinions are like buttholes” adage has never been more true.

Everyone’s got one, and everyone thinks everyone else’s stinks.

It’s almost Friday, Flock. We’ve nearly made it.