The Ravens will hold their annual pre-draft luncheon Wednesday.
General Manager Ozzie Newsome, Assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta, Head Coach John Harbaugh and Director of College Scouting Joe Hortiz will shed some light on the Ravens' plans heading into the NFL Draft.
The press conference gets started at 11:45 a.m., and it will be live streamed on the Ravens app, website and Facebook page.
Here are some of the top questions likely to be addressed during the presser:
What do the Ravens think of this year's receiving class?
The Ravens are looking to add pass catchers in this year's draft. They've already addressed the position in free agency by signing Michael Crabtree and John Brown, but they're still in the market for young receivers. Alabama's Calvin Ridley and Maryland's D.J. Moore have dominated most of the headlines during the pre-draft process, and Baltimore's leadership group will certainly get asked about this year's crop of receivers.
Is adding a quarterback a priority?
Baltimore's only quarterbacks under contract right now are Joe Flacco and Josh Woodrum. They will add another quarterback at some point, but it's not a guarantee that it happens in the draft. Harbaugh told reporters last week that Woodrum will get a chance to win the job, and Owner Steve Bisciotti said earlier in the offseason that the Ravens have "bigger fish to fry" than finding Flacco's eventual successor in this year's draft. But DeCosta also said on “The Lounge” podcast that the Ravens will take a quarterback at any point if the right player is there. Is finding another quarterback to compete for the backup job a priority in this year's draft?
Will the Ravens put more of an emphasis on offense?
The Ravens came into the offseason with the clear priority to upgrade the offense. They've spent major draft capital on the defense in recent years, including when they selected four-straight defenders to open last year's draft. DeCosta joked that he might be out of a job if the Ravens took four-straight defensive players again this year, but it's unknown if the pendulum will swing completely the other direction to address the offense.
Are the Ravens looking to trade?
Newsome is no stranger to maneuvering around the board on draft weekend, but he's stayed put in recent years. The Ravens haven't traded their first-round pick since 2012 when they moved out of the first round and selected outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw in the second round. Although, Newsome admitted he's tried to move up in recent drafts but couldn't find a willing partner. Will the trend change this year? This year's draft is considered deep at receiver and tight end, but those positions don't have the top-end talent compared to some other drafts. That could lead Newsome to try to slide back in the first round to acquire additional draft capital. But the Ravens are also determined to put themselves back in position to get into the playoffs, so they could become more aggressive to trade up for a difference maker.
What will be different behind-the-scenes?
This draft is unique for the Ravens because it's Newsome's final one as the general manager. DeCosta will assume that role next year and Newsome will move into a new position within the organization. Will Newsome look to finish his decorated tenure with a bang? Will DeCosta take on additional responsibilities this year? DeCosta has already been heavily involved in the draft process for several years, so there may not be much that changes behind-the-scenes this year on draft weekend.
Are there updates in free agency or contract negotiations?
The draft is the focus of the press conference, but Newsome will likely get some questions about free agency. The Ravens have reportedly pursued additional receivers like Willie Snead and Cameron Meredith, but they haven't made any moves since signing Crabtree on March 16. Newsome doesn't like to take negotiations public, but he may give an indication about whether the Ravens plan to wait until after the draft to continue adding veterans. Linebacker C.J. Mosley's contract negotiations may also come up, as the Ravens would like to reach a long-term deal with the Pro Bowler.
