Packers Want To Interview Ravens’ Eric DeCosta
The Packers are seeking to interview Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta, according to Mike Florio of PFT. It’s not immediately clear whether a formal request has been submitted. If the Packers have in fact asked for a meeting, it’s not Ravens or DeCosta himself have consented. 
[RELATED: Packers Request Interview With George Paton, Vikings Say No]
In the past, DeCosta has turned down potential opportunities to become a GM elsewhere. He has been in the Ravens organization for more than 20 years and is widely viewed as the heir apparent to GM Ozzie Newsome.
For now, there are three known candidates for the Packers job, and they’re all in-house. Director of football operations Eliot Wolf interviewed on Thursday, Director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst has his interview today (per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, on Twitter), and VP of football administration Russ Ball should follow shortly thereafter. The Packers asked to interview Vikings exec George Paton, but the request was denied by their NFC North rivals.
Ravens To Retain Greg Roman
The contract for Ravens assistant Greg Roman expired at the end of the season, leading to speculation that he could hook on with another team as an offensive coordinator. That won’t be the case, however, as Roman has been re-signed to a new deal that will give him the designation of assistant head coach, Alex Marvez of The Sporting News hears. 
Previously, Roman was with the club as the senior offensive assistant/tight ends coach. Before joining the Ravens in 2017, he served as the offensive coordinator of the 49ers and Bills. With six years of OC experience, he could have waited for play-calling opportunities to arise elsewhere once teams filled their head coaching vacancies. Instead, he’ll stay put, even though OC Marty Mornhinweg will be brought back for 2018.
If the Ravens’ offense sputters in the fall and Mornhinweg gets the axe, Roman will be the leading candidate to put on that headset.
Ravens Could Lose Greg Roman
- The Ravens will bring back offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinwheg in 2018, but it’s unclear if senior offensive assistant/tight ends coach Greg Roman will return given that his contract has expired, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Roman, a former play-caller for the 49ers and Bills, could potentially draw interest as an offensive coordinator once head coaching vacancies are filled around the league. Meanwhile, Baltimore may potentially hire a quarterbacks coach to work on Joe Flacco‘s mechanics, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters today, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Mornhinwheg currently holds the QBs coach title in addition to offensive coordinator.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/4/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Baltimore Ravens
- DB Bennett Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- LB Ahmad Thomas
Kansas City Chiefs
- DT Josh Augusta
- CB Sheldon Price
Los Angeles Chargers
- LS Anthony Kulwa
Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
Ravens To Keep OC Marty Mornhinweg
Ravens coach Jim Harbaugh says that offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will return in 2018. “We’re not making changes,” Harbaugh told reporters (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun). 
In 2017, the Ravens finished 27th in total yards gained and 21st in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric this season. Last year, Mornhinweg took over for Marc Trestman as OC in October and the team finished 17th in total yards gained and 24th in DVOA. The Ravens did not take a step forward this year, but they are opting for stability over a schematic reboot. A new hire would have made six OCs in seven years for the Ravens.
Meanwhile, the team will be hiring a new defensive coordinator in the wake of Dean Pees‘ retirement. Former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano could be a leading candidate for the job.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/2/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Carlton Agudosi
- DT Peli Anau
- CB Jarell Carter
- OLB Vontarrius Dora
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- WR Rashad Ross
- DT Pasoni Tasini
- RB Darius Victor
- OL Josh Allen
- LS Drew Williams
Baltimore Ravens
Chicago Bears
- OL Travis Averill
- WR Demarcus Ayers
- DB Doran Grant
- WR Mekale McKay
- OL Will Pericak
- TE Colin Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
- WR Brian Brown
- WR K.D. Cannon
- T Jarron James
- S Jameill Showers
- DT Joe Vellano
- CB Marquez White
- RB Trey Williams
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
- WR Jake Kumerow
- WR Colby Pearson
- TE Robert Tonyan
- LS Zach Triner
- WR DeAngelo Yancey
Ravens Interested In Chuck Pagano For DC
The Ravens are interested in hiring former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano as their new defensive coordinator, according to Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). While Baltimore has other options to replace the recently-retired Dean Pees, Pagano appears to the club’s primary option, per Preston.
Pagano, 57, spent the 2008-11 campaigns in Baltimore and served as the club’s defensive coordinator during his final season. That year, the Ravens ranked third in total defense and first in defensive DVOA. While Indianapolis’ defenses struggled under Pagano’s tutelage, he would offer a sense of familiarity for Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and the rest of Baltimore’s defensive staff.
While Pagano may hope to generate head coaching interest around the league, such a scenario is likely a pipe dream given the Colts’ lack of success in recent years. As such, Pagano’s best hope of rebounding as a head coach down the line could be accepting Baltimore’s DC offer to work with a defense that ranked third in DVOA a season ago.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/1/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Baltimore Ravens
- QB Josh Woodrum
- RB John Crockett
- FB Ricky Ortiz
- OT Steven Moore
Buffalo Bills
- WR Rod Streater
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
- LB Carl Bradford
- K Jon Brown
- LB Connor Harris
- OT Javarius Leamon
- OG Oni Omoile
- TE Scott Orndoff
- CB Sojourn Shelton
- SS Robenson Therezie
- WR Kermit Whitfield
Cleveland Browns
- WR C.J. Board
- LB Austin Calitro
- DB Trevon Hartfield
- WR Bug Howard
- RB Josh Rounds
- OL Victor Salako
- DB B.W. Webb
- WR Kasen Williams
Denver Broncos
- DT Paul Boyette
- WR River Cracraft
- WR Jordan Leslie
- DE Stansly Maponga
- DB Jordan Moore
- TE Brian Parker
- WR Tim Patrick
- OT Jeremiah Poutasi
- LB Marcus Rush
- DE Jhaustin Thomas
Detroit Lions
- CB Adairius Barnes
- TE Brandon Barnes
- DE Alex Barrett
- WR Dontez Ford
- DT Toby Johnson
- C Leo Koloamatangi
- S Rolan Milligan
- T Dan Skipper
- QB Alek Torgersen
- DE Jeremiah Valoaga
Indianapolis Colts
- TE Mo Alie-Cox
- WR Dres Anderson
- DT Johnathan Calvin
- WR Kolby Listenbee
- LB Arthur Miley
- LB Josh Perry
- QB Phillip Walker
- G Isaiah Williams
New York Giants
- OL Ethan Cooper
- WR Amba Etta-Tawo
- K Marshall Koehn
- DB Jeremiah McKinnon
- P Austin Rehkow
- DB Tim Scott
- WR Canaan Severin
- DT Kristjan Sokoli
- DE Jordan Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WR Jake Lampman
Washington Redskins
- OL Alex Balducci
- DL Tavaris Barnes
- TE Chris Bazile
- RB Kenny Hilliard
- OL Cameron Jefferson
- OL John Kling
- LB Alex McCalister
- LB Cassanova McKinzy
- DL Ondre Pipkins
- DB James Sample
- S Orion Stewart
Ravens DC Dean Pees Announces Retirement
On Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees was expect to retire. On Monday, Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley confirmed the news to reporters (Twitter link). 
In 2010, Pees joined Baltimore as the team’s linebackers coach and was elevated to defensive coordinator in 2012. In his first year on the job, Pees helped the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory over the 49ers in linebacker Ray Lewis’ final season with the team. In 2017, Pees’ unit allowed the sixth-fewest points and generated a league-high 34 takeaways.
On Sunday, cornerback Brandon Carr commented on Pees’ possible retirement, saying, “His fingerprints are all across this defense. Just the years that he’s been here, you’ve seen the shutouts and big-game defenses that we’ve had from his play-calling. So without him, moving forward, if it happens that way, we’re going to miss him.”
The Ravens have typically hired from within, and Mosley voiced his support for Don Martindale, who has been with the Ravens since 2012 as inside linebackers and linebackers coach. Should they go outside the organization, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora mentions that Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin would be a name to watch, assuming he does not land a head-coaching gig (Twitter link).
Dean Pees Expected To Retire
Ravens DC Dean Pees is expected to retire after the season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Pees, 68, has not yet told his players of his intentions.
Baltimore has an excellent chance of advancing to the playoffs for the first time since 2014 today, and its defense is a big reason for that. The team ranks ninth in the league in yards allowed per game in 2017, fourth in points allowed per game, and it has generated a league-leading 33 turnovers. Nonetheless, the Ravens have largely feasted on rookie and/or second-string quarterbacks this season, and the team’s defense has struggled against more established signal-callers.
Schefter refers to Pees as one of the league’s top defensive minds whose units frequently feature exotic looks, but that would be news to Ravens fans. Pees’ defenses in Baltimore have been generally marked by conservative play-calling and late-game collapses, with some notable exceptions.
However, he has been a part of two of the league’s more successful franchises over the past 14 years. He broke into the NFL as the Patriots’ LB coach in 2004 before being promoted to New England’s DC in 2006. He left New England for Baltimore in 2010 and served as the Ravens’ LB coach in 2010-11. When Chuck Pagano left his job as Baltimore’s DC to accept a head coaching position with the Colts in 2012, Pees was elevated to defensive coordinator.
The Ravens won the Super Bowl that year, a game that featured a last-minute goal-line stand by their defense. In addition to that championship ring, Pees earned a ring with the Patriots, who won Super Bowl XXXIX when Pees was their LB coach.
The Ravens have typically promoted from within when it comes to their defensive coordinators. Under head coach John Harbaugh, all four defensive coordinators that the team has employed — Rex Ryan, Greg Mattison, Pagano, and Pees — were previously position coaches on the team’s staff. Don Martindale, Baltimore’s current LB coach, would be the top in-house candidate to replace Pees, though the Ravens would surely be interested in reuniting with Pagano, who is expected to be fired by the Colts.