Luke Jones and Nestor recap the Ravensโ unusually small draft class and discuss whatโs next for general manager Eric DeCosta in building a roster for September.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
draft, teams, talking, ravens, marcus peters, lamar, year, corner, quarterback, play, baltimore, afc, point, offseason, mentioned, feel, bengals, lamar jackson, signs, rookie
SPEAKERS
Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
What about W en st Towson, Baltimore and Baltimore positive we are positively into a beautiful spring week. Lamar Jackson sign. The Orioles are playing great baseball. Luke Jones is here to monitor and the Chronicle all things at a Baltimore positive you can follow his work at Baltimore, Luke. And of course if thereโs any breaking news as there was last week, get plenty of it. Youโll get it first on the wn s. T tech service brought to you by Coons, Baltimore Ford, look whatโs going on, man, you gotta come out of crabcake with me at some point now that the Lamar watch is all over with maybe over MC falls on Thursday get I got a lottery ticket for you to come by.
Luke Jones 00:38
But that sounds great. Weโve talked about this so much. And weโll continue to talk about it cuz you and I have differences of opinions of Lamar and all that. And thatโs fine. It makes for interesting radio. But can I just say and I know I echoed this when we first talked about the reaction to the contract. I am glad itโs over. I mean, this, I mentioned in a previous segment, the dark cloud that was just hanging over the entire organization, the entire fan base. I think it just gotten to the point where just wasnโt healthy. Everyone felt the way they felt about it. And I didnโt feel like after a while anyoneโs opinion was really changing. But I think the one thing that everyone could agree with, at a certain point in time was, can we have a resolution, whether thatโs Lamar getting a big contract, whether thatโs Lamar getting traded what you know, signed to an offer sheet elsewhere, whatever it is, I think everyone was ready to move on from that part of the conversation. And now, the focus, the Attention now shifts back onto the field, not just with Lamar Jackson, but with the 2023 Baltimore Ravens who completed a six man draft class and not the sexiest of draft classes beyond as a flowers in the first round, which a wide receiver is almost always a new shiny toy. And I think thereโs some very easy comparisons to be made to Hollywood Brown, but I think they flowers, five foot nine 185, little more toughness, little more physicality little more willing to mix it up and get yards after the catch maybe the marquis Brown was but you look at the rest of the draft class. Clearly a focus on the future, as is usually the case when youโre talking about later round picks. But I think if youโre the ravens, I know you mentioned this in a previous segment. Itโs kind of by default, youโre just gonna say you feel like he got better, because while you added players that you didnโt have anymore, right, even if the players arenโt very good, typically, youโre not going to get worse by doing that. But I think for the ravens, They felt like it was a very productive weekend. And it was very telling Eric to caster after the draft had concluded on Saturday, late Saturday afternoon into the early evening. He acknowledged theyโre tired, but he said it was a good tired. And I think most of that context, obviously the Lamar situation. But we also know that these draft classes, these draft halls that these picks that they make, itโs at least a year, if not for some of these guys a couple years in the making. So thereโs a lot of work a lot of boots on the ground, lot of sweat equity that goes into these picks. And you know that of the six players that they took, certainly theyโre not going to go six for six. It never goes quite that well. But youโre hoping that you came away with at least a few guys that are going to help your team to varying degrees over the next few years.
Nestor Aparicio 03:31
Well, yeah, we could sit here and talk about day two and day three picks and how that affects the team and guys run in special teams and you know, heck this week, Iโve got a young man from Dundalk thatโs going to camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So you know thereโs a dream for all of these guys. But the reality for the Ravens at cornerback and the reality for them at linebacker which weโve discussed that thereโs an abundance. We talked about the Orioles having too many infielders, and, you know, never enough pitching even though it feels like they have enough pitching right now, the back end, which was your complaint for a long, long time. I remember way back when when all you did was pitch about secondary in the offseason and Ozzie Newsome and all that, that there needs to be a veteran signing that they would have maybe gone with corner at 22 Instead of wide receiver. I donโt know if we were shocked on the other side of Odell Beckham and I donโt, heโs not long term. We sort of know that based on what heโd want to be compensated especially if he does pan out this year. And they win that Super Bowl that Lamar has talked about and promised so but for the back end and for the defense and for what theyโve done offensively now, which is this deep, rich wide receiver room with all of these guys are going to make you forget about James Brochet and Devin DuVernay and a Thailand Wallis and all the rest of these guys that John had to sort of remember on no cards as he was going through to make sure he didnโt offend anybody. But the secondary in that room right now what Mark is Peter Whatโs gonna happen here?
Luke Jones 05:01
Yeah, I think thatโs whatโs gonna be interesting. And even as someone is listening to us talk about this keep in mind, we are now at the point where we are passing the deadline for the compensatory pick formula. That wouldnโt factor in from Marcus Peters, of course, because he was was a raven. So itโs not as though theyโve theyโre worried about losing comp pick, you know, the compensation part of this. But for someone like Iraq Eocene, who was someone that they visited with earlier, in the free agent process, anyone that was an unrestricted free agent, you get to the Monday after the draft, you get to the 4pm deadline, they no longer count against a compensatory pick formula. We know if we know anything about the ravens, we know they love compensatory picks, I mean, thatโs evident over the course of their entire history, and where they rank in terms of comp picks over the years. But I think thatโs, thatโs significant because they clearly need to bring in at least one veteran corner, if not a couple. And keep in mind that could also be done via trade. We already mentioned just spitballing the idea of is there a Patrick Queen for some other teams slot corner kind of deal out there. And again, I donโt know that Iโm just throwing it out there as a talking point, but they clearly need to add there. You look at the roster. Offensively, it looks pretty set, theyโve got to figure out left guard, but theyโve got Ben Cleveland, theyโve got a couple other internal candidates, you know, not saying necessarily the sixth round rookie whose name Iโm still scared to try to pronounce over the air at this point. But they have candidates there and theyโre typically youโll find some veterans out there that if push comes to shove, you can kind of patchwork that together and get by especially having Ronnie Stanley to the left guards left and Tyler Lindenbaum to his right. So offensively, theyโre pretty much set right? Theyโve got work to do. You gotta install new offense got to have Lamar Jackson come in and build rapport with Odell Beckham and ze flowers but you feel good about that defensive line? Well, thereโs certainly some questions long term. You know, when you look at the contract status of Justin Matta, BK Broderick, Washington, you look at the age of a Michael Pierce of a brand urban. Theyโre pretty much in place on the D line. Youโd love to see a couple young guys step forward. That could be pieces for the future. But youโre youโre good there for 2023 Even if itโs not a great group, I think itโs solid at the very least, inside linebacker, you know, weโve already talked about Patrick crane. Weโll see how that plays out. But you have row Quan Smith there, I think even if itโs the rookie Trenton Simpson next to row Quan, I think thereโll be okay there you Pedro Quan Smith $100 million to be okay there and I think they will be edge rusher. I mean, they added TBS Robinson, you know, you still have high expectations for adopt AOA, who I think at this point, you know, heโs kind of under the microscope this year this year three needs to start living up to the hype. David Jabo fully healthy offseason I think theyโre expecting big things from him. You have Tyus Bowser. But is there a Justin Houston reunion? Oh, on the horizon. I think thatโs a distinct possibility. And maybe that comes over the summer like it did last couple years. But you look at corner right now. Marlon Hopper you feel great about right three time Pro Bowl corner. Heโs your number one, no question about it. And even his versatility knowing he can play on the outside, or you can move them inside to play the nickel in certain spots, depending on the matchup, any given week. But beyond that, I look at where they are. And with no disrespect to KU blue Kelly, who they drafted in the fifth round out of Stanford a four year starter. Its father played in the NFL, a nice pedigree, but heโs a fifth round pick. Youโre certainly not looking at him as someone youโre targeting the play as a rookie, other than just on special teams. So you Who is it right now on paper without a veteran or two being added to the mix? I mean, yeah, Brandon Stevens whoโs done some nice things. But are you ready to make him your number two corner? I thatโs thatโs a step a little too far for me you.
Nestor Aparicio 09:06
Are you ready to make Marcus Peters your number two corner and what price? Do you think he can still play? Do they think he can still play? Is he done being an earner in that sort of Jimmy Smith way where heโll hang on, you know, on Moxie and certainly a dog? I mean, as he loves him. I mean, like they love him. Like, if thereโs a place for him to play in the league at a fair price, because nobodyโs gonna pay him $10 million a year. Right? They saw the tape. But how do you feel about him? Does that does that feel locked down if they bring him back at 4 million because that where are we you know, whatever the number is that they can afford? Is he the answer?
Luke Jones 09:42
Well, first of all, they should be able to afford a reasonable deal at this point. We need to see the Lamar contract structure, but the assumption is theyโve cleared some cap space compared to what what he would have been at 32.4 Because you look at these deals typically year one, they are pretty forgiving in terms of the cap number so financially cap cap structure wise they should be okay to to make move. Okay? If youโre talking about Marcus Peters signing him to a long term deal or anything like that Iโd be uncomfortable. But if youโre talking about him in a 2023 light I donโt think while there was some drop off last year, I donโt think he played so poorly that youโre looking at him as a liability or a guy thatโs not still a starting caliber corner in this league. So I would absolutely be open to that now rock Eocene would be someone thatโs a little bit younger. Never the the caliber of player of Marcus Peters in his prime, but certainly someone that you would sign and would say, Okay, itโs gonna be a starting corner for you. So well,
Nestor Aparicio 10:48
Esther slay and how that might have worked out right, like right off the off season Purple Rain three, if Iโm writing it is, thatโs how close they were to spending a lot of money. Thatโs how important that position felt to them six weeks ago, right that they were going to spend a lot of money and make a splash. And instead they wanted them to spend the night on a wide receiver. Really? Thatโs what happened with the money for this year.
Luke Jones 11:11
No, I agree with you. I think if they had signed Darius slay then yeah, I donโt think Odell Beckham would be Raven right now. Probably not. At least not at 15 for $15 million. So
Nestor Aparicio 11:23
and then maybe Jackson wouldnโt be a raven, maybe? Maybe? I donโt know. Right. At 5 million. I think Lamar was gonna come in either way.
Luke Jones 11:30
Yeah, and Iโll still Iโll still maintain that. I think the Jalen hertz deal was way more influential on getting this done than signing Odell Beckham and Beckham may have warmed up the temperature a little bit. But I still think it comes back to the Hertz steel and theyโre just being that the price point from
Nestor Aparicio 11:46
a football team standpoint, they offered the money to slay they were ready to go. So like according to him, right. So at the end of the day, the they prioritize when they got together with Jupiter with Steve and smoke cigars and had lemonade out on the deck. They the priority was, letโs go get the corner. Letโs take care of that. We donโt be a Marcus, weโre done with him. Weโre gonna do this. And then the kid turn them down. And that turned into this. I mean, it really is. That That seems to me, I donโt have the narrative wrong.
Luke Jones 12:18
Well, first of all, Darius Leigh is not a kid, heโs actually sex a little older than Marcus Peters. So, so thatโs part of where he maybe you take a little bit of pause anyway. But he was with the eagle, he was still with the Eagles, right? I mean, he never actually got released, it was just one of those cases where, you know, that player is kind of in that limbo, where might get traded, and you kind of see how itโs gonna play out. And they talked to some other teams. Again, this is according to him, the Ravens have never commented on that, because that would technically be tampering, you know, from a legal standpoint as it pertains to the league. But, you know, I donโt think it was even necessarily like, Oh, weโre gonna go get him because they couldnโt have known that because he wasnโt a scheduled free agent, you know, that was going to be a cap related move. But obviously, Philadelphia ultimately worked it out and slay stayed put, but, you know, youโre always, you know, what, when they meet down down in Florida, and they have their summit in January, youโre mapping out different paths, right? Itโs just like GPS, you want to get to a death destination, which is a Super Bowl, right, or AFC Championship, whatever it is, however you want to categorize it, but, or characterize it, but you have different paths, right? You can upgrade your offense, you can have an amazing defense. But I think whatโs obvious, and was still obvious going into the draft. And thatโs where I think it was kind of telling to me that even in the third and fourth round, when there had been some names of interest at the quarterback position in the draft class that fell down the board a little bit, at least compared to what draft pundits thought that they didnโt go after those players probably tells you what they thought about this corner draft class collectively. And itโs not to say they didnโt like Deonte banks or guys that were drafted in the first round, but they like say flowers, they really like say flowers. So, but thatโs where you come back to understanding how the rules work, understanding the post draft, May 1 deadline for the compensatory pick formula. Keep in mind just a couple years ago, Iโm not saying it worked out nicely but 100 Villanova fit that category. They signed him after the draft and they did not have to give up the comp pic in order to do that. So, you know, do they have a handshake agreement in place for a raucous scene? Well, weโll find out here pretty quickly, or we should anyway.
Nestor Aparicio 14:38
The fact that they didnโt draft a corner like if youโre just you know, Joe, back corner of the bar, youโre yelling corner corner, but your mind they have a solution.
Luke Jones 14:51
They think they have a solution right now, does that mean itโs guaranteed to work out? Sure. But my point is, I would be I would be stunned. If They are not bringing in at least one veteran cornerback of note whether itโs a handshake agreement with Marcus Peters and keep in mind until Lamar actually signs physically signs the deal, their cap, theyโre still kind of in flux in terms of their cap as far as where they stand right now. So keep just thatโs just something to keep in mind here at least over the next week or two, until he physically comes in and signs the deal on its, quote unquote official. So, but that said, handshake agreement in place with a Marcus Peters or a rock Eocene or some other corner thatโs out there. Iโd be stunned. Iโd be shocked if weโre talking about mandatory minicamp. So Iโm not even talking training camp just mid June. Iโd be shocked if weโre at that point. And Brandon Stevens and Marion Williams are there number two and number three corners? You know, lining up? So I think youโre gonna see something again, do I know what it is exactly at this point? No. Does it mean that the quarterback position could be a little bit of a question mark, because again, you are talking about Marcus Peters being another year older or bringing someone else in? Thatโs not an all pro kind of corner. So weโll see how that plays out. But itโs definitely thatโs clearly the big position right? Now, if youโre gonna say, if youโre gonna ask me, Luke, whatโs the big position on either side of the football that right now could really harm their chances of being a serious contender. There are a few ways for a season to unravel more quickly than having issues at the cornerback spot. So thatโs where again, Iโm making the assumption that thereโs some contingency plans here in place, maybe not even contingency maybe it kind of morphed into what their plan was even just a few weeks ago. And then weโre gonna wait after the draft and kind of see how it played out and then revisit a Marcus Peters or a raucous scene or someone like that.
Nestor Aparicio 16:47
Luke Jones is here he is Baltimore Luke monitoring all things Orioles this week or it was in Kansas City, and of course Atlanta, weโre gonna be at MC falls oyster in real doing the crab cake tour in Middle River on Thursday afternoon, just got a confirmation that washed up sitting back on his rocking chair, head coach Pete Kurinji is going to be coming over after his retirement soiree with the heavy hors dโoeuvres on Saturday night over Kaysville. So while we have word that Peteโs gonna be joining us on Thursday, as well, so weโre looking forward to that. Weโll be giving away scratch offs in Maryland pizza to get one of these now heโs retired, heโs gonna need it. So hopefully he wins $10,000 The throwback for the mayor of the lottery, done scratch offs and the crabcake tour. We got dates ahead on the 12th and 19th. Heading into the Preakness. Weโre going to be all over town. Weโre up in Bel Air on the 23rd a lot of things happening locally here all month long, but nothing more important than the football team that doesnโt play for six months after the baseball teams are on fire. Iโm gonna show this to you. Okay, letโs I donโt want to do next week show this week. Okay, because weโll have next week to talk about this. But big picture for you from where you were. Five days ago, seven days ago Lamar and flux draft all this. What are we going to do even where Odell Beckham came into this two weeks ago? If they sign rocky scene or quarterback X, respectable, serviceable second quarterback for X million dollars and they get their cap and Lamar signs and they take pictures and tweeted all out and do all that. Where do you feel they are? Give me your Las Vegas scenario for where they are in the hierarchy of Bengals Steelers having a good draft Browns lurking chiefs are still the best team. The bills are still the bills. Justin Herbert had more than anything. Aaron Rodgers is playing up in the swamp now, like Bella checks a mess. Like Iโm trying to figure out their path to the Super Bowl. Now that theyโve spent the money they have the quarterback they have the players they want. Youโre more bullish on them than I am as a Super Bowl contender because Iโve seen the other quarterbacks in the other teams. I certainly think theyโre a better football team today than they were a week ago.
Luke Jones 19:02
Well, I mean, they are because they know Lamar Jackson is gonna be their quarterback compared to unnamed rookie. Right or unnamed veteran acquisition. So
Nestor Aparicio 19:11
that drama with angry Lamar playing for 32 million. Yeah,
Luke Jones 19:15
right. And we even we even mentioned that X factor that, you know, just the idea that no one has to answer questions about that anymore. Other than how happy are you that Lamar is back and heโs gonna be your quarterback the next five years. So Iโll say this much. Look, itโs a loaded AFC. And thatโs the case for everyone. But the only team that that shrugs their shoulders at that notion is who Kansas City because theyโve done it, and theyโve done it multiple times. Now, theyโre the new patriots. Right? And that doesnโt mean that theyโre going to do it for 20 years, the way the Patriots did, but theyโre that team, theyโre the team that everyone else is looking at up out and chasing. Thatโs just reality now, but I will say this much. I think the ravens are a divisional round team, and then weโll see what happens after that. You know, I mean, it really does come down to at that point not too This Lamar Jackson, but everyone, all those names weโve mentioned, guys that have not broken through everyone on this roster Now, other than Justin Tucker, who was a rookie when the Ravens last won the Super Bowl and last made it to an AFC Championship game. But my point is, I think theyโre a top four team in the AFC. Now, Iโm not ready to say theyโre one. Iโm not ready to say theyโre two. And Iโm probably not ready to say theyโre three although I think theyโre neck and neck with the Bengals. You know, I donโt think the Bengals even if theyโre better than them, I think itโs by a little bit now. So it comes down to you get to that weekend, and you need to break through? And do they have the ability to do that. I think on paper, there are compelling reasons to think that could happen specifically with the offense and a bigger emphasis on the passing game than weโve seen in years past. But theyโre still, theyโre still going to run the ball, theyโre still gonna be about their offensive line, theyโre still going to be about their defense. You know, Mike McDonald, had this defense playing far better football in the second half last year than it did over the first half of the season. In row Quan Smith being a big part of that. So I think all the elements are there to put them right up there as as having a chance and getting to the second weekend of the playoffs. And you see what happens after that. And you know, that might sound a little wishy washy, but you know, am I gonna sit here and say that I think theyโre the favorite to win the Superbowl. And I think theyโre absolutely the best team in the AFC No, do I think that they have the potential that they could be in that position by yearโs end? Yeah, I do. So ultimately, and weโve seen this play out 2020, after on the heels of 2019, lots of people thought they were gonna win the Superbowl because they were so amazing the previous year. And they were bringing just about everyone back other than what Marshall yonder. And we saw what happened, you know, like, it was COVID, it was weird. And, you know, they had some injuries, and, you know, they got eliminated in the second round. And then 2021 All hell broke loose in terms of the injuries. And, you know, they still havenโt fully recovered from that when you really think about it. So itโs tough. And as much as we all want to believe that you have your full destiny in your own hands, you know, for lack of a better description of it. Thereโs a lot of luck involved. And there are a lot of variables at work that you know, your schedule, what happens at the, how an injured or how healthy are the other teams when youโre playing them who plays whom, when I mean, thereโs a lot of factors that work there. And so I think to in the AFC as its presently constructed, as you mentioned, with all the additions and Aaron Rodgers now in New York, and you have to what comes back healthy. Keep in mind, the dolphins are pretty darn good when he was healthy and upright and playing. You know, youโve got eight nine teams in the AFC that. I wouldnโt say theyโre all serious Super Bowl contenders. But I think theyโre all teams that right now can envision a somewhat realistic path to at least getting to the conference championship game. And thatโs usually not the case. Normally, youโre saying that about four, maybe five teams. So itโs going to be really tough, and a lot of itโs going to come down to health and schedule and timing and all those different things. But I think the Ravens have acquitted themselves well with what theyโve been able to do specifically in the month of April, starting with getting your quarterback under contract and putting that story to bed. And you know, theyโve augmented, theyโll, they need to do that at corner still. So but I see them as being a top four team in the AFC and then youโre gonna have to see what happens. Iโm not gonna go against the Chiefs until someone definitively and Iโm not talking about the Bengals doing it once, but Iโm talking about someone definitively over overtaking them, so that the Chiefs remain the team to beat in the AFC. But I think the ravens are right there with, you know, that next tier that saw all trying to be the next team to get to the Super Bowl out of the conference.
Nestor Aparicio 24:02
One thing I will say over the weekend and I sort of screwed on watch too much NFL Network Friday and probably too much ESPN on Saturday and Sunday, quite frankly, because going back and forth. You canโt get a little mesmerized by all this but going from one city to another from one franchise to another from one hopeless awful franchise all these Houston Texans draft at the top and Carolina and new owners and a browns and your other versions of the Browns around the league these bad teams. I never feel that way in regard to the Ravens but certainly this last six months is been choppy waters for the franchise to try to get to where they are. And then you look around the league and you see these teams that donโt have a prayer. And then you see other teams that are sort of coming on in some way with whatever the new thing is whether itโs in Jacksonville where they start to believe a little bit in Tennessee where they draft a quarterback later Weโre in feel like Indianapolis and all these sort of underbelly teams that are on this, some of these teams are on the schedule. I saw the schedule the other day, but my schedule is 10 days out. So we might want to mention that. And I looked at the, the Ravens play on the West Coast three times, they might get along the game, they might not because they have a couple of teams that are in that popcorn machine and maybe get that, but they have a soft dish kind of schedule against some of the really bad teams that could help them out. But I donโt know that thereโs easy weeks anymore in a lot of places here where weโre talking about the lions being okay, and the jets being okay. And some of the teams that have been real drags, maybe maybe making a step up a little bit this year and wondering where those teams are in the 32. And wondering where the dreamers are, because to your point, Ken said, heโs not going to win every year. But But where is that step up team? Whereโs that step up Francis, who were looking at the schedule and thinking theyโre a cupcake, and theyโre gonna be a lot harder to beat in the year. And in doing that over the weekend, and looking at whoโs leading teams? And whereโs Frank right coaching now and whoโs whoโs the quarterback there? And whereโs that coordinator go? Itโs a time of, of hope and a lot of places. And I think it is great that we have hope here. But this isnโt one of the bad places weโve seen that but there are other places where theyโre working hard and some places where theyโre trying to step up i i find it weird that the talking about the lions being a contender thatโs weird.
Luke Jones 26:23
Yeah, I mean, certainly I mean, we saw Jacksonville do what they did last year even with the comeback in the first round and whatnot. So Cincinnatiโs like
Nestor Aparicio 26:33
the guy seeing the division, like I heard Steelers, people, the ish talking the Bengals and Iโm thinking, you donโt hate us anymore. Whatโs wrong?
Luke Jones 26:42
Yeah, I mean, and you just mentioned it. I mean, Steelers, browns, I mean, I still think theyโre a step behind the the Bengals and the Ravens in terms of duking it out for the division. But the point is, itโs really competitive AFC. And, you know, Iโll go back to you and I arguing about Lamar, and you know, Iโll bring up his regular season record, and youโd say, you donโt care. I mean, for me, at this point, unless youโre going to be the number one seed, getting the dance, and then itโs time to go, right. I mean, whether youโre playing on the road, what stadium what the weather is, whatever, itโs time to go. And I think the ravens are, again, that team that is fully capable of getting to the divisional round, and then weโll see what happens after that. I mean, itโs a loaded AFC, you know, you mentioned Trevor Lawrence, or youโve mentioned Aaron Rodgers, how about the fact you have Sean Payton, in Denver? Now with Russell Wilson? I mean, look, Russell Wilson was a disaster last year, am I ready to say heโs totally done? Not yet. Iโm not saying theyโre a top three or four team in the conference. But there might be something there to revitalize him a little bit. So youโve got a lot of teams and a lot of quality quarterbacks in this conference. So to sit here and try to say on May 1, or may 15, through June 1. If I think the ravens are winning the Super Bowl, itโs, you know, thatโs a tough ask to try to look into the crystal ball at that point in time, because you still have Kansas City at the top of the mountain. But I do think the Ravens have done well for themselves. And again, like you said, After these months of choppy waters, and letโs just face it, it was just a bad vibe all the way around, you know, not even talking about press conferences or anything like or lumbars tweets or anything like that. Just talking about just how it felt it was a lousy feeling. This was not a fun start to the offseason whatsoever. And that all changed just a few hours before the draft started when the news trickled out that Lamar had come to terms with the ravens, I think it you know, it completely changed our offseason, it changed the the tone of the draft. And not not that it was this world changing kind of draft, but I think they feel solid and good about what the what they were able to accomplish. And now you get into spring workouts and you assume youโre gonna see your quarterback there. I think we will see Lamar there for OTAs I donโt, itโd be a terrible look if he wasnโt, you know, so I fully expect to see him there. And it will get back to much more of a business as usual. From a football standpoint. And team, this quarterback, this team has a lot to prove in terms of not regular season, weโre beyond that. Thatโs why even talking about the schedule, itโs like play well enough to make the playoffs right. And then after that, thatโs when your legacy really starts to be defined and, and thatโs where they are at this point. Theyโre entering year six of the Lamar Jackson era. I mean, they made it to the playoffs four out of five years. And thatโs, thatโs an accomplishment. So your point, talked about some of the have nots over the course of draft weekend and seeing how many of these teams are back at it, drafting a quarterback and whatnot. But itโs go time, it really is for them. So I think they have a chance absolutely to be one of the top four teams in the conference and then hey, you gotta go do it. Whether itโs go into buffalo or go into Kansas City or go into since Cincinnati or one of those teams come in here. Itโs go time. You want to be a champion you got to go out and win games in January and to this point, theyโve struggled to do that. This current era of ravens football
Nestor Aparicio 30:15
10 days out on the schedule release in the Ravens have nine home games this year. Weโre gonna be doing the Maryland crab cake tour at MC falls oyster and real on Thursday and Middle River weโre getting ready for everything all the brought to you by our friends and when the nation 866 90 nation the way to reach them you buy two you get two free to get five years 0% financing our friends at the Maryland lottery have given me these instant lottery scratch offs Iโll be giving away at MC falls this week. Weโre going to be the local up in Bel Air later on in the month. Weโre gonna be moving around the city. I got a downtown location targeted for the 12 we have Preakness in town this month. We have the Orioles with full relevance. It is the first offseason where we just donโt have to talk football, football, football, football, more football, and just waiting on football because we have baseball tonight and tomorrow night and the next day and the next day. And Luke will be there to monitor all that he is Baltimore Lukey follow him out on the Instagram and on on the interwebs and Twitter if thereโs any breaking news, youโll get first on the WSD tech service brought to you by our friends at coons Baltimore for I get a little ROFO coffee in my coal roofing mug here today a little pep in my step. Itโs been a great weekend. At some point the weather will come along and I wonโt be fall any longer in May. Weโll have some baseball around here but good tidings and better vibes. It truly is a Baltimore positive version of Baltimore positive on Nestor. Heโs Luke we are WNS TA in 1570, Towson Baltimore. And we never stop talking Baltimore sports and Baltimore positive here in the spring.