Third time is a charm? The dream of Weaver comes back to Baltimore, again

We’re so old that we remember when young Anthony Weaver was a Baltimore Ravens draft pick from Notre Dame and NFL hopeful playing on the defensive line. With rookie head coach Jesse Minter calling the plays for the defense, he turned to a trusted Owings Mills veteran in bringing Weaver back for third time to the organization as the new defensive coordinator. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the decision and the personnel in making it work.

Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discussed the return of Anthony Weaver as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator, emphasizing his role in game planning and player messaging, while Jesse Minter handles play-calling. Weaver’s experience and trust within the organization were highlighted, along with the need for defensive improvements, particularly at defensive line and outside linebacker. The conversation also touched on the importance of Jesse Minter’s defensive acumen and the potential impact of Lamar Jackson’s contract extension on the team’s financial flexibility. The discussion concluded with the necessity of addressing multiple defensive needs through free agency, trades, and the draft.

• [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Host scheduled on-site radio appearances and promotions at the listed venues on the specified days (Monday: Fadley’s; Tuesday: El Guapo in Catonsville; Wednesday: Koco’s in Lauraville; Thursday: Pizza John’s in Essex; Friday: Costas in Timonium) and run the advertised Super Bowl giveaways as planned
• [ ] Verify the factual detail about Leslie Frazier’s connection/timeline with Mike McDonald and publish/correct the record if necessary

Anthony Weaver’s Return to Baltimore Ravens

• Nestor Aparicio discusses the return of Anthony Weaver as the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens.
• Nestor mentions his wife’s reaction to the news and the trust built around Weaver within the organization.
• Luke Jones explains Weaver’s previous roles, including his time as a player, defensive line coach, and assistant head coach.
• Luke highlights Weaver’s new role, which involves groundwork and game planning, but not play-calling, which will be handled by Jesse Minter.

Weaver’s Role and Responsibilities

• Luke Jones elaborates on Weaver’s responsibilities, emphasizing his role in game planning and messaging players.
• The discussion touches on the trust between Weaver and Minter, despite not having worked together in Baltimore.
• Luke mentions Weaver’s interviews for head coaching positions and his potential future advancement if the Ravens succeed.
• The conversation includes the importance of Weaver’s relationships within the organization and his high regard among team members.

Trust and Relationships in the Organization

• Nestor Aparicio reflects on his long-term relationship with Weaver and the trust built over the years.
• The discussion includes the notion of bringing familiar faces into new roles, similar to how Nestor would bring trusted colleagues into his own team.
• Nestor and Luke talk about the dynamics of trust and familiarity within the Ravens organization.
• The conversation touches on the importance of relationships in building a cohesive team and the comfort level of having known individuals in key roles.

Jesse Minter’s Staff and Philosophy

• Nestor and Luke discuss Jesse Minter’s staff and the importance of having a collaborative and experienced team.
• Luke mentions the potential involvement of Rick Minter, Jesse Minter’s father, in an advisory role.
• The conversation includes the need for a balance between new, innovative ideas and experienced guidance.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of having a mix of familiar and new faces on the coaching staff to ensure a balanced approach.

Personnel Needs and Strategy

• Nestor and Luke discuss the personnel needs on the defensive side of the ball, including defensive line, outside linebacker, and secondary.
• Luke highlights the importance of addressing these needs through free agency, trades, and the draft.
• The conversation includes the potential impact of Lamar Jackson’s contract extension on the team’s financial flexibility.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of having a strong defensive line and the potential for trading for an impact edge rusher.

Marlon Humphrey’s Future with the Team

• Nestor and Luke discuss Marlon Humphrey’s future with the Ravens, including the possibility of a pay cut or contract extension.
• The conversation touches on Humphrey’s performance and potential role transition to safety or nickelback.
• Luke mentions the importance of aligning Humphrey’s expectations with the team’s financial constraints.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the potential impact of Humphrey’s decision on the team’s defensive strategy and depth.

Secondary Depth and Free Agency

• Nestor and Luke discuss the need for depth in the secondary, including the potential return of Anthony Averett and other free agents.
• The conversation includes the importance of having a reliable third safety and the potential for drafting or signing a free agent.
• Luke mentions the possibility of trading for an impact player to address the team’s defensive needs.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of having a balanced and experienced secondary to support the team’s defensive strategy.

Offensive Line and Quarterback Considerations

• Nestor and Luke discuss the needs on the offensive line, including the potential return of Ronnie Stanley and the importance of keeping Linderbaum.
• The conversation touches on the impact of Lamar Jackson’s contract extension on the team’s financial flexibility.
• Luke mentions the importance of addressing offensive line needs through free agency and the draft.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the potential impact of these decisions on the team’s overall strategy and performance.

Jesse Minter’s Impact on Defense

• Nestor and Luke discuss Jesse Minter’s potential impact on the defense, including his defensive mindset and scheme.
• The conversation includes the importance of Minter’s ability to get more out of the team’s defensive players.
• Luke mentions the potential for Minter to replicate the success of previous defensive coordinators like Mike McDonald.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of having a strong defensive coordinator to support the team’s overall strategy.

Final Thoughts and Future Outlook

• Nestor and Luke reflect on the overall outlook for the Ravens, including the potential impact of new coaching staff and personnel decisions.
• The conversation touches on the importance of having a balanced and experienced team to support the team’s goals.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of staying focused and committed to the team’s long-term success.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Anthony Weaver, Baltimore Ravens, defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, Lamar Jackson, defensive line, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, secondary, free agency, defensive scheme, player contracts, coaching staff, team strategy.

SPEAKERS

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Speaker 1, Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones

Nestor Aparicio  00:01

Welcome home. We are W, N, S, T. Am 1570 Castle, Baltimore. We are Baltimore, positive it is a cup of soup or Bowl week, as the banner ahead should tell you. Well, we’re out on the road this week. I have my El Guapo shirt on because I am looking forward to having leftovers to bring home from Catonsville from our Tuesday visit at El Guapo in Catonsville. They had some some things go on over there. Break ins. Bad things happened a couple weeks ago. We want to get over there. Give him some love. All the brought to you by our friends at the Maryland lottery. I love candy cane cash lucky batch at Fayette Lee’s on Monday. I’ll say that thus far, also our friends at GBMC throwing us out on the road, and we have a farnand and Dermer, our newer sponsor, newest sponsor, doing the HVAC. And they’re actually checking out the funkification of the smellification of my hvacification later today. So I’m looking forward to that. We’re telling you more about that. Luke is standing by in Owings Mills. We are not at the Moscone Center at Super Bowl, LX, whatever. I guess that’s six. I’m counting them up 60 now, because 47 was us, and that was 13 years ago this week. Um, Anthony Weaver, back in the fold. You know, my wife said to me, like seven o’clock, we’re having dinner after I got back from fade these on Monday. She said, Hey, Anthony Weaver, I got the W NST text brought to you by Cole roofing and Gordian energy. She said you talked to Anthony. I’m like, Yeah, we text like, 10 minutes ago. So welcome home, weave. That’s my dude. I guess he will not be play calling on the defensive side, but certainly nice role for him. Third time back. You know, they are like The Godfather, right? You know, once you’re in, they keep you coming back in Owens, Mills, I guess, right,

Luke Jones  01:46

yeah, this will be his third different stint. When you consider his four years as a player, he came back in 2021 as defensive line coach. Was actually John Harbaugh’s assistant head coach for a couple years. And then, of course, when they had the the infamous brain drain offseason where they lost so many defensive coaches. They go with Zach gore. Anthony Weaver is among the defensive assistants that go elsewhere to become a defensive coordinator, so he’s back, as you alluded to, it’s it’s not the conventional defensive coordinator job in the sense that he’s going to be calling the defense on Sunday, because that’s going to be Jesse Minter, but Anthony Weaver still has a really important job, when you look at it from Monday through Saturday. I mean, Jesse Minter is not the defensive coordinator, he’s the head coach, so Weaver is going to be the one doing so much of the groundwork in terms of the game plan and putting that together and messaging the players and not that Jesse Minter is going to be an absentee in that way, but his scope of responsibility is much greater than just being the defensive coordinator, so he needed to hire someone that he can trust. They just missed each other. They haven’t worked with each other, at least in Baltimore, but clearly they both worked closely with Mike McDonald. Their philosophies, there’s little reason to think their philosophies wouldn’t mesh very well, that they wouldn’t be on the same page, and Jesse Minter is going to need to trust Anthony Weaver. I mean, it’s not quite as you just show you know, it’s not like Jesse Minter is just going to show up on Sundays and they hand him the game plan and he calls plays. It’ll be he’s a little more involved than that, but at the same time, it’s not the same for him. It’s going to be an adjustment. So for Anthony Weaver, it’s, you know, a disappointing outcome for him in the sense that he interviewed with what five different teams for Head Coach openings. He was one of the Ravens finalists. He was a finalist with a couple other teams. But if this team rebounds in the way that many think they will, and many are expecting them to, whether that means they win the Super Bowl next year or not. I mean, we’ll see about that, but at least if they’re back in the playoffs, and they’re back to being a top five, top 10 kind of defense, then that should keep Anthony Weber in a good position for his personal advancement in terms of potentially getting a head coach gig elsewhere down the line. So he’s comfortable here. He knows it here, even, even though people change on the coaching staff front, Ozzie Newsome knows him. Eric da Costa knows him. He’s very, very highly regarded and very well liked in the building by anyone who knows him. So this, this always seem like this could be a logical fit once they hire Jesse Minter, if you’re kind of looking around at some of the candidates, Joe Cullen was another guy that they considered, obviously, with some ravens roots, to be a defensive coordinator. So he comes in, he’s a defensive coordinator for the third time in his career. He’s not calling the defense on game days. But again, anyone who understands the responsibilities that a head coach has that goes far beyond expertise on one side of the ball or the other. Knows that Anthony Weaver is still going to have a really, really important role here in reshaping and revamping and hopefully improving this defense from where it was last year.

Nestor Aparicio  04:55

Yeah, you know, I forgot how long I’ve been married. It’s 23 years. And. I’m like, 2005 645, you know, in that range. He was out doing shows with me. I have all these old and then I think the first time you saw him was on the streets of Indianapolis one cold night when I ran into him. I’m like, Hey, he’s coaching, you know, like, the notion that he would be a trusted figure in this and over coffee this morning, my wife, uh, added as well. Like, hmm, they like to bring people back. And I’m like, there is, um, a level of big trust that was built around some of these humans through this where people are comfortable with the people they’re comfortable with. You know what I mean? If they hired me over W, b, a, l, and I got the big job, or I got that brand manager job at one, oh, 5.7 I probably would bring you over. You know what I mean? Because I like you, you’re my guy and I’m your guy, and we’ve been doing this for two decades, and there is a comfort level of who you want to do it with. And did Minter get his first choice? I think maybe he did right. I mean, may Am I wrong, or am I right? I mean, was there anybody else? Because you and I were talking about PJ Volker being his, his best buddy, like, literally, in the whole world, and hardball pulled that with spagnolo, and I predicted that. And PJ Volker now on, and we could talk further down the line about Randy Brown, and I know we talked about that in an earlier segment about him being a hardball guy on but he’s probably also a mentor guy and a weaver guy, because they were all in the building together, and they eat together, sleep together, fly together, pray together. You know, team, build together. It’s not you’ve been in the building a long time. I’ve been out of there a short period of time, but I was in there a long period of time. There’s no correlation as to black and white, left and right, offense and defense, coach and player, even age range, as to how relationships wind up getting built in the building in a lot of ways.

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Luke Jones  06:55

Yeah. I mean, I as far as his top choice, I think he was one of the top choices, I think, I mean, Jim Leonard was talked about some they had some interest there, and he winds up in Buffalo. I don’t they really wanted

Nestor Aparicio  07:08

Jim Leonard. What do you I mean, Jim Leonard has Baltimore roots too, but he’s more of a Rex Ryan guy from that well, right?

Luke Jones  07:13

Jim Leonard’s going to Buffalo, and he’s going to call the defense. I mean, difference here. I mean, you are talking about a little bit of a different cachet here. You know, in the same way that, like the Ravens hired away Declan Doyle from the bears. I mean, they wouldn’t have been able to do that if he was calling the if he had been calling the plays in Chicago. So, so you do look at it through that lens a little bit, they didn’t like I said they didn’t specifically overlap. I mean, in fact, Jesse Minter left to become the defensive coordinator at Vandy, just as Anthony Weaver was returning to the Ravens as a coach so they didn’t cross. Okay? No, no, no, so, but you have lots of mutual friends. You know, obviously they both worked very closely with Mike McDonald at one point in the past, and they worked in Baltimore, right? There’s still that, that brotherhood, that brethren, that knowing, especially on the defensive side of the ball, right? Regardless of what happened this last year or two with their defensive issues, we know what kind of tradition there is there. So I think, and look, and

Nestor Aparicio  08:12

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a guy who played with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and all of that, right? Sure. I mean,

Luke Jones  08:16

that’s something that I think a young, less experienced coaching staff that doesn’t necessarily have an abundance of former NFL players would look at someone like Anthony Weaver and say, Hey, he’s got that cachet that some of us don’t have, that isn’t the end all, be all, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t help

Nestor Aparicio  08:33

that doesn’t cost an Ozzie Newsome scouted him and drafted him, sure. So like the depth of that kind of a relationship 20 years later is, I mean, it reminds me of the media business in that way, where people bring people with them, and just as I get older, I have an incredible appreciation for we know what we’re getting here. You know what I mean like? And I cannot vouch for anybody more highly than Anthony Weaver, over my 20 years of no, I would hire Anthony Weaver. I would have hired him as the head coach. So yeah,

Luke Jones  09:08

and this is where you kind of look at it and say, Yes, inevitably, you’re going to have a bias towards some familiarity. But if you look at how Jesse Minter is putting together his staff, he didn’t have any ties to Declan Doyle, right? So I like the idea that there’s some coaches that he’s bringing in he doesn’t necessarily have any roots with, and he just says, Hey, by talking to people through the league and making calls, and let’s face it, when you have a 42 year old head coach who has worked for the HAR balls, right as far as his NFL experience and even a good chunk of his college experience. With Jim Harbaugh, Eric dicost is going to have input. Ozzie Newsome is going to have input. Others in the building are going to have input. And saying, hey, what have you talked to this guy? Or what do you think about this guy? Or Jesse Mitchem might say, you know, on the special teams front, I might not have a. And I’m just using that as an example, and that might be a reason why Randy Brown sticks around, right? I mean, I don’t know, like, by the

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Nestor Aparicio  10:05

way, let me, let me throw horrible under the bus for a minute, because I enjoy doing that of late. But I think it’s also relevant, the notion that he was going to do things his way. F You see my ring and Burr up. Now I’m not saying that happened with Eric Decosta, because they were off like, you know, out in the mountains, out there petting horses and doing the thing on their farm, right? And they love each other like all that. But when the rubber meets the road and Eric says, I don’t like your coaches, dude, and I don’t like that, I don’t like this, I don’t like that, and I got to be honest with you, just you and me. It’s not for the media. It’s not on ravens.com it’s not even anything Ozzy needs to know about or anything Steve needs to know about. It’s just us, what I think and what you think. And we’re really going, to be honest, have that kind of relationship. And I would think, over 18 years they I would hope they had that, that if they had a real difference of opinion, John won every time, every time, and that probably even on draft night, even on day two of the draft, when it’s that wide receiver from Boston College or the cornerback John’s input, further in tipped scales. Probably he was responsible for some of the bad this and some of the good that and whatever. But now that he’s gone, now that he’s gone, there is more oxygen and power and pliability in all of these, 29 year old coordinators, 42 year old coach, bringing Anthony Weaver back, who I would say would be, as I know him, over 20 years, a little bit of a velvet hammer, you know, in a way, to come in, especially with younger players, to be able to vibe that out Through Houston and through Miami, and being here, and being in all these different systems, and losing a lot too. And by the way, I looked at the back of his bubblegum card with Mike McDaniel, who I did not know was, was a had an African American father, because I was looking at the 10 white coaches that will nine white coaches in Salah that they hired. And I was looking at all of it, the dolphins weren’t as bad as maybe we think they were. Her like, like, the body of work that the two of them, I’ll say, Weaver and McDaniel, had in Miami, in a place where they never win, right? And a quarterback, it really wasn’t all that bad. So, like, when I looked at Weaver as a head coaching candidate, if you’re trying to wait. Did he do a good job? Did they do a good job? Did he maximize talent? Is he the right leader in my building? Is he what we want? I thought he would get a job. I thought when he got five interviews, I I thought he might have gotten the Steelers job, honestly, I thought that that might have been the place he would have gone. But I think it’s great that he’s here. But I also think they’ve really erased the hardball thing to some degree, in that way, from a power structure. And when you think about how much John fought for the power up in New York two weeks ago, John’s breaking all sorts of plates up it in the Meadowlands and doing anything he wants, in any way he wants. He’s installing analytics up there. So anything he disagreed with Eric on, anything he agreed on, he’ll just take it. So it’ll be very interesting to see three years from now what John’s Kingdom looks like with the Giants and what Eric’s Kingdom is going to look like here, because Eric now has to your point input and more. Hey, let’s look at this kid, and even saying to Jesse Minter before he comes in, we need to be more pliable about our coaches, because we don’t like John’s coaches. And we, I want some we, we need that. We need to sit and pray on this and talk about this a little bit, because once they’re in the building, you can’t get them out. Mark tressman, you know, things that didn’t go well, that Eric has incredible experience with. Now, going back to, you know, Marvin Lewis sticking around during the Brian Billick era, and how that served them well, and Rex Ryan sticking around during the John Harbaugh era, and that not serving them well. So there’s my little history lesson today. Wasn’t bad, yeah.

Luke Jones  14:34

I mean, at the same time, I mean, I don’t think John had lousy coaches around him for 18 years, right? I mean, I think that was, I think that was way more of a 2025 problem.

Nestor Aparicio  14:44

I don’t think you could talk to John about his coaches, though that’s what that. That was my experience in writing and seeing him burr up about it.

Luke Jones  14:51

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I think you could talk about hit, talk about it more with him in 2008 2009 2010 when

Nestor Aparicio  14:58

they shoved a REX hit. Him. They said, Rex is under contract. The defense likes and keep him. You work with Rex. And then he came in, and Rex wanted his own gig, and got it quickly. But Rex was not going to be long for here, in that circumstance with strong personalities, that’s what I’m talking about. Who’s really in charge, who really has the power, this is a time to figure that out and establish it. My only point with hardball going to New York is very obvious. They’re here down clear, you know, a little bit unclear. And to your point, Eric has more input than than anybody had the last 13 years around here. And I think that’s fair.

Luke Jones  15:35

I mean, I would say this. I mean, the giant signed up for that. They’ve been lousy for a decade, they brought in a guy who’s entering his 19th year as an NFL head coach, and can see that there’s a lot of things that are messed up. Million dollars to be the genius. Now, does that mean John’s going to execute everything well and that that’s all going to go the way they want it to? That remains to be seen. We don’t know if Jesse Minter is going to be a good head coach, right? We we can think. We can see that he checks boxes. We can be impressed, or not so impressed, or whatever, about opening press conferences and all

Nestor Aparicio  16:05

that we could also see in week six, if he wants to hand it off to Weaver, because he isn’t overwhelmed, he has a guy who can do it right.

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Luke Jones  16:11

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think that’s a that’s a fair point. I I’d be a little disappointed if that ends up being the outcome, because then that makes me feel like maybe this guy’s not cut out for this, because one of the reasons, one of the top reasons that got him in the door, is his defensive acumen, right? So, but

Nestor Aparicio  16:27

you think that’s long term, let me say I don’t want to stop you, but I do think it’s at

Luke Jones  16:30

least for, I think at least for the first year or two. I mean, I would kind of hope so. I mean, that was the whole point, right? About, like, wanting a I

Nestor Aparicio  16:38

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just remember Billick here with Kavanaugh and then fossil Matt

Luke Jones  16:42

Kavanagh also wasn’t very good at the job for a lot of years as people, at least as people perceived it well, but also fans, right?

Nestor Aparicio  16:48

But Brian was perceived as being a genius at it, and only did it at the end, did it pretty well at the end, given what it wasn’t got fired anyway, never did it again. So I just think that there is a point where, if you are, if Jesse meant there’s an $18 million head coach three years from now that he would seek to not have the play card up there, unless that you think in the modern world, McVeigh wherever it is, that that’s the way it’s going to be that you hire these geniuses to run out and call the plays on game day, that that is the New job, not the old job that John had. That’s theoretical, I think.

Luke Jones  17:24

I mean, I think that’s what you’re seeing. No. I mean, it’s not everywhere, but you see that quite a few places. I mean, Andy Reid still calls the plays, I mean, and he’s got more experience than anyone at this point in time. So I think it’ll be interesting to see how that develops. But I certainly would not be encouraged if that happens in week six, right? Then you would say, oh, man, this, this not might not be going well, but to go back to your, your original point in terms of input. I mean, look the Ravens that Eric dica said this, Steve a shot, he said this a few weeks ago, indicated that their chain of command is going to remain the same, however, looking at it pragmatically, looking at it realistically, in 2026 not 2031 or 2036 if Jesse Minter is here 10 years from now, and Eric Costa’s still his GM, you are talking about a first time head coach, and you’re talking about someone who what is entering his eighth year. I guess it would be as as the General Manager his 31st year with the organization overall, in ERIC to Costa, is Jesse Minter going to come in eager to butt heads at the first time they disagree or the second time they disagree? Probably not.

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Nestor Aparicio  18:38

He’s in his nature to be a control freak, though that’s the difference, because that was much more John’s DNA to be that way, where it wasn’t Brian’s DNA at all, to be that way, fair enough.

Luke Jones  18:51

I mean, yeah, but I would also say at the same time i i Also, and I’m not saying that you were suggesting this either, but you know, I’ve seen some fans kind of talk about hardball’s influence on personnel as though, like Eric dicost is just cowering in the corner of his office and can’t get anything done. I don’t think that’s been the dynamic

Nestor Aparicio  19:10

either, but I think when they butt heads, John won way more battles than Eric won.

Luke Jones  19:15

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Okay, okay. I mean, I’ll hear that, I suppose, on

Nestor Aparicio  19:18

any topic, I will tell you had, knowing them both on any topic, John had a lot more power. John was making $17 million right? Like, it’s just, that’s the structure of power. And I think it’s changed a little bit. And I think, you know, some of the hires, clearly Volcker and some of this very, very mentor oriented some of it. And I think if you talk to him, and you go to the owners meetings and you have breakfast, and he’s really honest, and I don’t know that he is. I think he’s too hardballed up to ever give any of that away, ever. And if I ever read about it, I’ll find out who his relationships really are with. To report such things, but to say I’ve been much more pliable because, like, I. I am drinking from the fire hose, and I don’t want to be a control freak, and I can’t be in control of everything in the building. The defense is like my baby, and personnel is Eric’s baby, and the coaches are a little bit of we all have to I don’t know or whether Minter had it in blood in his deal, because the horrible boy said, Don’t ever give that power up. You get a gig. You hire your coaches, dude, I can hear John saying that to Jesse Minter as well. Oh, and I, and I would also say to

Luke Jones  20:27

look, you can be collaborative about it, but at the same time, your coaches are the guys you’re going to be working with the most, right? I mean, Eric’s not going to be working with your assistant secondary coach all that much, other than maybe doing some pre draft work in the offseason, right? And evaluations in that way. So, so yeah, there’s, there’s a dynamic to that, but yeah, I think it’s human nature, when you’re talking about someone coming into a new gig, whether they have the power on paper or not, that you’re going to lean a little more on experience. You’re going to lean a little more on the individual who’s been there, right? I mean, I would equate it to someone’s own the business for a long time, and they bring in a new partner, if that new partner’s 15 years younger and less experienced. I’m guessing early on, the very least, it’s going to be a little more kumbaya in terms of the vet, the older guy getting his say a little bit more. But as time goes on, the dynamic changes, you become more comfortable with one another. You have some examples of some of some decisions that maybe your partner made that didn’t turn out so well. And you say, and you’re not throwing it in their face, but the next time you have a decision, you say, hey, well, what about this? What happened this time? You know, what happened that time? And should we maybe do this? So? So I think there’s some of that that goes on, but I do think there’s also the part of this that when you do have a younger head coach, they aren’t necessarily going to have the ridiculous network of coaches around the league and even at the collegiate level to dip into. So you might seek a little more input. It might be a little more collaborative. I mean, at this point in time, I mean, like I said, Jesse Minter didn’t have direct, a direct connection with Anthony Weaver, other than they both worked in Baltimore. They both worked with Mike McDonald. And we know Mike McDonald and Jesse Minter very close, so that kind of made sense. And obviously, Weaver had such ties to the organization. By the way,

Nestor Aparicio  22:24

Rick Minter was the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame from five until seven. So there was, you know, he might have even recruited Anthony Weaver at one point, you know what I mean, like, or been a part of that. So there, his dad’s going to be a part of this, right? It sounds like it from what I understand. You know, there’s another link that I because I was looking Rick Minter up thinking, like, who’s going to be the grandfather that the young coach has next to him? That’s the Senior Advisor guy. Clearly, it’s his dad. I think, right, I think

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Luke Jones  22:53

his dad’s going to be involved. I’m glad you brought that up, because I talked about this a little bit, talking about Declan Doyle, the fact that he hasn’t called plays on the offensive side of the ball before. I like the staff they’re putting together. I think you’re seeing, first of all, some bold hires in terms of like, when you look at Doyle, he’s 29 years old, he’s Lamar Jackson’s age, right? He’s highly regarded by Sean Payton and Ben Johnson, but he’s never called plays at the NFL at any level. You know, he hasn’t been a play caller. So you do look at that, it makes you take a little bit of pause. And I will continue to say that, and I don’t say that meaning that I dislike Doyle, or I don’t think he’ll do a good job. I just think there’s a lot of unknown, a lot of new there you have a first time head coach, Jesse Minter. There’s a lot of new to navigate with that. That’s where I look at this thing. And yes, I think Rick Minter will be part of that. Indications that I’ve received are he’s not necessarily going to join the staff right this minute, but I think you’ll see him in some kind of advisory role. I mean, in fact, if you look at what he did with the chargers, I think his official title was senior defensive analyst.

Nestor Aparicio  23:59

But that doesn’t mean an office in the building, or he’s going to be here, that’s gonna be gonna be here 80 hours a week. That means he zooms in and watches tape and like that from afar.

Luke Jones  24:09

And it might be, it might even be more involved than that, but it isn’t necessarily going to be like a full time you’re in the building, 80 hours a week, kind of job, necessarily. I don’t even know if Rick Minter would want to be involved to that degree, right? In the same way that, you know, Jack Harbaugh had involvement from time to time, but it was never a formal, full time kind of role, you know, in Baltimore, Baltimore,

Nestor Aparicio  24:33

8

but 71 by the way, Rick Minter just Yeah, I do

Luke Jones  24:37

look at their staff, given some of the inexperience, I would really like to see somewhere them as someone who’s been a head coach, like a prominent head coach in the way, like I’ve used the Leslie Frazier in Seattle, example. I mean, it’s not like Leslie Frazier was a head coach for 15 years in the NFL. It was what, three. Years in Minnesota, I think it was I’d like, I’d really feel that much better about this staff and Jesse Minter and their chances right away, not not in a long in a big picture sense, but in 2026 understanding how much new they have to navigate when you’re talking about a first time Head Coach, when you’re talking about a offensive play caller for the first time I’d really loved, and I don’t know who that would be. I, I mean, the guy,

Nestor Aparicio  25:27

Marvin, served that role two years ago in Vegas with Pierce, right? So having, and it’s not Marvin here, I don’t know who, who that is at this point, right?

Luke Jones  25:39

You, there hasn’t been a whiff of this. So I’m purely just saying this, you know, like, for example, Chuck pagano was their secondary coach this past year. Is there any way you could if they would want and maybe they wouldn’t, you know? I mean, obviously Chuck was part of a defensive staff that was not very highly regarded this past year. It’s not because I think Chuck pagano forgot out of coach, but it just, it didn’t work. This defense didn’t work this past year. We all know that, but just that kind of a guy, you know, someone who is not remotely a threat to become a head coach again, but has done it and and can offer some really valuable exactly, has done it in in recent, you know, in the last 15 years, let’s say, and is there someone out there that would make sense, you know? And I’m just, I’m using him as an example. There are 15 different guys you could probably brainstorm.

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Nestor Aparicio  26:33

Well, they’re the Rex Ryan types that want a job, right, right? You know.

Luke Jones  26:38

So that’s the thing, you know, is it? And I’m just it doesn’t have to be a prominent position on the staff, you know, it could be a running backs coach. It could be, you know, like, what? Whatever it is, is there someone out there that has that kind of a track record, you know, that’s something like that on their resume that Jesse mentor can kind of use as a sounding board, in that way, to say, hey, when you were in wherever 15 years ago, and you know, did you ever have a player that you were dealing with that was, you know, kind of dealing with this and being disruptive, or we were trying to get more out of them, you know, or a certain game management situation, or certain situation with the coach, you know, couple coaches not seeing eye to eye, whatever it might be, I think there’s a place on the staff for someone like that to come in and be that sounding board for Jesse Minter, be that ombudsman, if you will. You know, a quality assurance even Harbaugh wanted that, right, exactly. I mean, yeah, so, you know, and, and you just, you kind of look at that, and that would be something for me, with all this newness, with all this, you know, the fresh minds and innovation, and I like that stuff. I love the idea that you’re not just necessarily hiring 20 coaches that everyone’s heard of before, because that might be his dad for a year might be but some part of me wonders. But part of me wonders if you need someone that’s maybe a little more removed from you personally than just your father.

Nestor Aparicio  28:13

So we’ll see. In his case, he might need somebody that much closer. And maybe, maybe, again, that’s I would appreciate that as a grown up, but that’s me, and that’s Look, the better you know me, the better we can we can work together, you know me, and then, and then drinking from the fire hose at the same time. That’s difficult, yeah, but at the

Luke Jones  28:30

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same time, sometimes, when you’re in that position, it’s someone that’s a little more removed from you personally, but understands what you’re going through professionally. I mean, Rick Minter wasn’t an NFL head coach? Oh so, sure. So that’s where I kind of look at it through that lens and and look, I’m not saying that if they don’t do that, that Jesse mentors bound to fail, or anything like that. I just if I’m trying to size up the staff, because the ravens are in a very different position here. Mentor is in a different position here. How many head coaches go into a place and they have time, even John Harbaugh, for all the talk we’ve been talking about how the changes

Nestor Aparicio  29:03

one and seven there, you know, it just is what it is, especially quarterbacks hurt.

Luke Jones  29:07

There’s no, there’s no pressure for the Giants to make it to the divisional round. Whereas, if the Ravens aren’t back in the divisional round, let’s say, at the very least under Jesse Minter this year, not saying he’s getting fired. Let’s be clear about that, but it’s going to be viewed as a as a very clear disappointment, kind of like how this year was so, so that’s where that’s that’s a lot. And look, I think Jesse Minter, the little bit that I’ve had, had the opportunity to speak with him, and just to be around him, I think he’s perfectly fine with that. Like, I don’t think it’s a something that he’ll shy away from, but because you do have those expectations. Joe Brady’s going to be the same way in Buffalo, right? I mean, he but, but the difference there is he had been there, right? He’s just, he’s changing his office, whereas Jesse Minter has been away for five years before returning here. So I do think that’s an interesting dynamic, and that’s where I do wonder if, if there’s a. Place on this staff, somewhere for a guy that was an NFL head coach at some point that could serve in that kind of intangibles capacity, a little bit that, yes, I agree with you, Rick Minter will be part of that for Jesse Minter, I wholeheartedly,

Nestor Aparicio  30:15

well, he has Walker too. I mean, he’s bringing people that he’s very close with, right?

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Luke Jones  30:20

He is and again, but it’s, for me, it’s not the closeness thing as much as it’s that being an NFL head coach thing. I just, I wonder about that, because, like I said, I mean, Leslie Frazier, if you look at it, Leslie Frazier, I believe I’ll double check on this, and I’ll and I’ll offer a me a culpa if I’m wrong. I’m pretty sure that he missed, I think Leslie Frazier’s brief stint in Baltimore was right before Mike McDonald arrived. I could be wrong about that. Point is they didn’t work. It’s not as though they worked together for a decade or something like that, but Leslie Frazier NFL head coaching experience, and Mike McDonald had him on his staff last year and is on his staff again this year. So get a ring this weekend. Yeah, yeah. So I just, I think that’s an interesting you know? I just think that’s, that’s something that would be valuable. And look, Jesse Minter himself, maybe he doesn’t feel that way. Maybe he thinks that would be overrated, in the same way that, at the end of the day, he he clearly wasn’t that concerned about Declan Doyle having not called plays before, right? He just sees, Hey, Sean Payton loves the guy. Ben Johnson loves the guy. He was part of an offense that improved markedly in Chicago this past year. He’s 29 we think that dynamic could be really interesting, not just with Lamar, but other players on our offense, after a year where guys were not happy and there were unnamed sources going to the media and all that kind of stuff. We know that we all lived it last year, that that maybe that would be a really good dynamic. So he clearly is not, not of the thought that he’s going to just default to experience automatically. But I do wonder, and you know, if it were me, that’s where I kind of look at that. If I were Eric dicostal, let’s say, and I was looking at Jesse mentors staff, I would be thinking, you know, is there a former NFL head coach out there that we could find a role for here that’s not going to be a threat? You know, it’s not an ego thing, just someone who’s been there, you know, someone who’s someone who’s dealt with talking to the media that many times a week and and talking to the media right after losses, and dealing with disgruntled players, and dealing with having a bench a player because he’s not getting the job done, but not wanting to lose that guy’s head entirely in the process,

Nestor Aparicio  32:28

somebody to help my 29 year old coordinator,

Luke Jones  32:30

exactly, whatever. Yeah, exactly. So, so, you know, so I think that’s that’s all my overwhelmed defensive coordinator, yeah. So, so I think that’s something that will be interesting to see if that plays out again. I don’t think that that if they don’t do that, that’s not me saying that their staff is doomed to fail, but I but that is something that, if you’re asking me, what’s my biggest concern about this staff right now? That is where I do look at first time head coach, first time play caller on the offensive side of the ball at any level that right those two spots alone. I mean, let’s face it, we talked about it the head coach, and then if the head coach wasn’t going to be an offensive minded coach, the offensive coordinator. Two most important jobs on the staff, with no disrespect meant to Anthony Weaver, those are the two most important jobs, the head coach and the guy that’s going to be working most closely with, Lamar Jackson. I don’t think there’s any disputing that. There’s a lot of new to navigate for those two individuals. And that’s, that’s my biggest pause, taking pause right now about this staff right now, and it’s just the unknown of it. It doesn’t mean they’re not going to be able to handle it, but to sit here and just say, oh, print the Super Bowl tickets now they don’t even have to play the season. The ravens are gonna be there. No. I mean, we’re gonna have doesn’t

Nestor Aparicio  33:41

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feel that way. It won’t feel that way around here till October. It can’t right until we see it dry for a month, right? Like, literally,

Luke Jones  33:48

yeah, we got to see that. And, and, oh yeah, they need to go get some better players too. Well, let’s talk

Nestor Aparicio  33:53

about that. Luke Jones is here. He’s Baltimore, Luke. We are not in the Moscone Center, but it does low 60s in San Francisco, overcast. You didn’t want to be there anyway. And beside that, the Patriots are there. It’s all brought to you by friends at the Maryland lottery. It is a cup of Super Bowl week. I have candy cane cash to give away. I’m wearing my old guapo. That’s Tuesday. Monday was fadley’s. Wednesday, we’re going to be at Koco’s in lauraville. Thursday, at Pizza John’s in Essex. That’s on, Luke said. And then Friday will be up at Costas and Timonium. And Luke might even be coming by to talk some baseball or football or this or that, couple weeks out on free agency. And then we’re going to have the underwear Olympics, and then we’re going to have a draft. And like all of that’s going to happen, the Lamar thing is going to move front and center to this beginning, let’s say Monday, and he’s not winning the MVP or losing it this year, right? So next week, calm happens. You know, it snows some more, it’s cold, whatever. Then we get into the All right, where’s the money? Where’s it going to be? And the defensive side of the ball. Now you have a defensive coordinator, Anthony Weaver, defensive minded head coach. He’s going to call the plays, and he’s. Genius and all this. Matt a BK tweeting good news, the vague booking and the signing of Travis Jones on the defensive side of the ball like on the offensive side of the ball with with Mark Andrews under contract, no pass rush linebackers, shaky secondary, maybe a little shaky. You spent a lot of capital on that and draft time, Marlon Humphrey, Matt abigay, where roquan is on the dollar sign, where Wiggins and Starks are on the ascension side, where Kyle Hamilton is now paid. So he cost you money all of a sudden. But you’re hoping to get that kind of productivity to me, dude, if there were 11 jobs in this defense and there aren’t there 16, they need six players that I don’t know about yet. Am I You’re nodding your head on the internet. Nobody can even see it. But I’m not wrong, right? I mean, they need help at every level of the defense. They need help on depth. They need help on pass rushing, up on the backside, the front side, the middle side, other than Kyle Hamilton, I I’ll give you Wiggins on a good day. I’m waiting see on Starks. I think roquan’s a diminishing thing at this point, whatever that is, or at least a stabilized thing, very good, but not, not going to be in the Hall of Fame. I don’t know that’s what I got for you. What?

Luke Jones  36:22

First of all, I said it a couple minutes ago. Mia culpa here. Leslie Frazier did work with Mike McDonald. Mike McDonald was pretty low on the totem pole in Baltimore at that point in time, but 2016 they worked together. Wow. There was a one year connection there. So I wanted to clarify. Okay, I think what I was,

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Nestor Aparicio  36:37

young, impressionable, Mike McDonald too, huh? Yeah, and so, but Jesse,

Luke Jones  36:41

Jesse Minter did not, you know that that’s what it was anyway. Wanted, wanted to clear that out, clear that up, because I said that I would double check. I did not want to misspeak and be wrong and then not acknowledge

Nestor Aparicio  36:51

screws up the AI too. We don’t want to do that. Yeah. But hey,

Luke Jones  36:55

8

Luke Jones, is wrong plenty. I will be wrong plenty. Moving forward at times too. I’m not perfect, but I think you’re perfect, but I’m certainly not perfect, but I appreciate the sentiment, but no, I want that. I think, yeah, you look at this defense right now, man, the only look Malachi Starks is going to be a starting safety, right? I mean, there’s no question about that. Nate Wiggins is going to be a starting corner. There’s no question about that, regardless of how you might feel about their progress or their lack lack of progress, whatever it might be. So there better be progress, right, right. But, but your overall point in terms of personnel, I think I mean, the defensive line definitely needs so some an injection of talent, especially if namby matabike’s Good news is not necessarily correlated with his football future. So we’re going to see how that plays out. If he’s back, then you feel way better about the defensive line, right? So, but, but they still, they need work there nonetheless, and certainly on the edges, they need work big time. Work there. I’ll buy Mike Green, I’ll buy tavias Robinson being part of that, right? But they still need, they need a couple guys there. They need an impact edge rusher. And I think at this point in time, it’s

Nestor Aparicio  38:11

not Kyle van Noy, by the way, I don’t think either, right, okay, just making sure we’re clear on that, you

Luke Jones  38:16

know, I mean, Draymond Jones, I thought did a solid job. Is, is the cost going to match what you’re hoping to get right? Is he going to cost more than what you think the production is going to be? And is that going to work, or do you need to aim higher than Draymond Jones? If you are going to dip your toes into the market and go try to get a dude, then that feels like maybe not the best use of resources there to bring Draymond Jones back. Ajabo’s going to be gone. We know that, right? So you kind of but Ed

38:46

rusher clearly, give me all the guys that are gone. I don’t know who’s here.

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Luke Jones  38:50

So edge rusher and defensive line, we’ve established needs more talent. Inside linebacker. Roquan Smith isn’t going anywhere, regardless of how you might feel about what his play is relative to his compensation, really, nothing you can do with that salary and that contract this year next year, that could be a conversation. But you’re also hoping that Jesse Minter, in the way that Mike McDonald had great success with roquan Smith. You’re hoping that that can revitalize him, rejuvenate him a little bit more, and make him closer to being that 20 plus million dollar linebacker that you’re paying for. So I think inside linebacker is one of those spots. I mean, Trenton Simpson will be in a contract year, and the big question for that group will be, how is Teddy Buchanan’s knee progressing? He tore his ACL I thought Teddy Buchanan was having a solid rookie season. He was looking like a guy that was a starting caliber and weak side inside linebacker, not necessarily that he the next Bart Scott, but that he can be someone that you can plug in and say, I think he can do a good job there probably take him off the field in some obvious passing situations, as they did. But. I think a lot of that’s going to hit kind of hedge on where is he, yeah, is he going to be ready for the start of training camp? If not, then you might need to add another piece into that mix. So, so we’ve established defensive line. Do they need help there? Yes. Outside linebacker, yes. Inside linebacker. Maybe, you know, you’d be thinking, probably spend a lot of money there. We better not need help. Yeah, well, I mean, I’m not, believe me, I’m not suggesting a first round pick or anything like that, but is there a day three guy that you would add with the thought that, you know, take a swing there? Trenton Simpson is going to be in a walk here, and you’re probably not going to resign him. So, so you know someone you’re getting that will contribute on special teams. So better have a hell of

Nestor Aparicio  40:41

a draft the way we’re talking here, we haven’t talked about the offense. The offensive line is trash, right? Or it’s really expensive to keep Linder Bob, but we did that. We did that on Monday, right?

Luke Jones  40:52

Lamar extension is that important, right? The Lamar extension, rather than just a simple restructure, is the difference between going out and being able to go grab a couple legitimate free agents to add to the mix on either side of the ball. So, but we’ve established defensive line needs work. Outside linebacker needs work. Inside linebacker, not going to say it needs an addition there, but probably could use an addition there. So you get to the secondary, Nate Wiggins, you know you’re still you still have high hopes for him. You know, Nate Wiggins, I thought the first half of the season, I thought he played at a at a high level. If you recall, when we were talking about the state of the defense in week six, the one area we were talking about that actually felt okay was their outside corner play. I mean, it was everything else that didn’t feel there was no pass rush. Yeah, really. So, so, you know, I’m still, I still think Nate Wiggins is going to be a good player. I’m, you know, I’m not ready to say he’s gonna be Chris McAllister, but I think he’s going to be a good player. But you now look at Marlon Humphrey. How does he fit? Where’s his cap? You know, his cap numbers high is he at a point in his career where you wonder if moving to more of a hybrid safety role might even be what’s best for him, whether it’s going to be with the Ravens or elsewhere, but I do look at that contract and say, do you need to do something? You need to do something there, whether it’s a straight pay cut, whether you give him an extension that does not leave him in the same tax bracket that he’s been in the last few years, but lowers his cap number, but also says, Hey, if you want to be a raven, if you want to be a lifetime Raven, and stay with this organization and transition to playing some safety and playing some dime and playing some

Nestor Aparicio  42:32

8

nickel, do they love him that much? To have him play on the team is not a superstar, because that’s his old jump dude. I’ve, I mean, I’ve met them all. I’ve met them all that to me that’s not rob Woodson slide over and and be a really strong safety, you know. Like, I don’t think that’s who he is, but I could be, you know, I don’t, I don’t like anything about him, like, at all anything I’ve seen in a decade, yeah, like, so, I don’t know that they feel that way about him to say, All right, you know, when you were a premier player, we’re good with it. The rest of the Marlowe show it, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe, I mean, they signed him, they’ve given him a lot of money. Gonna say? Maybe they love him, you know, like

Luke Jones  43:14

him way more than you do and and I’ve liked him way more than you at times in the past. I’m not saying this past year, but like 2024 he played, grateful. Played great football two years ago.

Nestor Aparicio  43:24

Kyle Hamilton’s a guy you want forever because he’s sure he has the personality and the countenance and the makeup to be a guy.

Luke Jones  43:30

Hamilton’s one guy, right? I mean, you still have 10 other guys on your defense. So No,

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Nestor Aparicio  43:35

I’m just, I’m just comparing like, when he’s 32 and half washed up, he’ll hang on for three more years, because he’s a guy you want in your locker room like they love Suggs out there and you’re about to put them in the Hall of Fame. I wouldn’t have it, but that’s me, you know?

Luke Jones  43:51

I think, I think the big question, all of that, that part of it, aside, the big question, I think that’s become evident, you know what’s what’s become evident, though, is he can’t play on the outside anymore. I just, I don’t, I’m not sure that’s for him at this point in his career. However, then you would say, Okay, well, he’s been really good at the nickel. Well, who was playing at the nickel from Week Six on in this defense? Kyle Hamilton, basically, now you he’s not just a nickel, but you move him around. So that’s where I look at this thing and say, well, they don’t, he doesn’t really fit as a full time nickel anymore, because that’s kind of what Kyle Hamilton’s at least what his base role is going to be. I would assume, I mean, Jesse Minter indicated in his introductory press conference that he wants Kyle Hamilton at the point of attack as much as possible, which means closer to the line of scrimmage, like we saw after they acquired a low he Gilman. Gilman is a free agent. He’s not really someone that I’d be interested in, in paying what he’s probably going to make on the open market. So they have a need for a third safety, maybe our Darius Washington’s back, maybe not. Right? That’s why I said is there, you know, when you look at Jesse Minter scheme and how he wants to move players around and execute on the back end of the defense, that’s where I look at this and say, Where, Marlon Humphrey, where? I will say, you know, all the other stuff aside, he gets his hands on the football far more frequently than most members of that secondary, including Kyle Hamilton. So that’s where you look at it, and say, okay, he’s shown some ball skills in that way. Maybe he’s someone that transitions to playing some safety, some dime, some nickel, and they want to move Hamilton around and do some other things there, and he becomes a little more of a hybrid player. Now, problem with that is that’s not a $20 million dollar a year gig anymore for him so and he still has to go and cover and take the tight ends and punched and like all. So that’s where you have to look at that and just say, okay, realistically, what do you think his valuation is? And what does what does he think it is? And is there an alignment there? If not, then you then you say goodbye. But I don’t think the

Nestor Aparicio  46:01

Arizona Cardinals look at him and say, Oh my God, he’s just, you know, we’re going to make him our corner. Because I don’t think anybody in the league could look at the tape and say, He’s that

Luke Jones  46:09

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guy last year. That’s all. But that said, you look at two years ago, he played at a very high level, right? So, you know, I mean, there’s, generally speaking, you’re going to look at the tape, you’re going to look at last year, you’re going to look at the year before. You’re going to look at the year before that, right? You’re not right? You’re not going to look at 2018 obviously. Right? That’s that, that ship has sailed. So, yeah, Marlon Humphrey is one of the more interesting individuals, but you’re already

Nestor Aparicio  46:31

insulting him, giving his job away here, right? Like, start with that, right? Like, we’re replacing you, we’re going to give you this other bit roll thing, and we’re going to pay you a lot less money. Do you want to stay? I would think whether that the Ravens would know very well. Eric would know very well whether he’s comfortable with that arrangement, and whether Marlon Humphrey would ever be comfortable. I don’t know if it happens. It would speak volumes to me about the relationship that does exist there.

Luke Jones  46:57

Sure, sure. I mean, we’ll find out. I mean, Humphrey, I don’t spend a lot of time listening to his podcast, but he acknowledged he didn’t play very well this year. I mean, you know, he he has at least that much self awareness now, is that? Does that mean that there? Does that mean they’re going to align on what, what value makes sense? I don’t know, so but, but clearly you’re going to look there. I think at the very least you look at corner and say, they need another outside guy now they could bring back a Woozi a, him slipping on that fateful final touchdown. Aside, I thought ouzier played well this year. I mean, for what they paid him, a Woozi a, I thought had a really solid year. Could you bring him back, not necessarily as a starting corner, but as a guy you view as you’re like, number three, number

Nestor Aparicio  47:41

it would have been a much worse football team without him this year. No question, no question about it. I mean, again, I get it. Okay, so I’m starting to think, you know, we’ve downplayed a lot of the this guy didn’t have a great year. This guy didn’t play to his number. There’s a guy there that over performed versus what the expectations were on him.

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Luke Jones  47:57

The only, the only real negative. Two negatives on him. He, he does miss some time. Now, he didn’t miss a ton of time this year, but he has had injuries, and that’s one reason the Ravens got him on the cheap as much as they did back last March or April, whenever it was so there’s that. So you have to account for that. And he slipped and fell on Calvin Austin’s touchdown at the end of the Pittsburgh game in week 18. I mean, that’s that’s really it. I mean, he, he had some stretches where he, you could make an argument, he was their best quarter, for certain.

Nestor Aparicio  48:27

I agree with that now that I’m thinking back about how much he was flying around, how no place he made we can saw more of him than I saw most of the rest of them.

Luke Jones  48:35

No. Wiggins had some great stretches as well, but Wiggins also had some stretches where he didn’t play well. So you know, as up and down as the defense was collectively, I thought a woozy ape. But what? What makes sense for him, right? I mean, he, he, I think he made one point. I think his cap number was 1.25 5 million this year, probably not keeping him that cheap this year after the year he had. So what is the number? So, yeah, we just kind of went through it. They’ve got a lot to address. I mentioned they need a third safety, whether they bring Gilman or ardarius Washington back or not.

Nestor Aparicio  49:08

8

Well, Eric’s made these swings and misses on guys too. You know, whether it’s Earl Thomas or whether it’s Marcus Williams or even last year Jair Alexander. You know, they, they, they bought some tickets on some flyers that you wouldn’t accept right now for Mike Elias on the bullpen. You know you wouldn’t, you wouldn’t sell me on the fact that we’re bringing back something that you can’t sell me on. And you

Luke Jones  49:31

notice the common thread there was secondary. That’s where I look at this and say, if there’s a big ticket item to be had on free agency on the defensive side of the ball, you know, whether it’s a signing or whether it’s a trade, and you’re trading for someone with a big contract, feels like an edge. Guys go get an edge like, like you’ve tried to draft guys, you know? We we’ve talked about it. Edge rushers have become for Eric to Costa, what wide receiver was for Ozzie Newsome for years and years. And years. I’m not saying it’s Trey Hendrickson, per se, but someone like that, right? Someone that is a dude, someone that’s going to come in and instantly commands attention and respect and an unsettling feeling for the opposing offensive line, someone lining up on the edge there, because

Speaker 1  50:19

maybe monkey will give us Garrett miles. Garrett, we think I know, right? Or who knows, Max Crosby, right? I mean, yeah, bad

Nestor Aparicio  50:26

you have to be to get miles, Garrett, to draft him. You know, that was part of getting roquan Smith. Is how bad we would have had to been steal the bears pick, like, there’s a little bit of that in ERIC Decosta too, and, and that’s they are well run in that way when it comes to creating value in the trademark and supplemental all those things that they do, this is that time of the year for them to find another to find another Travis Jones, to draft another Matt a BK to, you know, land another mark. Andrews fourth round pick that sticks and becomes a Pro Bowl kind of player for a couple, three, four years. Fine to your point that edge rusher in the third round, you’ve been selling me on that David ajabo for 100 years. Get one of those guys that actually comes in and gets 12 sacks in his rook? Yeah, you know, not a dafe o way, you know, not a project, not a we’re gonna he’s got, he’s got all the building. Give me somebody that can actually go do it right?

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Luke Jones  51:18

But I would also say, on the flip side to everything we just talked about in terms of the personnel and questions about that, it’s also why you hire Jesse Minter. Jesse Minter is considered another Mike McDonald in terms of the defensive mind running the defensive system. We know how the Ravens led the NFL and sacks and had that monster 2023 season, their edge rushers were debion Clowney in the 10th year of his career, I think it was or ninth year of his career, whatever it was, and Kyle van Noy and did a FeO way.

Speaker 1  51:49

And you get the point right, some of that scheme is your point exactly.

Luke Jones  51:54

That is still going to be a big part of what they do. Because, hello, we just named how many different positions before even getting to the offense. They’re not going to find perfect answers for all those different spots that we just acknowledged. Some of that’s going to be internal, some of that’s going to be in the draft. Some of that’s going to be yes, some value free agents here or there, but you’re going to be looking for scheme. You’re going to be looking at Jesse Minter the secret sauce, the same secret sauce that Mike McDonald have, the same secret sauce that they wanted Zach or to have, but it clearly didn’t work out that way. So that is, yes, that’s going to be a big part of this, because ultimately, assuming they get a contract done with Lamar, they’re going to have a 60 plus million dollar quarterback So, and you’re going to have other needs on the offensive side of the ball, specifically the offensive line. And that’s not necessarily going to be cheap to address. You know, Linder bombs not going to be cheap if you’re keeping him. So I think some of this is also, if you’re looking at this the way Eric Decosta looks at the roster right now, he might be saying, you know, what we might need to make things work with what we have a little bit more on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side of the ball, where you have Lamar, big ticket item, you have linderbaum, big ticket item, zay flowers. I mean, that’s something we’re going to be talking about in the next 12 months, right?

Speaker 1  53:15

8

So all of that $20 million wide receiver,

Luke Jones  53:20

Derek Henry. You know, Derek Henry’s making real money for a running back all that so, but that’s where you look at this and say, This is why we think Jesse Minter is going to be a great head coach. Because part of that is not just that he’s going to lead the whole roster, but he’s got, he’s got a great defensive mind, and we think he’s going to get more with maybe a little bit less. You know, ultimately not that they’re going to have nothing on their defensive roster. They’re going to make moves. There’s no doubt. But that’s where you look at it, and say, Can Jesse Minter be a difference maker in that way, in the way that the previous head coach, and I’m not saying that to be disparaging to John Harbaugh, but what was he going to do with the defense when they were struggling. I mean, he could help, but is he going to be the the end all be all schematically? Probably not. So that’s where Jesse Minter and Anthony Weaver, for that matter, I don’t want to leave Weaver out of that conversation, but yeah, they’re going to look at this thing and they’re going to say, Can the sum be greater than the parts? Because this past year, everyone thought the parts were great and the sum was far less in the end. So they want that to be the opposite moving forward. So we’re going to see how Jesse Minter does in that way.

Nestor Aparicio  54:29

He’s Luke Jones. He is Baltimore. Luke out on the interwebs. If you’re on the wnst tech service, you’ll get any breaking news first, in regard to the Orioles, we talked Orioles Ravens. I’ve got my Super Bowl stuff up here. We were doing a cup of soup or bowl all week long. All the details off at Baltimore positive, I am Nestor. We are W, N, S, T am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, and we never stop talking Baltimore. Positive, you.