The Ravens are the best team in the NFL. They would not be if they hadn’t found a way to keep quarterback Lamar Jackson. General Manager Eric DeCosta found a way both to keep Jackson and to make him very happy with a fair and appropriate long-term deal. That alone makes DeCosta the 2023 PFT executive of the year.
None of it was easy. For the first time ever, a franchise quarterback negotiated a franchise-level contract on his own, without an agent. For months, DeCosta tiptoed through the minefield, positioning the Ravens for an appropriate contract while not poisoning the relationship in direct dealings with the player.
Unable for multiple years to get a deal done, DeCosta and the Ravens allowed Lamar’s contract to expire. They deftly applied the non-exclusive franchise tag, which allowed Lamar to see what was — and wasn’t — out there. No one seriously pursued Lamar (which was a mistake), allowing the Ravens to eventually hammer out a deal that pays Lamar incredibly well and that allowed him to fully focus on being the best player he could be.
And he has. He’ll most likely win the MVP award. The Ravens have the top seed in the AFC. They could get to the Super Bowl, and win it.
Without Lamar, it wasn’t happening. Without DeCosta, the Ravens might not still have Lamar.
Beyond the handling of the Lamar situation, DeCosta drafted receiver Zay Flowers and signed running back Keaton Mitchell as an undrafted free agent. He added receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. (even if the Ravens overpaid).
Lamar was and is the key. It could have become a mess. The Ravens could have tried to take advantage of him. Through it all, DeCosta focused on getting the deal done, without leaking team-friendly details to the media or otherwise picking a fight with his team’s most important player. And the Ravens are now being rewarded for DeCosta’s prudence.
Finishing second was Texans G.M. Nick Caserio, followed by Rams G.M. Les Snead. Lions G.M. Brad Holmes also appeared on the list.
