OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens delivered the most surprising NFL news on Wednesday, when they announced a one-year agreement with quarterback Robert Griffin III.

But this move shouldn’t come as that much of a shock. The Ravens have been looking for an inexpensive but experienced insurance policy at quarterback this offseason, and Griffin fits that profile as well as anyone remaining in free agency.

Kirk Cousins. Jimmy Graham. Andrew Norwell. This class is already wild. Here’s everything to know.

• Barnwell’s free agency & trade grades »
• Signings, analysis for all 32 teams »
•Ranking top 100 NFL free agents »
•Players who landed in perfect spots »
• Highest-paid players at every position »
• Who really got best free-agent deals? »
• Biggest remaining need for all 32 »
• Are Vikings NFC fave with Cousins? »
• Fantasy impact of key deals, moves »

When: April 26-28
Where: Arlington, Texas
NFL draft coverage » | Full order: 1-256 »

With Joe Flacco’s recent injuries and struggles, the Ravens probably would’ve preferred to sign someone more proven like Chase Daniel, Chad Henne or Drew Stanton. But they all signed deals that averaged better than $3 million per season.

Pep Guardiola’s tactical innovations have changed the landscape of English football in less than two years, and Manchester City in full flight presents a convincing case as the best side since the Premier League began in 1992.

But against Liverpool on Wednesday, the Spaniard got it drastically wrong.

With half an hour played, Nicolas Otamendi took it upon himself to surge up the park with the ball at his feet. There were colleagues available, and there should’ve been a nagging consideration that he isn’t Franz Beckenbauer, but the Argentinian let the ball bobble away and into James Milner’s reach. Around 15 seconds later, Sadio Mane headed past Ederson to make it 3-0.

The goal was emblematic of how City performed in the opening stanza; positional disarray, an inability to sensibly swipe space, and rushing in possession blighted the work of the visitor, and Guardiola’s tactics must take most of the blame for a considerable first-leg defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The biggest omission was that of Raheem Sterling. The 23-year-old has scored 21 times this season – the same number as his previous two terms combined – but was sacrificed for Ilkay Gundogan. A popular assumption was that the change was intended to bulk up the midfield – something that should raise questions given the last time City started with Fernandinho, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, and Gundogan in the middle was its awful beginning to the League Cup final against Arsenal in February. There could also be an argument that Sterling was left out because of how he flounders under the scrutiny of Reds fans following his controversial 2015 switch.

Whatever it was that encouraged Guardiola to shuffle his pack – a misguided tactical call or being overly concerned about protecting Sterling – it knocked everything off balance.

The midfield crumpled in on itself, with only Fernandinho assuming a distinct position and the other three ineffectually milling around in a shape that often resembled a distorted diamond. Gundogan was especially weak, making just 48 touches before he was substituted after 56 minutes.

With the 4-3-3 inexplicably set aside, Leroy Sane also cut a confused figure in a lopsided attack. He wasn’t a winger, a strike partner to Gabriel Jesus, or a No. 10, and his clear bewilderment facilitated Trent Alexander-Arnold’s best appearance for Liverpool in his young career. With only Sane struggling nearby and no support on his right, Jesus’ involvement was restricted to six passes in the first half – three of which were from kick-off – and he spearheaded a side that wasn’t able to record a shot on target throughout the tie.

If Bernardo Silva was Sterling’s replacement, the 4-3-3 schematic would have been maintained, and the latter would’ve been spared the abuse that he often cowers under. Instead, City’s unfamiliar formation was ruffled by Liverpool.

There were obviously issues in defence, and most of them centred around the decision to field Aymeric Laporte on the left of a back-four. Mohamed Salah is best dealt with by a right-footer at left-back; that way, he isn’t running onto the weaker side of a full-back when he cuts in. City had a ready-made player for that role in Danilo. With Danilo on the left-hand side, Laporte would’ve then been the go-to ball-playing centre-half, thereby culling Otamendi’s intermittent habit of spreading diagonal balls onto the laps of spectators in the first row. Few City representatives left Anfield with any credit, but Otamendi was handed too much trust and, as a result, challenged Gundogan and Sane as his team’s worst player.

There’s a slight hope that this tie is salvageable, but Guardiola’s plan will have to be exemplary in the reverse fixture next Tuesday. However, from the evidence of the opening tie between these two teams, Jurgen Klopp may have his counterpart’s number.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots have traded receiver Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams for the 23rd overall pick in this year’s draft.

As part of the deal, which was officially announced by the Rams on Tuesday night, New England also sent a fourth-round pick (No. 136 overall) to Los Angeles and received a sixth-round pick (No. 198 overall) from the Rams.

The deal helps both teams in different ways.

The Rams — who had explored a trade for Odell Beckham Jr. but liked the Cooks option better — were seeking a vertical threat for second-year coach Sean McVay’s dynamic offense after Sammy Watkins joined the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency.

The speedy Cooks, who totaled 65 receptions for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns for the Patriots last season, fills that void alongside Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. Cooks had 16 receptions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield last season, tied with DeAndre Hopkins for most in the NFL.

Several current Rams played took to Twitter to cheer the move.

Aw man the front office is out here cookin! ????? #Rams

— Rodger Saffold (@Rodger_Saffold) April 3, 2018

B Coooooooooks!!!!!!!!!
Let’s goooooooo! @brandincooks welcome to the squad brotha.#GoBeavs

— Johnny Hekker (@JHekker) April 3, 2018

Cooks had made a strong impression on many in New England after the team acquired him last offseason from the New Orleans Saints for a package that included the Patriots’ first-round pick (No. 32 overall), but he was entering the final year of his contract (due to earn $8.459 million) at a time when salaries for top pass-catchers have skyrocketed.

In choosing to trade Cooks, the Patriots were likely weighing their chances of re-signing him in 2019 while also working to accumulate assets at a time when quarterback Tom Brady turns 41 in August and tight end Rob Gronkowski appears to be on a year-to-year plan in terms of how much longer he will play.

The Patriots, who hope to sustain success as some of their star players enter the final stages of their careers, now have two first-round picks (No. 23, 31) and two second-rounders (No. 43, 63), along with a third-rounder (95), two sixth-rounders and a seventh-rounder this year.

As for their wide receiver depth chart, it is still well stocked with Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Malcolm Mitchell, Kenny Britt, Cordarrelle Patterson, Riley McCarron and Cody Hollister, although the club will miss Cooks’ blazing speed and durability, as he played 92.7 percent of the offensive snaps in the regular season and coach Bill Belichick said he never missed a practice.

Cooks had 10 catches for 155 yards in the postseason before being knocked out of the team’s Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles with a concussion in the second quarter.

The 24-year-old Cooks, who entered the NFL as a first-round draft choice of the Saints in 2014, is the latest star acquisition for the Rams this offseason. They previously traded for cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, then signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, whom they will introduce to the media Wednesday.