The Ravens LoungeWelcome into the lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Mink here with Cliff Don Brown. Thank you for stepping in, Cliff, appreciate.
It, No no problem. Ron always good to talk to you guys.
Yeah, yeah, and uh so we're gonna break down the biggest news from this past weekend. As we all know, it's a busy time of year with free agency, and we're I don't know, what do you think, Cliff? Is this a second wave? Are we on the back end of the first wave?
What's this cop thing? Yeah, I'm gonna go beginning a second wave.
Beginning a second wave.
Okay, right, So the Ravens had a nice ride on the first wave. They got up on that board, they were surfing it, got DeAndre Hopkins, got Ronnie Stanley, deal done, Tyler Wallace, you know, some other moves, agreed to and signed our guy pat Riccard who joined the pod. So I think a successful, successful ride on the first wave, and now we're into the second and the Ravens crossed off a couple order a couple other orders of business over the weekend and namely reportedly agreed to a deal with Cooper Rush, the backup quarterback and.
This is this is a big deal.
The Ravens have not really spent much at backup quarterback and this is a reported two year deal that is a six point two million dollar deal according to Jeff's three Back with a maximum value of twelve point two million based on a bunch of incentives, playing times, starts, wins, all those kind of things. So, Cliff, what was your reaction to the Cooper Rush deal.
Definitely thought it was interesting and a move that strengthens a roster. We know that they've been fortunate with Lamar in the last couple of years with his health, but we also know there have been years where you know, he has missed time and you know, Ravens are a Super Bowl contender, and if you get into a situation where you were to lose Lamar for you know, three four games you have, he wants someone who you can win with and those games are very important trying to you know, keep the momentum alive or you know, win games for playoff seeding, divisional race. Cooper Rush of the guy who's been there, done that. He's proven that he can win games in the NFL with a team that you know, Frankly, I don't think he'll have more talent around him now in Baltimore top to bottom than he did in Dallas, So you don't have to worry about whether this guy can come in if he has to and you know, keep the ship moving offensively. So yeah, obviously he's a guy that the Ravens thought that was worthy of going out and getting. And yeah, I think it's definitely a move that strengthens a fifty three man roster.
Yeah, I think you know, Cooper Rush over his career, has a record of nine and five, right, so in fourteen career starts. So I think that this is a player that obviously has proven he can win, right, and backup quarterbacks do not come cheap around around the NFL, and I think that's part of the reason why the Ravens really have not spent big money on this the past couple of years. But I think that looking at the terms of the deal, the reported terms, two years, six point two million, that seems like a really good deal. And then obviously if if he plays a significant amount, then it increases. But you know, the Ravens are not a team that really want to spend a ton of money so to get a guy like Rush, who has been a winner, who has played well in those games. It's not like he's just been propped up. I mean twenty touchdowns to ten interceptions. You know, he's completed over sixty percent of his passes. And so here's an experienced guy that I think to your point, you know, and anytime we talk about backups, I feel like you got to knock on wood and you know, if Lamar were to go down, he is somebody that can can step in and make some plays, right cause it's it's that's really what it's about. If Lamar were to go down, obvious, see the offense changes. There's nobody that plays the game like Lamar Jackson. Right the offense changes, it probably becomes more run heavy. You're not asking the quarterback to do nearly as much as you would be asking Lamar Jackson to do, not even close. But can he make plays when he needs to? Can he make those throws? Cooper Rush has done that over his career, right And I think that the Ravens they're a team that when you look at that all the talent they have, you know, they had the most Pro Bowlers in the league last year. When you look at the talent they have offensively, defensively, they're gonna be right back in the hunt this year. And I think that when you have a team like that, you want to get some insurance because if the worst case scenarios happens, or not even necessarily the worst case scenario, but if something bad happens, let's say your starter gets injured, then like you have enough talent to still make a run. I think, right at least challenge And so I think Cooper Rush gives you that a bit.
Yeah, no question, I agree with all that. And he also talking about making plays. You also want your backup quarterback to avoid the big mistakes when you get put in that position, Obviously you want to help the team win. All these guys are competitors, and so the backup quarterback comes in. He wants to make a play, and sometimes he tries to do too much and he hasn't had a lot of playing time, which leads to mistakes. Cooper Rush has shown that in addition to making plays, he's not a guy who makes a ton of mistakes, turns the ball over. He gives you, as you said, a chance to win. So for a contender, the backup quarterback position is more important to me than it is. If you're not, I mean, your starting quarterback gets hurt, you're a five hundred team, then well yeah, you bring in the backup. You hope he plays well, but he still may not be enough to get you into the playoffs. For a team like the Ravens, when Lamar Jackson's healthy, the Ravens are a definite playoff team. If he misses some time, you still want the Ravens to be able to make the playoffs and hope that maybe Lamar could be able to come back during the postseason. So Cooper Rush is the type of quarterback that fits where the Ravens are right now and where they have been for a long time, a Super Bowl contender. If something happens to the starter, you can have him come in and win a few games and keep the ship moving.
Yep. Yeah, I really like this mow for the Ravens. And we had talked about the backup quarterback and Josh Johnson, and you know, would the Ravens just bring Josh Johnson back and or what would they would do there? You know, I think eventually, you know, Josh Johnson's going to turn thirty nine in May and so as much as I think this team values Lamar, likes Josh, the coaches like Josh. Josh has had a great career. You know, He's been a number of places in Gosh, He's had a long, successful career. Right, But eventually you knew that you had to make a move there, and and you know, eventually kind of had to rip that band aid off, and the Ravens decided, hey, Cooper Rush was, as they always say, right player, right price. So I thought a good move for the Ravens. The other move of the weekend, and this one came as a surprise to you. I think a number of people with the Ravens brought back Ben Cleveland and so Cliff, you know, were you surprised?
What was your initial reaction.
I was a little surprised, just because you know, Ben did you know, not win a starting job last year, had been here for a while, he was a free agent. You know, you wonder if somebody else is going to if he's gonna latch on with someone else, But you know now that he is coming back, Yeah, I think it makes sense and that obviously he knows the system. The Ravens I think have felt and still believed that there there's more to get out of Ben in Cleveland, that he's not a guy who's still young, that he hasn't really fulfilled his potential yet, and that they could maybe get something out of him. He's he's a huge guys. We all know they like big offensive linemen. He can play multiple spots. This is going to be interesting to see. I mean, he's given another chance now to compete. I mean this time last year, I think most people thought he was going to be, you know, the starting right guard in twenty twenty four. It didn't pan out that way. So we'll see. He's been a starter before. He's actually played pretty well when he's gotten a chance to start. It's just been a matter of consistency with him. So we'll see what he does with this opportunity. I would think that he's glad to get another opportunity with the Ravens. He knows that he's kind of he's at a crossroads in his career and that this is a huge year for him, just like last year was a huge year. So he's been given another opportunity. He'll begin to see what he does with it.
Yep, for me, it's three things won the Ravens needed guard depth, right They lost Patrick McCarey in free agency, Josh Jones departed in free agency. They really don't currently they didn't have any guard depth behind your projected starters and Daniel file a lele at right guard and then the favorite certainly at left guard, Andrew Vorhees.
So you need to just need a depth there.
And you know, I certainly expect that the Ravens are going to address guard at some point in the draft. With eleven picks, they could take two offensive linemen. You know, they could take a guard, tackle, they could take as strictly a guard, they could do both.
And so but.
Even even with that, even if you drafted somebody, let's just say, even in as high as a third route whatever, like, even if you made a fairly highish pick, you still need more depth there. And I think veteran depth, because you don't want to just be totally young along your backup offensive line. So somebody that's played he also got experienced last offseason. Really for much of the summer he played tackle. I think that verse fatility really really helps him and is also another feather in his cap and reason why the Ravens want to come back, because it's not just that you need depth at guard, it's also a backup tackle, right because McCarey was kind of the Swiss Army knife. He was your your third offensive tackle too, so and Josh Jones leaving, he was again another guy who played at tackle, So I think that also helped with bringing back Bank Cleveland.
Definitely. So yeah, I mean all those points I agree with it you mentioned, and again I just feel that this opportunity is something that you know, he's going to want to take advantage of. It's a bit interesting to see with what you mentioned. Even if he's in competition, which he will be, he'll have an experience edge probably over the guys he's competing with now to have a roster spot or you know, to get in the lineup. So will he take advantage of that, Will the potential that he's that has, will that finally come to fruition. It'll be interesting. He'll be a guy. It'll be interesting watched throughout the off season to see if, yeah, if he seems like now that he's it's starting to click for him. Yep.
The other big news of the weekend and was that the Ravens picked up According to Jeff's reback of the athletic Mark Andrews four million dollar roster bonus triggered on the fifth day of the new league year, which was over the weekend, So the Ravens picked up that that roster bonus. You know, I think there's obviously been a lot of speculation about Mark Andrews, and and with his contract being what it is, you know, being I believe it's the fourth highest on the team, you know, was what was his future here? And obviously this is a you know, franchise leader, uh and somebody that one day might very well go into the Ravens Ring of honor. And I think that this certainly shows the fact that the Ravens did not make a move there shows that, hey, we're better with Mark Andrews, right, no.
Question, no question. I mean Mark, you know, he's going to go down now, you know, as you know, a guy who's who's a ring of honor type, guy of one of their you know, top of the line players already and he's he's far from done. And yeah, I think that Mark, you know, thinking about last year. You know, I did a story on Mark before last season started. I spoke to his mom and I don't even think I used this quote from her, but I asked her something like, well, what's something you know? I've known Mark for a while. Now tell me something about him that I don't know. And she said, I don't think he'll think people realize how much he loves his teammates, how much he loves them, that he loves being a Raven. He's been here since twenty eighteen. The relationships he's formed with people like Lamar, you know, Ronnie Stanley, pat Riccard, Marlon Humphrey. These guys are you know guys they say, you know, you go to war with. They're his buddies, his his guys who he's you know, had ups and downs with. And they're all still in quest of that super Bowl. Ring guys who came in with his year and before so you know the way last year ended. There's been so much talk for good reason about you know, that last game in Buffalo. You know how wild affect Mark. You know that he wants to come back and help this team win a super Bowl, that he has unfinished business. He's a great player, tremendous competitor. I don't know of any raven who works harder, is more intense, and I just feel like, yeah, it's it's right for him to come back, that he's going to give you everything he's got. I think he could have a better year this year. I thought that last year him coming on late in the season was not a coincidence, that that ankle injury was very severe, that he had a couple of seasons ago. I think that the longer season went last year year, he actually felt better. And so I feel that next year, a year removed from that ankle injury, he could have one of his best seasons. So I think it's a good thing for the Ravens that he's back. They obviously have a great tight end room and he's still a big part of it.
Yeah. I mean, I think all of us want to see Mark win it all here. I mean we want to win it all, period. But for a guy like Mark who's been here since the beginning of the Lamar Jackson era, you know, came in with Lamar in that same draft class in twenty eighteen and has poured his heart and soul into the game and into his team and his teammates like and especially the way last year ended, you know, that was a tough that was a tough ending in Buffalo for Mark in particular.
And I think you don't.
You don't want to see it end like that, certainly for a guy, especially like Mark and all that he stands for.
And I would.
I would love nothing more than to see Mark come back and just absolutely ball out next year and take help help take the Ravens' the super Bowl.
That would be. That's how like the Mark Andrews story is supposed to go, you know what I mean?
Right well, whoever another chance to do just that, And like I mentioned, you know, I feel like he's still in his prime. I think another the third year with in Monkin's offense, I expect I'm expecting really big things in the Ravens offense next season. You know. I like the DeAndre Hopkins move. I like the continuity of Todd Monkin coming back as offensive coordinator. So yeah, I think that you know, all those weapons that the Ravens have, they help each other, and you know, I say it likely is still blossoming as a tight end as it's Charlie Kohler. But yeah, Mark is the lead guy there still in my opinion, and I feel like, yeah, next year, coming off of the way last year ended. If there's any way for him to be more determined than he already has been, he will be. He will be all right.
We'll take a break. Can When we come back, we'll talk about big news from around the AFC North as well as get to one of your emails. Thank you for listening to the Lounge, for coming to you from the Seat Geek Studio. We also want our listeners to know that this week, the Draftking Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens, has a limited time offer you won't want to miss. Download the Draftking sports Book at now and use code flock. New customers can can get a deposit bonus of up to one thousand dollars only at DraftKings sports Book with promo code flock. Please play responsibility for help, visit Maryland Gamblinghelp dot org or call one hundred. Gambler must be twenty one or older to play. So Cliff big breaking news on the AFC North front. The Cincinnati Bengals have reportedly, according to Jordan Schultz, agreed to deals with both of their big time wide receivers Jamar Chase five years, one hundred and eighty two point eight million dollars that makes him the highest paid non quarterback in the league. And then also wide receiver t Higgins a deal that can be worth over thirty million dollars per year with incentives, so a big that's a four year deal. It's four years, one hundred and fifteen million for Tea. So two huge contracts for their two huge wide receivers.
Right, I mean, I think everybody assumed Chase was going to get his bag, you know, to be able to keep Higgins as well. I mean, yeah, now you know, Burrow Higgins and Chase they're gonna be together for you know, the bulk of their careers, which means the Bengals offense is going to be you know, tough to deal with for the for the next few years as they have been. So yeah, I mean it's a big move by the Bengals and they'll be interesting to see, you know. Now on the defensive side, are they able to improve their defense? Everybody knows they have a high powered offense, but down there's reports that they're trying to still keep Trey Hendrickson after making these two deals, So that'll be something to watch and how the Bengals manage now their cap situation and adding players now that they've signed these two you know, very talented receivers long term along with Joe Burrow. Interesting to see how they make it all fit. But yeah, I mean change. I think we knew that was going to happen. And now Higgins, who's been under the tag the last couple of years, he's locked up as well.
Yeah, I think you know, it remains I haven't seen the contract details that spell out what this cap savings is for this year. I'll be interested to see how does this impact you know, the Bengals had they cleared a lot of cap space already, So does this help them get more business done this year? I mean obviously when you pay him, you know, Jamar Chase T. Higgins and Joe Burrow, what's it mean for down the line? And if you get a deal done with Hendrickson like you're talking about, you can only give so many guys the top of the market money and or top five money and still build a competitive roster elsewhere, right, Like, how does this impact they better draft well on defense?
You know what I mean? Like, so it'll be.
Interesting down the line, But I'm more intrigued by seeing what's this What does this do for the twenty twenty five Bengals and how they're able to work those contracts to give them themselves some space to breathe this year?
Right, I mean yeah, they they were not you know, good enough defensively last year. That's that's what caused them a playoff spot. They started slowly, but even when they weren't winning games, they were scoring. But they just couldn't stop anyone last year. And yeah, long term, you know, yeah, are they going to be able to build a team around those you know, really shiny pieces they have at the top. So we'll say it's going to be interesting to watch. But yeah, certainly getting those two, particularly Higgins, that was something even a lot of people thought Higgins eventually they'd have to let them go. They decided that they were going to make the able the commitment to him as well.
Yep, yep. So.
And then lastly, we have an email here from our listeners. As always, you can read just at the lounge at ravenst NFL dot net. This one comes from Donald Quigley and he says last year the Ravens had success with their top two picks, but the rest of the picks, played very few offensive or defensive snaps. I've read lots about the needs for the twenty twenty five drafts, citing linebacker, cornerback, wide receiver, and safeties, with no mention of those four positions where we drafted last year. Even considering some lost time to injury, the results weren't there. Is there any one of the of the really any one of them? Are they expected to be really good this year or ever? Thanks for your insight, Don Quigly. So you look at the Ravens, Avis, they nailed their top two draft picks with Nate Wiggins and Roger Roseen Gunrin for last year, and you know he's right, like the guys behind them didn't have a big impact as rookies. Ads Isaac was injured for much of the year. Devon tes Walker, you know, with all the offensive weapons the Ravens had, really didn't get much time. Had one catch, although it was a nice one, a touchdown catch. TJ Tampa cornerback, dealt with injuries for much of the year. Rashina a Lee injuries, Devin Leary didn't see much time. Nick Samak same Sanousi Kane actually played a fair amount the seventh. Their final pick. Safety was a pretty a good special teamer and played a lot. I mean he played him fifteen games and he played seventy six percent of the special team stamps. So that that pick has so far worked out pretty darn well, Cliff, what do you make of that class, the rising sophomores and whether they can contribute and how much they can contribute this year?
Yeah, well, sir, you wouldn't turn into final verdict yet. I mean, I definitely think it. Des Isaac is going to get every opportunity to be a guy who can contribute to them on defense, the pass rush, you know, only it's really he'll be kind of like a rookie this year in my opinion, and yeah, he's got talent. Sometimes definitely takes pass rushers a few years to develop, so certainly we got to just see how he continues to grow. Teses Walker, I mean, yeah, didn't play a lot on offense last year, but again another young player. He's certainly in a room that's very talented, which you know, if he's smart, he'll use that to his vange and you know, learning from those guys, seeing how they go about their business. I think that he's still, you know, I don't think he lost any confidence last year tes Walker, and now I think it's a good sign that, you know, when he got that opportunity, it wasn't too big for him. So I just feel like you got to be a little more patient with this class when you come. When you're a rookie coming to a team, it's talented as a Raven and it's hard to get playing time unless they are coming through positions has been vacated by someone else. So a lot of guys they drafted the next two or three years may not get a lot of playing time with the offense or the defense, and they're gonna have to kind of just in practice, you know, and with more experience be ready when their turn comes. So don't give up on the class yet. It's still too early. But yeah, I just feel that all these guys, some of these guys to TJ. Tamp and other guys who suffer the injuries, if they can just stay healthy, that's really key for young players to stay healthy, get practice reps, gain some confidence. I think you'll see a couple of these guys pop in the next year or two.
Yeah, you go back through the Ravens draft history, and there are a lot of players that didn't make a huge impact in year one that eventually came on to be not only starters, but really good players. I mean, to go back, Dennis Pitta had one catch in his rookie year, I think for negative one yard. He got blown up and caught the ball, got blown up in the backfield, ended up having a pretty darn good career, right, And I mean that's going back a little ways, but there there is a log on his long history. I mean, Travis Jones more recently, he didn't have a huge role as a rookie. Now he's one of the NFL's more dominant defensive tackles. Daniel fil Alele, same thing, he's a starter. Tavia's Robinson, fourth round pick, didn't really play a whole lot as a rookie and kind of came on more as a sophomore, and so well Tavia's. Tavia's had actually a decent amount of snaps. But I mean, I think he's made more of an impact certainly in year two and will in year three. So you got to remain patient. I think that especially a player like Odessa Isaac. I thought he actually when he was on the field. I thought he flashed. I thought he I was impressed with what I saw from Adisa, and I think that this will be a key year or two for him to you know, kind of establish himself more in that rotation. The Ravens have all those outside linebackers back, so it's not like there's a huge role for him to step into, but it'll be a rotation and I think this will be a big year for him.
And then TJ. Tampa is a key depth piece.
I mean, you look at cornerback right now, cornerbacks probably at the top of the top or near the top of the needs list, and I still do expect the Ravens to sign a cornerback, whether that be bringing back one of their own, like get your devious wait or going out and get somebody. But right now, I mean that third cornerback spot is a competition between TJ. Tampa and Jalen Arbor Davis, so he could certainly get more reps, and I think he's a player the Ravens are really excited to draft, So you got to remain patient and also remember that maybe the most important offseason for NFL player is after the rookie year between rookie year and second year and their sophomore year because they know how the NFL works now, they have the layout, they have their feet under.
That first year is long. I mean you go from the.
College season to training for the Combine to the drafts straight in the rookie mini camp OTAs like it is a long, grueling kind of first year. And when you get to now you have a little bit of experience, you know what you're doing a little bit, and you have that full you have a break and then an off season to train that get bigger, gets stronger in the weight room, in the NFL program all summer long, like that makes a big difference. And I think that especially for somebody like a Deese, Isaac Even and tes Walker, TJ. Tampa, like those guys, I think it'll make a big difference.
You know, that's a good point about you know, between first and second year. This is kind of year we expect some of these guys to make a jump. And yeah, I mean I think that this year it'll have more of an opportunity than last year to make an impact. And yeah, I mean the Ravens, you know, their their drafts. I think you know, have continued to be strong because they do really, I think, really know how to try and get guys to grow with them, find realize their potential along the way. They don't give up on players quickly. They really believe in the guys that they draft, They coached them up, They give them opportunities. The Ravens are a place where the best players do play, So you know, any of these guys who do show flashes of improving are going to get an opportunity to earn snaps. And yeah, that draft class at the top, I mean obviously you know what Rose Garden and Wiggins did. Yeah, that's not the norm. I mean, kudos to them for being able to step in and do what they did as rookies, particularly to me. You know Rosengarden, I mean, you know, he's a guy that they really needed to come through at that spot. I give him a lot of credit that it seemed like every week he was getting better. Same with Wiggins. Seem like as the season went on, people talk about hitting a rookie wall. They didn't. They kept getting better. So the rook these rookies last year, they have a lot of guys in there. Class are two guys at the top of the class. They can see how it's done, and I think you will see more from that, you know class, that rookie class in twenty twenty four. More contributions from them next year.
Cool. Well, thank you for the email, and as I said, you can always read us at the lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot net. I'm sure there will be more news to break down this week and we will have it all covered for you right here, so make sure you're subscribed, leave us a rating and review, and thank you for listening.
