Ravens GM: Lamar Jackson allows team to be flexible when building roster

With Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson at the helm as the team's pivot, general manager Eric DeCosta sees a great opportunity to exploit the market and add offensive pieces to complement Jackson's unique skill set.

"This is a really, really fun, exciting offseason, because we get a chance to look at other teams, and maybe even have the chance to draft some players or add some players that maybe other teams don't like as much as we do because we're doing something different," DeCosta said, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "So, we may be able to find or exploit that situation a little bit."

The Ravens moved the ball primarily on the ground after Jackson took over as the signal-caller in Week 11, as they averaged 136.9 more rushing yards per game after turning to the sophomore.

DeCosta is also eager to capitalize on Jackson's cheap rookie deal in building the team this offseason and beyond. The 22-year-old has a three-year cap commitment of $7.8 million, while Joe Flacco, who's expected to be traded or released by the team, would've saddled the Ravens with a $78.9-million cap commitment over the next three years, according to Hensley.

"One of the things that we want to do is put ourselves in a really good salary cap situation now and also moving forward," DeCosta said. "So, having a quarterback on a rookie deal is a big part of that."

Aside from the financial flexibility Jackson's rookie deal provides, the GM also believes the quarterback's talent can help attract talent to Baltimore.

"I think players respect talent," DeCosta said. "I think players respect athletes and competitors. Anyone can watch Lamar Jackson and see how talented he is and what kind of a competitor he is. Players also want to win, and I think that's something that drives every professional athlete - winning games. I think they'll recognize that about us. When they watch us play, they'll want to play here."