Ravens GM Eric DeCosta has established a reputation for uncovering value in trades. On draft weekend he’s added draft capital and then used it to leverage even more draft capital. Now, many are wondering if he’ll reach into his arsenal to land a player who can help during the backstretch of the 2021 season. He has until 4PM today when the NFL trade deadline arrives.
Trade discussions can take on many shapes and sizes. Sometimes the motivation behind such discussions changes direction and the resulting trade doesn’t even reflect the original intent of the call. Such was the case when the Ravens landed Marcus Peters.
Many factors come into play. What is the trading partner’s current position in the standings? Are they looking to unload a player who is an unrestricted free agent the following year? Might trading the player provide future cap relief? Is a less expensive player on the roster ready to assume a bigger role?
DeCosta takes these things and many more into consideration when identifying a trade partner. If the Ravens do nothing today, and there’s a good chance they won’t, it probably will come down to the team believing that folding is a better option than sacrificing players or draft capital. Sometimes teams have to trust in the roster they’ve already assembled and in the coaches to develop the talent.
Ravens projected 2022 picks:
– 1st (own)
– 2nd (own)
– 3rd (own)
– 3rd (comp. pick for Culley)
– 4th (own)
– 4th (comp. pick for Judon)
– 4th (comp. pick for Ngakoue)
– 4th (from AZ in 2021 draft day trade)
– 4th (from NYG in Bredeson trade)
– 6th (from MIA in Mancz trade)— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) November 1, 2021
Holes in The Roster
If asked where the Ravens need the most help I’d narrow it down to these positions:
• Offensive Line
• Edge Rusher
• Inside Linebacker
• Running Back
Since the bye the Ravens have added T Cedric Ogbuehi. Judging from some of the tape I’ve seen, Ogbuehi is serviceable and a better option at right tackle than Tyre Phillips. Ogbuehi actually helps the Ravens in two ways – he improves the competency at RT while allowing Phillips to develop at guard, the position where he seems most comfortable. That’s where his future in the league is parked.
Quick, active feet that keep churning. Anticipates snap. Good feel for positioning in the run game. Barely uses arms, would rather drop a shoulder or absorb a defender. More cerebral than nasty. #RavensFlock . @Garnet478 @realjakevogel @ChrisJustJoking https://t.co/ppsAGn6GUk
— Huddle It Up Films (@HuddleItUpFilms) November 2, 2021
Edge is a position that seems to be a regular weakness for the team much like receiver was for many years. But adding an edge defender who is better than those already on the roster just seems to be a pipedream, particularly in midseason. Finding upgrades there are costly, just ask the Rams. The Ravens will have to find a way schematically to increase pressure. That said, attacking good quarterbacks with predictable blitzing and leaving corners exposed is not the answer. See Ravens v. Bengals – not one of Wink Martindale’s better games.
Granted they are among the best in the game, but watching players like Devin Bush and Demario Davis is a reminder of the kind of energy and physicality that Ray Lewis once delivered. Those players put ball carriers on the ground and that kind of tackling, like hitting in baseball, seems to be contagious. Josh Bynes delivers a bit of that but he lacks the explosiveness of players like Bush and Davis. That said, as Bynes assumes some of the cerebral aspects of ILB from Patrick Queen, it seems to have sparked the play of the Ravens 2020 first-round pick. It will be interesting to see how the rapport between the two backers develops.
As for running back, if there’s a play to be made today from DeCosta, RB is where it’s at. Players like Marlon Mack or Phillip Lindsay are upgrades over Le’Veon Bell who clearly has been tackled by the worst opponent – Father Time. And either is essentially a trade-off in cap dollars.
This Week
The Ravens host the Vikings at The Bank at 1PM on Sunday and currently they are 5 ½ point favorites. The last time the teams met in Baltimore it was a rather boring game for over 3 quarters. But the last few minutes of the game packed enough excitement for several games. Take a look…
Now that was fun! #Ravens v. #Vikings December 8, 2013 pic.twitter.com/9lCZHIfsOw
— Russell St. Report (@RussellStReport) November 2, 2021
Nashville Bound
One of the Ravens best, if not THE best non-divisional rivalries is that with the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are (6-2) but they’ll have to deal with the loss of their best player, Derrick Henry. Losing Henry is not just a major blow for the Titans’ ambitions in 2021, it’s also a blow to the league. Whenever a player with Henry’s star-power is lost, the league takes a hit. Here’s to Henry’s full and rapid recovery.
This weekend I’ll be in Nashville (assuming American Airlines doesn’t cancel our flight). Long story as to why we’re heading there but we’re pretty excited to meet up with Ravens fans at Tin Roof Broadway. Musical artist Jimmy Charles, a Maryland native and Towson U alum whose career took him to Nashville, heads up a Ravens fan group that gathers at Tin Roof Broadway for each game.
If you happen to be in the neighborhood, stop on in. Jimmy will be performing afterwards. And speaking of Jimmy, here’s a great tune he penned to celebrate Baltimore.
News & Notes
If you are looking to chat with other Ravens fans, we encourage you to check out our Forums here…If you haven’t noticed, we re-designed RSR and I encourage to take a little tour. We’ve really beefed up the Salary Cap section and we have some other refinements that we’ll be introducing over the next few weeks. Your feedback is always welcome…Please be sure to check out our podcasts heard on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Audacy and Amazon Audible.
They are:
• Battle Plans
• Russell Street Replay
• The Front Office
• Word on The Street
And last but certainly not least, our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the Pisano Family on the loss of Braddox William Pisano who was loved by many. Braddox was a bolt of energy with off the chart personality. He will be dearly missed. Braddox’s Chesapeake High School Football team honored him and his No. 13 this past Friday night. Fly high Braddox!
