The Baltimore Ravens' recent hard-line stance on off-the-field problems doesn't mean they will keep their distance from players with character concerns.
The Ravens made it known they have not written off Washington cornerback Marcus Peters and Oklahoma wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, hosting both talented but seemingly troubled players for pre-draft visits, according to general manager Ozzie Newsome.
Peters, who is considered by many as the most talented cornerback based on game film, threw a tantrum on the sideline after head-butting an opponent, missed team meetings and got booted from the Washington football program. Green-Beckham, a gifted 6-foot-5 playmaker, has been charged twice with marijuana possession and was kicked off the Missouri football team after an incident where he allegedly pushed a woman down some stairs.
Both players would fill two of Baltimore's biggest needs but they're also a risk considering the Ravens have had eight players arrested the past two offseasons and endured the year-long Ray Rice scandal. Newsome also said in February the team will avoid players with domestic violence in their background, which many believed took Green-Beckham off the Ravens' draft board.
While team officials didn't go into specifics about either player, the Ravens are doing their homework on two players who could fall to them at the No. 26 overall pick because of past behavioral problems.
In addressing the Ravens' stance on character issues, assistant general manager Eric DeCosta said at Wednesday's pre-draft luncheon, "We don't treat everybody exactly the same. We consider all of the different situations and circumstances before we make a decision. We're not there yet. We've got a lot more work to do."
In addition to Peters and Green-Beckham, the Ravens have also met with a couple other red-flagged prospects, Nebraska linebacker-defensive end Randy Gregory and Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams for pre-draft visits. Gregory tested positive for marijuana at the NFL combine in February, and Williams was arrested for driving under the influence earlier this month. Gregory is considered one of the top pass-rushers in the draft, and Williams is a borderline first-round prospect.
DeCosta said the Ravens won't remove players from their board until their final meetings, which take place a day or two before the draft.
"Everything matters. We scrutinize everything, every piece of information," DeCosta said. "Obviously, if a guy has a positive drug test, we talk about it. We consider everything. We look at all the different facts and talk to people and brought him in and spent some time with him. Does it affect a player? Yes, it affects players when players test positive at the combine."
The Ravens have taken a hard-line stance with all three players arrested this offseason, cutting ties with nose tackle Terrence Cody (indicted on animal cruelty charges), cornerback Victor Hampton (drunken driving) and running back Bernard Pierce (drunken driving) within a day of learning about the incidents.
But team officials said they are willing to give players a second chance if they deserve it, and that apparently extends to how they evaluate prospects in the draft.
"We will do any and everything we can to make sure the 10 or 11 or six, seven or eight players we bring to Baltimore will hopefully stay out of trouble," Newsome said. "There is not a guarantee that that's going to happen. It's just impossible."
