The Baltimore Ravens are right in the thick of the NFL playoff race and are widely viewed as one of the best teams in football right now. In order to win a Super Bowl though, the Ravens might need to be active at the 2023 NFL trade deadline.
Baltimore was aggressive last fall, acquiring linebacker Roquan Smith. The move worked out brilliantly for the Ravens’ defense and general manager Eric DeCosta has shown a willingness to make moves this time of year. There are also a few needs on the roster with trade candidates that could fit nicely in Baltimore.
Related: NFL trade rumors
Here are four trades that could help the Baltimore Ravens become a viable Super Bowl contender.
Courtland Sutton replaces Rashod Bateman
The Ravens have tried to make things work with wide receiver Rashod Bateman for several years now. Injuries have been a major problem for the first-round pick, but mental mistakes are also a huge problem. From mistakes with his route-running to dropped passes, it’s likely time for a change of scenery.
- Baltimore Ravens trade: Rashod Bateman, 2025 6th round pick
- Denver Broncos trade: Courtland Sutton, 2025 f5th round pick
While rookie Zay Flowers has played well this season, he’s shown that he still has a lot to learn and Baltimore can’t afford to have so many receivers on the field who can’t be trusted to play fundamentally sound football. With Flowers working underneath, Courtland Sutton provides Baltimore with a 6-foot-3 wideout who can be where Lamar Jackson expects and Sutton has proven he can be a trusted target. While he’s much closer to a 2b receiver than a No. 1 option, that’s acceptable given how much Baltimore spreads the ball around.
From Denver’s perspective, Bateman would be a buy-low candidate who is under team control in 2204 with only a $4.008 million cap hit. If he breaks out in Sean Payton’s offense, the deal looks even better. If not, it’s not all that different of a result as opposed to cutting Sutton ($13.5 million cap savings as a post-June 1 cut) during the 2024 offseason.
Baltimore Ravens swing big with Brian Burns trade
Baltimore does have one of the NFL’s best defenses this season, but it pales in comparison to what teams like the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers have. There’s room to improve in the secondary, which we’ll get to later, but a bigger priority needs to be improving the pass rush.
Pressure is the biggest disruptive force in the NFL. Teams who can consistently disrupt the rhythm of an offense by collapsing the pocket and forcing the quarterback to operate out of structure or throw the football away is paramount. Entering NFL games today, though, Baltimore ranks 25th in pressure rate (19.3%), 13th in pass-rush win rate and has the lowest QB hurry rate (2.4%) in the NFL.
- Baltimore Ravens acquire: Brian Burns
- Carolina Panthers acquire: 2024 first-round pick, Devin Duvernay, 2025 third-round pick
Brian Burns is the clear solution. According to ESPN, Burns is double-teamed on 23 percent of his pass-rushing attempts, yet he’s still responsible for one of the highest pass-rush win rates (27%) in the NFL and he’s recorded 15 pressures with four sacks this season.
Under contract for this season at a $16.012 million cap hit, Burns would likely receive the franchise tag in 2024. While acquiring him costs significant draft capital, Burns can have an even greater impact than Smith has on Baltimore’s defense.
Michael Onwenu boosts Ravens’ offensive line
For a majority of NFL teams, there’s always room to improve along the offensive line. Adding depth at offensive tackle could prove valuable, given Ronnie Stanley’s injury history, but adding a left guard could also be beneficial for the Ravens’ offense.
Related: NFL offense rankings
Through six games, Baltimore ranks 21st in PFF’s Pass Blocking Efficiency with the 14th-most pressures (62) and the 10th-most sacks allowed. Of those totals, left guard John Simpson is responsible for 11 pressures with eight hurries surrendered and an alarming 49.0 PFF pass-blocking grade. Jackson also doesn’t register within the top-20 guards in ESPN’s pass-block win rate or run-block win rate.
- New England Patriots trade: Michael Onwenu, 2024 fourth-round pick
- Baltimore Ravens trade: David Ojabo (IR), 2024 second-round pick
Enter Michael Onwenu. In 2022, the 6-foot-3 interior offensive lineman surrendered just 14 pressures across 634 pass-block snaps at right guard, earning an 83.1 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. A year prior to that, he excelled at left guard and right tackle. Getting him out of New England could get back back into form and his positional versatility would be even more appealing to Baltimore.
Baltimore adds Jaylon Johnson to secondary
As with edge rushers, cornerback is another position where you can never have enough talent. On the season, Baltimore has held opponents to a 71.4 QB rating (third-lowest in NFL) and allows just 163.2 passing yards per game. However, those statistics are likely partially the result of facing an injured Joe Burrow along with Ryan Tannehill, Kenny Pickett and Deshaun Watson.
Related: Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson makes NFL history
- Baltimore Ravens acquire: Jaylon Johnson
- Chicago Bears acquire: Rashod Bateman, 2024 third-round pick
Jaylon Johnson would be the perfect No. 2 cornerback opposite of Marlon Humphrey. While injuries have been a bit of an issue for the 6-foot cornerback, he’s also held opponents to a 64.6 QB rating when targeted this season (PFF). A year earlier, NFL teams had a 39.6 QB rating against him when they went after him.
While Johnson would be a half-season rental, he could be the missing piece that gives Baltimore one of the best secondaries in the NFL. If you pair that with this linebacker corps and a great system, suddenly a league-average pass rush without adding a player like Brian Burns looks better.
