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It seems like the playoff heartbreaks never stop for the Baltimore Ravens. Once again, the team fell short in their quest for a Super Bowl as they conceded defeat to the Buffalo Bills last Sunday. The loss now gives Baltimore their third Divisional Round elimination in the last six seasons. It also put an end to what was arguably Lamar Jackson’s best campaign of his career.
The reigning MVP finished the regular season with career highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns, in addition to putting up a near 1,000-yard tally on the ground. Furthermore, Sunday’s game also concluded Derrick Henry’s first season with the Ravens. After finishing the regular season with 16 rushing touchdowns (first overall, tied with two others), the prized running back continued to find the endzone during Baltimore’s last two games.
Of course, there’s no reason to believe that the team will break up their dynamic duo. The run-heavy formula on offense works, plus one could even argue that they only lost to the Bills because of self-inflicted lapses, and not because the other team was more talented.
Still, the purple squad from Michigan could use a bit of retooling. As good as the Ravens are, they still have room for roster enhancement, particularly on the defensive side. So without further ado, here are potential trade targets that they should eye this coming offseason.
A major problem that the Ravens have is pass defense; Despite glimpses of promise, they still gave up 244.1 opponent passing yards per game — 31st among all NFL teams (per ESPN).
Interestingly, the pass rush isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, as seen by how the Ravens had a knack for piling up sacks throughout the season. It’s actually the secondary that needs to be prioritized. Baltimore ranks in the bottom half of the league in terms of passing touchdowns allowed and opponent yards per pass attempt, further indicating how their last line of defense needs strengthening. This is where Tyrann Mathieu enters the picture.
With the New Orleans Saints in dire need of salary cap shedding, trading away the safety could be seen as a viable move on their end. Mathieu is already 32 years old, so there’s a good chance that he isn’t on the Saints’ long-term plans. Nevertheless, the three-time All-Pro continues to perform at a high level. This season, Mathieu tallied 62 combined tackles (47 solo), seven passes defended and three interceptions.
Putting him alongside the likes of Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington (assuming Washington returns) would no doubt be a boost to the Ravens’ pass coverage.
Another trade that the Ravens can pursue for their secondary needs involves cornerback Jaycee Horn. As one of the few bright spots in a struggling Carolina Panthers team, Horn earned his first Pro Bowl selection this season after tallying 68 combined tackles (49 solo), 13 pass breakups and an interception.
Needless to say, the biggest challenge here is getting the...
