1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: My friendship with Azzie is a hell of a lot 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: more important than my job. And I know maybe that 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: sounds crazy as certain people, but that's just the way 4 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: that I'm wired. I feel like we know if there's 5 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: a guy there that we think is really too good 6 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: to pass up, you know we're gonna take it. Will 7 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 1: not be for straight defense. If it is, you'd probably 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 1: be looking for a new GMN. Welcome into the Lounge 9 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: for a very special episode because we got an exclusive 10 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: interview here. Yeah, this is an interview that a lot 11 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: of people want, but worthy true hard nos journalists. We 12 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: get the stories j journalists, Yeah, exactly. We chased down 13 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: the good stories and that's what we did today. We 14 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: have our assistant general manager, soon to be general manager, 15 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: Erica Costa, stopped by Lounge today. Very exciting stuff. But 16 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: before we get into that, let's jump into I didn't 17 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: get an email to read today, put I went back 18 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: into the vault and got a review iTunes. What do 19 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: you think of that, buddy? But this is also an 20 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: incentive for people to put those reviews out. Exactly, keep 21 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: the five stars and the reviews coming. And I'm not 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: just talking to you, Uncle Charlie. I'm talking to all 23 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: you fans all right. We're tired of getting reviews for 24 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: our friends and family. Uh. This one came from Marsh 25 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: twelfth from Mr c Squared and says no better podcast, 26 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: Ryan making Garrett down in your Staples to the Ravens franchise. 27 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 1: The guys, these guys do a great job of keeping 28 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: us abreast of what's going on within our locker room 29 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: in front office. Also, they're pretty funny, Thank you very much. 30 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: Staples to the franchise. Sounds like we're franchise players. We 31 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: shouldn't franchise player. We needed we need the tag? Yeah yeah, 32 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 1: twenty what's what's the franchise tag value for our role 33 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: for podcast? Podcast? Not very hot? Uh? Also they're pretty funny. 34 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: I enjoy their spirited debates and mock drafts, especially the 35 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: beer and pizza draft which mink one keep us keep 36 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: up the great workfellas boom boom shock abot. On that note, 37 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: On that note, I will I will admit to this. 38 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: All right. So I had my kids second birthday party 39 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: this past weekend. Order a bunch of pizza for all 40 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: the kids and the adults. Right pieces we get too 41 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: free toppings, So okay, you got pineapple and coconut. No, 42 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: I didn't go that crazy. Didnt get pineapple one ham? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, 43 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: I got all these pizzas, right, they all come. I 44 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: ordered six pizzas, they all come. I didn't get any 45 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: plain cheese because you get two free toppings. Who just does? 46 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: Who takes a passing topics to get there? Turns out 47 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 1: several vegetarians, including Kitty Vegetari. I can't eat the pizza. 48 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: My wife makes me go back out and buy two 49 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: more cheese pizzas. Unbelievable. Just pick it off. So that's 50 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: what I said. I just pick it off. That's what 51 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 1: I said. So anyway, in real life, in the real 52 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: life pizza draft, I watched it. Yeah you do. You 53 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 1: watch all the drafts. Anyway, with that said, we'll have 54 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: another draft coming up soon. It's always you guys can 55 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: email us with a lounge at Ravens on NFL dot 56 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 1: net and go ahead and leave ratings and reviews on 57 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: iTunes as well. Yeah. So with that, we're happy to 58 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: be joined by assistant general manager Eric Costa. That title 59 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: is gonna be changing here pretty quickly. Eric. By the way, well, yeah, 60 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: we've got a lot of work to do before then, 61 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: well what about that next year? But before we get 62 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: into football, I gotta start by asking you what pranks 63 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: are working on? Because you said last year that the 64 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: pranks get going when you're busiest, and we're pretty busy 65 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: right now. So what do you got working on? Well, 66 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: I'll tell you the dynamic is kind of changed in 67 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: the building. We've we've changed offices and so they put me. 68 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: I'm on the farthest UH point on the East coast. 69 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: I call this over here in the East coast, and 70 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: Pat Moriarty is now sort of in Middle America. He's 71 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: over there on the West coast. But I'm not as 72 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: close to Pat as I used to be, so it's 73 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: been difficult, I think, you know, for me, Um, getting 74 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: access to Pat. You know, over there, it's kind of 75 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: a hike to get over there. Now, I will say this, Um, 76 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: there are some other people now that I'm closer to uh, 77 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: and they've experienced some strange things. Pictures have disappeared from 78 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: their offices, and some of their pictures in their offices 79 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: have ended up in other people's offices. UM and Patty 80 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: Holt could probably talk about that a little bit. You know, 81 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: some strange things have been happening, I think around in 82 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: different offices, but in specifically with Pat, not a lot lately. Um, 83 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: it's just it's just hasn't been easy for me to 84 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: get over there quite as much to see him. And 85 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: uh and now there's other witnesses over there as well. 86 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: So you've got Marissol hanging out over there. You've got 87 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: some sketches that are kind of I'm a little concerned 88 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: about that until until I get you know, I really 89 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: feel like I've gained their trust. I'm gonna be very 90 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: careful about what I do. I think Pat's the happiest 91 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: guy about the new building. You know, he's got a 92 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: new office now, so moved in and they saw that 93 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 1: your office was next to there's like, oh crap. Yeah. 94 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: So in all, honestly, this is the first time we've 95 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: talked to you since Steven out. The transition is going 96 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: to take is next year. And I know for us, 97 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: when we were sitting there in the room at the 98 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: end of the season pressor with Steve it called all 99 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:08,479 Speaker 1: of us by surprise. We knew that it was gonna 100 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: happen at some point. But when he comes out there 101 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: and says it's gonna happen next year. All of us 102 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: were like, whoa did you know that was coming that 103 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: day that he was going to announce it? And what 104 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: was your thought on that day when it kind of 105 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: became public for the first time. Well, I did. I 106 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: did know that it was going to be announced. You know, 107 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: this has been really kind of in the works for 108 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 1: a long time. Um, it didn't affect my my situation 109 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: very much. I mean that week I got a lot 110 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: of text messages and things from people. It's you know, 111 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: it's been something that I've been reluctant to talk about 112 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: at all over the last five years. UM, I've just 113 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: had such a great relationship working with Ozzie, and he 114 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: and I worked so closely together, and just every day 115 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: I come into the office, is is really a blessing 116 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: to work with the guys I worked with so Um 117 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: from that standpoint, not a lot has changed. I think, 118 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: you know, the one thing that sometimes people would ask me, 119 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: you know, when are you going to be a GM? 120 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 1: When's it going to happen? And I would never really 121 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: talk about that. I would respect Ozzy out of respect 122 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: to Steve in the organization. So you know, I think 123 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: it's kind of relief that it's actually out there and 124 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 1: I don't have to worry about you know, other teams 125 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: or worry about you know, people saying me, well, you 126 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: know what, are you an idiot? You don't want to 127 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: be a GM or you know, Chicago Bears or the 128 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: New York Jets or the whoever team you know, being 129 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 1: by packers, whatever it is. And it was never really that. 130 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 1: I just always felt like, you know, for me, the 131 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,799 Speaker 1: best situation was staying here in Baltimore, working with people 132 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 1: that I you know, respect and love and my friends 133 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: and just we we've got a great situation here with 134 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: this organization with great ownership and president everybody from the 135 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: top to the bottom. So um, the fact that you know, 136 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: it's kind of in place, and that next year, I 137 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: know at some point I'll be the GM. That's exciting 138 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 1: and hopefully, you know, I won't have to answer those 139 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: questions anymore. Did you get a lot of this? Did 140 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: you always have? YEA sometimes, And I think, you know, 141 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: I'm a competitive person, and uh, you know, I think 142 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: sometimes people would probably say, well, he's afraid or he's 143 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: you know, he doesn't want to take this job. Um, 144 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: And it was really never that, It really was that 145 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: you know, for a long time, you know, I've I've 146 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: committed to Steve and and uh, and I've had Ozzie's blessing, 147 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: and he's kind of groom me over the last four 148 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: or five, six, really ten twenty years to be a GM. 149 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: And I always felt like I had, you know, Ozzie's 150 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: respect and his trust and that he would give me 151 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: the chance and he taught me. And I've had a 152 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: chance to sit by him for many years and watch 153 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: him do his job, and and uh, that's an experience 154 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: that a lot of guys don't have in my in 155 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: my profession, in my in my position. So that was 156 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: a blessing for me. And uh and and once I 157 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: had kind of, you know, decided that I wanted to 158 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: be here. You know, my wife is from Baltimore, and 159 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: my kids go to school here, and you know, when 160 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: I had made decision many years ago, you know I 161 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: was gonna stick with it. Um. But you know, every 162 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: once in a while, you do get frustrated when someone's like, man, 163 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: I can't believe you didn't take that job. Why didn't 164 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: you take your job? And you can't say, well, I'm 165 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: gonna be the GM here in two thousand, nineteen. So 166 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: that was that was the toughest part, especially if they're 167 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: saying you're scared, it's got a chapter ask being as 168 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: competitive as you and yeah, I don't say anything. Yeah, 169 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: I mean my family knew and my closest friends. But 170 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: I'm curious how many Like this was one of the 171 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: most most well kept secrets I think that I can 172 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 1: remember here in terms of everybody knew that it was 173 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: gonna happen at some point, but like there was no 174 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: real clear indication from us outside that this was the 175 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: date that it was going to be. How many people 176 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: would you estimate knew this, because I don't know that 177 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: it was very many. Oh, I don't know. You know 178 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,080 Speaker 1: my uh, you know, my wife and Steven, Ozzie and 179 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: Dick and you know, you know, like some other people. 180 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: But it's just it's a private thing and it's um, 181 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: you know, it's not just me, uh, you know, it's 182 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: aussy and it's it's Steve's desire and you know, there's 183 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: a lot of things at stake and that and play 184 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: and so it's just one of those things. It's just 185 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: you know, we can keep secrets and scouting. You know, 186 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: this is just one thing that it really wasn't anybody 187 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: else's business. It hasn't been anybody else's business. It's my career, 188 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: it's Ozzie's career, it's Steve's you know, desires for his organization, 189 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: and Dick's involvement, and it is what it is. And 190 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: you know, what if, if, if things, I have to 191 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: tell you this, like, if if things change tomorrow and 192 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: and Ozzy was gonna stay as the GM, I'd be 193 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,079 Speaker 1: the happiest guy in the world because I love working 194 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: with them and we have such an amazing relationship. And 195 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 1: it has never been about you know, me or Ozzie. 196 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: It's been about what's best for the Ravens and if 197 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 1: it was best for the Ravens, And Ozzie would say 198 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: if GM and I would stay as his assistant, I 199 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: would be the most fortunate guy in the NFL to 200 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 1: be part of this organization for the next ten or 201 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: fifteen or twenty years. Has it hit you yet, like, 202 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: in a year, I'm gonna realize my childhood goals. You know, 203 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: you've talked about how you used to do the draft 204 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:13,839 Speaker 1: as a kid watching TV and all that stuff, like 205 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: it sunk in yet, Yeah, it's sunk in because I've 206 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: been thinking about it for ten years. You know, Um, 207 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: I'll be ready. I think our guys are, you know, 208 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: our organization, Um, you know, we'll be ready. And I 209 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: just hope that, uh, that I can do a good 210 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: enough job that the organization's faith in me will be rewarded. 211 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, I'm excited about it, but I'm 212 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: more excited about the draft and more excited about the 213 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: offseason and what this team is gonna look like in September. 214 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: So I can't wait to get to that point. Just 215 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: a couple more questions on this, then well we'll get 216 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 1: to the draft. But obviously you're gonna You've taken a 217 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: ton of things from Ozzy, Like you said, he screamed 218 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 1: you for twenty years. How would you say, if anything, 219 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: that you're gonna be a little bit different than him? 220 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: Than him? Oh man, you know I'm not gonna give 221 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: away any secrets. Can you use that I've had better? Yeah? 222 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: I think, you know, from the technology standpoint, I definitely 223 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: have the advantage over him. He's probably better evaluator than 224 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: I am. Um, but I I don't know, I don't know. 225 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: I think, Um, we certainly won't h do everything the same. 226 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,079 Speaker 1: But we're not gonna try and reinvent a wheel either. 227 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: I mean, because I think what we've done has been 228 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:37,959 Speaker 1: pretty successful over the years. I mean, you have reps 229 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: and downs, but I think in general people would look at, 230 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: you know, Ozzie's regime, his tenure and say it's been 231 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: a smashing success. And so anybody coming into a situation 232 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 1: like that would be foolish to try and just just 233 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: blow everything up and make you know, tremendous change. I mean, 234 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,720 Speaker 1: that would be foolhardy. So we're not going to do that. 235 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: I think in in the end, I think you work 236 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 1: with people. We've got a great staff UM, you know, 237 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: who are the best in the league. You know. I 238 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,719 Speaker 1: think UM will continue to trust our scouts and their 239 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: abilities to evaluate, will continue to I think implement you know, 240 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: analytics and in big data trying to help us make decisions. 241 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: UM will continue to to look at things like the 242 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,599 Speaker 1: personality of the player, and you know, some of the 243 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: other things that we do with interviewing and and uh. 244 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: It will challenge our scouts and we'll listen to our 245 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: scouts and coaches, and we'll try and continue to build 246 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 1: consensus and and and really find the best players to 247 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: help us win. We'll try and be uh, you know, 248 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: creative with the salary cap and organized and responsible with 249 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: the cap. And I think that's a critical thing for 250 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: us moving forward as well. Um, I want us to 251 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: be innovative with a salary cap. I want us to 252 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: be ahead of the curve. Um. You know. I think 253 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 1: all those things kind of play together. And uh, you know, 254 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: want to find the right players that have the skills 255 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: to play the game, but also have the personality that 256 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: will be proud of that represent Baltimore, that have the 257 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 1: right you know traits, leadership, dependability, um, you know, football character, 258 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: you know, ability to play like a raven, which we 259 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: talked about all the time. Those things are really important too. 260 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:22,959 Speaker 1: So um, you know, I think providing structure for our 261 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: people in the organization, you know, and just being you know, 262 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: a leader, I think is something that I'm really excited 263 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: about moving forward. And uh and we'll see, are you 264 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: a little bit do you lean a little bit more 265 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: on analytics then maybe as it did? Well, yeah, I'm younger. 266 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: I think that's probably you know, the trend. You know. Um, 267 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: you know, I appreciate information. I appreciate people who can 268 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: take information and um and neither find trends or find 269 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: loopholes or find patterns or things that we could exploit, 270 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: you know, ways of you know, gaining advantage. I mean, 271 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 1: I remember reading Moneyball back in I think, you know, 272 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: two thousand and three. I was at the hospital and 273 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: my wife was in labor and my daughter, Jane was 274 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,199 Speaker 1: was being born, and I was sitting there in the 275 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: waiting and reading Moneyball is really kind of you know, 276 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: you know, revolutionary and how is this going to affect sports? 277 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 1: And you know, what will be the impact on football 278 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: and moving forward? And so it took us, you know, 279 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: maybe you know, ten years to get to the point 280 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: where we're actually starting to do something tangible with analytics. 281 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: But I'm really excited about what we've been able to 282 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: do in the last five years. And I think, you know, 283 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: the next five years are going to really show what 284 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: we can really do because we've gotten to the point 285 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: now where I think we've organized everything that data and 286 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: we've got some really smart people, you know, using the 287 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: data and building models and algorithms and different things and 288 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 1: looking at different ways to exploit the information. And I 289 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: think we're really going to start to see some cool 290 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: things in the next five years. So here's the last 291 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: thing I want to ask you about the transition and 292 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: you and Ozzie. I think there's a perception kind of 293 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: outside that it's going to be a little awkward next 294 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: year because Ozzie's here and he was your boss and 295 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: now you're his boss, and there's this weird dynamic. But 296 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: people don't see how close to you guys work on 297 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 1: a day to day basis. You guys are having conversations 298 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: all the time every day. How do you envision that 299 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: dynamic being next year when you know you guys are 300 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: in different roles, You know, I think I would be 301 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 1: pretty easy, you know, at least for me. You know, 302 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 1: we've just you know, Ozzie and I have a great relationship, 303 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: and people that know us, I think they know how 304 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: close we are, and people see it every day. Um, 305 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, it's not a day that doesn't go by 306 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: when I just don't think that. How lucky I am 307 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: to have been able to work with Ozzie for twenty 308 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: two years and he taught me really mostly everything I 309 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: know in terms of the NFL and scouting and you know, 310 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:07,119 Speaker 1: being a leader and working with people and humility and patience, 311 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: and all these amazing qualities that I don't always have 312 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: that Ausi has. And uh, you know, I think a 313 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: lot of times maybe people or the organization's other businesses, 314 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: maybe they would struggle with these types of situations, but 315 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: not me, not Ozzie. Um, my friendship, this is really 316 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: what I would say. My friendship with Azzi is a 317 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: hell of a lot more important than my job. And 318 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: I know maybe that sounds crazy as certain people, but 319 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: that's just the way that I'm wired. And I really believe, 320 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: you know that I can be a great friend h 321 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: and also work extremely well with Ozzie, just like and 322 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: I always say this, and my wife certainly says it's 323 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: a million times. There is no reason why I can't 324 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: be the best scout and and also be the best 325 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: husband and best father. You can balance different things. So 326 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: for me, it's not gonna be a channel us to 327 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: work with with Ozzi, even if our roles are a 328 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: little bit different, because we have such a respect for 329 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 1: each other and we just we understand each other. We're 330 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: so different. He and I become from totally different you know, 331 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 1: parts of the country, background, Uh, everything is so different. 332 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: But we believe in a lot of the same things, 333 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 1: so it works. Let's look ahead, all right, it's ahead. 334 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: Just obviously we're in the middle of the free agency 335 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: buzz and the draft is about six weeks away. So 336 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: what is your what are your impressions about how things 337 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: have gone so far in free agency? Obviously added to 338 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: crad Trey Uh, Smoky Brown, just what are your thoughts 339 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 1: about what's gone all over the past week. Well, it's 340 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: been you know, it's been a whirlwind. I mean, I 341 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: don't know what the expectations were from our fan base 342 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 1: or the media, but you know, we we because of 343 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: our cap situation as such, we've always been a team 344 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: we're going to try and spend every dollar week can 345 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 1: to feel the most competitive team that we can. We're 346 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,919 Speaker 1: never going to be one of these teams that you know, 347 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: uh carries forty or fifty or sixty million dollars to 348 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: the next year, So we were always up against the cap. 349 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: That's kind of frustrating in one respect, but I think also, um, 350 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 1: it's something that I really admire because we always want 351 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 1: to win. Our fan base demands it. As an organization, 352 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: we demand that we want to be the most competitive 353 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: team we can be. Now, you know, wins and losses 354 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:25,879 Speaker 1: and not always what you want them to be. But 355 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 1: we're always trying to feel the best team, the most 356 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: competitive team we can um So because of that, you know, 357 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: we don't have the type of flexibility with the cap 358 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: that we can go out and we can spend you know, 359 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:41,400 Speaker 1: fifteen sixty million dollars a year and a player um 360 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: or signed multiple guys at ten million dollars, twelve million dollars, 361 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: fourteen million dollars a year. We're always trying to find 362 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: the players that you know, help us win games. And 363 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 1: sometimes those guys can be cheap, like an Alice Collins, 364 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: and sometimes those guys cost more money, you know, like 365 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,679 Speaker 1: an Eric Weddle. There's a lot of different ways to 366 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: skin a cat, and there's a lot of different ways 367 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: to build a football team. So we're gonna scout. We're 368 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: gonna look at these guys that cost you know, fifteen million, 369 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,719 Speaker 1: knowing we probably can't get them, but we're also going 370 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: to scout these restricted free agents on other teams. Are 371 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 1: these guys that might be you know, low level free 372 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 1: agents that we think are ascending players who may not 373 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: cost as much because I haven't had as much production, 374 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,199 Speaker 1: but we think we're getting those kind of guys you know, 375 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: on on the uptick, you know, and you know, ascending 376 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 1: rather than descending players. So you know, I think moving forward, 377 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: you know what we've done so far. John Brown is 378 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,880 Speaker 1: a guy that we had scouted a few years ago 379 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:43,919 Speaker 1: coming out of Pittsburgh State. We liked him at the 380 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: East West game. You know, I saw a guy back 381 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 1: then who who showed me as a small school player, 382 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: a great feat route running ability, tremendous vertical speed. He's 383 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 1: had some success um in the league. Um, we know 384 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: a lot about the kid. He's had some their ability 385 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,400 Speaker 1: issues of late. But we feel confident that this guy 386 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 1: can come in here on a one year proven deal 387 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: as we call him and uh and show us what 388 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: he showed us a couple of years ago. And he's 389 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: got the skill set to contribute. I think he's hungry. 390 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: He's got a great mentality. Um, and that's just these 391 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: is just a good, solid type of guy that we 392 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: want that that's hungry. You know, I'd rather get a 393 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 1: guy going up than go him down. And I think 394 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 1: this is a guy that is really ready to ascend again. 395 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:32,159 Speaker 1: You know. Michael Crabtree is a guy that has just 396 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:36,159 Speaker 1: killed us in the past. We've had very good success 397 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 1: with these types of players, whether it's a Derek Mason 398 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 1: and Kuom Bold and a Steve Smith. You know, t J. 399 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 1: Hushman's outa even for a short time. But guys that 400 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: have had success in the league at the receiver position, 401 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 1: who have a track record of success, who have a 402 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 1: toughness and a mentality a bottom, I think all those 403 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: guys kind of share that that that that competitiveness, that 404 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: fight the equality ed ability, you know, to basically be 405 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: a physical, tough player who's gonna make plays in traffic 406 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: and clutch situations. You know, Crabtree is one of those 407 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: kind of guys. It's it's not surprising to me. I 408 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: saw his interview when he talked about a team that 409 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: he admired and he said he liked the Ravens growing up. 410 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: And I can see that because that's kind of one 411 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: of the ways that he plays. He plays like one 412 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,359 Speaker 1: of our kind of guys. So it's like, you know, 413 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: when when you see those kind of players get cut, 414 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: or those kind of players in the draft, or those 415 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: kind of players in free agency, you recognize him. You 416 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: see those those traits in those qualities because those that 417 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 1: kind of plays you want on your team, so it 418 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: makes it easy for you when you see those kind 419 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,959 Speaker 1: of guys. Do you feel like you're always in the 420 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,880 Speaker 1: mode of bargain shopping when it comes to free agency? 421 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 1: And are you a bargain shopper in your own life? 422 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: Like I love me some t J Max steels, You're 423 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: just you're just cheap though I got a pair of 424 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 1: five dollar jeans. I mean, are you a bargain shopper? 425 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,679 Speaker 1: I'm not a bargain shopper in real life, um, but 426 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: I think that I'm a I'm a value investor. You know, 427 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: whether that's yeah, is now we're gonna go out, or 428 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 1: whether that's in the draft, or you know, that's the 429 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: stock market or whatever it is. I'm always trying to 430 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: ascertain value in the price you have to have to 431 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: pay to acquire that value. And if the value that 432 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 1: you have to pay drops below the value that you 433 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: think the player or the whatever it is is worth, 434 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: and I'll pounce. And I try to be pretty pretty 435 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 1: stringent and strict, and I'm not going to deviate from that. 436 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: If I feel the values there, I'm gonna I'm gonna pounce. 437 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: And if I think the value is not there, I'm 438 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 1: probably gonna sit out until the value does drop. Do 439 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:46,959 Speaker 1: you found the salary cap front? Well, you said it's 440 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: kind of interesting when you talk about how we're always 441 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:49,719 Speaker 1: going to be a team that's kind of right out 442 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: of the cap. Do you basically look at it as 443 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 1: this is the situation that we are going to be 444 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,679 Speaker 1: in when you've paid a quarterback and as long as 445 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 1: you have a franchise quarterback under cont tracked, not on 446 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: his rookie deal, you're always going to be in the spot. Well, 447 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 1: if you if you're paying a quarterback quarterback money, then 448 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: you're probably gonna be less flexible than other teams, you know, 449 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 1: And it just is what it is. And if you 450 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: if you're a team that's had a track record of 451 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 1: success and you're trying to keep players and you're paying players, 452 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: then you're probably not gonna have as much flexibility, you know. So, 453 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 1: um now I think we you know, there are things 454 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: you can do, and you're always trying to eliminate, you know, 455 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: as much dead money as possible, and you want to 456 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: draft good players and you want to pay them and 457 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: you want them to play out their contracts, and you 458 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:37,639 Speaker 1: want to sign good free agency. You don't want to 459 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 1: have to cut them before their contracts expire, you know. So, 460 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: I mean, you want to be smart. You've got to 461 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: evaluate well, you know. Um, but it's definitely hard to 462 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 1: to build a surplus a cap if you're doing your 463 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 1: job in some respects, if you've got a good quarterback, 464 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:58,200 Speaker 1: if you're paying them a lot of money, if he's 465 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,120 Speaker 1: playing well, if you're trying to keep other young players, 466 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: if you're trying to you know, bring you know, bring 467 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: bad guys on second contracts. Um, You're probably not gonna 468 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: have a lot of money. It's just the nature of 469 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 1: how it is, right in some respects. Now, you can 470 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:14,719 Speaker 1: always be better, and you know, you don't want to 471 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: you know, you don't want to see a lot of 472 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: dead money, you know, Um, on your books, try to 473 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: eliminate as much of that as possible. And you love 474 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 1: to see guys, you know, play out the duration of 475 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: their contract in an ideal world. So, you know, can 476 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,359 Speaker 1: we do better? Certainly, of course we can. We were 477 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 1: aware of that, you know. On the other hand, UM, 478 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: we've also had opportunities over the years to actually not 479 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: spend as much, and that's not really our way. We 480 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: want to spend, we want to build, we want to 481 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: be good. You know, we're never gonna be a team 482 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: that you know, and you know these teams and in 483 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: all sports that decide to sit it out and not 484 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: be as competitive as possible. That's just not an Assie's 485 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: mentality or Steve's mentality, a John's mentality, or my mentality. 486 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: And we just we want to be good. We want 487 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 1: to be one of the best teams. We want to 488 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: be a standard for other teams to follow. And uh, 489 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: and we want to get back to that level where 490 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: we are one of those teams and we will. Um. 491 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: And right now it's challenging at times because we just 492 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: don't have the room that we would love to be 493 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,199 Speaker 1: as flexible as possible. So um, that's why the draft 494 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:30,120 Speaker 1: really does become the lifeblood of the organization and finding 495 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: you know, good young talented playmakers at every position is 496 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 1: really a priority in critical force. As he talked on 497 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: Friday about adding pass catchers. Obviously the two already added, 498 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: but do you feel like, given the salary cap a 499 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: situation right now that we're still in a place where 500 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,640 Speaker 1: we could add another pass catching tight end, wide receiver 501 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 1: where or whatnot, that we're not done at that position. Yeah. Well, 502 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: I think for sure that we've got um the resources 503 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 1: to sign somebody else, you know, UM, a playmaker. It 504 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:05,119 Speaker 1: could be an offensive alignment, it could be a defensive player. 505 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: We've we've got more flexibility, and we've got the draft, 506 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 1: and there's no question in our minds that our work 507 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 1: is only just starting. We're excited about the draft. Our 508 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,000 Speaker 1: scouts are out there and now looking at players and 509 00:26:18,359 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 1: traveling the workouts, are coaches are looking at players. Um, 510 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,679 Speaker 1: we'll start bringing players to Baltimore very quickly. Uh. And 511 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:27,959 Speaker 1: we've got some. We've got some as as far as 512 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: personnel is concerned. There will be some other players who 513 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 1: probably get cut. There are still some good free agents available. 514 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: We'll continue to evaluate those guys. We've got some financial 515 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 1: flexibility to sign an additional guy or two and uh, 516 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 1: and we'll try and be proactive and outside the box. 517 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 1: And we'll try to be aggressive as well. So when 518 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: you think of this year's draft in terms of the 519 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 1: pass catcher options receiver and pass catching tight ends, well, 520 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:56,119 Speaker 1: I think it's an interesting draft because I would say 521 00:26:56,160 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: that most people would would think and looking at this draft, UM, 522 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:08,440 Speaker 1: that in the first you know, probably first they will 523 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: likely be more defensive players selected than offensive players. You 524 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: know you're gonna have the quarterbacks um obviously drafted pretty high. 525 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: You know, you might have a couple of offensive alignment, 526 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,679 Speaker 1: maybe a receiver or two, maybe a running back or two. 527 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 1: But if there's a lot of good defensive players. Now 528 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,639 Speaker 1: as you start to work towards the back half for 529 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:33,920 Speaker 1: the first round, into the second round, into the third round, 530 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:37,159 Speaker 1: into the fourth round, I think you're gonna see more 531 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:41,159 Speaker 1: offensive players selected. It wouldn't surprise me. If you know, 532 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: maybe I'm just making these numbers up, but it wouldn't 533 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,919 Speaker 1: surprise me if you had maybe six of all the 534 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: players drafted this year would be an offense and would 535 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 1: be on defense. And it seems to be more offensive 536 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 1: players in the draft. But at the top of the draft, 537 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:02,919 Speaker 1: I think you have probably more consensus top defensive players 538 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 1: then you do offensive players. We've both said over the past, 539 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: I don't know a few weeks that we would be 540 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 1: really surprised if there's not if we don't take a 541 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: receiver in the first two rounds. But here you sit here, 542 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 1: you talk, it sounds like maybe it will come draft weekend, 543 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: and we will be very surprised that it ends up 544 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: going a different direction just because of the nature of 545 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,959 Speaker 1: how this draft plays out. Well, I think, you know, 546 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: in the first round, you know, are we going to 547 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: take a wide out? It just depends, you know, Um, 548 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 1: is it fair to say that in the first three 549 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,919 Speaker 1: rounds we're gonna be taking some offensive players? Definitely, So 550 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: not for not four straight defense to open things up 551 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:43,959 Speaker 1: this year before It will not before uh four straight defense. 552 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: If it is, you'd probably be looking for a new GM. Um. 553 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: But I think that you know, there's a really good 554 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: chance that will continue to work on the offense in 555 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: the first you know, four four rounds of the track. Now, 556 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: we may take a defensive player in the first round, 557 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 1: we may take a defensive player in the second round. 558 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 1: But the notion that we're gonna go defense defense, defense, defense, 559 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 1: that's just not gonna happen this year, I don't think. 560 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 1: And there are some really good players in the second round, 561 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: you know. I think even though I think you know, 562 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: you might have, um, you know, more defensive players drafted 563 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: in the first round, it is a good chance you could. 564 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: I think that will sort of switch and as you 565 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:27,959 Speaker 1: get into the second round. In the third round, you're 566 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,239 Speaker 1: gonna start to see a lot of offensive players come 567 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: off the board just because it seems like they're more 568 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: offensive players at that level, at those levels in this draft. 569 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: The defensive players, it's it kind of sounds like we're 570 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 1: hearing you outline things that it sounds like my nightmare, right, 571 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 1: my nightmare is that you know, we get a good 572 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: player at sixteen, whether it be a uh defense player, 573 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,320 Speaker 1: tackle or whatever. Maybe it's literally or a wide receiver. Right, 574 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: but I got this bad feeling that there's gonna be 575 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: a run on wide receivers at the end of the 576 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: first round, early second round, and then we come up 577 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: beginning a second round. They were like, oh boy, you know, 578 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: they just they just seem to fly, you know what 579 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:07,360 Speaker 1: I mean, Like what happens. That happens a lot. Yeah, 580 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 1: that happens a lot. So um, it's kind of like, 581 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: I think, what's what's happened. What started happening is that 582 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 1: there are certain positions that even if they're graded the 583 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 1: same as maybe other positions, they get picked first because 584 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 1: of what the the fascination of everybody on like skill 585 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: players and playmakers and corners sexy and corners and pass rushers. 586 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: They're the real sexy sort of picks, and so they 587 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 1: get even if the grades the same as say, like 588 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: you have a safety and you have a wide out, 589 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 1: for instance, and they're both graded the same, the wild 590 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: it's gonna get drafted before the safety in general, or 591 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:56,520 Speaker 1: even some cases if you have maybe a receiver or 592 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: that's graded a little bit less. Um, say, you know, 593 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: maybe an inside linebacker or a safety or a guard, 594 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 1: maybe there's great a little bit higher the receivers or 595 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: the tight end. Maybe they're gonna get drafted ahead of 596 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 1: those players because of the I think the the importance 597 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 1: of the passing game now and the rule changes in 598 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,280 Speaker 1: scoring points and the way the league is changing and 599 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: football has changed. It's not the same as it was 600 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:27,240 Speaker 1: maybe ten years ago. So um, and we see that 601 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 1: and we understand that phenomenon, and I think you know, um, listen, 602 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: you can either pick the best player when you're in 603 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: the clock, or you sort of change your valuations of 604 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:42,240 Speaker 1: the positions and maybe tweak you know, how you value 605 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: the positions in comparison to the other positions, not all positions, 606 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: maybe your value the same. And so either you you 607 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 1: continue to do what you did fifteen or twenty years ago, 608 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: or you start to change your thinking a little bit 609 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: and you're saying, okay, well, you know, this receiver may 610 00:31:58,240 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: not be great at quite as high as this all 611 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,920 Speaker 1: offensive guard, but in terms of the value that they 612 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 1: bring to the team in terms of scoring points, maybe 613 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: he's actually more valuable than that offensive guard. Yeah. It's 614 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 1: kind of interesting because maybe that also explains why in 615 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 1: recent years I feel like people have looked back at 616 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: the drafts and said, well, these wide receivers got overdrafted 617 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 1: and they didn't pan out in a lot of recent years. Right. 618 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: But then if you don't get in on that game, 619 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: if you say, all right, we're not going to overvalue 620 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 1: the wide receivers, we're gonna stay and pick best fairy, 621 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 1: well then you never end up with the because everybody drafts. 622 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: And I think there's a phenomenon too, and I see 623 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 1: this a lot of times in the fan base, like 624 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: they'll get really excited when you draft somebody in the 625 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: first round as a skill player, but then you have 626 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: to be careful because if you draft him because he 627 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,280 Speaker 1: is a skill player, but maybe you draft him higher 628 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 1: than you'd like to draft him, then they have a 629 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: false set of expectations based on what you draft him in. 630 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 1: That player almost never lives up to that because maybe 631 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: you're taking him there because you're drafting him based off 632 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: in need. But if his performance doesn't necessarily equate his 633 00:32:56,280 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: draft slot, then things are stacked against him. From starts 634 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 1: to feel he starts feel bad about it, he hears 635 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: the pressure from fans. So do you feel like that 636 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 1: that has changed in free Like, do you feel like 637 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: going into this year's draft you would be compared to 638 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: maybe ten years ago, you would be more likely to 639 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: take one of those positions versus like the safety at 640 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 1: that spot, just because the game has changed so much. Oh, 641 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 1: I did say that. Okay, I'm telling you, you know, 642 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: philosophical internal debates inside of my brain. But you know, 643 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: our own strategies are our strategy and uh, and we'll 644 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 1: be ready to pick and we'll have a we'll have 645 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:35,280 Speaker 1: a really good I think, you know, approach to the 646 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: draft when we make our picks and we kind of 647 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: understand what we want to do, um, you know, so 648 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 1: we'll be ready to go. I think just in general, though, 649 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 1: as you look at the league, as you look at 650 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: drafting around the league, those are some of the things 651 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,160 Speaker 1: that I think they have changed over the years is 652 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: just um, you know, receivers, they've they're getting drafted faster 653 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: now and they're coming off the board quicker now. Um, 654 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: you know. And last year was a great example when 655 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: you saw those guys all get drafted in the top 656 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,320 Speaker 1: ten of the traft. No one would have expected that 657 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:13,879 Speaker 1: thought some of those guys or two of those, Yeah, 658 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 1: And I think that's kind of what has been happening lately. 659 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:21,320 Speaker 1: And we saw that when we always talk about corners, 660 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:23,400 Speaker 1: and we used to say with corners, like they always 661 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 1: get drafted a half around higher than where we might 662 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: have them on the board. And that has sort of, 663 00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 1: you know, that trend has sort of you know, followed 664 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 1: the receiver position and also the tight end position, and 665 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:42,839 Speaker 1: it's like those and also you know, you could say 666 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:44,480 Speaker 1: the same thing with left tackles, and you can say 667 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:47,240 Speaker 1: things the same thing with pass rushers. There are certain 668 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:50,440 Speaker 1: positions there were the players get drafted a little bit higher. 669 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 1: Now on the flips side of that, And I'll give 670 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 1: you a good example, you know when when when the 671 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: two thousand seven draft, we took and grubs and we 672 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 1: took martial Yanda. We thought those two guys were just 673 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:07,160 Speaker 1: outstanding players in that draft to two of the really 674 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:11,239 Speaker 1: really fun players to watch in that draft. And and 675 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:13,920 Speaker 1: if you had just drafted them based off their abilities 676 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 1: and where they should have been drafted, you probably would 677 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 1: have taken them higher in the draft and at the 678 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,560 Speaker 1: end of the first round and midway through the third round. 679 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:24,600 Speaker 1: But because their offensive guards, their value gets it does 680 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 1: it gets suppressed a little bit. And those two guys 681 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:29,440 Speaker 1: were both pull bowl guards that we were able to 682 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:33,400 Speaker 1: get um and we got a really really good spot. 683 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:35,719 Speaker 1: So we actually got a lot of value based on 684 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 1: your drafting spots for both those players. If you were 685 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:40,880 Speaker 1: just assessing them based on their ability to compete and 686 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 1: play the game of football, they have been drafted much higher, right, right, 687 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 1: Speaking of a position that usually gets overdrafted, quarterbacks, you 688 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: you expect these quarterbacks to just fly off the board, 689 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:57,719 Speaker 1: you know, possibly four of the top head I do. 690 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 1: I do. I think there's just you know, it's it's 691 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 1: become a quarterback league. I mean it always has been, 692 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:08,799 Speaker 1: but even more so now. And when you see certain franchises, 693 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 1: you know, the fortune really turns around quickly with a quarterback. 694 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:14,240 Speaker 1: You were a great example of that in two thousand 695 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 1: and eight, two thousand nine. You know, Um, but when 696 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:18,960 Speaker 1: you see these teams that are able to do that, 697 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:22,920 Speaker 1: you know, whether it's a Philadelphia Eagles or the Houston 698 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:25,680 Speaker 1: Texans last year, you know, you start to see the 699 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 1: success that these guys have early on as young players, 700 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:31,279 Speaker 1: and you see how it just shapes the entire franchise. 701 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 1: You know, I think that's a good a good reason 702 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:36,480 Speaker 1: why all four of those guys, um, and even maybe 703 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 1: five guys will go in the first round. But specifically 704 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:41,320 Speaker 1: those four guys will probably be gone pretty quickly for 705 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: the Ravens. You would like to add a backup quarterback 706 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:45,839 Speaker 1: for Joe at some point and to beat I'm sure 707 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 1: be great to get one of the draft. How soon 708 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:50,400 Speaker 1: is too soon to start thinking about quarterbacks in this 709 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,640 Speaker 1: year's draft? Well, if we really like the guy who's there, 710 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:55,720 Speaker 1: it's not soon enough. So I mean it just basically 711 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:59,719 Speaker 1: it depends on our evaluation. How we feel about the guy, Um, 712 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 1: what we think he can become as a player, what 713 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 1: we think is upside is you know, um, and if 714 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 1: he's there, So, you know, I really feel like organizationally, 715 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: we've done a good job over the years with qbs 716 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: where we've drafted. We haven't drafted a lot of qbs, 717 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:19,560 Speaker 1: but you know, I think if I think just about 718 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:21,640 Speaker 1: what we've been able to do with the quarterback position 719 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 1: since two thousand and five, you know, I think we 720 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:30,120 Speaker 1: drafted Derek Anderson, he's still playing, and I think you 721 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:34,960 Speaker 1: actually a Pro Bowl quarterback at that point. Um. You know, 722 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:39,880 Speaker 1: we drafted Joe uh and obviously his lineage is is 723 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:43,120 Speaker 1: what it is, and then Tyrodders has some success. So 724 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:45,919 Speaker 1: I feel like we know, if there's a guy there 725 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:48,560 Speaker 1: that we think is really too good to pass up, 726 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:50,960 Speaker 1: you know we're gonna take him. I gotta ask you, 727 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:57,360 Speaker 1: Jeremiah Baker for the Ravens at sixteen, former Ravens scout, 728 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:00,160 Speaker 1: So there's the ties here. What were your thoughts when 729 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:02,759 Speaker 1: you saw that draft? I'm sure you probably saw it, 730 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:06,279 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't. Actually I didn't see it. I 731 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:08,680 Speaker 1: didn't see it. I haven't really started looking at that 732 00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:11,440 Speaker 1: stuff yet because and I will, but there's just it's 733 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,200 Speaker 1: just they changed so much based on so many different things, 734 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:17,680 Speaker 1: and right now I'm still looking at players. So I 735 00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:21,440 Speaker 1: don't like to be biased by you know, mock drafts 736 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:23,239 Speaker 1: because they can kind of screw you up. You kind 737 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:24,919 Speaker 1: of see a guy you haven't done, and you see 738 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:27,160 Speaker 1: him as a top ten pick. Now all of a sudden, 739 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:29,400 Speaker 1: you're thinking, well, this guy must be pretty good. What 740 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 1: I'm trying to do is really be as honest as 741 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:37,040 Speaker 1: I can in my evaluation of players. So try to 742 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:41,040 Speaker 1: eliminate the noise and really just watch the player, you know, 743 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 1: look for the signals and the signs, and really figure 744 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,040 Speaker 1: out who he is before I start looking at mock 745 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:48,560 Speaker 1: drafts and listening to all the all the people out 746 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 1: there that have opinions on these guys. So, um, you know, 747 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:56,040 Speaker 1: I've seen, you know, a lot of players in this draft, 748 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:58,479 Speaker 1: and I'm really really excited about it. But we still 749 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:00,400 Speaker 1: haven't done everybody. And we still have and gone through 750 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:02,279 Speaker 1: our last seven meetings. We still haven't listened to the 751 00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:04,960 Speaker 1: coaches and a lot of these players are still working out. 752 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:06,680 Speaker 1: So the book has not been written yet in this 753 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: year's draft. Every draft takes on its own personality, and uh, 754 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:13,440 Speaker 1: and I still haven't really figured out what the personality 755 00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:16,440 Speaker 1: this draft is yet. Now obviously said on Friday that 756 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 1: he talked about last year. The goal was to kind 757 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 1: of the show up the defense, get the defense really 758 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:22,799 Speaker 1: really good, and you accomplished that. And then the goal 759 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:25,120 Speaker 1: for you guys when you went down to Steve's uh 760 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:26,920 Speaker 1: in the off season, you sort of laid out the blueprint. 761 00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:29,640 Speaker 1: The focus for this year was to upgrade the passing attack, 762 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:32,360 Speaker 1: you know, add pass catches to this team, remake that room. 763 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:34,840 Speaker 1: It basically sounded to me like a multi year process. 764 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 1: Do you guys feel like that has been a process? 765 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 1: It was defense, now it's now it's the pass catchers, 766 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:42,279 Speaker 1: and you've been in the middle of that and you 767 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:45,440 Speaker 1: feel good about where you are in that process. Well, 768 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:47,480 Speaker 1: it's always long term and short term, so you're looking 769 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 1: at the team like, Okay, what are we gonna look 770 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 1: like this year? Where we want to be five years 771 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:54,040 Speaker 1: from now. So you're always building. You know. It's like 772 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:55,960 Speaker 1: when you buy a house, You've never done with it. 773 00:39:56,280 --> 00:39:58,359 Speaker 1: You're always trying to improve the house. You're always trying 774 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:00,759 Speaker 1: to buy more furniture, You're always trying to you gotta 775 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:02,799 Speaker 1: replace the roof, you gotta add to furnish. You know, 776 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:05,759 Speaker 1: it never ends. And that's like what building a team is. 777 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:08,560 Speaker 1: So you know, we're looking at like last year, the 778 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:11,160 Speaker 1: year before, we allocate a lot of resources to the 779 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:14,560 Speaker 1: to the defense. We feel good about where the defense is, 780 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,799 Speaker 1: you know, offensively last year we we felt like we 781 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:19,560 Speaker 1: you know, we're not what we want to be, so 782 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:22,200 Speaker 1: we have to address that. But quite honestly, if we 783 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 1: get a couple of defensive injuries this year, trying to 784 00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:29,319 Speaker 1: fix the defense and training camp. So it's it's an 785 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:33,840 Speaker 1: ongoing thing. You're never really happy with your team unless 786 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:36,040 Speaker 1: you won a super Bowl and then you want to 787 00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:38,160 Speaker 1: try and get better the day after the day after 788 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:40,920 Speaker 1: you won the super Bowl. So it's just you can't. 789 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:45,239 Speaker 1: It's it's not like you know, maybe it was in 790 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:48,240 Speaker 1: the seventies or eighties when you didn't have a salary 791 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:52,400 Speaker 1: cap and you could keep everybody. You know, Um, you know, 792 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:56,040 Speaker 1: I grew up a Cowboys fan in the nineties and 793 00:40:58,520 --> 00:41:00,279 Speaker 1: you know, had they been able to keep every body, 794 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:02,400 Speaker 1: they have been they have been good for ten years. 795 00:41:02,719 --> 00:41:05,640 Speaker 1: But you're just you know that you just can't keep 796 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:09,439 Speaker 1: everybody with contracts and free agency and various things. It's 797 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:11,879 Speaker 1: like every year kind of is a new year. So 798 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:14,800 Speaker 1: you have holes, you have things you want to fix, 799 00:41:15,360 --> 00:41:18,720 Speaker 1: you know. Um, you know, like I think our front seven. 800 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:21,239 Speaker 1: We've got a lot of really good young players, but 801 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:23,960 Speaker 1: a year from now, two years from now, we may 802 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:27,880 Speaker 1: need some front seven guys. It just changes almost overnight. 803 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:30,959 Speaker 1: Some years we've got, you know, you know, really good 804 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:34,000 Speaker 1: I remember one year we we didn't have any tight ends. 805 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:35,840 Speaker 1: We had Todd and he had a couple of injuries, 806 00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:38,080 Speaker 1: and so we drafted ed and we drafted Dennis Pitta. 807 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:40,440 Speaker 1: We felt like we had a really good situation. But 808 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:42,400 Speaker 1: then guys start getting hurt, and all of a sudden, 809 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:46,080 Speaker 1: now you need tight ends. So it changes. You know, 810 00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:49,440 Speaker 1: you're trying to like build something stability wise, long term, 811 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:53,439 Speaker 1: over three or four or five year window, but it's 812 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:56,439 Speaker 1: really hard because it's such a physical sport. Guys get hurt, 813 00:41:56,520 --> 00:42:00,240 Speaker 1: you have injuries, you know, guys retire, whatever it is, 814 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:01,840 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, now you have holes, and how 815 00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:05,359 Speaker 1: do you throw those holes in the short term? Right? Right? Cool? Well, Eric, 816 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:08,520 Speaker 1: thank you so much. We really appreciate it. Good luck 817 00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:10,400 Speaker 1: in the future. Why do you shake my hand? Nobody 818 00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:15,640 Speaker 1: can see that. I don't know how I'll send it. Yeah, 819 00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:18,960 Speaker 1: it's the handshake, but nobody sees it. I know, But 820 00:42:19,040 --> 00:42:21,640 Speaker 1: you know, whatever, it still works, Eric, I'll shake your hand. 821 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 1: What am I supposed to do? Just give us I 822 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:27,920 Speaker 1: feel like there's gonna be an ending to salute, salute, 823 00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:33,760 Speaker 1: salute about I don't know, maybe we played some music 824 00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:36,960 Speaker 1: or something like, Yeah, we should do that music. Yeah, 825 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:38,680 Speaker 1: we'll just carry it out with the nice little tune. 826 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:43,640 Speaker 1: That's good. On the back. I did it my way. 827 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:49,360 Speaker 1: Close us out. Thanks, I appreciate it. Yeah, thank you 828 00:42:49,440 --> 00:42:52,440 Speaker 1: very much. All right, So thanks to Eric. Really good 829 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:55,040 Speaker 1: stuff from him. It was interesting to hear his perspective 830 00:42:55,080 --> 00:42:57,400 Speaker 1: about just to hold the process of the entire process, 831 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:00,160 Speaker 1: how things have changed, how he is going to be 832 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:01,960 Speaker 1: in this new role, and in the relationship that he 833 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 1: has with Ozzie. And I just really enjoyed the conversation 834 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:06,000 Speaker 1: with Eric. Well, my favorite thing is when you asked him, 835 00:43:06,239 --> 00:43:13,640 Speaker 1: so has your strategy exactly? Well, I'm talking more metaphor exactly, 836 00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:15,320 Speaker 1: just like you said. Now, I'm not gonna answer that 837 00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:20,279 Speaker 1: bigger bitheal question exactly exactly. It's good. I give him 838 00:43:20,280 --> 00:43:25,239 Speaker 1: a bow on the way out. Eric's great. Love Eric. 839 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:28,279 Speaker 1: He's a funny guy, and uh, I think he's gonna 840 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:31,120 Speaker 1: be awesome. Man. I'm excited. I'm excited that Ozzie Newsome 841 00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:33,440 Speaker 1: era has been a great one, and I think the 842 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:36,319 Speaker 1: Eric Tocasa era will be as good, if not better. 843 00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:40,000 Speaker 1: All right, so, as always UH sending your questions or 844 00:43:40,080 --> 00:43:43,359 Speaker 1: comments every single week at the lounge at Ravens dot 845 00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:46,200 Speaker 1: NFL dot net. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back 846 00:43:46,239 --> 00:43:57,160 Speaker 1: with you next week