Ravens Game the Draft System…Again

If you’ve been paying attention to the large roster construction discourse that has surfaced through NFL media circles, you’re well aware that the idea of “positional value” has been top of mind. Especially before the draft.

The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL podcast is one of my go-to’s for football thought leadership and intellectually stimulating discussions. Hosted by Robert Mayes and a savvy panel of guests, they tackle a wide array of thoughtful topics. Throughout the course of their podcast episodes, they’ve consistently touched on the idea of “devalued positions.” Positions such as running back, center, guard, linebacker mostly fit that category. Strong safety has also gained a lot of momentum for being less important. These are positions that do not move the needle for priority when it comes to winning games, and more importantly, winning in the postseason. Investing in these positions flies in the face of modern roster-building practices that should focus more on acquiring liquid talent in passing the ball, defending the pass, and rushing the quarterback.

One of the points Mayes has made repeatedly, though, is that center is a position where teams can find incredible value because it’s not prioritized. For instance, the highest paid free agent centers are still reasonably affordable in the grand scheme. And for contenders, they can make a huge difference. Just look at how Creed Humphrey moved the needle for the Kansas City Chiefs last year. Or how Ryan Jensen — a former Baltimore Raven — became such a force and valuable asset for Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. Jensen’s instant connection with Brady was well documented by the GOAT. Although the general consensus is that you can find a competent center almost anywhere, the elite centers can be game changers. Throughout history, there is precedence to that end as well, with centers like Tom Nalen, Jeff Saturday, and more recently Kelce and Jensen leading Super Bowl-winning teams.

That sets the stage for last night. The Baltimore Ravens have forever opted against investing premium draft capital and dollars at the center position. This includes retaining their own free agents and signing unrestricted free agents alike. That is, until last night, when they pulled the trigger on the best center in the 2022 NFL Draft class, Tyler Linderbaum, from Iowa. Linderbaum by the way is the highest graded center in PFF’s grading system history.

In a situation that presented itself, general manager Eric DeCosta decided that the smarter value play was to land a player who is one of the best prospects in quite some time at a position less valued, instead of adding like the fifth best player at a more valuable position — let’s say corner or edge rusher would fit that description.

He took the same approach at pick 14 when he drafted safety Kyle Hamilton from Notre Dame instead of edge rusher Jermaine Johnson from Florida State OR even a wide receiver like Treylon Burks from Ohio State. Considering that the team traded Marquise Brown right after the Hamilton pick was announced, taking a receiver would have made even more sense, especially since they knew beforehand that Brown was gone.

If value is the name of the game, and safety and center aren’t viewed as essential positions, why did DeCosta go against the grain?

It’s another example of the Ravens zigging while the league is zagging. Hamilton could turn into another Derwin James. Draft experts have also pointed out that Linderbaum’s upside is Jason Kelce or Travis Frederick.

These are the best players at their respective positions. Therefore, in the value formula, DeCosta might have hit on two blue-chip stocks that are the equivalent of Apple and Tesla, but at a ridiculous markdown on the prices (that’s about as far as my stock expertise goes).

Can Hamilton and Linderbaum help the Ravens win games and grow into those stud ballplayers DeCosta needs to build his legacy as a GM?

Time will tell. I believe both players have a safe floor. But their pedigrees and drive to be the best could push them into that special category — the multiple Pro Bowls and even All-Pro levels. That’s the exciting part. For DeCosta, wouldn’t you want to place your bets on those players?

You know DeCosta has truly gamed the system when even the “devalued” truthers like PFF celebrated these draft selections as home runs in the first round. Safety and center aside, these players are so damn good, they will make two critical units — secondary and offensive line — much, much better.

Imagine if left tackle Ronnie Stanley is healthy and back to his form from 2019? A line of Stanley, Ben Cleveland, Linderbaum, Kevin Zeitler, and Morgan Moses is now all of a sudden one of the best in the league. This is shades of when the Chiefs drafted Humphrey last year to put their OL in the upper echelon.

If this line can give quarterback Lamar Jackson a clean pocket and the type of time he had in 2019, we’ve seen the upside. If the secondary can become a more formidable unit, it can help the defense hold its own against the better passing offenses in the league, like the Bengals.

Now that is real value, no matter how the players might be classified.

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