Perhaps Ozzie Newsome will be filled with emotion and just a bit of sadness in the weeks ahead as he prepares for his final NFL draft as general manager of the Baltimore Ravens.
For now Jaylon Smith Jersey , however, he won’t allow his mind to be cluttered with thoughts other than landing the very best players the college game has to offer.
”It’s all about the preparation and it’s all about who is the player that we’re going to take with that first-round pick – if we pick in the first round,” Newsome said Wednesday.
Newsome – the only GM the Ravens have ever had – will step down after the upcoming season. He’s been overseeing the draft since 1996, and now he’s got one more chance to garner some talent for a team that has won two Super Bowls under his watch.
It’s the end of an era, one that started when Art Modell brought his Cleveland Browns to Baltimore and put Newsome in charge of building a winner.
”I really haven’t thought about that. I’ve been more just preparing for this draft,” Newsome insisted. ”What’s going to occur a year from now is not in my thought process. It’s just making this the best draft that we can this year. That’s what’s been my focus.”
Newsome spoke while sitting at a table with his successor-in-waiting, assistant GM Eric DeCosta, head coach John Harbaugh and director of college scouting Joe Hortiz.
Behind the foursome was a montage of many of Newsome’s greatest picks, including Hall of Famers Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis as well as Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Joe Flacco.
Recently, though, there have been a few misfires – most notably receiver Breshad Perriman at No. 26 in 2015 Marcell Dareus Jersey , tight end Maxx Williams at No. 55 that same season and safety Matt Elam at No. 32 in 2013.
That’s one big reason why the Ravens haven’t made the playoffs over three straight seasons, and why Newsome doesn’t have time for nostalgia as he nears the April 26-28 draft armed with the 16th overall pick.
”When we were having success, we were getting all the credit,” Newsome said. ”When we’re not having success, we take all the blame. It falls right on me.”
The 62-year-old Newsome will stay on board after this season as an adviser, according to owner Steve Bisciotti.
DeCosta, 46, has been waiting to take over for years now. He spurned several offers from other teams along the way, and Bisciotti finally decided that it was time to make the switch.
DeCosta, like Newsome, has no time to think about the ramifications of the transition.
”That’s still in the future. Honestly, the best thing I can do is take care of today and this process Jeremy Vujnovich Jersey , this draft, for the future,” DeCosta said. ”We’re really focused on this. We’ve got an opportunity here to really fix our team, which we need to do.
”This draft has a lot of significance, not because it’s Ozzie’s last draft, but because it’s the draft that we have right now. We’ve got a great opportunity. We don’t want to blow it.”
As a player, Newsome was a Hall of Fame tight end with the Browns. Since 1996, he’s gotten a thrill out of choosing from the best college talent in the world.
”From the very first draft, I had the same anticipation, and the same butterflies, that I did when I walked out the tunnel to play my first NFL game,” Newsome said. ”All the work is done Giovani Bernard Jersey , and then you have this moment where you have to pull the trigger, you have to perform.”
Next year, it will be DeCosta’s turn – with help from his mentor.
”Over the last 22 years, probably the most rewarding thing has been working with Ozzie, and I don’t see that changing,” DeCosta said. ”We’re a family. We want to win. I’ve got probably the best GM in the history of football – at least one of the top five – and I hope he always stays.”
—
The Los Angeles Chargers signed tight end Virgil Green to a three-year contract and kept safety Adrian Phillips with a one-year deal on Wednesday.
The team also extended tenders to receiver Tyrell Williams and defensive end Chris McCain.
Green spent the last seven seasons with the Denver Broncos, starting all 16 games last year and winning a Super Bowl ring in February 2016. While largely serving as a blocker, the Tulare, California, native also has 71 career receptions for 807 yards and four touchdowns.
The Chargers haven't announced publicly whether they will bring back 37-year-old tight end Antonio Gates, who hopes to extend his record-setting career for at least another season.
Phillips played a key role in his fourth season with the Chargers, starting four games and making two interceptions with 47 tackles. He played extensively down the stretch while Los Angeles rallied to a 9-7 finish.
Williams started 15 games for the Chargers last season Marcus Peters Jersey , catching 43 passes for 728 yards. The former undrafted free agent had a standout season in San Diego in 2016, catching 69 passes for 1,059 yards and seven scores.
Williams was tendered at the second-round level, which means he would make $2.941 million next season. The Chargers have the right to match any deal offered by another club to Williams or McCain.
Williams could be attractive to teams seeking to acquire a receiver from the Chargers, who already have Pro Bowl star Keenan Allen, first-round pick Mike Williams and dependable veteran Travis Benjamin returning to one of the NFL's best passing offenses next season.
McCain got increased playing time in his second NFL season, recording five sacks and 20 tackles.
Authentic Womens Jihad Ward Jersey ,
