When Warren Buffett Speaks, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta Listens
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Eric DeCosta has already earned an NFL Executive of the Year award in just his two seasons as the Ravens' full-time position executive vice president & general manager.
Baltimore has also made the playoffs in each of those two years with DeCosta at the helm.
He has helped mastermind several successful drafts for the organization and also navigated the challenges of free agency.
DeCosta'ss philosophy extends from the best player available philosophy to heeding the advice of one of the world's most famous financial investors.
“I subscribe to the Warren Buffett school of thought as to value in investing, which is to say that it’s far better to acquire a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price,” DeCosta said in a message to fans on social media. "Think about that over the next month or two as we segway into free agency and the draft."
In this case, "company" means player.
The Ravens are preparing to boost their roster when free agency officially opens March 17 and through the 2020 draft in late April.
Baltimore needs to add a playmaking wide receiver, an outside linebacker and interior offensive linemen.
However, the NFL salary cap is $182.5 million, an 8% decrease from last year, and the Ravens will have to choose wisely with about about $20 million available to spend.
"Our scouts have been working hard, assessing value looking at these players and free agents that have been cut, looking at these unrestricted free agents as they hit the market next week," DeCosta said.
Baltimore has seven total picks in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Here's the breakdown:
- 1st round: No. 27
- 2nd: No. 58
- 3rd: No. 105 (comp pick)
- 4th: No. 132
- 5th: No. 172, No. 184 (comp pick)
- 6th: No. 209
"We had our first set of draft meetings last week over a 10-day period. Our scouts came back to Baltimore for the first time since last February, I believe," DeCosta said. "There are some unique challenges this year with no Combine. It's going to be a lot harder to get information as to physical results and objective data, but I think our scouts can do a great job."
