General Manager Eric DeCosta joined "The Lounge" and discussed a myriad of topics, taking listeners behind the scenes regarding some recent moves, and discussing his approach to building a team.
Here's some of what you'll find in episode #203:
1:50 DeCosta continues to work from the office
"I've fortunately been able to come in and I feel like I'm bunkered down over here in the back of the building. We've had very few people here, just a handful of people. But, for me, especially with last week with all that (free agency) going on, for me to get my work done more effectively it made more sense to be in the office.
"It's a little bit like the Walking Dead around here. You kind of feel like you're here by yourself."
5:50 Why the defensive line became a free agency focal point
7:45 Why the Ravens aggressively pursued trading for Calais Campbell
"Get out ahead of the curve. Make a move before free agency starts, and that way by doing so you have a little bit of an advantage over the other teams who are all competing for the same players. My fear was that if we didn't get out early to make a move, then there'd be a lot of multiple parts we're trying to juggle and it becomes a lot more difficult."
10:15 DeCosta's family hears a lot of trade talk when he's riding in the car
"My son Michael was in the car with me when we did the Hayden Hurst trade. I had to swear him to secrecy."
11:30 Why veteran players often fit the Ravens' culture
13:00 The importance of balancing young talent with experienced players
"You want to find a good balance between having a young team, but also a few proven vets who bring ability but also leadership and other factors that you're looking for. That's really, in my opinion, the silver bullet that everybody's looking for."
17:30 How the Hayden Hurst trade came together
20:15 Making a rare trade with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers
23:00 Addressing remaining needs in the draft
25:00 The importance of maintaining enough flexibility to make moves
26:10 His love for draft day trades
"I love to move around the board. We'll continue to do that. I'm open for business at all times. I'll work with teams, I'll work with GM's, we love making trades. Usually those trades work out for both parties. So if anybody's interested, give me a call."
