Ravens sidestep questions about QB Lamar Jackson; GM Eric DeCosta open to drafting a quarterback in 1st round

Wednesday’s predraft news conference involving Ravens decision-makers loomed as general manager Eric DeCosta’s first opportunity to publicly address Lamar Jackson’s recent public trade request.

But DeCosta, coach John Harbaugh and director of player personnel Joe Hortiz largely avoided any in-depth discussion of the offseason’s dominant storyline, citing their desire to keep the focus on their preparations for the upcoming NFL draft, which is scheduled to begin April 27, rather than their star quarterback.

At the start of the session with the media, a team spokesperson requested that reporters ask questions pertaining to the draft. When the first question directed at DeCosta sought his reaction to Jackson’s tweet on March 27 that claimed the Ravens have “not been interested in meeting my value,” DeCosta showed an elusiveness the mobile quarterback might have envied.

“I understand the need to ask those kinds of questions,” he said. “I think just out of respect for the process, this is a draft luncheon, and we’re going to try to keep as much of this discussion as we can to the draft, to the coming weeks, building the best football team we can. So I understand those questions. I think we’ve spoken about this situation probably five different times this spring in various different press conferences and such. So we’re going to try to just kind of defer to those questions and move forward to the draft.”

Three questions later, DeCosta was asked if he had a preferred outcome regarding contract negotiations between the team and Jackson before the draft.

“I think the things that we control really [are] getting the list, the draft board set, evaluating the players as best as possible, being aware of the players, the free agents that are available now and post-draft, who are the players that we might have a chance to bring in post-draft that can make us a better football team as well,” he replied. “And then doing the best job we can in terms of recruiting free agents. Our scouts do a phenomenal job of that, our coaches do a great job of that and just putting ourselves in a position to win draft weekend.”

When the next inquirer began a question referencing Jackson, the same team spokesperson interrupted and reminded the assembled media that “this is about the draft” and “we’re not going to answer any more questions today” about Jackson.

DeCosta did say, however, that the uncertainty around the team’s quarterback position did not alter his evaluation of the quarterback draft class — “we really do try to build a board that’s really ‘best player available,’” he said — and that they are not ruling out taking a quarterback in the first round. The Ravens have the No. 22 pick.

Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young are projected to be picked at the top of the draft, with Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis likely to follow shortly thereafter. Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker — just one year younger than Jackson at age 25 and coming off a season-ending torn ACL — could be available when the Ravens are on the clock.

“It depends on the board, it really does. I’d have to say yes because we have quarterbacks in our top 31,” DeCosta said. “So just based on that alone, simple math, I would have to say yes.”

The unusual display was a marked departure from Harbaugh’s meeting with local and national reporters at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix last week when the first 26 questions centered on Jackson’s tweet and the coach answered each one without acrimony or bitterness. Wednesday’s development was perhaps the latest sign that fatigue regarding the two sides’ nearly two-year inability to hammer out a long-term contract had reached the upper echelon of the organization.

The team assigned the nonexclusive tag on Jackson, the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player, on March 7. The move was applauded in some corners because the Ravens could match any offer sheet Jackson signed with another team or decline and receive two first-round draft picks. And at $32.4 million, the nonexclusive tag was about $13 million cheaper than the exclusive tag, which would have prevented Jackson from finding out his value on the market.

“I would say there’s probably more than four guys that can be significant quarterbacks in this league in this draft class,” DeCosta said.

Here are other takeaways from the news conference:

Cornerback ‘a strong position’

DeCosta called this year’s cornerback class “a strong position,” which would fit a need for the Ravens. Starter Marcus Peters is a free agent, leaving Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens the lone returning starters.

One highly touted prospect is Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr., who is projected as a first-round choice. His father, Joey Porter Sr., was an outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a thorn in the Ravens’ side for many years. Would adding the younger Porter be problematic?

“I’m going to give him a call, and I’m going to find out,” Harbaugh quipped. “For me, it’s family first. Joey Porter Jr. is a heck of a player, and it’s not just him. There’s a lot of good corners like Eric said, guys that we’d be excited about. But this dude knows how to play. I love the way he plays his style. He’s the Joey Porter Sr. version. He’s got a great mentality, so we’ll see what happens.”

Not showing their hand

Besides cornerback, DeCosta noted the strength of the wide receiver, offensive line and defensive line classes — all of which could fortify next year’s squad. But DeCosta declined to say which position is the most coveted by the organization, pointing out that the 2021 team thought it was set at running back until season-ending injuries sidelined J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.

“Our needs can change,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to pigeonhole one specific thing, but in general, I think secondary is always something that we can address. Offensive lines are always something, the defensive line that we should address, the receiver position, those positions where you need multiple guys to play. I think those are important positions every single year to draft players so that you have a continuous depth in terms of when guys get hurt, you can put guys in.”

Wide receivers at play

Three wide receivers — Southern California’s Jordan Addison, Boston College’s Zay Flowers and TCU’s Quentin Johnston — have been linked to the Ravens as possible selections with the 22nd pick. The franchise has been largely unsuccessful in drafting that position, but DeCosta laughed off a question about feeling satisfied if he were able to break the streak this time.

“I’ve been here 28 years. If it wasn’t receiver, you guys would be asking something else,” he joked. “That’s the reality. It’d be the offensive line, it’d be the quarterback position, it’d be the secondary. It’s just the nature of the beast, right? So we want to address as many positions. There’s never been a perfect team. I’ve never seen a perfect team yet in the NFL. We aspire to it, but I haven’t seen that team.”

No update on Queen

The Ravens have until May 1 to exercise inside linebacker Patrick Queen’s fifth-year option, keeping him in Baltimore through the 2024 season. It would come at the cost of a fully guaranteed $12.7 million, according to Over The Cap’s projections, but DeCosta did not commit to making such a move.

“That’ll be a discussion we’ll have with Patrick,” he said.

Queen, a 2020 first-round pick, led the Ravens with 117 tackles last season and added five sacks and two interceptions, pairing with midseason trade acquisition Roquan Smith to form one of the best linebacker duos in the league.

NFL draft

Thursday, April 27, to Saturday, April 29

TV: ESPN, NFL Network

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