Ravens Q&A with Jamison Hensley

Matt, Cockeysville: If the Ravens think that Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan is their franchise quarterback of the future, would they be willing to trade up for him, and what might that take?

Jamison Hensley: I think the Ravens would be willing to trade up for Ryan and Virginia defensive end Chris Long. The Ravens' scouts are really high on Ryan, but it could be costly to get him. If the Ravens wanted to trade up as high as No. 3 spot (the Atlanta Falcons), it would take at least this year's first- and second-round picks (as well as another pick in 2008) and the Ravens' first-rounder in 2009. Knowing that the Ravens consider this a deep draft, it would be hard for them to give up so many picks. If Ryan and Long aren't there, I would expect the Ravens to try to trade down.

Charles, Huntsville, Ala.: What do you think the Ravens learned about drafting quarterbacks after selecting Kyle Boller? And do you think they would start a rookie if they selected one in the first or second rounds?

Jamison Hensley: General manager Ozzie Newsome said last week that the Ravens would prefer to let a rookie quarterback sit in his first season, although he didn't attribute this to Boller's struggles in his first season. But several team officials wonder what type of quarterback Boller would be if he hadn't been thrown into the huddle five months after being drafted. It doesn't matter if the Ravens take Matt Ryan in the top 10 or Michigan's Chad Henne at the bottom of the first round, neither will be expected to start the season opener. If the Ravens are out of playoff contention in December, that's when fans could expect to see the quarterback of the future. The Ravens won't rush another quarterback for a while.

Brandon: It seems one of the Ravens' biggest problems last year was that they couldn't consistently put pressure on the quarterback with Trevor Pryce hurt and Adalius Thomas gone. Are the Ravens considering drafting a defensive end this year to go along with Terrell Suggs?

Jamison Hensley: The best-case scenario to get a pass rusher is if the Ravens could land Virginia's Long. He isn't explosive but he has such a high motor, which has become a staple of the Ravens' defense. If the Ravens fail to get Long, they'll start considering a pass rusher in the fourth round or later. The Ravens are banking Trevor Pryce will be healthy this year, and Pryce is a premier rusher on the interior. The team also remains high on Antwan Barnes, a fourth-round pick from last year, as a situational pass rusher coming off the edge.

George, Parkville: Do you see the Ravens picking up a wide receiver in the first three or four rounds? Who are some of the wideouts they might be interested in?

Jamison Hensley: There's no question that the Ravens need another receiver. The Ravens have a solid group of three with Derrick Mason, Demetrius Williams and Mark Clayton. But this is a group that lacks size. New offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has always had a tall receiver in the past. I don't expect the Ravens to look at a receiver in the first two rounds, although they have expressed interest in Michigan State's Devin Thomas and Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly. But starting with the compensatory pick in the third round, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Ravens grab a wideout.

Wes, Catonsville: Do you believe Newsome when he says the retirement of Steve McNair had no effect on the Ravens' draft plans?

Jamison Hensley: Call me naive, but I really do believe Newsome on this one. The reason: the Ravens were already going to take a quarterback in the first or second round even with McNair on the team. One could speculate that this factored in McNair's decision to retire. He didn't want to keep the seat warm in Tennessee when the Titans drafted Vince Young. So why would he want to do the same if he was convinced the Ravens were going to take a quarterback early in the draft?

Related topic galleries: Trevor Pryce, Derrick Mason, Adalius Thomas, Steve McNair, Cam Cameron, Atlanta Falcons, National Football League

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