Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta pulled off some midseason magic once again. After acquiring All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters at the trade deadline last season, the Ravens traded for Pro Bowl pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue. Baltimore will be sending two draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for Ngakoue as they look to bolster their pass rush for a serious Super Bowl push.
But in all the excitement, some might not have realized DeCosta hinted at yet even more moves. In a statement following the Ngakoue trade, DeCosta insinuated he’s far from finished adding talent to the roster.
“We are excited to add Yannick Ngakoue to our football team,” DeCosta stated. “Yannick is someone who we are very familiar with going back to the draft process years ago. He is an exciting player and a dangerous pass rusher who makes us better. Yannick grew up here. He’s the type of person we welcome in our building. Finally, we are not finished building this team, as we continue to chase our ultimate goals.”
DeCosta could have been hinting at the anticipated signing of wide receiver Dez Bryant to the practice squad pending a workout. Or, as some Ravens fans are hoping, there’s another trade right around the corner.
While Bryant could be the help DeCosta was talking about, there are rightfully questions as to how much he still has left in the tank. Bryant has been out of football since the 2017 season, is coming off a torn Achilles, and will be 32 years old within the next week. If signed to the practice squad as expected, Bryant would seemingly be more an insurance policy rather than a contributor.
Instead, DeCosta and the Ravens could be eyeing up help at tight end or wide receiver via trade. Baltimore traded away third tight end Hayden Hurst this offseason and haven’t gotten as much as expected out of second-year wide receiver Miles Boykin. With quarterback Lamar Jackson and the pass offense struggling this season, adding a capable and young wide receiver or tight end to the mix could rejuvenate the unit and get them back on track.
There are no specific rumblings going on right now but with DeCosta hinting at more to come, don’t be shocked if the Ravens continue to be buyers at the NFL trade deadline.
