In response to a season-ending injury for Michael Campanaro, the Baltimore Ravens made a move at wide receiver, trading a future draft pick to the St. Louis Rams for Chris Givens.
Givens, a 6’0 speedster in his fourth NFL season, had a promising start to his career, posting 42 receptions for nearly 700 yards during his rookie campaign. But he gradually fell down the depth chart, reaching the point where a trade was necessary to reignite his career.
As a low-risk move, the trade feels similar to the Will Davis acquisition: a young player with talent who needed a change of scenery to accrue playing time.
With Campanaro out and Steve Smith Sr. injured as well, Givens may need to step in on offense as soon as next week against the Cleveland Browns.
Posting just one reception this season with the Rams, it is logical to keep expectations tempered with Givens and not expect him to be a one-man fix for the passing game.
But with his inherent speed, he brings a new attribute to the mix, and he’s worthy of intrigue.
How does Givens’ speed allow him to make an impact?
Prior to acquiring Givens, the Ravens had no true deep threat. The losses of Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones had become evident, and Givens’ arrival could help fill that void.
As a straight-line runner, Givens has the ability to stretch the field and open up the offense.
Here, Givens is matched up one-on-one with the cornerback, with a safety over the top.
Givens’ explosion off the snap allows him to effortlessly speed past the cornerback, creating an isolated matchup with the safety.
The acceleration by Givens lends him the upper hand on the defender, and when the ball is released, he already has ample separation.
The end result is an easy pitch and catch for the quarterback and Givens, as the space acquired by the receiver facilitates the throw.
Even if Joe Flacco may struggle with accuracy on deep throws, the fact that the Ravens now have this option to work with opens up the possibilities on offense.
Flacco has rarely been able to test the opposing secondaries downfield this season, mainly because no receivers have been quick enough to get downfield in time.
Enter Givens.
Along with his downfield speed comes Givens’ added dimension as a run option. With the success of Campanaro’s touchdown against Pittsburgh, perhaps offensive coordinator Marc Trestman will be inclined to hand the ball off to Givens to diversify the offense.
Givens displayed this ability last week against Pittsburgh.
On a jet sweep, Givens receives two quality blocks ahead of him, making for a one-on-one race with the linebacker.
He accelerates through the blocking lane with authority, picking up ground over the laterally moving defender.
Givens’ pure speed allows him to simply outrun the linebacker downfield, making for a 24-yard gain on the play.
A play like this goes beyond ample blocking; the wide receiver is ultimately responsible for making something happen on his own.
Without the speed that a player such as Givens possesses, this play call could not be justified. But now that Trestman has Givens at his disposal, perhaps a choice such as this could be of use to spice up the offense.
In a vacuum, the Givens acquisition should be viewed as just another wide receiver to work into the offense. The Ravens have no clear contributor after Smith Sr., and that may not change even with Givens on board.
But with a trait – vertical speed – that the likes of Smith Sr., Marlon Brown and others do not  possess, Givens’ arrival offers a new dynamic for the offense, one which Flacco will surely be thankful for.
