ERIC DECOSTA: “Joe [Flacco] is primed for a big year”

[TL24x7]

The Baltimore Ravens will official kickoff the start of their 2013 season when training camp commences this Thursday.

Since the team last took the field, much has changed. To help us take a look back at the championship season that was, provide insight into the rationale behind the changes that were made and take a look ahead I reached out to the Ravens’ Assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta.

Here’s Part I of a two-part interview

[Rxdoxx]

Thanks Tony

Some of our best discussions are held late into the night after the second day of the draft with the scouts and Steve. I think that’s one reason, without going into specifics, that we have been able to find some nice contributors in rounds five through seven over the past five drafts.

Something hit me as I read this.... saying to myself, yep out 5th round picks have seemed really good, 2011 Doss 4 vs Chykie/McPhee in 5th
2010 Pitta 4 vs Reed/Arthur Jones in 5
2012 Gino/Christian Thompson 4th vs Asa Jackson 5

Plus, we have some confidence in Tandon [Doss], David [Reed], and Deonte [Thompson] based on what we have seen in practice. My experience is that someone will emerge.

And that is a winning approach, assemble the best you can, avoid the Terry AllenS having to step in for the Jamal LewisS.... next man up has seemed to work well in the past few years, and that statement by Eric "My experience is that someone will emerge" is undergirded by his and others constant work/vigilance

[lobachevsky]

I reached out to the Ravens’ Assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta--

"and he slapped my hands away, saying, 'What kind of guy do you think I am?'" :D

(JK--it should be common knowledge by now that I can't resist an inadvertent straight line...)

Good stuff while we fidget....

[Doctor]

I love DeCosta. I always feel like he's really being a straight shooter (even while he refrains from giving too much away regarding the draft process).

I always look forward to the pre / post-draft interviews, and DeCosta usually does an in-depth podcast or two over the course of the season.

He is very informative. Thanks, Tony.

[BigPlayReceiver]

Yup. I can listen to DeCosta all day.
Joe Hortiz is a good listen too.

Looking forward to part II, Tony.

[Tucker: M&T Sec 527]

Good read. De Costa's piece on the weekly "Ravens Game Plan" show is always interesting as well.
He's good already; will no doubt prove great when he gets a turn.

[TL24x7]

Yup. I can listen to DeCosta all day.
Joe Hortiz is a good listen too.

Looking forward to part II, Tony.

In Part II of the interview with DeCosta we touch on topics including:

Joe Flacco & Jim Caldwell
Vonta Leach
Jimmy Smith
The "fight" at center
And more...

LINK

[Rxdoxx]

Thanks again Tony, great stuff!

Don’t overlook Ryan Jensen too. He has tools to be a good player at center and should transition easily. He’s going to fight a lot in practice.

Oh boy, another OL with a mean streak if he really already is predicting practice fights...
we heard this with rookie Oher, and rookie Gino, didn't we hear it with KO also?

He’s got route ability in the pass game, natural hands, and he’s got the chance to play on special teams immediately.

Hmmm, "route ability" don't hear those words often with a RB, especially a rookie. Being able to go out in the flat or step across the line center for a pass is not route ability. Interesting it is the first thing Eric says.

John Harbaugh does a great job of augmenting his staff every year. In fact, he might be the best coach in the league when it comes to building a staff.

And now I have a major piece of why Steve Bisciotti was on the Harbaugh hiring bandwagon.
He saw himself, his way of doing things, and we are starting to see the similarities more and more.

[RavenScallywag]

Harbaugh has to be gaining good rep around the league with assistant coaches. Especially the story of him buying each assistant coach a replica Lombardi trophy, costing him roughly 200 GRAND out of HIS OWN POCKET! Much like Steve B trusts his lower level scouts to provide their expert opinions, he trusts his own assistants to provide their expertise to their own areas. Maybe to a fault in some cases (Trusted Cam's decisions far too long), but it has to be something that catches the eye of assistant coaches around the league.

[s.r.genovese]

Maybe to a fault in some cases (Trusted Cam's decisions far too long), but it has to be something that catches the eye of assistant coaches around the league.

This aspect is especially important when you aren't necessarily a "offensive" or "defensive guru." He's the type of coach who puts smart guys in position to succeed so the most important aspect to that is creating an environment where smart guys want to work.

[lowrider]

Maybe to a fault in some cases (Trusted Cam's decisions far too long), but it has to be something that catches the eye of assistant coaches around the league.

I don't know, I think it was a pretty ballsy move to fire him when he did. Most HC would not have made that move at that point in the season.

[HotInHere]

I don't know, I think it was a pretty ballsy move to fire him when he did. Most HC would not have made that move at that point in the season.

And keeping Cam for a long time while people were calling for his head might have had even more impact with the other assistants than those replica Lombardis. Think about your own boss. How much does it matter to you if you know that he/she has your back and is going to give you every chance to prove yourself and then some? What if one of your clients is pissed at you, and thinks you aren't good at your job? Would you rather have a boss who says "Well, the customer is always right" as he shows you the door, or one who says, "That's alright, I'll handle the client. Don't you worry about it."?

I'm pretty sure the other assistants (I'm looking at you, Andy Moeller) really like working for a guy like that. It might be a reason that guys like Castillo and Spagnuolo want to come here.