Pundit Says Ravens Should Explore Trading for A.J. Brown
The Ravens have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown if he is traded, but is Baltimore a realistic trade partner, given the steep draft capital a deal almost certainly would require?
The Eagles' reported asking price for Brown includes both a first- and second-round draft pick, but The Baltimore Sun’s Josh Tolentino contended that the Ravens should step out of their comfort zone and consider trading for the three-time Pro Bowler.
"General Manager Eric DeCosta is famously protective of his draft capital. It serves as the root of the team's longstanding roster-building model as a 'draft and develop' squad," Tolentino wrote. "But roster construction is also about windows, and Lamar Jackson enters his age-29 season still seeking to bring home and lift his first — and the franchise's third — Lombardi Trophy.
"The Ravens certainly could benefit from the addition of a dominant 'X' receiver and pairing a playmaker in Brown with back-to-back Pro Bowl selection Zay Flowers would leave first-year coordinator Declan Doyle salivating. Baltimore's passing offense finished 16th in the league last season. Not good enough."
Brown wearing a Ravens uniform is tantalizing, but parting with significant draft capital and taking on his salary would undoubtedly make it more difficult for the Ravens to address other issues, such as edge rusher and the offensive and defensive lines.
Brown, 28, signed a three-year contract extension worth $96 million in 2024 and is under contract with the Eagles until 2029. His cap hit for 2026 is $23.4 million, per Spotrac.
Ravens' Market-Setting Offer to Tyler Linderbaum 'Might Not Be Enough' to Retain Him
DeCosta said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that the Ravens have made a "market-setting offer" to center Tyler Linderbaum, but ESPN’s Dan Graziano said "that might turn out to not be enough."
"The Ravens hope they can keep free agent center Tyler Linderbaum. But plenty of people in Indy believe he will get offers that exceed $20 million per year, and that Baltimore won't want to go that high," Graziano wrote.
The league's highest-paid center is the Kansas City Chiefs' Creed Humphrey, who signed a four-year deal worth $72 million ($18 million per year) in 2024.
Linderbaum said in January that he would "absolutely" like to stay in Baltimore. Clearly, the feeling is mutual, and now the ball is in Linderbaum's court.
The NFL's legal tampering period begins March 9, and the new league year (when players can officially sign with teams) starts March 11.
On another note, Graziano said he got the impression that the Ravens plan to pick up the fifth-year option on wide receiver Zay Flowers.
"That will put him in line to earn $27.298 million in 2027 after making $2.664 million in 2026," Graziano wrote.
Ravens Rumored to Be in the Market for a Safety in Free Agency
DeCosta stated the obvious when he said the Ravens aren't likely to draft a safety with the 14th-overall pick, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said Baltimore could look to make a veteran addition at the position.
"The Ravens could be in the market for a safety in free agency, per multiple league executives, despite having one of the league's best in Kyle Hamilton and drafting Malaki Starks in the first round," Fowler wrote. "A growing trend in the league is using three safeties, similar to what Seattle did to great success last season with Nick Emmanwori as a safety/big nickel alongside Julian Love and Coby Bryant.
"New Ravens coach Jesse Minter was known to experiment with the same setup with the Chargers. I'm not sure how many dollars the Ravens would commit here, but it's worth noting."
Safeties Alohi Gilman and Ar'Darius Washington are pending free agents.
Projecting the Ideal Draft Haul for Ravens in First Three Rounds
Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker projected the ideal haul for every team in the first three rounds based on draft order and pre-free agency team needs.
For the Ravens, Locker went with Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. (No. 14 overall), Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon (No. 45), and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton (No. 80).
"The Ravens desperately need to boost a pass rush that tied for 29th in PFF pass-rush grade," Locker wrote. "There would be no better immediate fix than adding Bain, the No. 2 prospect on the predictive PFF Big Board. Bain's 2025 season (92.4 PFF pass-rush grade) mimics that of a top-five pick, but potential arm-length concerns could have him slide. Likewise, selecting Halton (76.9 PFF pass-rush grade) could help the team's interior with Nnamdi Madubuike's recovery from a neck injury ongoing.
"Baltimore also must address its interior offensive line, particularly guard. Pregnon could start at either left or right guard and was masterful with Oregon last year, recording an 85.8 grade or better in both pass- and run-blocking."
Locker also named the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals, who have the No. 4- and No. 10-overall picks, respectively, as good fits for Bain.
