Analyzing whether poker-facing Eric DeCosta is cheating or showing his hand
Just as players put their face in the game before entering the court, General Manager Eric DeCosta puts his face in a poker game before asking questions at the Ravens’ annual pre-draft press conference, also known as the Liars’ Lunch.
Jonas Schaffer of the Baltimore Sun He looked at some of DeCosta’s comments from yesterday’s press conference and tried to determine if he was cheating or showing his hand. Here are some excerpts:
Are the crows going to pull a corner early?
DeCosta: “There are opportunities for us, again, in the first round, the second round, the third round … we feel we have a chance to take a corner or two in the draft that can come in and contribute right away.”
Verdict: Show his hand. The Ravens need talented cornerbacks because, well, they don’t have many of them. … The Ravens not only need a vertical corner to replace Tavon Young, they also need a potential successor to [Marcus] Peters is widespread as well; He is entering the final year of his contract and will turn 30 in January. With Cincinnati’s Gardner’s Ahmed Sauce likely falling into the top ten, the Ravens could have Derek Stingley Jr. of LSU and Trent McDuffy of Washington at number 14. Or they could find a gem later in the draft. “
Will the Ravens tackle an offensive early on?
DeCosta: “We feel there is an opportunity in the draft to tackle the point of interference at some point, whether it’s in Round One or Round Four. There are good players all this year. It’s a very deep central class. A lot of different ways for us to whip the cat. And we’re going to do that in some stage.”
Verdict: Cheating a bit. Even with Morgan Moses signing to play the right tackle and Ja’Wuan James impressing the team officials, the Ravens left tackle position is precarious. DeCosta admitted he’s not sure how Rooney [Stanley]He will be recovering from his second straight ankle injury that ended the season. … DeCosta later added that the crows are “trying to protect ourselves as best we can,” and with the free agent market unlikely to face another tackle like Moses, a draft is the safest path to stability. But how much safety can a fourth round offer? Only two of the tackles made in the fourth round or later last year started in more than four games as a starter, and only one started over eight.”
Are the crows comfortable with the formulation of a developmental center?
DeCosta: “Our philosophy, frankly, is, we want big men. We want big men in every position across the offense, and through defense, in general. And so, it’s hard to fill that through sometimes recruiting. And if there’s a man, if there’s one or two Outstanding prospects in the draft, they usually go up a lot. And then you look at a bunch of guys who might be very good, and they might not be so good.”
Verdict: Show his hand. The Ravens have already indicated their commitment to Patrick McCurry at the center. There is only one center considered a first-round candidate, and that’s Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum, who isn’t necessarily a ‘big guy.’ According to MockDraftable, he’s in the top wing percentage. and arm length and in the 5th weight percentile (296 pounds) among the offensive line odds.”
Lamar Jackson has been ranked #1 on the list of players eligible for Free Agency access in 2023
Lamar Jackson has topped several lists over the past few years, including the NFL’s 100 Greatest Players and the Top 25 Under-25 Rankings.
Ravens fans may never have expected to see Jackson at the top, who is free agents, but he ranks first in The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia player ratings set for his free agency in 2023.
“Jackson’s contract status is one of the biggest in the NFL in the spring and summer,” Kapadia wrote. “He could be satisfied with the last year’s performance, accept a mark or two and then take advantage of (the Kirk Cousins model).”
If Jackson does go down the Cousins’ way, he won’t reach free agency until 2025. The chances of the Ravens letting Jackson become a free agent next year are virtually non-existent.
The Ravens have made it clear that they want Jackson for the long-term, although a deal anytime soon seems unlikely.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football TalkJackson told the Ravens that he is currently very focused on having his best year and that he does not want to make a deal until the 2022 season is over.