Tag: Eric DeCosta

Should the Ravens have an interest in adding Joe Douglas to the front office?

Baltimore should have an interest in bringing Joe Douglas back to the Ravens front office after he was fired by the New York Jets

The Ravens are always diligent about having a solid front office and player personnel group, and a former architect could be available. Joe Douglas was fired by the New York Jets on Tuesday after amassing a 30-64 record as the team’s general manager.

The move comes several weeks after the team fired head coach Robert Saleh following a 2–3 start. Saleh finished his tenure in New York with a 20–36 (.357) regular season record overall.

The Jets requested permission to interview Douglas and hired him over then-Chicago Bears Assistant Director of Player Personnel Champ Kelly, New Orleans Saints Director of Pro Scouting Terry Fontenot, Minnesota Vikings Assistant General Manager George Paton, and Seattle Seahawks Director of Player Personnel Scott Fitterer.

Before joining the Jets in 2019, Douglas was a longtime scout with the Baltimore Ravens before becoming an executive with the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles. Douglas began his NFL career in the Ravens personnel department in 2000 and worked there until 2015.

Douglas joined the Eagles franchise in 2016 and was responsible for running the Eagles draft board and scouting department, turning the latter into the best in the NFL.

Douglas quickly developed a reputation around the league as a critical cog in Howie Roseman’s front office while playing a role in constructing the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII-winning team and the deep roster for the 2019 season.

Douglas drafted Derek Barnett and Andre Dillard for the Philadelphia Eagles while he was the team’s general manager from 2017–2019.  Rasul Douglas, Dallas Goedert, Josh Sweat, and Jordan Mailata are just a few of the players that Douglas played a part in the Eagles’ drafting.

Douglas amassed a dismal 30-64 record since taking over as Jets GM and could return to Philadelphia or Baltimore in the offseason.

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Where did the Eagles land in a ranking of top ten front offices in the NFL

The Athletic ranked 40 executives from the around the league and the Philadelphia Eagles have the 4th best front office in the NFL

The Eagles are one of the gold-standard franchises in the NFL, and a top-notch front office is a significant reason for their consistency year in and year out.

The Athletic polled 40 league insiders, including 35 high-ranking executives and five coaches, to compile the NFL Front Office Rankings. Respondents, who were granted anonymity for their votes and conversations discussing them in exchange for their honesty, were asked to submit their top five front offices, in rank order, based on each franchise’s football operations side. (Respondents were not allowed to vote for their own team.)

The scoring system: First-place votes were worth 10 points, second-place seven, third-place five, fourth-place three and fifth-place one. (One respondent split his fifth-place vote among two teams.)

After the dust settled, Philadelphia landed at No. 1 on the list.

4. Philadelphia Eagles

Total points: 140 (5 first-place votes, appeared on 23 ballots)
Owner: Jeffrey Lurie
General manager: Howie Roseman
Head coach: Nick Sirianni

Voters praised Roseman for his analytical and forward-thinking approach to roster-building, which has helped keep Eagles in the playoff conversation for the majority of his tenure, including a Super Bowl LII victory and another NFC title in 2022.

“Howie is really aggressive,” an executive said. “That really stands out about the way they do things. They go for it. He’s not afraid to take risks on players. I think that’s a really good quality when you get into that role, and he’s quick to move on when something isn’t working. Those are attractive traits in a general manager. They’ve also always had guys in Philly who are good evaluators.”

Among the Eagles’ best attributes: cultivating front-office talent. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach, Jets GM Joe Douglas and Browns GM Andrew Berry all worked for Roseman. Ditto for Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham. Current Bucs general manager Jason Licht worked alongside Roseman in Philly from 2003-07. Current Eagles assistant general manager Alec Halaby has interviewed for GM jobs elsewhere.

Baltimore ranked first on the list, ahead of Kansas City (2), San Francisco (3), Philadelphia (4), and Detroit (5).

Only two other teams—the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns—received multiple top-five votes from the panelists. Only one other NFC East team, the Dallas Cowboys, appeared on one ballot and received a first-place vote. Six other teams received a single vote.

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Where did the Ravens land in a ranking of top ten front offices in the NFL

The Athletic ranked 40 executives from the around the league and the Baltimore Ravens have the best front office in the NFL

The Ravens are one of the gold-standard franchises in the NFL, and a major reason for their consistency year in and year out is a top-notch front office.

The Athletic polled 40 league insiders, including 35 high-ranking executives and five coaches, to compile the NFL Front Office Rankings. Respondents, who were granted anonymity for their votes and conversations discussing them in exchange for their honesty, were asked to submit their top five front offices, in rank order, based on each franchise’s football operations side. (Respondents were not allowed to vote for their own team.)

The scoring system: First-place votes were worth 10 points, second-place seven, third-place five, fourth-place three and fifth-place one. (One respondent split his fifth-place vote among two teams.)

After the dust settled, Baltimore landed at No. 1 on the list.

1. Baltimore Ravens

Total points: 259 (15 first-place votes, appeared on 36 ballots)
Owner: Steve Bisciotti
General manager: Eric DeCosta
Head coach: John Harbaugh

It’s been more than five years since Ozzie Newsome stepped down as Baltimore’s GM. His disciples have kept the Ravens in contention nearly every year since.

DeCosta handled quarterback Lamar Jackson’s complicated contract situation, working past a trade request to execute a five-year, $260 million extension in 2023. Jackson then won his second MVP award last season.

From a talent acquisition standpoint, DeCosta has steered the Ravens toward the trade for linebacker Roquan Smith, has a strong track record in the first (safety Kyle Hamilton, wide receiver Zay Flowers) and middle rounds (defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, tight end Isaiah Likely), landed a priority free agent in running back Derrick Henry and created an environment where a veteran like linebacker Kyle Van Noy can thrive. Of course, those are just a handful of examples.

Baltimore landed ahead of Kansas City (2), San Francisco (3), Philadelphia (4), and Detroit (5).

Ravens rookie safety Beau Brade learned he made the roster from GM Eric DeCosta

Beau Brade told the media that Eric DeCosta said to him “you’ve had a pretty good preseason,”

It’s a big deal whenever an undrafted free agent makes the 53-man roster.

When the team’s general manager himself delivers the news, in person, to that UDFA, it’s an even bigger deal.

On Friday, Ravens safety Beau Brade told reporters that Ravens GM Eric DeCosta approached him directly after Monday’s practice and said to him that he made the team.

Brade told the media that DeCosta told him, “You’ve had a pretty good preseason,” and then quickly added, “Congratulations, you’ve made the 53-man roster.”

The rookie then thanked and hugged DeCosta. Once he got home, the Clarksville, Maryland native immediately told his parents, and he said they cried tears of joy. 

“Dreams come true, but you gotta put the work in,” said Brade, who was a star at River Hill high school, and then later the University of Maryland.

He grew up a Ravens fan, dreaming of the opportunity to someday play for the club.

Now, his opportunity has arrived.

Coach John Harbaugh said he thinks it’s “pretty cool ” that Brade is a local school. He then added that he appreciates the Terps and the other local schools.

“He did it the hard way, he earned it,” Harbaugh said of Brade making the final cut.

“He made plays. I think he’s going to do very well.”

Ravens GM praises QB Lamar Jackson for his sense of urgency, leadership abilities

Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta praises Lamar Jackson for his leadership abilities

Lamar Jackson isn’t a ten-year vet, but he’s no spring chicken and far removed from being a rookie with a mentor and veteran at the quarterback position. Jackson is now in Joe Flacco mode, assuming more leadership and being more vocal on and off the football field.

During his Thursday press conference, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta discussed Jackson’s growing “sense of urgency” and the leadership provided by his MVP quarterback.

Jackson was expected to play well in 2023, but he improved dramatically under first-year OC Todd Monken.

Jackson, the 2023 NFL MVP, threw for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 821 yards and five scores. He helped the Baltimore Ravens (13-4) finish with the best record in the league and led them to a playoff win over Houston.

This season will be about improved deep ball, better ownership of the Ravens’ offense, and, as he’s been doing all summer, playing with a greater sense of purpose and urgency in the postseason.

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Why was the Ravens 53-man roster release so late?

Once again Baltimore was among the last of the teams to make their announcement, and we may have found the potential reason for this. 

The Baltimore Ravens are known for being extremely late to the annual roster release party. They did it again on Tuesday night, announcing their initial 2024 53-man squad long after the league’s supposed deadline.

Once again, Baltimore was among the last teams to announce, and NBC Sports Pro Football Talk has apparently uncovered the potential reason for this.

PFT’s sources told them there was an “apparent issue with the waiver wire, the league’s daily document listing all moves,” before explaining that

“Although the transactions appear in the league’s internal database, the teams haven’t announced the moves.”

We’re all familiar with the “deadline” of 4 p.m. EST, which is for the teams to communicate their roster moves to the league. There is no mandate for when they have to inform the public.

The Ravens weren’t alone in taking their sweet time on this, either. The reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New York Giants likewise dragged their feet on releasing the news of their final cuts to the public.

Ravens vs. Packers: Top photos from preseason finale at Lambeau Field

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens preseason loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field

It’s only the preseason, but the Ravens will head towards the 53-man roster cutdown date with a sour taste after a 30-7 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field on Saturday afternoon. Josh Johnson was 5-7 for 71 yards and one passing touchdown, while Michael Pratt led Green Bay in passing, going 8-12 for 80 yards and one touchdown. The Packers were dominant on the ground, amassing 193 rushing yards, as Ellis Merriweather led all ball carriers with 16 yards for 74 yards. The Packers held the ball for nearly ten minutes longer than the Ravens and out-gained Baltimore by 326 yards to 177 for John Harbaugh’s bunch. With Baltimore now turning its attention toward the Chiefs, here’s an instant analysis of the loss. ***

Ravens vs. Falcons: Top photos from Baltimore’s 13-12 win in preseason Week 2

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 13-12 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason Week 2 matchup

Backup quarterback Josh Johnson was perfect on the afternoon, and rookie Emory Jones added a 56-yard touchdown throw to Dayton Wade in the second half to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 13-12 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium.  The Ravens snapped a three-game preseason losing streak, while Atlanta had 343 yards of total offense but was 4-13 on third downs. Baltimore had another putrid day on the ground, rushing for 71 yards on 30 attempts.  With the team set to start preparation for the preseason finale, here are the top photos from the win over Atlanta. ***

Top photos from Ravens 16-13 loss to Eagles in preseason opener

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 16-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason opener at M&T Bank Stadium

The Ravens returned to the field for live game action for the first time since their heartbreaking, 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.

Baltimore hosted Philadelphia at M&T Bank Stadium, with both teams on similar arcs, and championship paths. Starting quarterback Lamar Jackson sat out along with key starters on both sides of the football.

Eagles kicker Jake Elliott made a 49-yard field goal with no time remaining to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 16-13 victory after Baltimore quarterback Emory Jones — who had just entered the game — was sacked and fumbled on the next play.

The recovery by Patrick Johnson gave Elliott his final opportunity of the night.

With Baltimore set to start preparation for the Falcons in the second week of the preseason, we’re looking at the top photos from Friday night.

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Ravens training camp: Top photos from Day 5 of practice

We’re looking at the top photos from Day 5 of Baltimore Ravens training camp practices

The Ravens had a day off from training camp on Thursday but returned to the Under Armour Performance Center on Friday and Saturday for their first two full-padded summer practices. Lamar Jackson returned to the lineup after a medical evaluation for flu-like symptoms. At the same time, the team honored the late Jacoby Jones on the day that family and friends traveled to New Orleans for his funeral services. With Sunday’s practice quickly approaching, here are takeaways and notes from Saturday’s session. ***