DeCosta to officially start as Ravens GM on Friday

The Baltimore Ravens' long-awaited change in front-office leadership will become official on Friday, when Eric DeCosta takes over as the team general manager. The club made the announcement Thursday.

The team also announced that outgoing GM Ozzie Newsome will remain with Ravens "in a significant role."

DeCosta, 47, first joined the Ravens as a scouting intern in 1996, the club's first season after moving from Cleveland to Baltimore. According to the team, he has declined interview requests from clubs with GM openings in each of the last seven years, preferring to stay in Baltimore.

Following his internship, DeCosta moved up to area scout (1997-2002), then director of college scouting (2003-08), director of player personnel (2009-11) and finally assistant general manager, his job since 2012.

"No. 1, he's a very good person," Newsome said of DeCosta last spring, adding that his successor saw the Ravens as a "bare-bones" organization. "He's a very good talent evaluator. He'd had a chance to watch how this thing has grown, but he has also seen how this thing was built."

Newsome, who moved with the franchise from Cleveland in 1996, took over as the Ravens' GM in November 2002. During that time, Baltimore has won two Super Bowl titles. Meanwhile, the other 31 NFL teams went through a combined 149 general managers prior to this season.

Newsome has drafted two Hall of Fame players in offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden and linebacker Ray Lewis. At least two more are likely to join them in safety Ed Reed, who is eligible, and linebacker Terrell Suggs, who is still active. Also among his draft picks have been three NFL Defensive Players of the Year and an Offensive Player of the Year.

--Field Level Media