Ravens-titans Trade Grades: Baltimore Bolsters Defensive Front

10 jam yang lalu

After improving their secondary, nan Ravens person now moved connected to addressing concerns astir their protect beforehand 1 time earlier nan NFL waste and acquisition deadline.

On Monday, Baltimore sent a conditional fifth-round prime to Tennessee successful speech for versatile protect lineman Dre’Mont Jones. The prime could reportedly amended to a fourth-round selection.

This could beryllium nan first of aggregate trades successful nan adjacent 24 hours for nan one-win Titans, who person already been progressive sellers since firing coach Brian Callahan past month.

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Here’s why this waste and acquisition could thief nan Ravens’ chances of stealing nan AFC North and why nan Titans will use successful nan agelong tally from trading their knowledgeable starters.

The Ravens rolled nan dice past period by giving up extent connected their protect beforehand pinch hopes of improving a secondary that struggled for nan first six games of nan season. And nan determination to waste and acquisition separator rusher Odafe Oweh to nan Chargers successful speech for information Alohi Gilman has paid disconnected successful a immense way. The Ravens had nan elasticity to regain that extent connected nan protect beforehand acknowledgment to nan 2 moves they made earlier Monday’s trade, gaining a 5th rounder from nan Chargers and turning a seventh-round prime into a sixth rounder successful nan Jaire Alexander waste and acquisition pinch nan Eagles.

Jones hasn’t been arsenic bully since his breakout 2022 play pinch nan Broncos, which gained him a lucrative statement from nan Seahawks. It didn’t activity retired for Jones successful his 2 seasons pinch Seattle, but he did make coagulated contributions successful his lone play successful Tennessee, signaling 4.5 sacks successful 9 games.

Not only tin Jones unreserved nan passer, he’s tin of playing connected nan inside, providing a akin accomplishment group arsenic Nnamdi Madubuike, who was mislaid for nan play owed to a cervix injury. Jones, 28, has appeared successful 99 profession games pinch 61 starts since entering nan convention arsenic a 2019 third-round pick.

With an improved secondary and reinforcements coming for nan protect front, nan Ravens (3–5) are now good positioned to drawback nan AFC North starring Steelers (5–3), who will play Baltimore doubly successful nan adjacent 2 months.

It’s chaotic really good Baltimore has recovered from its 1–5 commencement and GM Eric DeCosta deserves a ton of in installments for making nan basal moves to springiness this talented squad a fighting chance to make a playoff push.

Grade: B

Titans

The Titans now person other draught picks from trading Jones to nan Ravens and cornerback Roger McCreary to nan Rams. Tennessee should proceed being progressive sellers to genuinely ignite nan rebuild.

Perhaps they waste and acquisition separator rusher Arden Key and possibly moreover 2024 second-round prime T’Vondre Sweat, who has had a second-year slump.

It’s difficult to ideate Tennessee parting ways pinch cardinal violative players because nan squad needs them to thief pinch nan improvement of rookie backmost Cam Ward. Then again, early Titans rosters would beryllium improved by keeping Ward and prima protect tackle Jeffery Simmons, who’s supposedly not for sale, and trading everyone other who won’t beryllium portion of nan adjacent contending Titans squad to load up connected draught picks.