The Baltimore Ravens have lost their wide receiver coach and passing game coordinator. The Houston Texans swooped up David Culley to be their next head coach. The move is actually a net positive for the Ravens. Here’s why.
According to reports, the Baltimore Ravens will receive two third-round compensatory picks for losing their assistant coach. One of these picks will be for the 2021 NFL Draft, while the other will be for the 2022 NFL Draft.
Baltimore originally went into the offseason without a third-round pick because they traded for Yannick Ngakoue before the trade deadline. According to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, the Ravens now have six picks with the compensatory third-rounder in the 2021 Draft.
The difference between having five picks and six picks going into the draft is huge. The Ravens usually like to trade back at key spots to accrue more picks. If they were just to sit back and pick at their spots, having five picks would put a lot of pressure on DeCosta. Having a pick in the third round is also a much more comfortable position to be in.
The Ravens have multiple needs this offseason. They have the lingering need at wide receiver. Baltimore also requires a pass rusher and a new starting center. The Ravens also have to keep reloading at key positions so they can stack players for the future. There’s a lot of work to do and not a ton of capital to do it with.
Ravens to receive two third-round compensatory draft picks with Texans hiring David Culley, previously Ravens assistant head coach-receivers coach-passing game coordinator, as their new head coach
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 28, 2021
On top of the draft compensation, it allows the Ravens to go in another direction to replace Culley. Culley is one of the most respected coaches in the NFL, working his way up to the highest position proves that. That being said, the Ravens could use a fresh voice in the offensive coaching staff. This is especially true when it comes to the passing game.
Before we get to the passing game coordinator part, let’s talk about his work with the receivers. One of the biggest problems for the Ravens has been the development of receivers. Miles Boykin came on strong at the end of his second year but it was a very slow burn for him. The Ravens hardly even experimented with their rookie receivers in the 2020 season. It may not be fair to lump it all on the shoulders of Culley, however, it is notable.
All indications are that the Ravens are going to keep Greg Roman as the offensive coordinator. Roman has the running game down pat. What he needs help with is the passing game. The Ravens should bring in someone to revolutionize their passing attack the way that Roman changed the run game.
Roman would still call the plays. The difference is that the passing attack would be designed by a new passing game coordinator. Remember, Roman started as the run game coordinator for John Harbaugh’s staff. Why can’t the Ravens take the same approach through the air with a passing game coordinator?
The Bottom Line:
At the end of the day, the Baltimore offense must start attacking the whole field and taking more shots down the field. While Culley may have been a better receivers coach than we know being outside of the operation, going in a new direction is a decent idea. Baltimore must start developing their wide receivers and using them differently. A new voice in the room may change things for this offense.
This is a win for all parties. The Texans have a very experienced coach who has worked for John Harbaugh and Andy Reid. I could see Culley being a strong head coach, much like Jim Caldwell was for the Detroit Lions. Caldwell had a wealth of experience and had the chance to work with Tony Dungy and the Ravens’ Harbaugh. On a side note, how did the Lions ever move on from him? Back to the topic at hand, it’s a win for the Ravens.
Harbaugh surely would have liked to keep Culley if he didn’t get this chance. The compensatory draft picks make up for the loss and then some if we’re being honest. It also gives them a chance to get a coach that can work well with Roman but can offer a different perspective for the passing game. It can’t hurt.