Tag Archives: Steve Bisciotti

Ravens plan to retain head coach John Harbaugh; contract extension in-the-works

Posted on by

OWINGS MILLS — Just over 24 hours before the Ravens face the Los Angeles Chargers with Baltimore’s playoff dreams likely on-the-line, the team announced their intentions to retain head coach John Harbaugh. The news broke via the Ravens’ Twitter account.

As referenced in the Tweet, the team is working with Harbaugh towards a contract extension with the 11-year coaches’ deal set to expire after the 2019 season.

On November 11 during the Ravens’ bye week, NFL Insider Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported that the Ravens and Harbaugh were very close to ‘mutually agreeing to part ways’ after the 2018 season concluded.

Since Baltimore’s bye, Harbaugh has coached the Ravens, with an entirely different offense led by rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson, to a 4-1 stretch that has Baltimore (8-6) a half game behind the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5-1) in the AFC North.

Entering Saturday, the Ravens hold the #6 seed in the AFC playoff picture and could rise to first place in the north with a win over the Chargers and a Steelers loss to the Saints (12-2) on Sunday.

2018 was thought to be a crucial season for Harbaugh. The Ravens have not made the playoffs since 2014 and could miss out again depending on what happens over the last two weeks of the regular season. Making this announcement a day before the most important game of the season is peculiar, but it’s sure to make the players happy and take some pressure off the coaching staff. What would have been more peculiar, however, would have been letting Harbaugh go just one season after drafting Jackson.

Just because Harbaugh will remain with the Ravens next season doesn’t mean that change isn’t coming. General Manager Ozzie Newsome will step down after the 2018 season and will be replaced by Eric DeCosta. There’s also the possibility that the Ravens could move on from oft-criticized offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, but again doing so one season into Jackson’s career would raise some eyebrows.

Through almost 11 seasons coaching the Ravens, Harbaugh’s teams have made six playoff appearances, won Super Bowl 47, reached three AFC Championships games, and have played to a 102-72 record (10-5 in the playoffs).

Twitter Reactions:

Image Credit: USA Today

Advertisements

Ravens wrap up 2018 draft with five picks in last three rounds

Posted on by

Round 5 – pick #162 overall: Jordan Lasley – WR, UCLA

The Ravens were lined up to have the 152nd overall pick but traded back once again to give themselves an extra sixth round pick. Jordan Lasley joins Jaleel Scott as the newest members of the Ravens receiving core.

Lasley is a smaller target than Scott but has more speed. He spent all four years of his college career at UCLA but struggled to stay out of trouble while there. Lasley was arrested twice in 2016 for alcohol possession as a minor and presenting a fake I.D at a club. He also received a three game suspension in 2017 that put a damper on an otherwise impressive senior year. Lasley accumulated 1,264 yards and nine touchdowns in just nine games.

The potential is certainly there but there are also concerns surrounding his hands. Lasley dropped 21 passes between his junior and senior year and struggles to haul in passes away from his body.

Round 6 – pick #190 overall: DeShon Elliott – S, Texas

The Ravens continued to add to their already strong secondary by selecting DeShone Elliot in the sixth round. Elliott is coming off of a spectacular junior season where he picked up 63 tackles, nine pass deflections and three forced fumbles. The numbers are good but Elliot also received a great deal of accolades in his first season as a starter, including a first team All-American and All-Big 12 honors.

The Ravens don’t have a desperate need for a safety but Elliot was projected by many to go somewhere in the fourth or fifth round. Scouts note his physicality and tackling ability but also credit his football IQ and on field leadership. While playing at Texas, Elliot often took charge and got the rest of the defense lined up properly.

His strengths will likely make him most useful against the run and in the zone. Elliott has had trouble in one-on-one coverage but rarely misses a play in front of him.

Round 6 – pick #212 overall: Greg Senat – OT, Wagner

If you didn’t know who Greg Senat was before the Ravens selected him in the sixth round, you’re not alone. The 23-year-old offensive tackle comes from Wagner College, a small private school in Staten Island. Prior to football, Senat was a basketball player at Wagner. He made the transition after two years and started all 11 games for the Seahawks in 2016 and 2017.

Scouts note Senat has a lot of raw talent but his size could be better. Adding some muscle over the next few years will be necessary though if he wants to stay in the league. Veterans on the Ravens line like Marshall Yanda and James Hurst will be great mentors for Senat as he prepares to transition to the next level.

Round 6 – pick #215 overall: Bradley Bozeman – C, Alabama

Selecting a center in the sixth round is about as least flashy as you can get with a pick but Bradley Bozeman is a strong blocker with a good amount of experience in one of the top programs in the country, Alabama. He spent his senior season as one of the anchors on the Crimson Tide’s line, helping them capture another national title earlier this year.

You probably recognize him as the guy who proposed to his girlfriend on the field after winning the national title in January. Don’t let that be the only thing you like about Bozeman though. The new Raven is NFL ready with good core strength and the ability to adjust mid-play.

Round 7 – pick #238 overall: Zach Sieler – DE, Ferris State

Ozzie Newsome’s final draft pick as the Ravens general manager came late Saturday afternoon. Zach Sieler was selected from a division II school in Michigan called Ferris State. When scouts look at division II players, they want above average physical traits that allow them to dominate against their small school competition. That certainly applies to Zach Sieler who started his college career as a walk on and now becomes the first player drafted out of the school in program history.

In his final two seasons with the Bulldogs, Sieler racked up over 50 tackles for a loss and 26.5 sacks. The only thing working against him is his lack of experience against top-tier competition. Sieler will have to prove himself among an aggressive Ravens defensive line ,but who better to learn from than guys like Brandon Williams and Terrell Suggs?

Photo credits: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images, Jay Janner / Austin American Statesman, @Wagner_Football on Twitter, Marvin Gentry / USA Today Sports, Ferris State Athletics

Round 4 recap: Ravens make first defensive selections

Posted on by

The Ravens entered the final day of the 2018 draft with a surplus of picks. After trading back four times between Thursday and Friday, Ozzie Newsome and company had stockpiled seven picks for the final three rounds, three of which came in the fourth round.

Pick #18 (#118 overall): Anthony Averett – CB, Alabama

Cue the Alabama jokes. It’s no secret that Ozzie loves defensive players from his alma mater, but Averett provides the Ravens secondary with even more depth. Last year Baltimore added Brandon Carr in free agency and drafted Marlon Humphrey from Alabama. Both pick ups helped bolster a secondary that suffered from injuries in previous seasons and allowed the defense to withstand the test of a full season. With Jimmy Smith likely sidelined for a portion of the 2018 season, this pick makes a lot of sense.

The Ravens dedicated their first four picks to helping the offense but ending the weekend with another unbalanced draft would not do the team any favors. We saw this last year when the Ravens went all in on the defense.

Averett did not see any play time in his first two years at Alabama due to a stacked depth chart and some injuries. When he finally made it on the field as a junior and senior, Averett showed good consistency. Scouts commend his athleticism but note that he could become a target for QB’s to pick on.

Fun fact: Averett is the nephew of Bryant McKinnie, the former Ravens left tackle who was a part of the 2012-13 super bowl run.

Pick #22 (#122 overall): Kenny Young – ILB, UCLA

Just a few picks later the Ravens added another defensive player. Kenny Young really started turning heads during his senior year when he led the Bruins with 110 tackles and was named a first-team All-Pac-12 linebacker.

The Ravens already have their anchor at the linebacker position with C.J. Mosley but Young could come in and compete with the likes of Albert McClellan, Patrick Onwuasor and Kamalei Correa for play time. His speed and agility makes him a valuable defender against the run but scouts question his physicality.

Pick #32 (#132 overall): Jaleel Scott – WR, New Mexico St.

After missing out on and passing up some receivers in the first three rounds, the Ravens finally selected one in the fourth. Jaleel Scott is not a big name like D.J. Moore or Calvin Ridley but he will join a diverse receiving core with good veteran leadership and talent around him.

Scott struggled academically out of high school making him ineligible for many of the D1 schools that were recruiting him. After redshirting his first year at Ellsworth Community College, Scott made an immediate impact and finished with all conference honors in 2015. Scott was able to transfer to New Mexico State in 2016 and played his final two years there. Scouts started to take notice during his senior season when he racked up 1,079 yards and nine touchdowns on just 76 receptions.

The Ravens were likely attracted to Scott’s size and reach. Standing at 6’5″ and weighing 218 pounds, Scott is a physical receiver with the ability to battle defenders for the ball. He doesn’t shy away from contact but lacks the speed and route running ability of other receivers drafted before him.

Photo credits: Rick Scuteri / Associated Press, Harry How / Getty Images, Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today Sports