Opening Statement: "Good afternoon. I hope you are all doing well. Thank you for coming on short notice. I know you have a lot of questions about free agency and what's transpired over the last four days. I'm going to do my best to be as transparent as possible. There will be some things that I probably can't talk about for different reasons regarding the process, and I hope you understand that. So, questions?"
What can you tell us about why the Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby trade did not go through? (Jamison Hensley) "So, the first thing I would say is that we were down in Florida last week, and we had the chance to meet with [owner] Steve [Bisciotti] for about 36 hours, maybe. We spent a lot of time talking about different ways to improve our team: free agency, re-signing guys, trades, the draft, all kinds of stuff. We were really excited about adding Maxx [Crosby] – potentially adding Maxx – to our team. I had already begun discussions with [Raiders general manager] John Spytek; those discussions continued. We were really thinking that we were getting some traction – we did. I would say that as part of the normal sort of trade process, there's a lot of different parts involved with the trade process. We've done a lot of different trades. One of the key things is you bring the player in and try to get as much information as you can. We did that, and we were not able to complete the process of acquiring the player based on our assessment of the situation. It's very, very disappointing to me. [There's] nobody more disappointed than me. He's a player I greatly admire. I think [Maxx Crosby is] one of my favorite players in the entire NFL. I know our fans are upset [and] devastated. I understand that. [It's a] tough, tough situation, but I think for the Ravens, [it's] the right situation. My role as GM and Jesse [Minter]'s role as head coach and Sashi [Brown]'s role as president [are to be] stewards of the organization, and we have to make tough calls. And this was certainly a tough call to make."
How much was making that tough call aided by the fact that you knew DE Trey Hendrickson was still available and that you had talked to him as well. Was that a big part of the calculation? (Childs Walker) "It really wasn't. So, I think the two are kind of mutually exclusive. We were very focused on Maxx [Crosby] and [had] a lot of attention given to that particular acquisition. As I said, [he's] a player that I think really fits us and his skillset. We've played against him. I really admire him in many different ways. I think for us, it was going to be probably our biggest foundational acquisition this year. So, I didn't really look at him as like, 'Oh, we'll do this because of that.' It was really more, 'How do we get better as a football team?' In terms of Trey [Hendrickson], I think we came to a point probably after we lost Tyler [Linderbaum], where, as we're trying to find the best way for us to get better as a football team, Trey kind of made a lot of sense as a possible guy to look at. So, we started some discussions with him and his agent, thinking that potentially we'd have two pass rushers on the defensive line on both sides of the line. Again, I think it was disappointing to us and probably in a way, potentially disappointing probably to Trey as well."
You said you were interested in having two pass rushers on that side of the line. Are you referring to both Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby and DE Trey Hendrickson? (Cordell Woodland) "So, we had started discussions with both players. We'd already agreed to potentially the trade with the Raiders, but we were trying to sign Tyler [Linderbaum], obviously. We weren't able to get that done. [While] looking at the best ways for us to improve our football team, at some point we just said, 'You know what? This might be a guy that really fits us.' And we've played against him twice a year for the last whatever many years, four or five years. And thought, 'Hey, maybe this is a way for us to get better as a football team.' So, that was definitely a possibility for us. Not to say that it would've happened, but definitely something that we had contemplated and discussed with Trey [Hendrickson]."
What's that conversation like with the Raiders in the span of just over 72 hours after agreeing to certain terms? Obviously, you guys had never addressed that officially. And what is it like having a conversation with them saying that you were not going through it? (Valerie Preactor) "So, it wasn't just one conversation. It was conversations that took place probably over a full day span. I should say that I've got a lot of respect for [Las Vegas Raiders owner] Mark Davis, the Raiders [organization], [Las Vegas Raiders general manager] John Spytek. Shoot, [former Las Vegas Raiders owner] Al Davis was born in Brockton, Massachusetts – I've always admired that. I'm from Massachusetts, right down the street. So, I love the Raiders. They've been one of my favorite teams, and it's tough. It's challenging. It's devastating for me to have that conversation. I'm sure [it was] challenging for them to hear as well. It's also very, very, very, very hard for the player to hear that as well. It's probably hardest for [Maxx Crosby], more than anybody else."
Some people will maybe speculate or question and say, you guys maybe got cold feet, whether it's you saw something you didn't like medically or whatever the reason was. What do you kind of say to that sort of speculation? (Brian Wacker) "I understand it. I understand it. We live in that age of skepticism, and people question [things], especially people that don't really know me or know the Ravens culture and the Ravens organization. So, I understand it. As I said at the beginning, we've got a responsibility – I've got a responsibility – to the Ravens, to this community, to our fans and to [owner] Steve Bisciotti to do what we think is best for the club. And that's what we always try to do. Every decision we make is based on this idea, 'Is this the best thing for the Ravens?' [It's] very, very challenging. Again, I understand how people might – maybe from afar – would feel that way, but nobody is more upset about this than me. I am gutted by it, actually. And so, [this is] a big regret for me. But, we will move on as a football team. And I think there are many, many opportunities for us to grow as a team, to become a better team, to build a roster and to be the team that we want to be."
I know you were able to restructure QB Lamar Jackson's contract to create some cap space for this. I know you don't want to discuss this in particular, but do you feel you're closer now to an extension or is that just, "Alright, we'll kick that down the road and do it again later?" (Pete Gilbert) "We kind of ran out of time, and we were able to free up I think just under 40 million this year [and] added a void year to 2030, I believe. I am certainly hopeful that we'll get an extension done. I think it's important to both parties, but we remain to see what's going to take place in the future."
Does it make it more difficult now that you took this step of a restructure or no, it doesn't really change the dynamic? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I don't think it really changes the dynamic very much."
We saw a couple weeks ago, a video of DT Nnamdi Madubuike working out. Just curious; I know you're probably tired of us asking about it, but any update there, and how much does that play into the calculus of the Maxx Crosby trade stuff? (Sam Cohn) "I saw the video. It was cool to see. It didn't really play into the calculus at all. I think that's a book that hasn't been written yet, so we'll see what happens with that."
You talked about losing C Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders. What does that look like now going forward and maybe the rest of free agency? Obviously, targeting that sort of position in the draft, looking at a rookie again like you did with Tyler? (Valerie Preactor) "Well, I'm super excited. I know you guys haven't had a chance to meet with [run game coordinator and offensive line coach] Dwayne Ledford yet, our offensive line coach. I am super, super excited to work with him. I would say, if you do interview him, just don't wear a lot of pads, extra padding anywhere because he's not going to like that. He really doesn't like a lot of back pads or like elbow pads and things like that." (Laughter) "But, he's a great coach, and he's super excited. I think he's done a masterful job. If you look at some of the guys he's had in Atlanta, how he's developed players. I think it's one of the things that I probably admire most about his coaching style is his ability to take these younger guys and make them really, really good. So, I think we've got a good plan. We've got a bunch of draft picks this year, 11 draft picks this year. I think we're going to probably have a whole bunch of draft picks next year. We will be looking at some free agents as well. We'll probably bring a couple guys in the next couple of weeks, but I have a lot of confidence in Coach Ledford and our offensive staff to develop guys. I'm confident. We've done it before. I think we have a pretty good history of drafting centers. I could go back and probably give you four or five guys that we've drafted over the years that have ended up being some of the very best centers in the league. So, I'm confident we can do that."
Obviously with the trade not happening, you get your first-round picks back. Was the plan to kind of still prepare for the draft as if you have those picks, or were you kind of open to still making other deals? (Cordell Woodland) "Well, right now we have those picks, right? I had kind of taken a Sharpie and [crossed] out about 25 players on my list that we weren't going to have a chance to select, and [now] I have to make a new list and have those players back on the list, but we'll be ready for anything. Obviously, if there's a player that we think we can acquire that's worth a first-round pick, then we'll do it. The reality is there are many, many different ways for us to get better as a football team, whether it's free agency, the draft, undrafted free agency [or] trades. There are a lot of things we can do. I think we're headed in the right direction. I think we signed – today alone – maybe four or five guys, and it's fun. I think our scouts and coaches have done a great job adding players, and it's going to be a whole bunch of different guys. You'll have some expensive guys, [and] you'll have some cheap guys, but they all end up working together as a team. Some of our best signings – I think every single year – are the guys that you get for the minimum salary. Last year we were able to get 'Chido' [Chidobe] Awuzie [for] really cheap. We just signed him back again today. [I'm] excited about that. [He] did a hell of a job for us last year, [and we're] fired up to get them back. The hunt goes on, and we are super excited about this team [and] where we're headed. [We have] a lot of opportunities today, tomorrow, this coming weekend. I promise not to do too many signings this weekend so you guys don't have to write too many articles. I'm probably not going to be here this weekend, so there's a good chance we won't be signing anybody, but don't quote me on that."
I know you try to keep things in house with QB Lamar Jackson, but can you at least indicate – before the restructuring – was there any progress made before that? (Jamison Hensley) "I've said this a million times; Lamar and I, we're not going to talk about the negotiation aspect of our relationship, so I'm going to stand by that."
Just going back to the way things kind of unfolded; it looks like you were getting OLB Maxx Crosby, and then it doesn't happen and so forth. And again, with the speculation, do you have any concern that it may be impacting business with other teams, other players, other relationships and whatever kind of impact it might have on something like that? Obviously, guys fail physicals... (Brian Wacker) "It hasn't stopped my phone from ringing; I'll tell you that. I think our relationship with agents and with other teams is really, really good. I understand the question. I think that GMs understand the importance of getting as much information as possible before making decisions, and I would say that most agents would say that myself, [vice president of player personnel] George [Kokinis], [vice president of football administration] Nick [Matteo], [director of player personnel] Mark Azevedo, [executive vice president] Ozzie [Newsome], [president] Sashi [Brown] – everybody that works with agents – would say that we're a class organization that does business the right way, [are] respectful and [are] willing to get deals done."
I know you've had some tough conversations with players over the years. What was it like with OLB Maxx Crosby when you had to inform him that you guys were going to have to move on? (Jamison Hensley) "Like you said, in this business, you have a lot of tough conversations. It was tough. He's a guy that I really admire as a player. You've all watched him play, so you all know what he's like as a player. This is a guy that plays like a Raven. Yes, it's challenging. You get emotionally attached. That's what I would say."
You said you were gutted by this. Is there anything you regret that you did or did not do as part of this process that could have changed the end results here? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think I'm hard on myself, and you question everything you do in this business. You're never perfect with the draft and with free agency. I think in this particular instance, I'm really proud of the team and the doctors and the guys that work with me. This is a tough thing that we have to deal with in this business. I don't really know what we could do differently than what we did. So again, it was a really, really, really tough call. There were moments yesterday when, honestly, I was probably speechless, just sitting in my chair in my office and just thinking about what the next step would be and trying to get as much information as possible. In a situation like this, you try to get as much information as you can from as many different sources as you can, and it just didn't work out. So yes, [it's] tough [and] very, very challenging. We've dealt with these kinds of things in the past, but probably never at such a large figure, so [it's] challenging."
Did you try to renegotiate at all the terms of it? (Jeff Zrebiec) "I think, at some point, you get to the point where when you look at the situation, you have to make the right decision. It's not always about the value. It's just [about] what is the right decision for the club at the time, and that's a hard thing to do. But as I said, when you're a steward of the organization, and you're put in that position, you have to make the tough call."
Do you think if you had gotten the full picture by, let's say, Sunday as opposed to when you got it, would that have materially changed the kind of results here ahead of free agency? (Jonas Shaffer) "We try to value every single player. I understand the question; I think it's just that you spend a lot of time saying, 'This is what this player is. This is who he is. This is how he plays. This is what he's worth.' And we try not to deviate from that. Would it have allowed us to spend more money on players? Maybe, but would we have done it? Probably not. You have a threshold that you get to – that you want to get to – and typically, we try to be fairly responsible when it comes to that, and we have to make tough calls. I can't say that it would have changed that much. I understand these things do kind of have repercussions, and I get that it's challenging for these other teams maybe. There are other teams affected by this as well. For us, specifically, this was something that we felt would give us the chance to build the team the way we wanted to build the team. It just didn't work out for us."
Going back to C Tyler Linderbaum for a minute, did you feel like you guys were in it competitively in that situation right up until the end? Did you sort of feel the market maybe get away from you a little bit at some point? What was your sense on that? (Childs Walker) "I'll just quickly put it in perspective. So, when I was a young man, and I was living down in Federal Hill, [and] I was going to buy a home on Hamburg Street. So, I had all the money I had, which wasn't a lot of money. I was a young scout, and I put an offer on the house, and it was everything I had. The guy called me back and said, 'Hey, we have a cash offer, so you have to give us a little bit of more money.' So, I did, and then I'm like, 'Man, I have nothing left.' Then, he came back again, and he said, 'I need your final offer. Your best offer.' And I said, 'I already gave it to you.' It just was like I wasn't ever going to get that house, because the other people had more money to spend on the house. That's kind of how I felt. Does that make sense?"
Have you taken anything personally from how the other side of this deal fell apart and handled things? (Jonas Shaffer) "As I said, I have so much respect for the Raiders organization [and general manager] John Spytek. I've known John for a long time, and I've admired the way his career has gone. [I admire] the Davis family. I just have always loved the Raiders. Maxx [Crosby]'s agents – Doug Hendrickson and C.J. LaBoy – are two of the best guys out there. This has affected a lot of people, and it saddens me that the deal didn't go through. It's just, unfortunately, one of the aspects of this business that is challenging. There are different ways that things can fall through, and I feel equally sad that we lost Tyler [Linderbaum]. I feel equally sad that Isaiah [Likely] is not playing here anymore. I hate to see Jordan Stout go play for somebody else. Those are all tough things. We all kind of say, 'Oh, he got paid. He got this. He got that.' I love those guys. I love those guys. I love our team. I love our players. I'm proud of them. I'm proud of the fact that everybody spends money on our players, but it's tough. You kind of lose on both ends, right? Maybe you lose out on a Maxx Crosby, and that's gut wrenching, but it's hard to lose a guy like Tyler or Isaiah. There are a bunch of other guys that you get attached to, and you watch them grow and become some of the better players in the league, and I'm proud of that. I'll tell those guys that they will always be Ravens in my eyes. They'll always be a part of the culture and the fabric of this place, but when they leave, it's tough. That's what I would say on that."
