Remember that time the Ravens released offensive lineman Alex Lewis? Well, that didn’t quite happen. 
Before formally releasing him, the Ravens struck a deal to trade Lewis to the Jets, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. In the trade, the Jets will send a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick to Baltimore.
It’s not uncommon for teams to intend on releasing a player before an eleventh-hour deal was struck. Often times, teams will leak word of an impending release via the press in order to solicit interest. In this case, the Ravens told Lewis directly that he would be released, so it’s likely that they connected with the Jets after failing to find a trade in discussions with other teams.
It’s a mild return for the Ravens, but they did manage to recoup something for a player who was owed $2MM for 2019 and was about to be released anyway. For the Jets, it’s a modest expenditure that could pay some dividends – Lewis is a former starter who can provide depth along the offensive line. Meanwhile, they will get him into the fold immediately without having to first vie for his services against other clubs.
Low risk. Hopefully it works out. The big signing was Kalil. This trade may not be great news for Harrison. He could go from starting center to off the team if this guy and others outplay him.
Jets need to build on their offensive line, Bell needs a good line to run behind, without no line, Bell would be a big waste.