Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta met with reporters this week and covered a wide range of topics facing the organization. Here are five things that stood out.
1. Lamar Jackson's contract is still unresolved, but DeCosta says a deal is a priority
Asked how optimistic he is about reaching a new agreement with Jackson before the cap number balloons next year, DeCosta didn't hesitate. "I would say I am optimistic," he said, before reiterating the point when pressed for more. "I think I am optimistic. I feel good about it." He declined to get into specifics of where talks stand, citing an understanding he has directly with his quarterback. "I really do not want to get into the details. I am not going to talk about it specifically. I think Lamar and I have a pact. As you all know, I have said it probably 50 times — we are not going to talk about business publicly. It is a different type of negotiation, because it is a different type of negotiation with Lamar." He confirmed the front office wants to move quickly. "We would love to get a deal done as soon as possible."
DeCosta also addressed how the broader trend of rising guarantees across the league factors into how Baltimore approaches contracts. "I think the market is the market, right? You see deals that come in, and then that becomes the norm, and that becomes the market," he said. "We try to compensate our players, our best players, as well as we can... we try to be fair plus with our players, and I think over time we have proven that for the most part." He pointed to Zay Flowers' recent extension as an example, noting the front office used comparable deals like Drake London's and Chris Olave's to help set the framework. Asked whether the lingering uncertainty risks becoming a season-long distraction, DeCosta was matter-of-fact. "We have dealt with that distraction before. There is only so much we can do."
2. Jesse Minter is rarely in his office
DeCosta offered a lighter, more personal observation about how first-year head coach Jesse Minter is balancing his new job with his previous role calling defensive plays. "Watching Jesse bounce around like he does is really super impressive," DeCosta said. "Because Jesse is coaching defense, he is always with the defense. He is always with the defensive coaches, he is always with the defensive players. So I do not really see him in his office much." He drew a contrast with former head coach John Harbaugh, who DeCosta said he'd frequently run into in the hallway or find working in his office. Of Minter's own space, DeCosta joked, "We spent a lot of money on his office, and I do not know why, because he is never up there anyway to enjoy it." He said he plans to watch the dynamic play out more closely once he starts attending practices in person again as the weather cools down.
3. Other teams called about trading for Joe Fagnano — and Baltimore said no
DeCosta confirmed that Baltimore fielded real trade interest in undrafted rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano before ultimately deciding to keep him on the 53-man roster. "We got a lot of calls from other teams, and a lot of people asked about him, and I honestly had trade offers for him," DeCosta said. "Maybe it is like, just the fact that people wanted to trade for him, I am like, 'Maybe we should just keep him?'" He credited Fagnano's poise in high-pressure moments during the preseason, including a joint practice week in Minnesota where he barely saw first-team reps against a tough defense before playing well in the actual game. "He just played really well under duress, versus pressure," DeCosta said, calling him the "Cinderella man" of camp. He noted that the corresponding roster casualty, a player who lost his own spot because of Fagnano, ended up sticking with Baltimore's practice squad. "I think it is kind of a win-win in that way."
4. There's no timeline yet on the Rashod Bateman situation
DeCosta was asked whether the club has prepared for the possibility of playing part of the season without Bateman while the NFL reviews his legal situation. He confirmed Baltimore self-reported the matter and has been in contact with the league throughout its investigation. "We contacted the league right away. We spoke to the league. The league has been doing an investigation, as well as, I suppose, the authorities," DeCosta said. "We just really kind of sit back and wait for the league and for the authorities to kind of tell us what is going on. We have no indication how long that is going to take." He expressed confidence in the receiver room regardless of the outcome, calling it a group with real playmaking ability even without Bateman available.
5. The front office felt it needed kicking insurance
DeCosta explained the decision to add veteran kicker Jake Moody to the practice squad, a move that came not long after Tyler Loop struggled again in the preseason finale. "We have got to make kicks," DeCosta said, framing the addition as competition rather than a referendum on Loop specifically. "It gives us a fresh set of legs to look at, evaluate, compare, see how it all works out. In the end, it is a performance business, right? It starts with me. We have got to do our job." He said the front office wants real competition at every position, kicker included, and that recent preseason results made it a reasonable time to add another option. "Looking at it this preseason, we decided it was probably worthwhile to bring somebody else in to see how they look."