00:00Ravens take a big swing and acquire Max Crosby on Friday, and then everybody else leaves today.
00:05Let's talk about it with Jonas Shaver, who covers the Ravens for the Baltimore Banner.
00:09And Jonas, thank you as always for your time. We appreciate it.
00:12Let's talk Crosby first. Just your reaction to that trade.
00:17Yeah, I think it makes sense in a lot of ways. I think it makes sense schematically.
00:21I think it makes sense financially. I think it makes sense leadership-wise.
00:27He just embodies everything that I think Jesse Minter wants to do with this Ravens defense.
00:32He's a kick-ass run defender, which means that you should be able to get away with light boxes.
00:38You should be able to get away with playing nickel-and-dime personnel.
00:41He's a juiced-up pass rusher. I think he was fourth in the NFL last year in average get-off,
00:46according to the next-gen stats data.
00:50He's been pretty durable. Obviously, you kind of look a little bit askance at that knee injury
00:55and wonder if this is maybe the rubber's starting to meet the road there.
00:59But he's a guy who listened when he went on that social media video yesterday or Saturday, whenever it was,
01:07and talked about his decision to leave Vegas.
01:09He said that football is all he's wanted to play since he was a little kid.
01:13And I think that shows just how aggressively and violently he plays the game of football.
01:17So I think he's definitely a four-raiser. I think he's a ceiling-raiser.
01:22I think he's a force multiplier.
01:24And the fact that he gives you some flexibility if you choose to hit that lever with his cap
01:29and potential restructures is just icing on the cake.
01:33Well, Jonas, that was a very uncharacteristic move by Eric DaCosta,
01:37and really for this franchise, giving up a first-round pick, multiple of them for a player.
01:41That being said, are you expecting this to be kind of a sign of things to come by Eric DaCosta
01:48being more aggressive this offseason, being more active in free agency?
01:53Well, he's running out of options to be aggressive with.
01:56I don't know what exactly the big move here is going to be.
02:01I think the smart money was on them maybe using some of the savings
02:06from whatever the hell is going to happen with Lamar on either a guard or a center.
02:12But the Ravens spent their money on John Simpson, and the center market is pretty cleared out.
02:17Maybe they invest in a wide receiver like Juwan Jennings that they feel like could be an upgrade
02:23and maybe help replace Rashad Bateman if he wants out of town.
02:26So I think this is probably as aggressive as Eric DaCosta will be this offseason.
02:32I mean, it's hard to be more aggressive than the guy who just traded two first-round picks
02:37for the first time in NFL history for this franchise for a veteran.
02:42So it's a good question.
02:44I don't know what the next item on the checklist is here
02:49because the Ravens are kind of sitting on their thumbs, right?
02:52Sitting on their hands right here, pulling their thumbs, waiting for something to happen,
02:56and I don't know what that something is going to be.
02:58We're talking about Jonah Schaefer.
02:59It's Inside Access here on the fan.
03:00Yeah, so let's go over it.
03:02Obviously, Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders, Draymond Jones, Patriots, Isaiah Likely,
03:06and Jordan Stout to the Giants, Charlie Collar to the Chargers,
03:08Keaton Mitchell not tendered, so he's probably elsewhere.
03:11What of those moves surprised you the most, them leaving?
03:18I mean, I figured that as soon as Tyler Linderbaum got to the market
03:23that he was probably a goner.
03:24I did not expect him to surpass Tyler Smith as the highest-paid interior lineman in NFL history,
03:31given some of his lesser moments for the Ravens,
03:35and the fact that you could argue that with the neck injury history that he has,
03:40it's a little bit of a kicking time bomb.
03:42If things really do not go the way that they hopefully do hurt for Tyler,
03:47I'm wishing him the best health-wise.
03:49But I thought for sure that the Ravens would be bringing back Jordan Stout and or Charlie Collar.
03:55I thought that even though John Harbaugh was gone,
03:58the Ravens' prioritization of special teams talent would win out there
04:02and that they would be able to win a modest bidding war for him.
04:07Maybe they bring in the Scottish Hammer, who I guess just got released.
04:11Maybe they use a six-round pick on a punter in the draft
04:14and recoup some of the value there.
04:18But I thought that based off what Declan Doyle did in Chicago,
04:23having a very proven, reliable in-line blocker
04:27is an important part of this run game.
04:29And now the Ravens are down their best run blocker from last year
04:32and their best run-blocking tight end in Charlie Collar.
04:35This is a guy who led the NFL in the lowest blown block rate
04:40among all regular tight ends at the position last year
04:43according to SportsCenter Solutions.
04:44So it's just a little bit vexing how they have so much invested
04:49in their run game.
04:51Obviously, Keith Mitchell might not be a part of that calculus now,
04:54but beyond Ronnie Stanley and maybe Roger Rosenkart next year,
04:58who on this starting five, could you really say,
05:01is an above-average starting run blocker?
05:05It's kind of hard to wrap your mind around.
05:09Jonas, who of the free agents still on the board
05:12are you keeping an eye on for Eric DaCosta?
05:15Maybe that could be a next move.
05:18Man, it's a good question.
05:20A lot of the guys that I spent time looking at were linemen.
05:23And I guess you kind of wonder, I think I saw someone on Twitter
05:28suggest Eric McCoy, the former Saints, I believe, center,
05:32who could come in and perhaps rejuvenate his career.
05:35Maybe the Ravens feel like they will have enough money
05:38with whatever happens with the Lamar Jackson deal.
05:41Again, to bring in Jawan Jennings, who can be that power slot
05:44that can also play outside for you.
05:46I think he could kind of sort of replace Charlie Kohler
05:51because he's such a good blocker inside,
05:52and you could have some of the same functionality
05:55on those condensed splits.
05:56But to be honest, a lot of the top guys who I thought
06:00might make sense for the Ravens have either been priced out
06:04or pushed out by guys that they already have signed.
06:07So maybe there's a cornerback out there who's available
06:11for $10 million or something that they can go use
06:14these Tyler Lindenbaum savings on.
06:16But I haven't really scoured the list just because
06:18there's been such a steady torrent of news this afternoon.
06:21Jonas, I'll finish with a two-parter.
06:23Number one, the Packers just released Elshin Jenkins.
06:26They're a two-time Pro Bowl center.
06:28Maybe that's something that the Ravens might be interested in.
06:31Though I've got to be honest, his play, obviously they cut him.
06:34So the play didn't warrant the contract, alas.
06:37And what about Pat Ricard?
06:39Do you expect him back?
06:41This is one that I was talking to Tim about this earlier.
06:44I just don't know if Declan Doyle, if that's a value to him.
06:50Yeah, well, I don't know what the odds are of him returning,
06:53but I do think that they are better than they were before Charlie Cole
06:55or something that accepted.
06:57He is the guy who gives you some of that same functionality
07:01as an in-line blocker.
07:02You know, it's probably more off the ball.
07:05It's maybe more in those kind of sniffer roles.
07:08But he is a guy who, when he's healthy,
07:11can lock up the Watts and the Gareth of the world
07:14on some of these play-option dropbacks.
07:15And then we know his value as a run blocker
07:18when he's really moving downhill.
07:20So, obviously, I think the fact that he said
07:24that he's willing to give the Ravens a hometown discount
07:26makes that an attractive reunion possibility.
07:30You know, obviously, you can structure the contract
07:32in such a way where maybe you're not on the hook
07:33for a huge amount of guaranteed money
07:35because of the stuff that he's dealt with medically
07:37over the years, you know, starting with that calf injury last year,
07:40that sideline in for, like, five, six, seven weeks,
07:43whatever it was.
07:43But, yeah, I just think that they need a kind of beast,
07:49for lack of a better term, in the run game right now.
07:51And Pat Ricard, at this point, is looking like their best bet.
07:55Jonas Schaefer covers the Ravens for the Baltimore Banner.
07:57Jonas, no rest for the weary.
07:59It seems like things are moving pretty fast right now,
08:02but I always appreciate your time.
08:04Who's going to have a worst week, Eric Acosta
08:07or Buzz Williams after they lose to Oregon?
08:11Ah, man, I think Eric will be okay when the dust settles,
08:14but Buzz, man, Buzz better have a good portal season.
08:19Yep.
08:20I think you can all agree on that.
08:21Thanks, buddy.
08:23Thanks, guys. Appreciate it.
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