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Baltimore Ravens: Out to Lunch

Well, the NFL had an interesting hump day on Wednesday.

Just under 24 hours ago, the Cleveland Browns finally pulled the plug on a project that has been quite a rollercoaster over the last few seasons, trading former starting QB Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers.

I spent most of Wednesday night debating internally whether this was a smart move by Cleveland. On one hand, they were able to successfully ship off a QB that was likely to cause headaches in their 2022 season, receiving something in return. On the other hand, they got a measly fifth-round pick for Mayfield, a former #1 pick in the NFL Draft.

It’s funny, a few years back Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta got the same return for a kicker/punter that stuck in the league for a cup of coffee.


Ultimately, that leads me to believe the Browns made yet another mistake on Wednesday afternoon. That’s not only because of the compensation, though.

Given the monstrous uncertainty in their quarterback room this season, I believe it would have been smart to keep Mayfield around, especially if they’re going to continue covering some of his salary.

In my eyes, Mayfield isn’t a bad QB. In fact, I think he is starting-caliber. People seem to forget that he was banged up last year, and while he seems to find his best success when the rest of the roster is stacked and his running backs carry the load, he has still had success in this league.

Come September, Cleveland could easily find they wish the trade had never unfolded.

Another positional room with uncertainty is the linebacker room in Baltimore. For new DC Mike Macdonald, LB will be one of the key positions to crack to build a dominant defense this season.

Chris expanded on his thoughts in a new article here.

Former first-rounder Patrick Queen has promise, may not reach his peak at the prototypical middle linebacker spot. Outside of him, all players have questions. One name that could jump out in the preseason is former Auburn LB and UDFA rookie Zakoby McClain, who Ken McKusick highlights below:

I’m not sure McClain is the man Baltimore needs, but I won’t be upset if he steps up. I’ve offered high praise for the resigning of veteran Josh Bynes, as well, but do still have hope for Malik Harrison.

Admittedly, this might be somewhat selfish, as I successfully mocked Harrison to the Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft. That said, I do believe his profile fits Baltimore’s need for a thumper in the middle. With a plethora of safeties, the Ravens shouldn’t have trouble covering over the middle. I believe the hole at the position lies in the run defense, and Harrison could be the best man to support there.

What Baltimore can hang its hat on is stability at the QB position, especially considering they drafted one in 2018. As it stands, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are the only 1st Round QBs in that class that are still on their original teams:

Jackson has been fun in his own right, but in last year’s playoffs, Allen was part of a moment I have to highlight. As Warren Sharp outlines, this could have been the most exciting 2 minutes in NFL history, regardless of who you’re a fan of.

We’ll hope the Ravens are playing similarly valuable minutes in 2023, and judging from historical performance, the team can be expected to do so. Here are the top winning percentages in the NFL over the last 20 years:

Hopefully this year will only see that percentage increase.



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