With the search for a head coach behind them, the Ravens can turn their attention toward evaluating players for the 2008 season.
The Ravens? roster includes plenty of Pro Bowl players, but also is filled with questions, including at quarterback, receiver, offensive line and in the secondary.
If the past is any inclination, the Ravens will turn to the draft, where they have been one of the most successful teams in the NFL. Entering the 2007 season, the Ravens had the highest percentage in the league of draft picks taken since 1999 on their roster (47.1) and draft picks on an NFL roster (68.6).
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said the team already has begun preparing for the draft, including scouting the numerous bowl games, but can?t finalize its strategy until Coach John Harbaugh has hired his assistants.
“The business of acquiring talent, making sure the right talent is on this football team, has already begun,” Newsome said. “Right now, we have some new eyes. [Former Ravens owner] Art [Modell] used to talk about a new set of eyes all the time, and we have a new set of eyes with John Harbaugh and the other people that he?s going to bring in. I think that?s going to make us better as we put together this team.”
Eric DeCosta, the team?s director of college scouting, said he is two weeks behind on his draft preparation because he assisted in the head coaching search. He plans on leaning on his scouts more than in previous years and looks forward to discussing draft strategy with Harbaugh and his staff.
“At some point when the coaching staff is finalized, we?ll meet together the scouts and coaches and see what the coaches are thinking about doing scheme-wise so we can determine what types of players they like and what qualities they would like to have,” DeCosta said. “Coaches definitely have different things they look for in layers and it will be a good thing for our scouts to see what the coaches want so we can find those types of players.”
Harbaugh understands fans want to see changes in the Ravens, especially on offense, which ranked 22nd out of 32 teams last year. He did not elaborate on his offensive philosophy Saturday, promising the team would be “tough,” “physical,” “disciplined” and “play really hard.”
Harbaugh added as he evaluated the roster, he saw a lot of those traits on the team, which includes a defense that not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 19 games. But he acknowledged improvements are in order for a team that finished 5-11 and had a minus-17 turnover ratio, including a league-high 26 lost fumbles.
“When you play the Ravens, you look across and you see these guys play, you see qualities that you admire,” Harbaugh said. “Now as far as the plusses and minuses of each single guy, we?re going to spend a lot of time looking at that. And I know one thing: What we?re going to try to do is we?re going to play to those guys? strengths.”
