The Lions, who will be without star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson for the remainder of the season – unless they advance to the Super Bowl, perhaps – have been connected to some of the top pass rushers thought to be available in advance of this year’s trade deadline, including Haason Reddick – before he agreed to a reworked deal with the Jets this morning – and Za’Darius Smith. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, the Ravens are another club that will be monitoring the pass rush market.
After leading the league with 60 sacks last season, Baltimore continues to perform at a high level in that regard in 2024, at least in terms of raw numbers. The club’s 19 sacks are currently the sixth-highest total in the NFL, but its overall pass defense has been a major liability. The Ravens are surrendering the second-most passing yards per game, and while a safety or cornerback addition would therefore seem to be a distinct possibility, bolstering the pass rushing corps could have a positive trickle-down effect on the secondary.
Smith profiles as a potential target for the Ravens, just as he is a possible fit for the Lions. Smith, of course, began his career with Baltimore, who made him a fourth-round pick in 2015. He parlayed a successful platform campaign in 2018 into a four-year, $66MM deal with the Packers, and he more than lived up to that contract over his first two years in Green Bay, racking up 26 sacks during that time and earning Pro Bowl honors in both seasons. However, he played in just one game in 2021 and became a cap casualty the following offseason.
In March 2022, the Ravens and Smith reportedly had an agreement to bring Smith back to Baltimore, but Smith backed out of the deal and signed with the Vikings about a week later. Although he earned his third Pro Bowl selection with Minnesota in 2022, he sought a release after that season, and he was eventually traded to the Browns, who also agreed to rework his contract.
In 2023, his first year in Cleveland, Smith notched just 5.5 sacks, his lowest full-season total since 2017. However, the Browns chose to retain him via a two-year, $23.5MM contract this offseason, and since most of that deal’s value comes in the form of bonuses, his deal would be eminently palatable for an acquiring club. Whether the Ravens would be willing to revisit a reunion after being jilted a little over two years ago is an open question (the fact that Cleveland and Baltimore play in the same division could also complicate matters).
While any speculation connecting Reddick to Baltimore has been put to bed by virtue of Reddick’s decision to end his holdout and report to the Jets, another speculative fit for the Ravens would, like Smith, represent a reunion. Jadeveon Clowney, who enjoyed perhaps the finest year of his career as a member of the Ravens in 2024, signed a two-year, $20MM deal with the Panthers this offseason. With Carolina looking like an obvious seller, Clowney could theoretically be on the block.
Speaking of veteran pass rushers who had previous stints in Charm City, the Ravens recently signed Yannick Ngakoue to their active roster after adding him to the practice squad at the end of September. The well-traveled defender, who has played in two games for Baltimore this year and who picked up a sack in the team’s Week 6 win over Washington, technically could have been elevated from the taxi squad one more time before being added to the 53-man unit. However, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports, rival teams had begun to show interest in poaching Ngakoue off the p-squad, so Baltimore felt compelled to protect him.
It seems like the top two available targets would be both former Ravens, now that Reddick is possibly off the board (I’m not convinced that his Jets return is not a prelude to a trade , for my part). Clowney had his best year just last year in Baltimore, and Z’Darius has a respectable 5.5 this year. Clowney has the major advantage of not being on a division rival; indeed, he’s not in the AFC at all.
You have to figure that Atlanta and Detroit are the main competitors here in any trades that Baltimore wants to execute. Dallas should be, but refuse to engage, so while there’s a chance that they calls, I don’t think that they’ll be in any potential competition. Seeing as the Browns could have suitors for Z’Darius, they shouldn’t have to make a dreaded division rival trade to move him, if other teams are willing to deal. Baltimore might have to look elsewhere.
I doubt that the Raiders trade Crosby, but if he wanted out, and if Vegas does a 180, you wonder how high Baltimore is willing to go for a player who could easily make their pass rush the league’s best.
Giving up a day 2 pick might make sense for Crosby.
If the Raiders lose again – I think all bets are off.
Baltimore might be the best team in the NFL.
Initially I thought the Henry signing might have been over hyped – but its real if they can keep it up.
Adding a pass rusher is smart. I expect then to have leads to protect.
Max feels like a Raven!
He does!
take joey boda
Ravens secondary hasn’t gotten worse from last year. Losing Clowney has them exposed (and to an extent P. Queen). Yep. They need help up front.