DT McCoy targeting contender: ‘I want to win’ - ESPN
Free-agent defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who visited with the Cleveland Browns on Friday, told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that no matter where he lands, the team “is going to be a contender.”
”I want to win,” the six-time Pro Bowler said. “I’m not worried about where I’m living. Wherever I got to go to win. ... Everybody’s open.”
McCoy is scheduled to visit the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. He has a strong relationship with Ravens defensive line coach Joe Cullen, who coached McCoy in Tampa in 2014-15.
McCoy, 31, had six sacks and a team-leading 21 quarterback pressures in 2018, when the Bucs went 5-11 and missed the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season. He has 54½ sacks in 123 career games, was an All-Pro in 2013 and was a Pro Bowl selection every year from 2012 to 2017.
The NFL’s top offensive linemen in pure pass sets - Mike Johnson
2. T RONNIE STANLEY, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Ronnie Stanley hasn’t been a dominant run-blocker, but he has developed into one of the top pass-blocking offensive tackles in the NFL. Last season he produced an 87.0 pass-blocking grade in the regular season, which ranked third among all offensive tackles, and he allowed just 17 total pressures from 577 pass-blocking snaps.
The former Notre Dame standout finished the 2018 season with an 86.7 pass-blocking grade in pure pass sets. He allowed only nine pressures on 137 snaps while his 6.6% pressure rate allowed ranked sixth among offensive tackles last season.
Ravens Embrace Change By Relying on Youth and Competition - Clifton Brown
Many outsiders believe it will be difficult for the Ravens to repeat as AFC North champs after so much roster turnover during the offseason, headlined by the departures of C.J. Mosley, Terrell Suggs, Eric Weddle and Za’Darius Smith.
But the Ravens don’t view themselves as gambling on young talent. They are trusting their talent. If enough players step forward during OTAs, training camp and the preseason, Head Coach John Harbaugh believes the new-look Ravens will evolve into a very good football team.
“I guess if a guy has never played in the National Football League, he’s a bad player,” Harbaugh said, disagreeing with the perception the Ravens have lost too many holes to fill. “It’s really fun to see what the next generation is going to do and who they’re going to be and who’s going to make a name for themselves. Really, one of the things you do as a coaching staff and a scouting staff is build competition in there. Give yourself as many options as you possibly can, and the cream will rise to the top. These guys, it’s their dream to play in the National Football League, now they have to go do it.”
Predicting the story of the season for all 32 NFL teams - Jamison Hensley
The development of Lamar Jackson
He led the Ravens to a 6-1 record and their first AFC North title in six years, but Jackson needs to make strides in his second season -- especially as a passer -- for Baltimore to return to the postseason. The Ravens have done a lot of work this offseason to help Jackson, giving him a new offensive coordinator (Greg Roman), drafting two wide receivers in the first three rounds (Marquise Brownand Miles Boykin) and signing a proven runner and leader (Mark Ingram II). How much Jackson progresses is the key to the Ravens’ season.