After a two-year interruption, the NFL house owners conferences are again on the league’s offseason schedule this week.
For the primary time since 2019, the NFL will maintain its annual summit, the place its high officers, crew house owners, common managers and head coaches will meet to debate league issues. Proprietor Steve Bisciotti, common supervisor Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh headline the Ravens’ contingent in South Florida.
With Harbaugh’s information convention scheduled for Monday morning and Bisciotti anticipated to talk Tuesday afternoon, his first media session in years, a pivotal Ravens offseason will come underneath the microscope as soon as extra. Right here’s what to anticipate from Palm Seaside.
Bisciotti speaks
The final time Bisciotti met with reporters, quarterback Lamar Jackson was nonetheless practically three months from being drafted. So, yeah, it’s been some time because the early-February 2018 information convention the place Bisciotti introduced that then-assistant common supervisor Eric DeCosta would succeed common supervisor Ozzie Newsome after the 2018 season.
Rather a lot has modified within the 4 years since, however not Biscotti’s reluctance to carry a “State of the Ravens” deal with after the season, as he used to. His most up-to-date in depth public feedback got here in Could 2019, when he answered questions from season-ticket holders in an hourlong convention name.
On Tuesday, nonetheless, Bisciotti’s anticipated to satisfy with native reporters. Among the many Ravens-related matters that can doubtless come up:
- How dedicated are the Ravens to Jackson? Contract talks with the 2019 NFL Most Helpful Participant have been gradual to develop, and within the yr because the franchise might first supply an extension, the value for top-tier quarterbacks has solely gone up. Deshaun Watson’s new five-year cope with the Cleveland Browns is value $230 million, all of it assured, probably the most in a single contract in NFL historical past by $80 million. Jackson is coming into the ultimate yr of his rookie contact and can make $23 million in 2022. The price of an “unique” franchise tag subsequent offseason can be the common of the NFL’s 5 highest quarterback salaries, an enormous increase.
- What’s the state of the Ravens’ management? Harbaugh, coming into the ultimate yr of a four-year deal after a 2021 season derailed by accidents, has been anticipated to signal a contract extension. DeCosta is negotiating a long-term cope with Jackson that may be by far the most important in franchise historical past. And new crew president Sashi Brown is entering into a task that Dick Cass, Bisciotti’s right-hand man, has held since 2004. For a franchise that’s lengthy been among the many NFL’s most steady, this offseason might be transformative.
- What’s on Bisciotti’s to-do checklist? The Ravens have already began discussions with the Maryland Stadium Authority on a brand new stadium lease, which wouldn’t be renewed till after the 2027 season. The crew has appeared into additional upgrades to M&T Financial institution Stadium, together with further lower-bowl premium seating and simpler entry to the creating Warner Avenue hall. Bisciotti, who turns 62 in April, has not indicated he plans to promote the crew or outlined a succession plan. However stadium conditions determine prominently into all franchise gross sales.
Harbaugh’s updates
Harbaugh hasn’t met with reporters since defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s introductory information convention in early February, an almost two-month stretch throughout which the Ravens have had proper deal with Alejandro Villanueva retire; launched cornerback Tavon Younger; signed security Marcus Williams, proper deal with Morgan Moses and defensive deal with Michael Pierce; and re-signed fullback Patrick Ricard.
The Ravens additionally finalized their teaching workers in that interval, hiring Zach Orr as inside linebackers coach, George Godsey as tight ends coach, Rob Leonard as exterior linebackers coach, Mike Devlin as assistant offensive line coach and Ryan Osborn as a defensive quality-control coach. The Ravens named Adrian Dixon their new head athletic coach as effectively, changing Ron Medlin, who transitioned into a brand new position on the coaching workers.
With DeCosta not anticipated to satisfy with reporters — he spoke on the crew’s March 17 pressers introducing Williams and Moses — Harbaugh will subject questions concerning the Ravens’ current on- and off-field adjustments. Inside linebacker Bobby Wagner’s reported go to to Baltimore has raised the potential for one other big-name signing, and several other distinguished free brokers with Ravens ties, together with defensive lineman Calais Campbell, stay unsigned.
Harm updates will even be of curiosity. Jackson, sidelined for the Ravens’ last 4 video games final season by a bone bruise in his ankle, has resumed throwing and appeared snug in footage he’s shared on social media. Left deal with Ronnie Stanley (ankle), working backs J.Okay. Dobbins (knee) and Gus Edwards (knee), exterior linebackers Odafe Oweh (shoulder) and Tyus Bowser (Achilles tendon), and cornerbacks Marcus Peters (knee) and Marlon Humphrey (pectoral) are among the many different Ravens rehabilitating accidents.
There’s loads of intrigue across the NFL, too, from Watson’s controversial arrival in Cleveland, now the AFC North favourite, to the upgraded AFC to the ramp-up for subsequent month’s draft.
Time beyond regulation proposals
The NFL’s time beyond regulation guidelines are once more into consideration, but it surely’s unclear whether or not the league’s house owners will agree with both of the 2 proposals.
The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles have proposed an modification that ensures each groups an time beyond regulation possession earlier than shifting to sudden demise. If one crew has extra factors after each groups have had the ball, that crew wins.
The Tennessee Titans, in the meantime, proposed that each groups possess the ball until the crew that has the primary possession scores a landing and converts a 2-point try.
Underneath the NFL’s present time beyond regulation guidelines, which have been adopted in 2010, the crew that possesses the ball first can win the sport if it scores a sudden-death landing on its opening drive. If not, any go-ahead rating wins the sport.
Rule adjustments want approval from 24 of 32 groups to be enacted. NFL competitors committee chairman Wealthy McKay mentioned in a convention name Friday that “there’s numerous momentum” for altering the principles.
“My historical past on this rule tells me that 24 votes is just not straightforward to get,” McKay mentioned. “However I do suppose the statistics completely warrant an examination of whether or not our time beyond regulation guidelines must be additional modified.”
After a dramatic postseason, there’s rising help for an overhaul. The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ AFC divisional-round win over the Buffalo Payments headed to time beyond regulation after three scores within the last 62 seconds of regulation. However the Chiefs received the coin toss to start out time beyond regulation, and a 75-yard landing drive ended the Payments’ season earlier than they might possess the ball.
There’s no indication that the Ravens have submitted a brand new proposal to the competitors committee. Final yr, their “spot and select” proposals acquired restricted help from house owners. Underneath their plans, one crew spots the ball on the sphere for the beginning of an time beyond regulation interval. The opponent then chooses whether or not to start out on offense or protection from that spot. The Ravens proposed two time codecs for his or her modification: sudden demise or timed (7 minutes, 30 seconds).
The Ravens have additionally joined the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Payments in a proposal to amend the NFL’s anti-tampering coverage, permitting groups to maintain their secondary personnel staffers by way of the draft. Underneath their plan, groups might deny a front-office official permission to interview for secondary government positions — jobs under the position of common supervisor — with one other group till after the draft.
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