Ravens GM Praises Coordinator Input in Draft Decisions

DeCosta highlights importance of aligning personnel and coaching staff

Apr. 18, 2026 at 3:06am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented, overlapping shapes and planes in deep navy, forest green, and burnt orange, conceptually representing the collaborative process of an NFL team's draft room and coaching staff.The Ravens' collaborative approach to roster building, aligning personnel and coaching expertise, has been a key to their sustained success.Baltimore Today

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta credited the strong collaboration between the team's personnel department and coaching staff, including coordinators, as a key factor in the organization's sustained success. DeCosta emphasized the value he places on listening to the coordinators' perspectives on players and how they would fit the team's schemes.

Why it matters

The Ravens' approach of closely aligning personnel decisions with the needs and vision of the coaching staff, including coordinators, is seen as a model for how NFL teams can effectively build their rosters. This collaborative process helps ensure draft picks and free agent signings are the right fit for the team's schemes and coaching philosophy.

The details

DeCosta pointed to the team's history of having only four head coaches, but noted that the coordinators' needs and requirements for personnel have still evolved over the years. He said he loves listening to offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver discuss their perspectives on players and how they would be utilized. DeCosta also credited new head coach Jesse Minter's emphasis on personnel as a key factor in his hiring, saying Minter stood out during the interview process for his thoughtful approach to roster building.

  • The article was published on April 18, 2026.

The players

Eric DeCosta

The general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, who has emphasized the importance of aligning personnel decisions with the team's coaching staff.

Ozzie Newsome

The former executive vice president of the Ravens, whom DeCosta has observed navigating the relationship between personnel and coaching for many years.

Declan Doyle

The offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, whose input on personnel DeCosta values.

Anthony Weaver

The defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, whose vision for the team's defense DeCosta considers when making personnel decisions.

Jesse Minter

The new head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, who was hired in part due to his thoughtful approach to roster building and alignment with the personnel department.

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What they’re saying

“That's a huge part of what we do. And I've been blessed to have watched [executive vice president] Ozzie [Newsome] for so many years navigate that with different coaches. We've only had four [head coaches], but things change, and coordinators have different needs and requirements with personnel, and all those kind of things. And being on the same page, I think, is something that has made us special over the years and something that I really value and take a lot of pride in.”

— Eric DeCosta, Ravens General Manager

“So, I love listening to [offensive coordinator] Declan [Doyle] talk about personnel and how he's going to use players. And of course, I've known [defensive coordinator] Anthony [Weaver] for a long time, but listening to Anthony talk about his vision for players, and [head coach] Jesse [Minter]'s vision for our defense, and all those different things. That's one of the reasons why we hired Jesse. Throughout the interview process, asking him about personnel and hearing his thoughts on things, he stood out, and he's special in that regard.”

— Eric DeCosta, Ravens General Manager

The takeaway

The Ravens' collaborative approach to roster building, where the personnel department closely aligns with the coaching staff's needs and vision, has been a key factor in the team's sustained success over the years. This model demonstrates how NFL teams can effectively integrate their scouting and coaching expertise to identify the right players for their schemes and long-term goals.