The Baltimore Ravens are finalizing a trade for former Jacksonville Jaguars and current Minnesota Vikings defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. Without beating around the bush, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has cemented his legacy with yet another impressive statement trade.
Just like last season when Baltimore’s secondary was struggling, DeCosta swoops in with an amazing trade that immediately strengthens the unit. In this case, the Ravens picked up a Pro Bowl pass rusher who is off to a fantastic start to this season, grew up in the area, and offers long-term upside because of his age.
This is exactly what Baltimore needed to take its defense to the next level. While the secondary has been playing lights-out football this season, the inconsistent pass rush has needed to be bolstered through heavy and aggressive blitzing by defensive coordinator Don Martindale. Though an impressive feat itself, having so many defensive backs with sacks is indicative of a bigger problem with the pass rush.
Perhaps more importantly, the addition of Ngakoue should allow Martindale to rush just four or five players instead of sending overload blitzes regularly. If a four-man rush can get to the quarterback consistently, that will allow the secondary to keep more players back there, making it harder for teams to throw against them. And with the way Ngakoue has performed already this season, there’s plenty of hope that a more conservative pass rush will get the job done.
Through six games, Ngakoue has five sacks, seven quarterback hits, and 11 pressures. In addition to the work Ngakoue has done getting after the quarterback, he’s also been a force elsewhere. Ngakoue has two forced fumbles and 12 combined tackles this season alone, with 16 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (including one returned for a touchdown), and two interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown).
This was a masterful trade that will immediately make the Ravens’ defense so much better at every level. It might not fix all of Baltimore’s offensive woes but with better field position, quarterback Lamar Jackson and company should have an easier time of putting up points.
