Over the past six months, Dennis Koulatsos and Nestor Aparicio had deep conversations about the employment status of Lamar Jackson and whether the Ravens really wanted him. With the season on the line and no other options, Steve Bisciotti signed on to give his former MVP quarterback more than $185 million guaranteed. Who won the negotiation?
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
lamar, lamar jackson, ravens, baltimore, team, years, draft, quarterback, talk, offense, player, floppy hat, win, contract, todd, put, luke, won, dennis, people
SPEAKERS
Nestor Aparicio, Dennis Koulatsos
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
8
What about W and st Towson? Baltimore and Baltimore positive the May days are ahead. It’s Preakness month around here. The Orioles played some great baseball and of course, the Baltimore Ravens have made a little news over the weekend. We’re gonna make some news on Thursday during the Maryland crab cake tour. An area this guy’s familiar with Middle River we’re going down to the old su Island we’re going to be at MC falls oyster and real I bet this guy’s done some fishing down there off rocky point I know he and I probably did some some some swimming Dan and porters when we were young lads are parents taking us on a meager budget down there to what we would call deep Essex. We’re gonna be given away the Maryland crab cake tour. lottery tickets, the essence scratch offs. We had some winners last week downtown to Captain Captain Larry’s as well as it fails on Friday. We’re going to be at MC falls on Thursday. Our friends at WIN donation give me the floppy hat that I had so much fun. By the way. This is a free plug for our friends and families too. I wore the floppy hat Dennis I had Alicia on from from fading these on Friday morning. She invited me to be a jockey in the crab Derby down at the Lexington market on 17. Very historic been going on for 50 years. It stopped for a few years of bringing it back. So I’m going to be a crab jockey with my wacky window nation of floppy hat is where things are coons Baltimore Ford how’s the pep in your step and where were you around for 21 When Luke sent the wn st text courtesy of crunch Baltimore Ford did you fall out of your chair? No. Were you prepared mentally spiritually?
Dennis Koulatsos 01:34
You know what i Good thing I didn’t fall on my chair was at Loch Raven fishing so I had fallen out of my chair I would have been dunked in the drink. I got the text and my phone started blowing up. All my friends started calling me and the breaking the news that we talked through it and whatnot, especially when the numbers came out for the Lamar contract but that’s exactly what I was doing. So I can I can tell anyone about it. years down the road. What happened where I was when I got the late breaking news about the Lamar Jackson contract situation
Nestor Aparicio 02:03
well, much like when I spend time with you either on Thursdays on your afternoon show three to five Sunday morning of course eight till noon, or whether it’s us doing this I tried to stay off the phone like so people text me during the show and I’m like doing radio leave me alone. You know what I mean? Like so during when I’m doing Captain Larry’s at Shanna toe back my dear friend from the old rusty scupper. She’s traveled the world she was climbing mountains in Patagonia three weeks ago. I love her had her down, told some stories about real estate. I had a Chris real who does local tours. He shows people around Baltimore, he loves the city. His wife, she’s beautiful. She has these Oriole signs that she holds up every night at Oregon. So I had these great guests, but Todd Schuler Essex Todd shoulder from Lawndale Milla shoulder was my guest, Todd hasn’t done the radio show in like year and a half. Like, yeah, they’re sponsors. They’re not their friends. They’re lifers. I’ve been invited in that he comes down. We did 51 minutes on the Preakness. The derby is like all of this stuff. And when the segment ended, I turned around and there were guys at the bar and they’re like, hey, there’s Lamar to sign that um, and Schuler’s on his phone. He’s like, he’s jackass, friends of mine still playing games with me. It’s Draft Day. And they’re, they’re, they’re, they’re fishing me on this Lamar thing. And I’m like, no, no, no, I got the WASD text. It’s true. All happened around 435 440. So I was about 10 minutes late to the party, because I was just focused in a conversation I was having on my phone was down. So you always remember where you were. And at that moment, and I’m thrilled I got to ask you, because Luke and I have been back and forth. And I’ve said some things privately off the air to Luke about my thoughts about Lamar and his prospects and the team. Where are you? I mean, they had to do this, right, they had no choice. There was no me like, he won big time in the negotiation because they were bidding against themselves, as became very, very apparent. And I mean, the Colts took Anthony Richardson, they were happier with that the Carolina Panthers took there, they all took their player this weekend. The Ravens kept their guy you and I have been six months thinking they didn’t really want him anymore. And they ponied up more money than three times what Ray Lewis ever made in his career. Right? I mean, it’s this is a big deal.
Dennis Koulatsos 04:24
It’s a huge deal. Nestor Well, first of all, I’m relieved that we don’t have to spend the next year or two still talking about the situation. I’m glad it’s it’s old news by this point. And that the the team the fan base, can move forward together in lockstep and have this thing behind us now. I think the biggest thing is now with Todd Todd Monken becoming the new offensive coordinator for the Ravens. them getting Odell Beckham Jr. J flat as a flowers, Nelson Aguilar, what have you opening up the system? Now the key is kellen moore get these guys the ball right that’s the that’s the one thing that we have to see. Can he beacons system, can he be more accurate to get the ball downfield? So I think there’s a sense of excitement relief here in Baltimore about the direction of the organization. And this this albatross was hanging around everyone’s neck had been has been lifted. So I think it’s a freshening and it’s time to move forward. In addition with it with a 60 draft picks that the team picked up over the weekend,
8Nestor Aparicio 05:22
Dennis, I’m gonna start the party with you and you’re the first conversation it’s not Luke and Luke and I fight like, you know, brothers around here, as you well know about all of this stuff, which makes it good because we really don’t agree. I’m gonna give it to you, Dennis. You run a dealership? You bet on people I bet on people that I shouldn’t have bet on. So have you. You bet on winners. You bet on losers you bet on that got us to the playoffs, but it really didn’t get us where we needed to go was okay for a little while. You know what I mean was fine. We’re gonna win a Super Bowl. And then in the low margin. I mean, that’s really what this comes down to. Do you believe this kid’s going to win a Super Bowl? Do you believe he’s going to beat Aaron Rodgers Joe burrow and Josh Allen, do you believe he’s going to be Patrick mahomes, Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence. I just gave you six quarterbacks that I would take any of them this year, not Rodgers. You’re bigger on him. And I’d rather have Lamar. I really would. I think Lamar would beat Aaron Rodgers is sure I believe that. But I don’t believe I’m not a big believer that Lamar is gonna win a suit by I shouldn’t say because I’m going to eat my words if there’s a parade because they’re, they’re good at what they do. I mean, Ro Quan Smith, they have players, they put all this around him, but I I still, they signed him and they had to and this is where they are and but I I’m not really sold that they went to Super Bowl this way. I I’ve never been sold on it. We’re in your 6789 10 now. And I don’t feel like they’re any closer than they were 19 just for having him. And it’s worse because he’s got a $52 million cap number. And now they’re gonna play football with less money, buy a lot buy a whole lot.
Dennis Koulatsos 07:00
Well, there’s an element of luck needed every year for team to win the Superbowl. It’s also not tennis or wrestling. It’s a 53 man show. So Lamar is one of the 53. And he has to play well in order for the ravens to have a chance to win the Superbowl. But with that said there was heaven in the playoffs last four out of five years. And so anytime a team can get in the playoffs, the best team that we know doesn’t always win. It’s a team that gets hot. It’s a team that gets the breaks. And as you mentioned, the defense led by ro Quan Smith is solid. It’s very, very strong. Very strong, special teams, the offensive line comes back full strength, they have a lot of toys, lot of weapons now they can still run the ball. They still have John Harbaugh as a head coach. So I think with all those elements, do they have a chance? Yes, I think they have a chance. As long as Mr. Jackson can stay healthy and he can work on his accuracy. I think those are the two biggest things but the Ravens get in the playoffs let me if Snoop honey doesn’t turn up all over they advance the beat Cincinnati that was a 14 point swing and we can’t ignore that so do I think they could win a Super Bowls Lamar Jackson, the one with with chronic golfer they want to run with Joe Flacco me there’s teams that win every year. Almost every here with it with a one year quarterback but I do think they have a good chance to win a Super old Lamar Jackson the next five years.
Nestor Aparicio 08:14
Then see Superman. I mean, we’ve seen him go into the phone booth and because you couldn’t you can’t tackle him right. And scheming for him you can’t scheme for him now. Maybe you couldn’t before, you know, forgot his brother put the 93 defense in and, and shut him down four years ago and everybody is playing that way now. And that’s the way the Colts are gonna play on teams are gonna play this way now. Right. And that’s, that’s fine. That’s cool. Everything you’ve just brought out are the we’re in year six now of having the same conversations. And the difference now is this is going to be a pass first offense, right? I mean, like really, really is because it’s going to need to be because they’re not going to run them all around. Now it’s their investment. Now it’s no longer Lamar is taken care of due to making a business decision. If Lamar gets broken in half he’s there on 485 million. So if they get him broken in half, and he can’t play in January, shame on them right. So now they’re going to put him in the pocket and have him throw the football or enemy kick through it awful picking that Giants game that cost them right when when he starts to open up and he has to come from behind. They play from a head every way from Psalms out in LA at that gun show they put on out there against the Rams four years ago. Three, four or five years out on this he’s getting closer to 13 and 20. He’s two injuries that you could say well, they were bad injuries. They ended his season twice in a row. So I I still look at this and say why didn’t anybody else want him? I still asked that question.
Dennis Koulatsos 09:52
8A couple a couple of reasons. nestra They all throw bad pics all quarterbacks throw some awful pics after we’ve seen Aaron Rodgers stood Pat From my homes, they all make bone, bone ahead plays, I wish they would have would have kept them in there. I mean, the only way you’re gonna learn is by is by making mistakes. So I don’t know how you do that when you turtle the guy, the second piece of it is this. There is an element out there and my thought process in this regard that that Greg Roman took the best Space Player, arguably the best bass player in NFL history and put him on the phone booth. If Todd Monken, let’s come out of that phone booth, put them in a pro style offense schemes, receivers open have a modern day passing game. Yeah, Lamar can get a chance to shine. And also he got him some receivers that can potentially win 5050 balls, which your better quarterbacks have at their disposal, something Lamar Jackson haven’t had in his career. So opening up the offense, putting them in space, having him more toy scheming people open, I do think the Ravens offense has a chance to take a step or perhaps two forward, and that will be fantastic. When you combine them with that defense, playing complimentary football,
Nestor Aparicio 10:57
it’s a lot of money. And you and I’ve talked so much about feelings and the optics of all of it, you know, the miserable head coach, the PR director telling people, they can’t ask questions, the players having to defend him, him not showing up in Cincinnati for the playoff game and all that represented, then he asked for a trade and it ignites the fan base here in a really negative way. He’s now been given more money than anybody ever, ever, ever, ever, ever. And he’s going to throw pics and he’s going to get booed for that. And they’re going to have a bad beat, that’s going to happen in the first nine weeks of the year, they’re going to lose a bad game, or two or three. This is the bags get real heavy from here, he can afford it. But he has not been he’s been a really sensitive kid. He’s had rabbit ears, he he has been profaned with a guy on the internet long past that 25 years of age. And he should be doing this long past where his checkbook or his ego should allow him to do this. And now and this is where I’m gonna get I’m gonna, I’m gonna get negative on Baltimore positive, you and I would sit here for six months talking about this kid, and whether they believe them or not. And you and I are adults. And we’ve been at this I’m 55 years old. We’ve been at this a long time you’ve managed people on a high level, we’ve witnessed all of this. We’re not just making this up that this hasn’t been going well the last six months, right? We you know, we’ve all had girlfriends, relationships, friendships that take a bad turn over a couple drinks and you make things right, there’s an incident there’s something that happened at work, you hit on my girlfriend, when you’re at death, all of this stuff that happens that you work things out, you know, and you can make things right. They’re clearly going to make things right over $185 million. And John’s lifelines you know they’ve made this commitment so you and I have felt all along that they would have been okay moving on. Now they’re not it’s not just okay moving on. The only way Eric and John win a Super Bowl now is him they they are like this is a huge contract there is no if there’s an injury, anything catastrophic or awful or just a little bad. Or just if it gets heavy, like it did for Carson Wentz. Like it did for RG three like it has for Tyler Murray like it has for Kyler Murray excuse me, like it did for Russell Wilson last year, like this is just the expectation level goes through the roof here. And now all of these transgressions that Lamar has had and problems and whatever it was in the contract and his mother and whatever Hollywood brown WTF and I want to be traded five minutes ago and the rearview mirror, don’t talk to me talk to me because I just laid it out for you.
Dennis Koulatsos 13:46
It’s all in the rearview mirror. Next Nast, you got to fix your eyes forward all these situations you mentioned that’s all water under the dam now. In fact, I have friends of mine they’re calling me for tickets already for the opener.
Nestor Aparicio 13:57
They want your jersey that you were auctioning off three weeks ago correct people I wasn’t knocking it off. But
8Dennis Koulatsos 14:01
people are people are all in. I mean, they’re they’re ready. They’re ready to roll. They’re ready to roll that they realized the roster still not done. It’s still under construction. So some holster plugs does some free agents out there for extra costs and company to pick up on but know everybody’s excited and can’t wait for the opener. And I think that’s that’s right. That’s something you got to move forward at some point, then all this stuff you mentioned accurate, but it’s still in the rearview mirror. It doesn’t it doesn’t make things doesn’t affect the future. It just doesn’t time to move forward.
Nestor Aparicio 14:31
Well, when Luke and I go to the mat on all this. He’s like, Well, what did you want them to do? And I’m like, well, they were in. They are a better football team today than they were last week. And they were a better team today than they would have been if they had Anthony Richardson and three draft picks or without a coin or whatever they would have shined up to sell here. They would have been able to sell that and say we couldn’t get along with that kid and we couldn’t make it work. Now all of a sudden
Dennis Koulatsos 14:56
Aerobie either way, here we are. Now either way
Nestor Aparicio 15:00
8is he showing up to OTAs? Is he first in class? Does he have a foundation here? Is he is he, you know, can they keep them healthy? Is he not? How is this offense going to work? And how accurate is he going to be throwing the ball 38 to 50 times a game, which is what they’re gonna need to do because they have, they have a huge wide receiver room now, right? Like, you know, the Bateman’s not here to get five passes a week and Beckham get six targets a week and they’re going to toss the ball around 2628 times and Lamar is going to run and Lamar is gonna run more and Lamar is gonna die for first and they better figure out how to get first downs without that happening.
Dennis Koulatsos 15:39
The half to score points. That’s true. That’s that’s the bottom line. That’s what’s lost upon Greg Roman he got so enamored with ball control, he was even to the point where he was concerned with given the opposition said the opposing team’s offense more reps, instead of focusing on scoring points in a red zone. What was the difference between the 2019 ravens and the 2020 21 and 22 edition. Not only were they not scoring touchdowns and wondering what’s going field goals, they went on a fourth and won multiple times they failed. The objective of an offense is to score points, be a pass be a rough run, it doesn’t matter. And that’s what they have to get back to whether it’s bike, if they’re winning by three touchdowns, they’re not going to put the ball up 30 more time they’ll run they have enough of a running game, they’ll still be able to bludgeoned team to death. And that’s, I think that’s what I’m excited about is that there’s there’ll be some balance to the offense, some common sense, perhaps with Todd Monken. And I do think the offense can take not only just one step forward, I think the offense can take two step forwards. You have a maturing defense row, Quan Smith was a game changer. And it’s still complimentary football, right, the offense defense special teams, but I do think to bring the offense to the modern day era. It’s exciting for all of us as Ravens fans,
Nestor Aparicio 16:50
I listen, I’m not gonna let you sit on the fence. Okay, because we’ve been talking about this for six months. So don’t tell me they both won. Who won the negotiation, Lamar, the Ravens. And I had Luke and I came to blows on this Friday morning. He had been up late. And he looked at me he’s like, You’re nuts. Lamar didn’t when Lamar wanted me. And I said nobody wanted Lamar and Lamar come while he wants maximum money. Lamar did well, for Lamar Lamar is the big winner here for me. Steve could have walked away, the team could have walked away, they could have dealt him for a bag of footballs and pick the quarterback and moved on. If that’s the way that Lamar one to me.
Dennis Koulatsos 17:34
Clearly, they’re gonna negotiate against themselves. As you mentioned, no one else was in the game. No one else thought knock on his door as far as we know. And so clearly, Lamar Jackson won the negotiation. He didn’t even have to pay an agent $7.8 million. So he’s saying that on the back end, by not having an agent he was able, he just took the Jalen hertz contract to the Ravens said, Look, here you go beat this. And that was exactly what they did. They use that contract as a model, then given 10 million more than their last offer. And they put it to bed. So to me who won? Lamar Jackson clearly won. I mean, he’s got he got that 185 guaranteed, whether he played again or not, that contract has been signed? Well, that’s
8Nestor Aparicio 18:12
why I put the picture him smoking the cigarette, because somebody put that up on Twitter. And I’m like, Yeah, I mean, for all we said about Lamar, and he needs an eight, he needed an agent if he wanted to get bidding against the Ravens. And it turned out that he didn’t need to do that the Ravens were willing to bid against themselves. The Ravens were scared to death to go to real war with him. Real war with him would have been you, we’re not letting you in the building. You’re not coming in the building. You’re not signing your tender. That’s war. He didn’t want that he wasn’t gonna play for 32 million. And he didn’t have an agent sophisticated enough to peddle them off to San Francisco or Indianapolis or any. I mean, as far as we know, his phone didn’t ring. That is his phone didn’t ring. That’s unbelievable.
Dennis Koulatsos 18:56
If the Ravens win a Super Bowl the next five years, then the Ravens would have lost one. But clearly, initially, the initial win goes to Lamar Jackson, what happens? Just like somebody said, you know, the NFL said, hey, who had the best draft class, I tell people, check with me. 2026 I’ll tell you who had the best draft class. It’s impossible to predict who had the best draft class they after the draft was completed. Same thing with Lamar Jackson contract. He plays five years he he wins the MVP. Again, ravens win the Super Bowl or two. But yeah, they were they were also winners, but initially, the player has one of this negotiation that would that question? Yes.
Nestor Aparicio 19:33
every negative thing we could talk about with Lamar not playing in the playoffs the last two years the fact that he hasn’t won playoff game, like the fact that he didn’t show up in Cincinnati, which would have been the first question Mr. Blank would have asked him right or any of anybody that hasn’t met and it’s gonna give him to $1 million
Dennis Koulatsos 19:51
8fund Mr. Blank didn’t get in the in the negotiations. Maybe that’s why he didn’t he didn’t call Mr. Texan. Because he saw him he didn’t make the trip to Cincinnati. But clearly if the question is who won? The player one? And I’m not saying it grudgingly I’m just saying that if actually, the player won, now the team came
Nestor Aparicio 20:09
to me the Ravens blinked here, the Ravens
Dennis Koulatsos 20:12
blink, but they didn’t have much of a choice. You can’t go into the season. With Tyler Huntley as your starting quarterback. You’re not gonna win. You might win seven or eight games with homies your quarterback maybe.
Nestor Aparicio 20:22
So what what’s in Bashaud? His mind your Steve play the role was Steve ashadha here on 185 million. Do you care? Do you like the risk? I mean, the risk reward on it’s crazy, but you had no other options. It wasn’t a great hand for the ravens, right? Like they were so married to this young man that they couldn’t get unmarried. The weird circumstances the unorthodox no agent thing did not allow a normal course of hey, there’s for like there was last year even for a very abnormal player in Deshaun. Watson, there was a real market and a sweepstakes for him that never existed for Lamar. And I think part of that on Lamar is that he didn’t play the playoff games that isn’t there at the end is a different style of quarterback that you feel like he’s gonna have to run to be successful. And I don’t know if he could throw the ball for if we had to throw the ball 45 times. If we’re losing by 14 points in Buffalo in January and we have to throw the ball is he the guy we want doing it? I don’t know. He’s our He’s our guy. Now though. He’s gonna be that guy doing it here. Like,
8Dennis Koulatsos 21:31
they were super shoddiest shotty. He is He got his big his his small eye on a team. He’s got his big eyes fixated on a team about 42 miles southwest of him a franchise about to get sold for six or $7 billion. That was the wish that he’s looking at. So this this, Lamar Jackson contacted him. And a bass came with him. Thanks, it peanuts, it’s irrelevant, it doesn’t matter. Because
Nestor Aparicio 21:58
the value is gonna get sunk on football players no matter what out there.
Dennis Koulatsos 22:03
And the value of a franchise continues to increase by the minute. So do I. I don’t think he cares. You know, the luck. He’s egos. It’s, it’s a competitive franchise had been in the playoffs for about last five years. They’re one of the best organizations in pro sports. And it’s he’s making money. So I don’t think he cares about the money. You’re gonna spend it either way. As you mentioned, they have to spend up to the cap 90% of the cap. He’s going to spend the money either way. So I don’t think he cares. And you can’t win the other pieces. You can’t win without a quarterback. We also can’t ignore the Ravens record with a more exact under center than without them can’t do that.
Nestor Aparicio 22:38
8They are much better. They might have done this. They had to do this no choice.
Dennis Koulatsos 22:42
They had no choice. Didn’t want it didn’t want to spend the kind of money but they had to. They had to be a day of reckoning now. Could they have gotten a smoother? Yes. Could have been more pleasant? Yes. Could have been resolved a long time ago. Absolutely. But now it’s in the rearview mirror. It’s time to fix it our eyes forward and move forward and have some hope. And looking forward to seeing a different offensive scheme. I think it’s time for freshening and I’m very excited about having Todd Monken as our OC,
Nestor Aparicio 23:13
I would say that nobody ever asked Lamar if he ever turned down 185 million because if they had offered 185 million I have a feeling he would have been in Cincinnati a couple months ago. You know what I mean?
Dennis Koulatsos 23:25
Maybe it wasn’t a good look. We know there’s no question about that. And I thought he made some business decisions last year. Before he got hurt. I thought it was playing not to get hurt. So of course when you play not to get hurt, that’s when you get hurt but now he’s got his money. He’s got security, he’s got a bag. You’re not worried about his knee hopefully the rehab is going well which I haven’t heard anyone talk about how the knee is progressing right so as long as that nice healthy, they can keep them upright. Give them all these weapons keep that running game going. They have a chance to have a shot and a very tough division with the Bengals the Steelers and the browns and it should be a very fun season. And you always hope the best of health not just for him but for guys like Ronnie Stanley and and the rest of them and they can stay upright they have a chance. That is
8Nestor Aparicio 24:09
go outsources here. He will be back here again on Thursday from three to five and again on Sunday morning with the Sunday Sports voice. You can find him at a coach Baltimore for security Boulevard just outside excuse me the beltway. You can also find him out on the front of Baltimore positive.com Usually you and I get together like the after the draft and it’s this pick and that pick and this hope we haven’t said ze flowers yet and we’re 30 minutes into this conversation. They pick football players this weekend’s everybody. The thing about the draft as you sit here and you watch Mel Kiper and Suzy and the NFL and Eisen and then that you know, all this. I miss Mayock, by the way I watch all of this, and I get caught up. I’m like, oh, yeah, short gains running Denver. I forgot about that. Right. Lots of change. Yeah. And it really catches you up on everything over the weekend and you can feel good about being the Ravens when you say we got our quarterback and we’re Gonna be competitive. And then you look at the dregs of the league and say, oh my god, the Texans and the Colts and the Cardinals in the FIFA can’t get out of their own way. They sit there as well. But for the Ravens in the draft, it’s a weird weekend in that this is usually the bounty of players and possibilities. I mean, it’s the smallest class in 2025 years. And it’s also row Quan Smith row Quan Smith and I keep thinking to myself, That’s the guy they wanted to be married to. Right. I mean, you talk about where their second round draft pick and how the draft classes I talked to Luke for 15 minutes about row Quan Smith as though they brought him in yesterday because to some degree, even if they didn’t keep Lamar around and I think there were periods of time where they believe they were gonna live without Lamar and I think they probably honest with you, if they wouldn’t you would ask them six eight months ago whether life would have gone on that row Quan Smith was you know, a force multiplier to steel Eric the cost his line?
Dennis Koulatsos 25:53
You know, there’s no question about that. He has that and then some and they’re very fortunate to have him but you’re right you’re not would have been talking about the draft ad nauseam straight at least half an hour later. You and I haven’t brought it up. But it was a bit underwhelming for Ravens fans, we used to have an a plethora of picks, and just haven’t picked seven six guys. I mean, it’s not a ton to talk about. We can debate this should have taken that receiver in the first round, or perhaps a defensive back with Joey Porter. But that’s neither here or there. That’s wonder under the dam now they decided to go offense first give Lamar Jackson another weapon. And he had to be very happy about that. In fact, he was very happy about that. Then there’s still some some other stories of Patrick clean story still out there and some other things that have to get done some business they have to take care of, but you have to feel good. And one thing I’ll say about the draft Nestor I feel better about the Ravens having Lamar Jackson the quarterback than the Woods had had the Colts had him as quarterback and in ravens selected Anthony Richardson because again, there’s there’s no there really is no there’s no data that can tell you whether metrics is gonna be a great NFL quarterback or not, whether it’s Lamar Jackson, you know you have with them as long as he can stay healthy. He has a difference maker.
Nestor Aparicio 27:06
Well, there’s no question Lamar can do this. But can he do this at the highest level to beat three and four teams and I’m gonna find out we’re gonna find out and we’re also at a time in the game for and Bashaud he would say this of all of his ownership tenure here, and 20 years of doing this, this is the most stack it’s ever been with the best class and group of young quarterbacks from Baroda, Lawrence that an Andrew Luck would be in his prime right now if they didn’t break him in half. Right? What if so, so this group of players that’s there, if Lamar is the third or fourth best, that might not be such an insult, but that won’t be good enough. Maybe Mike maybe once it’ll be good enough,
Dennis Koulatsos 27:51
8but this but if we win one Super Bowl the next five years, I think we’ll all be very happy. And another question big silver Betty and that’s that’s a chance that they’re taken and they have a lot better chance with Lamar Jackson than any of the four quarterbacks, three quarterbacks rather that was selected in the first round.
Nestor Aparicio 28:07
How do you feel about what this is going to do to the Flacco isation of the of the franchise in the roster? I mean, I remember it vividly. I took all the phone calls when Joe got his money and then we don’t we don’t have Anquan Boldin because of that, you’re not going to see and feel that because they brought back a man on the front end, but two years from now if they don’t win this year, don’t win next year when they’re in year three. Yeah, they’re gonna have a diminished field of players and apparently, excuse me Perriman wha but terrible that I say that Bateman can play he’ll get paid somewhere he’ll be a Torrey Smith and have to go somewhere else and get his bag right that that’s where this Lamar thing it’s it’s a it’s it’s nuts and honey right now everybody’s happy and feeding themselves grapes and we’re, we’re all happy, we’re good. But 52 million against the cap 52 million against the cap even though it’s gonna be an emerging capital, the YouTube money Amazon and all that. That’s fine. But that’s 20% of the cap the quarterback, he better be that good. And everybody around him better be that much better. And they’re not going to have Odell Beckham after this year, they’re going to have more like James Brochet or Devin to whoever they draft next year or the year after that. They’re going to have to draft really well around him the next three years offensively.
Dennis Koulatsos 29:24
But Jalen hertz contract was very, very cat friendly the way they did it. And I am curious to see what the breakdown is of the was of the Lamar Jackson contract because hertz the way they structured it, very team friendly, keeps that window open for the Eagles for the next four or five years. Because he got a lot of money up front. So let’s see what the contract looks like the Lamar Jackson to see if there is room for the ravens to attract them to be able to keep that roster together.
Nestor Aparicio 29:51
Well, it’s amazing because you know, what’s the what’s the what’s it going to be? 5068 How much money you get upfront.
8Dennis Koulatsos 30:00
Lamar er hurts Lamar. That I don’t know. I mean, but but hurts. I mean, if you look at the structure that we did together, he gets a six point 1,000,023 13 and 2421 and 25 and 31 and 26. That is a very cat friendly deal. And I don’t know how he Roseman put it together, but the Ravens would have been wise to have copy that contract.
Nestor Aparicio 30:22
I’m sure they will, you know when they cut
Dennis Koulatsos 30:25
leaves Yeah, it leaves room for the team to be competitive which was something I had a difficult time doing under the Joe Flacco era hopefully they learn from that
Nestor Aparicio 30:34
8Dennis go outsources here he’s learning things what’s going on in the car business man it’s so hey, you keep telling me that the trade ins are like up again and go but you have tons of cars right?
Dennis Koulatsos 30:45
We have tons of cars we have tons of brand new vehicles, tons of pre owned vehicles, but we’re looking for more because trading values they’re spiking back up again. So it just like the stock market things get hot things get cold and right now nice late model, low mileage trades are at a premium once again, they’re doing shots at the auction. So I’d rather give our customers that same money at the door than buying auction cars but it’s it’s a scarcity market and use cars are scarce right now. Yes.
Nestor Aparicio 31:13
That’s the issue just not a lot of them.
Dennis Koulatsos 31:16
No because rental companies are buying them at auction they’re paying whatever because they got to happen to put people into hertz or it’s an enterprise and those guys are they’re just paying stupid money they’re paying close to two retail for vehicle that the auction
8Nestor Aparicio 31:29
wow all right. So this is computation
Dennis Koulatsos 31:31
party competition that’s the competition right now man because there’s been a shortage of new vehicles so when you don’t have new vehicles coming to market there’s nothing for you when a car companies to buy and it has to have cars to put customers in and when they buy them at a premium than the guy to charge customers more to make up for it so it’s that’s the rat race with the with a rental car industry right now.
Nestor Aparicio 31:49
Well, I hope you get in there and compete now you don’t have to worry about anymore reading Cuypers books. You don’t have to worry about the Lamar Athan and every customer coming in worrying about Lamar. Now we can just focus on what’s really important. The Orioles
Dennis Koulatsos 32:01
8I’m looking at the 2024 draft alright, what are you talking about? Hey, man, it never ends.
Nestor Aparicio 32:06
We’re nine days out. We’ll get into schedule here too. So yeah, we’re gonna have an NFL schedule next week. West Coast games maybe a Europe game who knows so
Dennis Koulatsos 32:15
all that I hope to Tennessee games in Nashville versus in Europe. Love to go to it to Nashville. All right,
Nestor Aparicio 32:22
I’d love to go to Europe. So hey, you know I’ve been to Nashville before going there. Go
8Dennis Koulatsos 32:25
there anyway, so either way, either way, win a win.
Nestor Aparicio 32:27
All right. By the way my wife wants to know when you’re Greek islands opening up so you know I just throw you that on because you know we spent last week in the most beautiful place in America and sunning ourselves we snuck away a little bit got back and then it’s Go Go Go man from the minute I got that text about Lamar on Thursday. I’m a captain Larry’s and we’re doing crabcakes that is closers will be here on Thursday from three of the five driving you home as well. So it’s Sunday morning, I will be between two and five. On Thursday I’ll be over pitfalls and the oyster and real in the Middle River the land that Dennis closers knows well not quite EBT was more Asterix but I always was over the bridge, s6, Middle River Kenwood Chesapeake all seem to me. I love you all. You’re crazy because on the other side of the bridge, it’s all brought to you by the Maryland lottery to friends with their nation. 866 90 nation you buy two you get two free five years 0% financing. I know Dennis has some cars with 0% financing too. So we’re getting into that game as well. And we got the Preakness being run a couple of weeks from now. It is a great time to be alive at some point in a warm up around here. I promise. We’re gonna warm things up. We are wn SDA and 1570 Towson Baltimore and we never stop talking Baltimore positive
