- 11 hours ago
Cordell Woodland joins Vinny & Haynie to talk about the Lamar Jackson & Tyler Linderbaum contract situations, upcoming OTAs & who the Ravens should draft with the 14th pick in the NFL Draft.
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00:00Cordell, first of all, thanks for joining us.
00:02For sure.
00:02Cordell Wooden, our Orioles-Ravens Terps reporter,
00:04and of course, host of Fresh Take Sports with Ben Hall.
00:09Combine going on up as we speak.
00:11A lot of the prospects meeting with the media,
00:13some guys that could be linked to the Ravens at number 14.
00:16But Jesse Minner, head coach, and DaCosta, Eric, the GM,
00:20met with the media yesterday.
00:21We'll start with Lamar Jackson's contract situation
00:25and the dialogue that's been going on.
00:28Now DaCosta, he was very open in his dialogue with Linderbaum
00:32and his contract situation.
00:34Market setting, Alford, which he has yet to sign, by the way,
00:39which we'll get to.
00:40But Lamar, close to the vest.
00:42Minter did say Lamar apparently was in the building a couple of weeks ago.
00:46So he talked to him then.
00:4974.5 mil, right?
00:51Cap hit going into 2026.
00:54Two years ago, three years ago,
00:56it got to the point where Lamar literally wanted a trade.
01:00And the Ravens let him hit free agency.
01:02They didn't even tag him with the exclusive brights tag.
01:05Go hit the open market.
01:06And Arthur Blank infamously said,
01:09well, why would you give that kind of money to a guy that gets hurt all the time?
01:12Who's their quarterback?
01:13Yeah, exactly.
01:14And how many coaches have they had since then?
01:16By the way,
01:17I don't think Cordell will get that acrimonious,
01:22but it's still kind of slow play and free agency starts in a couple of weeks here
01:26with the legal tampering and then the actual date, March 11th.
01:30So what's the end game going to be with Lamar Jackson
01:33in regards to getting him redone, extended, whatever it is,
01:38where they can free up a lot of dough like Patrick Mahomes did with Kansas City last week?
01:43Yeah, I mean, to be honest, and like you said,
01:45DaCosta kept it kind of close to the vest,
01:48which he always does when it comes to Lamar,
01:50anything regarding Lamar.
01:52But definitely now when you're talking about a contract extension,
01:56the little he did say, honestly,
01:59I kind of gained a little optimism from it.
02:03He talked about how they have had conversations recently.
02:07Now, of course,
02:08a lot of some of those conversations probably had to do with the coaching search,
02:11filling the OC and hiring mentor.
02:14But I'm sure the contract stuff came up.
02:16He said that Lamar has been responsive,
02:19which we know has been, was an issue the first time.
02:22So I just, some of the little nuggets that he gave,
02:27gave me optimism that they are trending in the right direction.
02:31I still think it gets done.
02:32I just don't know when it gets done.
02:34I still firmly believe Lamar wants to be a Baltimore.
02:38He wants to be a Raven.
02:39And obviously the Ravens want to keep him here as well.
02:42I think it would be imperative for them to get it done before the start of
02:46free agency,
02:47especially when you talk about lender bomb status and what they can do with
02:51him.
02:52But I don't know if it'll be on their time.
02:57Things seem to happen on Lamar's time,
02:59but I do think the end result will be him signing an extension with the Ravens.
03:03Yeah.
03:04You know what's interesting about, like you said, March 11th, two weeks from today,
03:07but really it's March 9th.
03:09It's really March 9th.
03:10It's when, you know.
03:11The legal tamper.
03:13Yeah.
03:13But the thing about it is, Cordell,
03:15the other thing that the little nugget that Lamar or that Eric gave,
03:20when we were sitting there listening to Declan Doyle say that he wants,
03:25he expects everybody to be there April 6th.
03:28Then,
03:29you know,
03:31then Eric went into his dissertation about two time MVP.
03:35He knows how to trade,
03:37blah,
03:37blah.
03:37He ain't coming.
03:39I mean,
03:40I don't know if it necessarily means he's not coming,
03:42but I,
03:43to me,
03:44the whole time.
03:45Yeah.
03:45I mean,
03:45maybe,
03:46maybe that's how he's operating.
03:48That's how he's operating.
03:50Yeah.
03:50It's kind of like nothing changes.
03:51It could be that way.
03:53I think,
03:54I do think there is a more increased chance that he's there the whole time,
03:59considering how much new is going.
04:02I mean,
04:02it's a totally forget new scheme.
04:04It's a new organization.
04:06It's a new terminology.
04:07Everything is new.
04:08The lay of the land is new.
04:10The vibe of the building is going to be new.
04:12So I do think he wants to get in it and be a part of that.
04:16To be honest,
04:17I thought Eric DaCosta saying that was really him trying to put out a little
04:22bit of the fire that came from Declan Doyle saying that I think that's Eric
04:26DaCosta,
04:27given the other side of the coin of,
04:29Hey,
04:29you know,
04:30this is a two time,
04:31probably should be three time MVP.
04:33MVP.
04:34This is a guy that understands we go as far as he goes.
04:38This is a guy that when healthy is a one percenter in the NFL.
04:43So I think he was really just trying to take some of that heat off Lamar,
04:49while also giving facts of what Lamar has done,
04:52despite not being a full participant in OTAs in the past.
04:56But like I said,
04:56I do acknowledge this is,
04:58this is a different year.
04:59Now we had a couple conversations yesterday too,
05:04really one about,
05:06you know,
05:06like a lot of these mock drafts got them taking receiver,
05:09which,
05:09you know,
05:10my opinion is,
05:11you know,
05:11can he protect the quarterback?
05:13And then number two,
05:14we were talking about really,
05:16if you look at Mark Andrews,
05:18the decline,
05:18he had 14 games,
05:20Cordell,
05:20where he didn't have a touchdown catch.
05:22He averaged 8.8 yards per catch.
05:25His longest catch of the season was 27 yards.
05:28So,
05:28I mean,
05:29and they paid him 13 mil,
05:31you know?
05:31So what,
05:34because we've been at a call and said,
05:35well,
05:35are they going to trade him?
05:36No,
05:37they're not trading him.
05:38Otherwise,
05:38right.
05:40Even DaCosta said that they had approached likely his representatives about a deal,
05:45which obviously didn't come to fruition.
05:47And we brought up the numbers from 2024.
05:50They combined for a hundred catches,
05:53basically 1200 yards and 19 touchdowns last year.
05:58No,
06:00no.
06:00I mean,
06:02like 700 yards and obviously likely getting hurt in camp impacted that in a big way.
06:08I just don't think the two tight end thing with Mark and likely ever really reached its full potential.
06:15It never looked the way that everybody hoped it would,
06:18even at its best.
06:19Though when it was at its best was when Mark got hurt.
06:23Yeah.
06:23When Mark is exactly and likely is able to take over even to Mark's credit last year.
06:28I mean,
06:28Mark led on tight ends and touchdown catches last in 2024.
06:32So it,
06:33it just seems like you can't get the most out of both of them.
06:37Now,
06:37I definitely agree.
06:38It seems like that extension isn't aging well.
06:40And then I look into Chicago's situation because they use a first rounder on a tight end.
06:47They had Cole Komet,
06:48who at the start of the year,
06:50Cole Komet was still their feature tight end.
06:53It didn't,
06:53I think it wasn't until that Bengals game that Cole,
06:56that,
06:56that Loveland really started to become a thing.
06:59And,
06:59and,
06:59and that comeback against Cincinnati.
07:01But,
07:02so I,
07:02I do wonder,
07:03and,
07:04and Loveland's the more athletic guy.
07:07He's,
07:08Cole Komet has some athleticism too,
07:09but he just,
07:10he wasn't the fresh one.
07:12Loveland can't block.
07:13He,
07:13like I said,
07:14he blocks like me and Bob blocks.
07:15he's purely a pass catcher.
07:17I think likely he's gone.
07:19A little younger too.
07:20You know what I mean?
07:21Yeah.
07:21Yeah.
07:22I,
07:22I,
07:23the Mark Andrews thing,
07:24unfortunately,
07:25I don't think that's going to age well.
07:27Um,
07:28I just.
07:28What do you think about the old line,
07:30Courtney?
07:30I mean,
07:30because Eric said,
07:32you know,
07:32we got two good tackles,
07:33you know,
07:34and if we re-sign Linderbaum,
07:36they got young guys they like with Emory Jones and stuff.
07:40You know,
07:40you're counting on a lot of dudes,
07:42you know,
07:43that.
07:43But he did say that the guard situation was a little.
07:47Right.
07:47A little shaky.
07:48He admitted that.
07:49Couldn't lie to us about that one.
07:51I mean,
07:51and I,
07:51I do think they are banking on their coaching staff,
07:55helping them out.
07:56Maybe a little more with development this time around than this past year.
07:59That was a,
08:00that was a huge problem for him.
08:02Um,
08:02but yeah,
08:03that's why I think it's so important for them to bring Linderbaum back.
08:06When you're coming off the year that you're coming off of,
08:08you,
08:09you're trying to convince your quarterback to sign an extension,
08:12to have to basically redo the entire interior of your offensive line.
08:18And what's supposed to be a year where you get back to being the Ravens,
08:23whatever that looks like.
08:24And in my mind,
08:24that means at least getting back to the second round.
08:27I,
08:28I don't see how you're going to do that.
08:31If you're already complaining that you don't have the most money because
08:35everybody likes to talk about Chicago rebuilding their offensive line.
08:39This past off season,
08:40Chicago blew plenty of money on their old line.
08:43I don't know if the Ravens have that at their disposal to do it in the same
08:47way.
08:48So yeah,
08:49offensive line has to be at the forefront of the off season,
08:52but I'm also not sitting here saying,
08:55go draft an old lineman at 14,
08:57no matter what,
08:58like it,
08:58I still think 14,
08:59you should be able to get a pretty good player.
09:02I'm saying it's gotta be a trenches guy.
09:05I wouldn't hate it in the trenches.
09:07They,
09:07they have to rebuild both trenches right now.
09:09So they should be able to find somebody.
09:11If not on the old line at 14,
09:13somebody on the D line to help this pass rush would be huge.
09:16It's been 80,
09:17one of five,
09:18seven,
09:18the fan woman crush Wednesday,
09:19Cordell.
09:19You want to stick around for a phone call?
09:21Sure.
09:21Let's get out to the phone.
09:22Sports at five,
09:23three,
09:23one of five,
09:24seven is the number.
09:24It's woman crush Wednesday.
09:25Pick a song.
09:25We'll play it.
09:26We'll talk to Nolan McGraw coming up in a few minutes.
09:28Let's go to Mike in Belair.
09:29Mike,
09:29what's up?
09:31Good morning.
09:32Well,
09:33good afternoon.
09:3415 minutes.
09:35I'm calling in that actual opinion.
09:39Um,
09:41our biggest investment will be Lamar.
09:44And you hear all the,
09:47the draft pundits mocking us,
09:49a wide receiver.
09:50I don't like that.
09:52I,
09:52I just wanted your opinion about the kid from Penn state.
09:57I really like him in comparison to the kid from,
10:01um,
10:02Miami.
10:02I think the kid from,
10:03um,
10:04Penn state is more agile.
10:06Uh,
10:07he can get to the second and third layer than the kid from Miami.
10:12And I just like,
10:13talking about the guard.
10:14You talking about Ioni?
10:16Yes.
10:17And,
10:18um,
10:18if not him,
10:20if Bain drops,
10:22one of them,
10:22uh,
10:23different to end drops,
10:24I'll go after him.
10:26And if you see,
10:27uh,
10:27the guard from Penn state,
10:28Ioni,
10:29right.
10:30and you can,
10:31and you can slide down and still get this cat and you can get a
10:35compensatory in the second round and go get a wide receiver or,
10:39or something like that.
10:40I'll deal with that.
10:41But to not protect Lamar,
10:45you know,
10:45everybody talks about,
10:46well,
10:47he wasn't Lamar.
10:48The regular Lamar was hurt all year.
10:51He was hurt all year.
10:53And the sad thing,
10:54people are not paying attention.
10:56You know,
10:58Seattle put pressure on the quarterback.
11:00Philly,
11:01they put pressure on the quarterback.
11:03You have to pressure these guys.
11:05And it starts with the defensive line and your offensive line.
11:10And your big uglies went up front and I'm calling to ask your opinion
11:15because I value your opinion very much.
11:17All right.
11:18Thank you,
11:18Mike.
11:18I think we all know that the Ravens were lacking in pass rush and on the
11:22offensive line.
11:23I mean,
11:23that's been well documented.
11:25And,
11:25um,
11:27what about,
11:27uh,
11:28signing,
11:28uh,
11:28a Duff A.
11:29O.
11:29way,
11:29Kaleel Mac in free agency,
11:31depending on what the draft need.
11:33If they draft a wide receiver,
11:35that's what the assumption that Zay flowers moved to the slot full time.
11:39And then you got a big guy running down.
11:41Well,
11:42does that mean they're playing three wide receivers the whole time?
11:44Chicago played a lot of two tight ends.
11:46Yeah.
11:46You know,
11:47and they had,
11:48what do you do with Bateman?
11:49Yeah.
11:50I mean,
11:50you know,
11:51they had more who was great and then,
11:53uh,
11:53they drafted a kid and then they had a,
11:55had a Dune's.
11:56A Dune's.
11:57Yeah.
11:57So they had three,
11:59you know,
11:59and the rookie was the one that kind of came on.
12:02Uh,
12:02for that.
12:03Yeah.
12:03Bradley,
12:04Luther Bradley Jr.
12:05Or the third.
12:06Luther Burden.
12:07Yeah.
12:07Yeah.
12:08Yeah.
12:08No,
12:08they,
12:09they had a stable of guys and,
12:10um,
12:11they have a bunch of people they could get the ball to.
12:13And that's not even including their running backs who really led the charge for the,
12:17their,
12:17I always go back to that game against the Eagles for the bears this year where both running
12:22backs had over a hundred yards in that game.
12:25Like that's to me how the bears offense won games.
12:30They were balanced and they went with whatever was working.
12:33If the run game was working,
12:34they stuck with that.
12:35If they were able to throw the ball all over the field,
12:38they'll let Caleb throw for 350 yards.
12:40So I think that's,
12:41and that has been a bugaboo for the Ravens going away from what's working,
12:45going away from your strengths.
12:47It seems to be at least Declan dual.
12:49Hopefully,
12:50obviously he didn't call plays in Chicago,
12:51but hopefully that's something that he does bring with him to ball.
12:54All right,
12:54Cordell wants the next fresh take sports coming up here on one Oh five.
12:57Some of the fans was today.
12:58Today's Wednesday.
12:59So we're back tomorrow night,
13:00tomorrow night after a Ryan's hot stove league will be on from seven to nine.
13:05So we'll be talking a lot about what's going on at the combine.
13:08I believe the workout start tomorrow.
13:10So we'll be able to get into that.
13:12Obviously spring training and the grapefruit league has been ongoing.
13:15So we'll keep up with the,
13:17with some of the scuttlebutt from Sarasota as well.
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