The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are known as two of the top organizations in the league. Both franchises have tenured respected head coaches and are known for always being competitive. It's been nine years since the postseason didn't feature at least of them, but that hasn't stopped one NFL insider from taking a shot at the Steelers' AFC North foe for the recent mismanagement in talent highlighted by the recent trade demand made by star quarterback, Lamar Jackson.
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Lamar Jackson's time in Baltimore seems to be over.
Longtime NFL insider for various outlets in the past, Jason La Canfora, who now covers the league for 105.7 the Fan in Baltimore on his show Inside Access with Ken Weinman and Tim Barbalace, called out the Ravens for the recent exits of some of their most talented players:
Good luck finding an organization over the last few years to have this many prominent players and/or first round picks who want out: Lamar Jackson, Orlando Brown, Hollywood Brown, Hayden Hurst. Possibly Patrick Queen next. When your MO is to accommodate them, more will ask https://t.co/hLgHp5Ukgu
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 27, 2023
Photo Credit: Shawn Hubbard/ Baltimore Ravens
Marquise "Hollywood" Brown seen here with the Ravens was limited to just 12 games in his first season as an Arizona Cardinal.
It's clear the organization has taken the stance of wanting to do right by the players. They've accommodated past trade requests by Orlando Brown Jr., who wanted a chance to play left tackle that he wasn't going to in Baltimore, or Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown getting his wish to leave the Ravens after being unhappy with the offensive system. Tight end Hayden Hurst, who was also frustrated with his role in Baltimore, had his request granted when he was sent to the Atlanta Falcons at the 2020 NFL Draft.
A Cautionary Tale For The Steelers
The Steelers have their own crop of young talented players in Najee Harris, Kenny Pickett, George Pickens, and Pat Freiermuth who will be coming up on new contracts before you know it, and if the team is going to avoid having the type of exodus of talent their bitter rival has experienced in recent years, they better be keeping an eye on how these events have transpired.
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Steelers' Kenny Pickett and George Pickens celebrate a touchdown score against the Miami Dolphins.
Well, none of the aforementioned Steelers have an MVP award to their names like Jackson. The team should still pay close attention to why these players demanded trades. That reason when you break it down is communication, specifically about their roles on the team. So, head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Matt Canada, when looking at the cases of the offensive players who will be coming up on new deals faster than you can imagine, is to ensure they have a good understanding of what they're expected to do.
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Steelers general manager, Omar Khan speaks to the media at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN.
If the Steelers do run into situations where a player does ask for a trade-out for whatever reason, it will be up to general manager Omar Khan to orchestrate the right type of deal to help both the player get to a destination that makes sense for them and to maximize the return. Ravens' general manager Eric DeCosta was able to turn Hollywood Brown into promising young center Tyler Linderbaum after some wheeling and dealing, and sending Brown Jr. to the Kansas City Chiefs got them a collection of draft picks in 2021, including a first-rounder they used on former Penn State Nittany Lion standout defensive end/outside linebacker, Odafe Oweh.
Avoiding being in a position where players are asking to get out is obviously the goal, but when push comes to shove and it's time to do good by them and honor the request, it's up to the front office to maximize the best return and find ways to replace the player.
What do you think is going to happen in the Jackson situation? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
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