Ravens genral manager Eric DeCosta addressed assembled media today, providinghis perspective and rationale in backing out of the Maxx Crosby trade.

"I've got a responsibility to the Ravens, to this community, to the fans and to (owner) Steve Bisciotti to do what we think is best for the club,” DeCosta said when asked what the main consideration was in the decision. “And that's what we try to do. Every decision we make is based on this idea, is this what's best for the Ravens?"

"Nobody's more upset about this than me,” DeCosta said later. “Gutted by it, actually. Big regret for me. But we will move on as a football team."

“I got a lot of respect for (Raiders owner) Mark Davis, (general manager) John Spytek, the Raiders. It’s devastating for me to have that conversation. It’s also very, very hard for the player,” DeCosta said.

DeCosta at one point said he was speechless Tuesday, as he considered the options. He praised Crosby, saying he "plays like a Raven," and said the team wanted him. He also volunteered that the plan, allegedly, was to have both Crosby and former Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson, who the Ravens signed Wednesday, adding that the Hendrickson deal was already in the works and the players were going to be complementary part so fhte defense, that Hendrickson was not a replacement for Crosby.

My take: This all could have been a logistical disaster. The Crosby deal preceded the negotiating window but changed and set every team's plans. The Raiders were operating on the idea that they had shed $25 million in salary and they were very active on Day 1. If they weren't able to absorb the Crosby contract coming back after the deal was declined, with all the new deals they signed, they would have had to decline an agreement reached with one or more free-agent signings, affecting those players' opportunities and their potential market value after teams singed others thinking they were off the market.