The Baltimore Ravens are currently slated to have nine picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, with a team that is pretty well stocked, it’s difficult seeing nine draft picks making the Ravens’ 53-man roster. That could lead Baltimore towards trading some of their draft capital to get players that can make an immediate impact at positions of need.
There are multiple ways for the Ravens to solve this dilemma. They could trade picks for players as they’ve done by acquiring Marcus Peters and Calais Campbell. Or they could decide that they want to condense their 2020 NFL Draft picks by trading some of it to move up in certain rounds. One area Baltimore could potentially be looking to move up in is the first round, where the star players are at.
With the No. 28 pick in the first round, the Ravens could find the players they love the most off the board if they sit tight. With a few specific needs that line up with some of the top-tier talent available, Baltimore could package some of their picks in the 2020 NFL Draft to move up and get a player they like.
Instead of randomly guessing where the Ravens could move up to, let’s identify some of the teams that make the most sense. We’re using DraftTek’s trade value chart and getting as close to an even trade as possible.
San Francisco 49ers – Pick No. 13
Ravens receive: No. 13, No. 210
49ers receive: No. 28, No. 55, No. 106, No. 129, No. 170
Likely targets: WR CeeDee Lamb, WR Jerry Jeudy, WR Henry Ruggs III
The 49ers make the most sense because they have two first-round picks and are coming off a Super Bowl season. With so few needs, they could be itching to trade one of their first-round picks in exchange for future capital. In this scenario, we kept it to all 2020 NFL Draft picks but a package of 2020 and 2021 picks could make more sense for San Francisco while preserving more in this draft for Baltimore.
If the Ravens do want to move up to the middle of the first round, it’s likely going to be for one of the top receivers. This draft class has been considered one of the deepest and best in NFL history. If Baltimore wants to make a big splash and finally add that true No. 1 receiver they’ve never had, this is the draft to make a deal.
Carolina Panthers – Pick No. 7
Ravens receive: No. 7, No. 221
Panthers receive: No. 28, No. 55, No. 60, No. 92, No. 134, No. 170
Likely target: LB Isaiah Simmons
The Panthers have gutted their entire roster this offseason and are looking like they’re doing a hard reset on rebuilding for the future. While a top-10 pick is usually a sure-fire way of finding a great talent, Carolina might be more interested in moving back to get a bunch of really great players for their rebuild. In that case, Baltimore could come calling and offer up quite the haul in return.
If the Ravens are moving into the top-10, it’s because they think a generational talent is there and fits one of their top needs. That would be the case with Simmons, who should be gone well before the Panthers even get on the board. But with so many teams needing a new franchise quarterback and there potentially being an early run on wide receivers, Simmons could just as easily begin to fall.
If he makes it to No. 7, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta could decide to pull the trigger on a blockbuster of a trade. While not really the Ravens’ style to trade up at all, much less this much, DeCosta has proven he’s a little more aggressive at times than former general manager Ozzie Newsome.
Still, by giving up both their second-round picks and their top third-round pick, Baltimore wouldn’t be on the clock again until the last pick No. 106. DeCosta would have to feel Simmons is at least a Pro Bowl caliber player, if not a Hall of Famer in the making, to spend so many of their picks to move up this far.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Pick No. 9
Ravens receive: No. 9
Panthers receive: No. 28, No. 55, No. 60, No. 134
Likely target: DT Derrick Brown
Baltimore has already addressed their defensive line by trading for Calais Campbell and signing Derek Wolfe. However, with Campbell turning 34 years old this season, Wolfe being 30 and Brandon Williams being 31, the Ravens could use some youth among their big guys upfront.
Enter Brown, the explosive freight train out of Auburn. He has excellent hand placement, an extremely high motor, and is a nightmare to deal with both when stopping the run and rushing the passer. He would be just the man for the job of leading the defensive line once the three veterans depart, potentially even freeing up Williams to be cut or traded as early as this offseason.
While Brown would be a phenomenal fit in the Baltimore defense, the question once again is the price of moving up to secure such a talent. Giving up their first-round pick as well as their two second-rounders might be a bit too steep of an asking price not even taking into account the extra fourth-rounder they would have to part with as well. There are other players like Neville Gallimore and Ross Blacklock who the team could potentially see fall to them at 28. While none of them is quite the talent that Brown is, it would allow the team to keep their draft capital while still getting a good football player.
For Baltimore to pull off a trade like this, they’d have to really love Brown.
Miami Dolphins – Pick No. 18
Ravens receive: No. 18, No. 141, No. 173
Dolphins receive: No. 28, No. 60
Likely targets: LB Patrick Queen, LB Kenneth Murray, WR CeeDee Lamb, WR Justin Jefferson, OLB K’Lavon Chaisson
The Miami Dolphins pretty clearly tanked last season, trading away a number of their top players for draft picks. They currently have three first-round picks and an absolute ton of positions they’ll want to beef up. With extra first-round picks to spare, the Dolphins are primed to move down and grab another Day 2 selection to further shore up their roster.
It’s no secret the Ravens need an inside linebacker after letting both Josh Bynes and Patrick Onwuasor depart in free agency. I mentioned the possibility of trading up for Isaiah Simmons earlier but if Baltimore doesn’t want to pay a premium to move up into the top 10, there are other options available, namely Patrick Queen and Kenneth Murray. However, with inside linebacker being one of their most pressing needs right now, the Ravens might not want to leave anything up to chance, especially if either Murray or Queen get taken in the first 17 picks.
Outside linebacker or wide receiver could also be the pick here. Baltimore would be jumping in front of the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 19, who also have major needs at wide receiver and outside linebacker entering this draft and would likely be targeting someone the Ravens would love to see fall to them later.
The relatively low cost of jumping up 10 spots and leapfrogging a few teams with similar needs makes this the most likely scenario of the bunch. Baltimore could get one of the best players at a position of need without taking themselves out of the 2020 NFL Draft on Day 2.
