Tag: ravens news

Justin Fields reveals Chargers had interest in trading for him

The Chargers’ quarterback room could’ve looked a little different right now.

The Chargers’ quarterback room could’ve looked a little different right now.

On an episode of Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast, Justin Fields spoke out about the teams that were interested in acquiring him this past offseason before the Steelers.

Los Angeles was among the crop.

I’m not sure of all the teams, but there were a lot of teams that already had solidified quarterbacks and I didn’t want to do that. Chargers were one, Ravens were another. Raiders, they talked a little bit. I don’t know too much. Who else was in there I don’t know, but a lot of teams had solidified quarterbacks who just got new contracts so I didn’t want to be there.

Fields landed in Pittsburgh in exchange for a conditional 2025 second-round pick.

Yes, the former first-round pick would’ve been a nice addition, but it wouldn’t have been worth giving up that high value of draft capital for only a backup job.

To fill out the positional room behind Herbert, Los Angeles re-signed Easton Stick and traded for Taylor Heinicke ahead of the regular season.

After a rough start with the Bears, Fields seems to have found the perfect home. He’s completed 73.3% of his passes for 518 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while rushing for 90 yards and one score.

Ravens vs. Raiders: Top photos from Week 2 matchup at M&T Bank Stadium

The Ravens have gone from a Super Bowl hopeful, to a team searching for answers after a shocking 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday.

The loss dropped Baltimore to 0-2 on the season, while creating more discourse centered on the offensive line, secondary, run-pass ratios, and Lamar Jackson. The disappointing loss also creates something of a hotseat for head coach John Harbaugh with a difficult matchup against the Cowboys looming.

Here are the top photos from Week 2.

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Eddie Jackson has high praise for Lamar Jackson: I’ve always been a fan of his game

Eddie Jackson says he’s always been a fan of Lamar Jackson’s game

Eddie Jackson spent seven seasons in Chicago, but after being without a team for months, he’s feeling like he joined a family after signing a one-year deal with the Ravens.

Jackson grew up about 15 minutes away from MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida. They competed against each other in youth football. Sharing the same name, Eddie liked to call Lamar his cousin.

After his second practice with the team, Jackson told Ravens media that he’s always been a fan of the star quarterback’s game.

Lamar Jackson was absent from the first three training camp practices after he was sent home with an illness on Saturday.

Jackson had been at the Under Armour Performance Center practicing since July 15, when quarterbacks and injured veterans reported to training.

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Ravens’ Joe D’Alessandris discusses offensive line competition after losing 3 starters

Ravens offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris discusses the competition after losing 3 starters

The Baltimore Ravens will need a big year from their offensive line to compete for a Super Bowl. It all starts up front for an offense, but Baltimore has some significant question marks in that regard entering the 2024 season.

The team lost three starters in 2024 free agency, which means they will have new faces at over half of their starting spots. There will be plenty of competition, which offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris mentioned has been good.

“You know what, I’ve seen good competition. I’ve seen each guy working, and I move them around quite a bit – for their benefit and also for our benefit – because the more they can do, guess what, [they] get to stay in this league longer, because you can play multiple positions, and they’ve all accepted that role and that opportunity. Andrew [Vorhees] is doing a great job. ‘Sala’ [Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu] is doing a good job. Josh Jones is doing a good job. Ben [Cleveland] is doing a good job inside there, so you just keep seeing all these young men doing it, and the good news is, this is the time of year where you’re learning assignment, communication [and] playing fast. The contact is not there. That’s going to come. Training camp is what that’s built for along with games. Then, we’ll see how it plays out from there.”

D’Alessandris mentioned multiple players competing for starting sports, including Andrew Vorhees, Ben Cleveland, and others. At this point in the off-season, they are all learning, but they are all trying to make a name for themselves and get ahead of the curve.

Report: Chargers hiring Ravens player evaluation and analytics manager Corey Krawiec

Corey Krawiec was vital to the Ravens’ success over the past decade.

The Chargers are hiring Ravens player evaluation and analytics manager Corey Krawiec, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

Krawiec had been with Baltimore since 2013 in a role in which he supported the team’s college scouting, pro scouting, and salary cap departments with data analysis and research.

Krawiec was vital to the Ravens’ success over the past decade.

Joe Hortiz is off to a strong start in his role as Chargers general manager by bringing in Krawiec, who he’s very familiar with, having worked with him in Baltimore.

Social media reacts to Chargers hiring Joe Hortiz as general manager

The Chargers hired Joe Hortiz as their new GM. Here’s how Twitter reacted.

Joe Hortiz is the new general manager of the Chargers.

Social media has been quick to give Los Angeles kudos for the hire.

Let’s take a look at what is being said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chargers hiring Joe Hortiz as next general manager

The Chargers have finally found their new general manager.

The Chargers have finally found their new general manager.

According to multiple reports, Los Angeles is working to finalize a deal to hire Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz as their next GM.

Hortiz, 48, has worked for the Ravens since 1998, where he started as a scout. He was then promoted to the team’s director of college scouting for ten years before becoming the director of player personnel in 2019, overseeing both the pro and scouting departments since then.

Hortiz has plenty of experience and has benefited from learning under Ravens executive vice president Ozzie Newsome, one of the most well-known executives in the league.

Hortiz is a graduate of Auburn with a degree in accounting. He was an undergraduate assistant coach for the Tigers’ football team from 1995- 97. He worked with the quarterbacks and wide receivers and coached the scout team linebackers and secondary.

Ravens not expected to activate Mark Andrews for divisional round matchup vs. Texans

The Baltimore Ravens are not expected to activate TE Mark Andrews for divisional round matchup vs. Houston Texans

Mark Andrews got in his second full practice on Thursday, but he’s not expected to be activated off injured reserve for Baltimore’s divisional-round matchup against Houston at M&T Bank Stadium.

Ian Rapoport reports that Andrews still has a ways to go in his rehab and return from a fractured fibula.

The Ravens tight end, who suffered a major ankle injury on Nov. 16, said Wednesday that he’ll play if he feels he can help the team.

Mark Andrews is questionable for Ravens divisional round matchup vs. Texans

Mark Andrews is questionable for Ravens divisional round matchup vs. Texans

Mark Andrews got in his second full practice on Thursday and will be a game-time decision for Baltimore’s divisional-round matchup against Houston at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens tight end, who suffered a major ankle injury on Nov. 16, said Wednesday that he’ll play if he feels he can help the team.

He would have to be activated off injured reserve Friday if he’s going to play.

Chargers general manager candidate profile: Joe Hortiz

Examining who Joe Hortiz is, where he comes from and why he’d be a good choice to be the GM of the Chargers.

The Chargers interviewed Ravens’ Director of Player Personnel Joe Hortiz for their general manager vacancy on Saturday.

Hortiz, 48, has been in Baltimore since 1998. He’s played pivotal roles in college scouting and the Ravens’ draft process. Hortiz was originally a scout who was promoted to Baltimore’s Director of College Scouting in 2009. 10 years later, in 2019, he earned the promotion to his current title of Director of Player Personnel.

The legacy of Baltimore over the past two decades needs no further explanation. Under Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens have consistently dominated the draft in constructing several playoff and Super Bowl teams. Eric DeCosta was promoted to general manager following Newsome’s retirement. Hortiz has remained a constant in Baltimore as he potentially waits for his own opportunity elsewhere to become a GM.

Hortiz also has coaching experience, albeit brief. He was a graduate assistant at Auburn for three years under then-head coach Terry Bowden.

Hortiz’s biggest asset is his decades of college and scouting and draft experience. Baltimore has consistently been a draft enigma in their team construction. Whether it’s slithering up the board or meticulously accumulating capital by trading down, April is where the Ravens are truly built. They also pursue free agency and other team-building moves, of course, but Baltimore hasn’t existed in their current form over the last two decades without success in the spring’s primetime event.

LA also needs a vision of team management that is flexible in approach. Tom Telesco’s hesitance to trade back in the draft has the Chargers generally having fewer draft assets outside of years where they earned compensatory picks. For a team about to enter some version of “cap hell,” more swings at the bat under a GM with Hortiz’s vision and experience could be massive.