Bryant possibility intrigues some players

Weddle says he reached out to former Cowboys star; change already afoot on ‘D’

Three Ravens players were asked at Tuesday’s voluntary offseason workout program about the possibility of adding freeagent wide receiver Dez Bryant, whom the team has interest in acquiring, sources have told The Baltimore Sun.

Newwidereceiver Michael Crabtree was rather dismissive of the hypothetical: “I don’t talk about potential or nobody that’s not on my team,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

Quarterback Joe Flacco was struck by the similarities between Bryant and former Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin, a similarly big-bodied target: “[Boldin] was a guy that, even if he didn’t have the separation, it may have taken me a couple of games, but you got used to throwing him the ball and trust that he was going to get it. Andat the end of the day, in order to win big games, you have to have guys that can do that because eventually you’re not going to have guys running wide open.”

Eric Weddle, who helped recruit fellow safety Tony Jefferson and running back Danny Woodhead to Baltimore, again copped to taking a more personal interest in Bryant’s destination. He said he’s reached out to the former Dallas Cowboys star, whom he called “an amazing player, passionate, com- petitive, everything you’d want in a teammate.”

The Ravens likely will be relatively limited financially in what they can offer Bryant, who last season had 69 catches for 838 yards and six touchdowns. But Weddle said that “if we’ve got a shot at him, we’ll see what happens.”

Weddle’s pitch: “From the position coaches to the players, this is a unique family organization, from top down. And there’s no egos. It’s about the team. It’s about winning and everyone’s personal agendas get set aside once you come to this building. That’s how you win, and I knowwe’ve come up short, but we’ve progressed every year and my belief is it’ll all be worth it in the end.” Different defense: It’s early yet in the Ravens’ transition from retired (and then unretired) defensive coordinator Dean Pees to Don “Wink” Martindale, but change is already afoot. Inside linebacker C.J. Mosley indicated Tuesday that while the playbook will remain largely the same, the terminology is a little different and the schemes might diverge as well.

“I don’t want to tell everything on Day 2,” he said, “but it’ll be a little switch, but it won’t be too much different.”

Perhaps the biggest difference will be not in which plays are called but in the Ravens’ flexibility and responsibilities on the field before they’re executed. Weddle said Martindale’s new defense will “give us the ability to react and change on the fly and not be so blackboard [of a] defense, black and white, ‘This is what we do versus this.’ ”

As an example, Weddle said he and Mosley could, after noting an opposing offense’s presnap formation and motion, tell certain players along the defensive line to remain in their blitz package, knowing that he could cover for them, if needed. Weddle, who has started 32 games over his two seasons with the Ravens, said the defense never was afforded such a privilege previously.

“So it’s able to give the players more responsibility because we have a lot of guys that are intellectually high,” Weddle said. “They understand football, they understand the game and Coach is giving us the tools. Obviously, it’s going to take a long time to be confident in what we can do and what we can change, but it’s going to be great for us.”

The Ravens finished sixth in the NFL last season under Pees in scoring defense (18.9 points allowed per game) and 12th in total defense (325.1 yards allowed per game). Pees retired Jan. 1 after six seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator before taking the same position on the Tennessee Titans staff less than a month later. Mosley not worried about deal: Mosley was at breakfast Tuesday morning when he saw the news: Eric Kendricks had gotten paid.

The Minnesota Vikings linebacker reportedly agreed to a five-year, $50 million deal, among the richest contracts for a player at his position.

Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Mosley has set himself up for a payday that could surpass even Kendricks’. The three-time Pro Bowl selection is fifth in the NFL in tackles since 2014, when the Ravens drafted him No. 17 overall out of Alabama.

Mosley, 25, said his agent told him at the Pro Bowl in late January that contract extension talks with the Ravens were beginning, “but that’s the last thing I heard about it.” He said he doesn’t concern himself with the status of negotiations. His plan, as it has always been, is to remain with the Ravens.

“That’s been the plan the whole time,” he said. “I’m sure we all see eye to eye with that point, so like I said, as far as the money and all that stuff goes, that’s what the [team officials] upstairs and my agent see.” Endzone: During running back AlexCollins’ visit to Ireland last month as part of an NFL UK tour with Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas, New York Giants safety Landon Collins, Philadelphia Eagles running back Jay Ajayi and former NFL coach Rob Ryan, hepicked upanewtouchdowncelebration. “I can’t wait to show you guys,” said Collins, whoseloveofIrish dancing propelled himtoa national spotlight last season. … Ravens head strength and conditioning coach Steve Saunders said even after a year devastated by season-endingtears andbreaks, his focus is on improving performance, not preventing injury. Healsotouted the Ravens’ progress in his strength program last year, noting that the team’s able-bodied players had made gains over the course of the preseason and season. “I think it’s a fallacy that guys can’t get stronger during the season,” he said.