Analyzing if Eric DeCosta was bluffing with poker face or showing his hand
Just as players put on their game faces before stepping onto the field, General Manager Eric DeCosta puts on his poker face before taking questions at the Ravens’ annual pre-draft press conference, aka the Liars’ Luncheon.
The Baltimore Sun’s Jonas Shaffer looked at some of DeCosta’s comments from yesterday’s press conference, trying to determine if he was bluffing or showing his hand. Here are some excerpts:
Will the Ravens draft a cornerback early?
DeCosta: “There are opportunities for us again in the first round, second round, third round. … We feel like we have an opportunity to take a corner or two in the draft that could come in and contribute right away.”
Verdict: “Show his hand. The Ravens need talented cornerbacks because they don’t have many of them. … Not only do the Ravens need a slot corner to replace Tavon Young, they also need a potential successor [Marcus] Peters also far out; He is entering the final year of his contract and will be 30 in January. With Cincinnati’s Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner unlikely to drop out of the top 10, the Ravens could have LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. and Washington’s Trent McDuffie available at No. 14. Or they might find a gem later in the draft.
Will the Ravens draft an offensive tackle early?
DeCosta: “We think there’s an opportunity in the draft to address the tackle spot at some point, whether it’s in the first round or the fourth round. There are good players all year round. It’s a very, very deep class of position. And so there are many different ways for us to skin the cat. And we will at some point.
Verdict: “Bluffing is easy. Even if Morgan signed Moses to play right tackle and Ja’Wuan James appears to be impressing team officials, the Ravens’ left tackle situation is dangerous. DeCosta admitted he’s not sure like Ronnie [Stanley]will be recovering from his second straight ankle injury at the end of the season. … The Ravens are “trying to protect us as best they can,” DeCosta later added, and since the free-agent market is unlikely to produce another tackle like Moses, the surest route to stability is the draft. But how much security can a fourth-round pick offer? Only two tackles in the fourth round or later last year have started more than four games as a rookie, and only one has started more than eight.”
Are the Ravens comfortable designing a development center?
DeCosta: “Honestly, our philosophy is that we want big boys. We want big guys in every position on offense, on defense in general. As a result, it is sometimes difficult to fill a position through the draft. And if there’s a guy, if there’s a stellar prospect or two in the draft, they usually go pretty high. And after that you look at a bunch of guys who can be pretty good, maybe not so good.”
Verdict: “He’s showing his hand. The Ravens have already signaled their commitment to Patrick Mekari at center. There’s only one center considered a first-round prospect, Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum, and he’s not necessarily a ‘big guy.’ According to MockDraftable, he ranks 1st percentile for wingspan and arm length and 5th percentile for weight (296 pounds) below offensive line prospects.
Lamar Jackson is #1 on the list of players eligible for free agency in 2023
Lamar Jackson has been #1 on several lists over the past few years, including top 100 NFL players and top players under 25.
One list Ravens fans probably never expected Jackson to top is free agents, but he’s #1 in Sheil Kapadia’s list of The Athletic’s players destined for his free agency in 2023.
“Jackson’s contract status is one of the biggest storylines in the NFL this spring and summer,” Kapadia wrote. “It’s possible that he’s content to play the final year, accept a franchise tag or two, and then cash in (the Kirk Cousins model).”
If Jackson actually goes down the Cousins route, he wouldn’t go free until 2025. The odds that the Ravens will allow Jackson to become a free agent next year are virtually nil.
The Ravens have made it clear they want Jackson long-term, though a deal seems unlikely anytime soon.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Jackson has told the Ravens that he is currently too focused on having his best year possible and that he doesn’t want to make a deal until the 2022 season is over.