Edelman pens open letter to Leonard
Julian Edelman has been very open about his Jewish faith over the years. He’s also used his own platform to try to educate others. That was seen last summer when the Patriots receiver posted a video in response to DeSean Jackson posting a quote attributed to Adolf Hitler on his Instagram page. Edelman offered to meet and help educate Jackson on anti-Semitism. On Wednesday, Edelman posted an open letter to Heat center Meyers Leonard on social media. Meyers recently was video taped using an anti-Semitic slur during a video game livestream. “... I get the sense that you didn’t use that word out of hate, more out of ignorance. ... That’s what makes it so destructive,” Edelman wrote. “When someone intends to be hateful, it’s usually met with great resistance. Casual ignorance is harder to combat and has greater reach. Hate is like a virus. Even accidentally, it can rapidly spread. I’m down in Miami fairly often. Let’s do a Shabbat dinner with some friends I’ll show you a fun time.” The NBA is investigating the Leonard incident, and the 29-year-old has since apologized on social media.
The Ravens were awarded two compensatory draft picks Wednesday, giving them seven selections total entering next month’s NFL draft.
Under NFL rules, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it signs in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory picks. With the Ravens losing defensive tackle Michael Pierce (Minnesota Vikings) and wide receiver Seth Roberts (Carolina Panthers) and acquiring defensive end Derek Wolfe, the team was awarded a fifth-round pick (No. 183 overall). Because the Houston Texans hired former Ravens assistant coach David Culley as head coach this offseason, the team also received a thirdround pick (No. 104) and will get another in 2022. The draft haul is due to a new NFL rule that rewards the development of minority candidates for head coaching and general manager positions.
This year’s draft class is deep at wide receiver and offensive line, two areas of weakness for the Ravens last season.
“Numbers-wise, it looks very similar to last year’s draft in terms of the amount of really good prospects,” DeCosta said Tuesday. “We feel really good about our chances. We just wish we had more picks. We have seven picks right now, and hopefully, we have the chance to accumulate a few more.”
The Ravens now have a pick in each of the first six rounds: No. 27 overall (first), No. 58 (second), No. 104 (third), No. 131 (fourth), Nos. 171 and 183 (fifth) and No. 208 (sixth). They’ve received 53 compensatory draft picks in franchise history, the most in the NFL since the system’s 1994 inception, a total that doesn’t include the two third-round picks for Culley’s hiring.