OTL: Ranking Some Potential Ravens Acquisitions

Welcome back, Ravens Flock. We are in the landscape of the NFL cycle where values of certain veterans will become intriguing as teams figure out their rosters. This means some good players will become available for sign or trade.

The Ravens are always active around this time of the year as veterans get cut after June 1, and thus signing them won’t affect the compensatory pick formula. While the Ravens have found plenty of value in this area, real impact players are rarely available.

That’s not the case here in 2023. Today, we will look at the four moves the Ravens can make right now for established players and try to decipher which will make the most impact.

The ranking will start with my least favorite potential move, working up to THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW.

Let’s start with a player that would make no sense.

The #Vikings and four-time Pro Bowl RB Dalvin Cook are parting ways, per source.

One of the NFL’s most dynamic playmakers, Cook is coming off a fourth straight 1,000-yard season and has 52 career TDs. Now he’ll be a free agent at age 27 and will have multiple suitors. pic.twitter.com/kJUIi9XP6O

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 8, 2023

Some Ravens fans seem excited at the prospect of adding Dalvin Cook, but I don’t get why EDC would even kick the tires here. Even if J.K. Dobbins is all but gone in 2024, and Gus Edwards isn’t returning, I don’t care. Cook is still a good player, but he showed some serious regression last year and is a walking injury. The backfield is crowded right now, and running backs can be had on the cheap. This one is a non-starter.

Next.

The next one is DeAndre Hopkins. D-Hop is much lower on my list than that of many in Flock Nation, because, to me, he isn’t needed. If they hadn’t signed Odell Beckham Jr. and drafted Zay Flowers? Sure, sign me up. As it stands, no thanks.

Hopkins is meeting with other teams at the moment.

Free-agent WR DeAndre Hopkins is slated to fly to Nashville on Sunday for a visit with the #Titans, per sources.

D-Hop and Mike Vrabel were together in Houston. Now Vrabel’s team gets the first visit with Hopkins, the five-time Pro Bowl pick released by Arizona last month. pic.twitter.com/UUyUjLqa7Z

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 7, 2023

This meeting also raises questions about Hopkins’ mindset: is he after the best deal, or is he trying to win? While the Titans might not be as bad as they were last year, they aren’t Super Bowl contenders. I was under the impression that Hopkins wanted to win now and have a shot at going to the Super Bowl, so why is he meeting with the Titans? Drive up his price, maybe? Hopkins is also taking his time making his decision. I don’t see him landing in purple and black.

Next.

Now the fun part. The next two moves, I’d love to see. Unsurprisingly, they are both players from the same group: EDGE.

Edge rusher has been one of the most talked about needs this year, especially without a Justin Houston signing. I am of the opinion that this is still the most glaring need for the 2023 Ravens.

First up:

Update: The #Commanders are ‘Open to listen’ to trade offers about former 2nd overall pick DE Chase Young.

More here:https://t.co/UZW9gEtXyK pic.twitter.com/c47hym6Fds

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 6, 2023

Chase Young has had a disappointing career for a number two overall pick. He had a decent rookie season but tore his ACL in his second season, and took a long time last year to return. The Commanders were oddly patient with him, and for about two weeks, they said he was close but still didn’t play. Young presents a weird conversation because he would be a high-risk, high-reward trade. If Young works out and becomes the player he was meant to be, that helps the Ravens this year; there is a catch to this, though. Chase Young had his fifth-year option declined by the Commanders, and would be a rental. This is why Young is second on my list and not first. If he breaks out and plays well, he will get a huge deal from someone, and I just don’t see the Ravens being that team. Add the fact that the Commanders and Ravens never make deals with one another, and this one has to go into the “unrealistic” pile. It stinks, but the better option lies next.

I won’t spend too much time talking about Danielle Hunter because Darin did a great job with that in yesterday’s Out To Lunch, but yes, he is my number one target.

Hunter should shoot to the top of every Ravens fan’s wish list.

I think I’d rather have Danielle Hunter than D Hop on the Ravens…

— RAMEY (@HoodieRamey) June 7, 2023

This is the take everyone should have at this point. Hunter also has a very low cap hit this year, so the Ravens should be on the phones getting this done if he is available.

To finish up, I’ll say that if the Ravens don’t get any of these guys, there are still free agents out there that can help:

Danielle Hunter is a completely different ballgame and I’d be willing to pay the draft compensation for that move.

However, if the #Ravens explore vets, I still think Justin Houston is thebest option.

Worked well in a rotation and compliments the young guys well.#RavensFlock

— Cole Jackson (@ColeJacksonFB) June 8, 2023

With that said Hunter would be the cherry on top of a delicious sundae that has been this offseason (since Lamar signed, anyway).

So please, EDC: trade for Danielle Hunter if it costs anything less than a second rounder, even if would be a rental.

The post OTL: Ranking Some Potential Ravens Acquisitions appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2023/06/09/out-to-lunch/otl-ranking-some-potential-ravens-acquisitions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=otl-ranking-some-potential-ravens-acquisitions