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Ozzie Newsome’s reign as the only general manager in Baltimore Ravens history will come to an end after the 2018 season.

Newsome signed a five-year extension in 2014 with the understanding that he surrenders the post to assistant GM Eric DeCosta at the end of the contract Seahawks Ed Dickson Jersey , Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said Friday.

”Ozzie will step down as GM and has assured me that he’s not going anywhere,” Bisciotti said. ”He will work with me and work with Eric for a smooth transition and he’ll be the highest paid scout in America when Eric takes over next year.”

Newsome, 61, has been in charge of filling out the roster since the Ravens arrived in Baltimore in 1996. His first two draft picks were Jonathan Ogden – who became a Hall of Fame offensive lineman – and Ray Lewis, who is expected to enter the Hall this year.

Newsome is also a member of the Hall of Fame. Following his standout career as a tight end with the Cleveland Browns, Newsome made the transition to the front office under former Ravens owner Art Modell. With Newsome leading the way, Baltimore won two Super Bowls and reached the postseason five straight years from 2008-12.

DeCosta, 46, joined the Ravens at an entry-level position in 1996 and was schooled by Newsome. Since becoming assistant general manager in 2012, DeCosta spurned numerous job offers from other teams with the assumption, then assurance, that he would inherit Newsome’s job.

”I think he has learned from Ozzie. I think he’s a great leader of the scouts Authentic Joseph Noteboom Jersey ,” Bisciotti said of DeCosta. ”It’s Ozzie’s department, but most of the interaction with all the scouts is with Eric. I’ve seen the way he goes about the business, I’ve seen the way he’s embraced technology and analytics, and I like working with him.”

Bisciotti said of the impending switch from Newsome to DeCosta: ”It’s time. There are people that are running other franchises that got the jobs because Eric wouldn’t take it. This year it was the Packers.”

Bisciotti spoke for nearly an hour in his annual postseason session with the media. He fielded questions on a wide variety of topics – beginning with his decision to retain coach John Harbaugh after Baltimore missed the playoffs for a third straight season.

Firing Harbaugh ”was certainly a consideration, but not one that I was inclined to make this year,” the owner said.

Asked if he would fire Harbaugh if the Ravens fail to reach the postseason in 2018, Bisciotti replied, ”I’m not going to give a `playoff or bust’ edict to you all or my coach. He’s under (more) pressure probably than he’s ever been in in his life, and I expect him to … make the most of this season. I may as well replace him now if I’m going to tell him, `Make the playoffs or you’re out of town next year.’ That’s not the way to run a business.”

Though the Ravens have gone 5-11, 8-8 and 9-7 over the last three years, Bisciotti noted that things would have been different were it not for a last-minute loss in Pittsburgh in 2016 and a stunning defeat at home in the finale against Cincinnati this season.

He also cited quarterback Joe Flacco’s slow recovery from an ailing back as a determining factor in 2017.

”We’re literally looking at a few moments of time that went against us Cowboys Cheap Jerseys ,” Bisciotti said. ”We’re not talking about 4-12 seasons here. We’re talking about a franchise quarterback that had a herniated disk and was not healthy for the first half of the year. There’s a couple games that we should have won, that if we did, we might have been resting our starters against Cincinnati. That’s our goal next year.”

Bisciotti hopes that an improved team will draw more fans to home games in 2018. The Ravens sold out every game, but often performed before thousands of empty seats.

”Am I disappointed in it? Yeah. Concerned? Yes,” he said. ”The no-shows are a way of telling us our fans aren’t pleased. We’ve got to win, and I hope that solves a majority of the problems.”



The roster overhaul of the two-time defending AFC West champions began in earnest weeks ago, when the Kansas City Chiefs agreed to trade quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins.

It began for real on Wednesday.

That's when the new league year ushered in a flurry of moves that could finally become official, including the blockbuster deal that sent Smith to the Redskins 鈥?where he had already agreed to a new contract 鈥?for cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick in this year's draft.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Alex and what he was able to accomplish with us these past five seasons," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "He put every ounce of energy into making our team better and I appreciate his leadership and how he came to work with the right attitude every day."

The Chiefs also made official a trade of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters to the Los Angeles Rams for a fourth-round pick this year and a second-round pick next year, and the signings of wide receiver Sammy Watkins and linebacker Anthony Hitchens to fill two of their biggest holes.

Among their own free agents, the Chiefs are bringing back fullback and special-teams standout Anthony Sherman and defensive tackle Jarvis Jenkins. They also put a sixth-rounder tender on defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches and non-tendered linebacker Ramik Wilson and cornerback Keith Baxter.

The 24-year-old Watkins agreed to a $48 million, three-year deal Tuesday that includes $30 million in guarantees. Watkins spent four injury-filled years with Buffalo before spending last season with the Rams Patrick Omameh Jersey Giants , where he managed to stay healthy enough for the Chiefs to feel comfortable signing him.

At his best, Watkins is a potent playmaker with blazing downfield speed, and he should pair nicely with Tyreek Hill to give new quarterback Patrick Mahomes II plenty of options.

Throw in the emergence of running back Kareem Hunt, who led the NFL in rushing as a rookie last season, and perennial Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce, and the Chiefs should have one of the AFC's best offenses even after trading their Pro Bowl quarterback to Washington.

The 25-year-old Hitchens, who likewise agreed to a $45 million, five-year deal on Tuesday, should fill Derrick Johnson's old spot at middle linebacker alongside Reggie Ragland. Hitchens was a fourth-round pick who exceeded all expectations in Dallas, earning a contract in his first free agency.

Earlier this offseason, the Chiefs parted ways with franchise tackles leader Johnson and Tamba Hali, who ranks second only to Derrick Thomas in career sacks. The veteran linebackers were let go along with safety Ron Parker http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/aut ... phy-jersey , who had become a critical part of the defensive backfield 鈥?especially when star safety Eric Berry went down with a season-ending injury last year.

All of the offseason decisions, including the aggressive trades of Smith and Peters, have served two purposes for new general manager Brett Veach: get younger and save money.

The Chiefs' rapidly aging defense was a particular concern last season, and bringing Hitchens and Fuller into the mix immediately lowers their average age. Throw in the potential rookies that they net with their new draft picks and the pieces are in place for a massively revamped unit.

"After a thorough evaluation of our roster we decided it was in the best interest for us and for Marcus to move in different directions," Veach said of the embattled cornerback, whose immature antics rubbed many the wrong way. "We appreciate Marcus' contributions and wish him the best of luck."

Veach also inherited a salary cap mess from former GM John Dorsey, whose unparalleled ability to unearth talent was tempered by a dismal record in signing long-term contracts. The decision to trade Smith was a no-brainer with Mahomes waiting in the wings, as were the decisions to move on from Johnson and Hali, while the trade of Peters was made with an eye toward the future.

The money the Chiefs freed up allowed them to aggressively target Watkins and Hitchens, and thus filled two of their most pressing needs the moment free agency began.

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