Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta named Sporting News’ Executive of the Year

In just his first year on the job, Baltimore Ravens’ General Manager Eric DeCosta has already put a notch on his belt that his Hall of Fame mentor and predecessor Ozzie Newsome never received. He was the architect that assembled the roster that broke several franchise and league records last season which resulted in him being named Sporting News’ Executive of the Year.

Thanks to the shrewd and thrifty moves that DeCosta made the 2019 Ravens finished with a franchise-best regular-season record of 14-2, rattled off a franchise-record 12 straight wins, and broke the single-season team rushing record with 3,296 yards.

“I’m honored to win the Sporting News Executive of the Year award even though it’s hard to accept such a distinction while so many people in our great country are suffering. My thoughts are with all the caregivers who devote the very best of themselves,” DeCosta said via the team’s official website.

“That said, I am indebted to Steve Bisciotti for giving me a chance to be GM, John Harbaugh and our fine players, our scouts who set a high standard around the NFL, and most of all, Ozzie Newsome, the greatest executive in my lifetime and a wonderful mentor and friend. Our collective eyes are on a bigger prize and this award, while greatly appreciated, is a reminder that our task is unfinished.”

The award was voted on by NFL executives back in December and is an unbiased depiction of how his front office peers view the tremendous job he did in year one at the helm. He worked his way from a lowly scout in 1996 to assistant general manager before being promoted following Newsome’s retirement after the 2018 season. The succession plan had been in the works for years and his patience paid off in a big way as he is already recognized as one of the best in the league at what he does.

DeCosta was presented with the daunting task of filling in the shoes of the only head executive that the organization had ever had known, who drafted three Hall of Famers and counting, built two championship-winning rosters and put together a career as a general manager that was just as gold jacket worthy as the playing career that did earn him enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Not only did DeCosta make his friend and mentor proud with the stellar job that he did picking up the mantle in 2019, but he vastly exceeded the expectations that anyone outside of the building could have anticipated. He masterfully executed the role of general manager by signing and drafting players that fit both the schemes and culture of the Ravens, bringing in players off the street and via trade that helped right the ship after a rocky start to the season, and he locked up some of the team’s young talent integral to the success on both sides of the ball with multi-year extensions.

He inherited electrifying dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson from Newsome’s final draft but the additions and retentions that he made last offseason helped their face of the franchise become the face of the league in 2019 and win league MVP as well as creating a perfect blend of young talent and experienced veteran leadership.

Here’s a chronological list of his most notable moves:

Extending TE Nick Boyle- His first move as GM was ensuring that one of the best blocking tight ends in the league didn’t hit the open market. Boyle was a key cog in the Ravens’ revolutionary rushing offense that set franchise and league records. He is a sure-handed check down and underneath target for Jackson off of play-action as well.

Trading QB Joe Flacco- The writing was on the wall that the former Superbowl MVP and franchise great would be playing elsewhere in 2019 after Jackson came in and won six of his first seven starts after coming in for the injured veteran, winning Ravens’ first AFC North title since 2012 and ending a three-year hiatus from the playoffs in the process. DeCosta was able to flip Flacco for a fourth-round pick from the Denver Broncos that he used to select change of pace running back Justice Hill in his first draft.

Signing RB Mark Ingram and S Earl Thomas in free agency- Both veterans came right in and seamlessly integrated into the fabric and foundation of the team on the field and in the locker room. Ingram became a fan favorite with his boisterous personality and paired perfectly as the rugged running tone-setter to Jackson’s lightning-quick and Madden like playmaking ability. He ran for over 1,000 yards, scored 15 total touchdowns from scrimmage and made the Pro Bowl in his first year with the franchise. Thomas bounced back from a broken leg that ended his 2018 season and returned to Pro Bowl form in 2019 as he brought stability to the backend of the defense as the eraser in the secondary.

Extending K Justin Tucker- This was a no brainer. Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history and is not only the best in the game today but of his generation. DeCosta made sure that the three-time Pro Bowler will be making clutch kicks in crunch time and continue making the difficult look routine for years to come.

Drafting difference makers in the 2019 NFL Draft- Last year’s draft class made a combined 32 starts including 11 apiece from the pair of receivers (Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin), nine from outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson and one from offensive guard Ben Powers. Brown and Boykin plan on having a breakout season in year two as they grow and get fully healthy in Hollywood’s case, Ferguson could be a full-time starter and see a jump in production in his sophomore season, and Powers will be one of the leading candidates to win the competition for the starting right guard spot that was vacated by recently retiree and future Hall of Fame inductee Mashal Yanda earlier this offseason.

Trading OG Alex Lewis- He sent the 2016 fourth-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round pick that was eventually converted into the pick that they used to select Iowa safety Geno Stone who is regarded as one of the steals of the draft and could become the next Chuck Clark in time and a solid special teams contributor in the immediate future.

Trading K/P Kaare Vedvik- DeCosta was able to finesse a 2020 fifth-round pick (Broderick Washington) out the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for an undrafted kicker/punter that had never seen any regular-season action, who was not going to make the Ravens’ 53 man roster, and whose career highlight was a strong performance in the 2019 preseason opener. The Vikings traded for him after that game and after he struggled mightily in the remaining exhibition games, he was released before Week 1 of the regular season.

Trading OG/OT Jermaine Eluemunor- The former 2017 fifth-round pick found himself in the same boat as Lewis after losing the starting left guard competition to Bradley Bozeman and DeCosta was able to ship him off to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick that they wound up trading back to Bill Belichick and company as part of the draft-day trade that led to the selection of Ohio State linebacker Malik Harrison who could become a starter as a rookie.

Bringing in veteran reinforcements on defense- After a rocky 2-2 start to the regular season and giving up nearly 200 yards rushing to the Browns at home, DeCosta brought in some veteran free agents off the street to sure up the defense. He signed Josh Bynes and L.J. Fort to bring stability to the inside linebacker position and added depth to the defensive line with Domata Peko, Justin Ellis, and Jihad Ward.

Trading for CB Marcus Peters- With veteran Jimmy Smith still nursing a sprained knee that he suffered in the season opener and not tangible time table for his return, the team needed some help at the cornerback spot. DeCosta pounced on the opportunity to acquire Pro Bowl corner and renowned ballhawk Marcus Peters from the Los Angeles Rams for just a fifth-round pick. Peters made a splash in his debut game with the team, picking off Russell Wilson and returning it for a touchdown. He went on to receive his third Pro Bowl nod, earned first-team All-Pro honors, and is part of arguably the best cornerback tandem in the league with fellow 2019 Pro Bowler and All-Pro first-teamer Marlon Humphrey.

Extending WR Willie Snead, DT/FB Pat Ricard, Fort, and Peters- DeCosta got a jump start on the offseason process late in the regular season by extending some key players that were slated to hit the open market. Snead is the veteran leader in a young receiver room, a reliable slot option, and is signed through the 2020 season. Ricard is a former undrafted defensive lineman that converted into a fullback, still rotates in on defense, and made the Pro Bowl in 2019. Fort and Peters were key in the Ravens’ turnaround on defense and showed enough after joining the team during and midseason to earn multi-year deals.

While San Francisco 49ers General Manager John Lynch was named the 2019 Executive of the Year back in January by the Pro Football Writers of America, their award only dates back to 1993 whereas the Sporting News award has more prestige since it started getting awarded back in 1955 when Dan Reeves of the Los Angeles Rams became the first-ever recipient.

DeCosta should be considered an early front runner for the 2020 award after having yet another strong offseason this year with arguably the best draft class in the league headlined by linebacker Patrick Queen, running back J.K. Dobbins, and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike. He added some premium veteran talent via trade and free agency with defensive end Calais Campbell, defensive end Derek Wolfe, and offensive guard D.J. Fluker to compete at right guard.

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