The Baltimore Ravens' unyielding effort to land a big-play receiver finally paid off Friday when nine-year veteran Michael Crabtree signed a three-year contract.
Hours after disclosing that the Ravens voided the contract of Washington Redskins wide receiver Ryan Grant following a failed physical Andy Dalton Youth Jersey , general manager Ozzie Newsome landed Crabtree, who played the past three seasons with the Oakland Raiders.
Crabtree toured the Ravens' complex Friday morning and signed in the late afternoon.
"I always imagined myself being a Raven when I was little," Crabtree said. "I came here, loved it and signed on the dotted line."
In two games over the past two years with Oakland, the former 49ers star scorched Baltimore for 13 catches for 170 yards and four touchdowns.
Facing the Ravens in the 2012 Super Bowl, Crabtree had five receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown for San Francisco in a 34-31 loss.
"Michael has played very well against the Ravens, so we know firsthand the attributes he brings to the game," Newsome said. "He is a smart, tough, physical receiver who battles for the ball. We like his temperament and believe he is a good fit for our football team, on and off the field."
The 30-year-old Crabtree played six seasons with San Francisco before joining the Raiders. He has 579 career receptions for 6 49ers Dante Pettis Jersey ,870 yards and 51 touchdowns in 125 career games.
The 6-1, 215-pound Crabtree has totaled at least 85 catches in a season three times, including a career-high 89 in 2016. He has twice surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
Crabtree joins former Arizona receiver John Brown as new potential targets for quarterback Joe Flacco, who directed a lackluster passing attack that last year ranked 27th in the NFL.
Almost as soon as the Ravens cleared out their lockers following a 9-7 finish in 2017, Newsome set out to improve the weakest facet of a team that's missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.
"If you dial it back to a year ago, we talked about how we wanted to get our defense stronger, and we did that. Then we said we wanted to run the football and we were able to do that," Newsome said Friday morning, speaking with Brown at his side. "The next piece is to get a better passing game. If we give Joe some weapons, and we improve in the passing game Malik Jefferson Jersey , maybe that will be enough to help us get over the hump."
Newsome said he withdrew Grant's four-year contract offer following the exam and after consulting with team doctors and outside physicians.
"That's not a football decision," Newsome said. "That's a medical condition that I have no control over."
Though Grant never missed a game in his four years with the Redskins, Newsome said the physical found an issue with his ankle.
"We knew he had had an ankle injury in the latter part of the season with the Redskins," Newsome said. "But he had passed their postseason physical, so we had no indication that it could have been there."
Brown played four seasons with Arizona before signing a one-year contract this week with Baltimore.
"The thing about John is, he can take the top off of the defense," Newsome said. "A lot of times when you go with a vertical receiver, they have a very limited route tree. John does not. John can run every route in the route tree. The other aspect of this that attracted John to us is that we feel like his best football is still in front of him."
Brown, two years removed from a 1,000-yard season, expects to ring up big numbers with Baltimore.
"I felt like this was the best fit for me Adidas Jake Guentzel Jersey ," he said. "They like to use a lot of receivers with speed. I feel like I can come in and help this team."
Newsome said he "has not closed the door" on re-signing receivers Michael Campanaro and Mike Wallace, and has been "having conversations" with several tight ends.
Nick Foles used the bye week to go back to basics.
The Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) are the first No. 1 seed to open the playoffs as an underdog mainly because Foles is the starting quarterback instead of Carson Wentz.
But Foles hasnr17;t lost confidence despite public perception that he canr17;t lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl, or even a victory over the Atlanta Falcons (11-6) on Saturday in the divisional round.
r1;Itr17;s just going out there and playing and staying in the zone and trusting my instincts,r1; Foles said.
r1;Ir17;ve played this game a long time. Therer17;s a reason Ir17;ve been able to do what Ir17;ve been able to do. When I play my best and Ir17;m most comfortable, I just go out there and play.r1;
Foles has had success against defenses similar to Atlantar17;s. The Falcons employ a Cover-3 scheme as their base defense. The three deep zones are covered by two cornerbacks and the free safety. The Seahawks have excelled at it for several years. Of course, they have a world-class secondary.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn was Seattler17;s defensive coordinator when they won the Super Bowl four years ago.
Foles has never faced Quinn, but he beat the Jaguars in 2014 with the Eagles and in 2016 with the Chiefs. He beat the Seahawks in 2015 with St. Louis. Gus Bradley, who preceded Quinn as Seattler17;s defensive coordinator, was Jacksonviller17;s coach in both games against Foles.
Foles is 65 of 105 (61.9 percent) for 842 yards with five touchdowns passes and one interceptions in those three games against Cover-3 defenses.
r1;You know where they are going to be. Thatr17;s the thing with this defense,r1; Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. r1;They play with a lot of confidence. Itr17;s an aggressive style. Itr17;s fast flow and they are not going to pull any punches.
r1;They are not going to try to trick you or do anything to get in your head or anything like that. Itr17;s just line up and try to beat us.r1;
The Falcons donr17;t blitz much but still get pressure on quarterbacks. They tied for 13th in the league with 39 sacks. Adrian Clayborn led the way with 9+ sacks, including six in one game against the Cowboys.
Atlanta allowed 17.5 points per game over the final six games and then shut down the leaguer17;s highest-scoring offense in a 26-13 win at the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card game.
r1;This defense is much improved over the course of the season Tyler Flowers Jersey ,r1; Pederson said. r1;You saw it against the Rams. They are fast. They are flying to the football.
r1;Secondary is aggressive. Guys know how to cover. A lot of single-high. They are going to challenge our receivers and thatr17;s what your17;re seeing on tape. Itr17;s a quality defense, but thatr17;s what we expect this time of year.r1;
Foles played well immediately after Wentz tore his ACL in Week 14. He was 20 of 48 for 279 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in his first five quarters versus 23 of 49 for 202 yards with one TD and two picks in the last five quarters.
r1;I havenr17;t executed as well as I wanted to the past couple of weeks, but I go out there and play and having this time to self-scout, go through practice, you realize just go out there and play,r1; Foles said.
r1;Maybe I wasnr17;t doing that as much those last couple of games. Itr17;s as simple as that. Sometimes, the hardest things are the simplest things. Basically, get out of your own head and go play the game you know how to play.r1;
