Rumors;Ravens to dump Lamar Jackson for new draft pick

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh started their week Monday with draft meetings, and they’ll end it Friday or Saturday with more draft meetings, too.

But for about 35 minutes Tuesday, the two broke down the Ravens’ roster needs, the organization’s draft philosophy and their takeaways from the 2024 draft class.

Here are seven takeaways from Harbaugh and DeCosta’s predraft news conference in Owings Mills.

Risking it for a running back

The flurry of running back signings at the beginning of free agency last month was a good indication of how front offices around the league look at this year’s running back draft class, DeCosta said. Which is to say, it’s not great.

This year’s draft is the perfect place for teams looking for quality offensive linemen and impact wide receivers. But if you’re a team desperately in need of a starting running back — like, say, the Ravens were at the start of free agency — then you probably should’ve signed a Derrick Henry instead of looking to draft a rookie high.

That’s exactly what the Ravens did, but even so, they need more depth. With Gus Edwards now signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, and J.K. Dobbins still on the market, the Ravens currently only have Henry, Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell on the roster. Mitchell is still rehabbing, so the Ravens need to add more depth.