Pundit Says Ravens Should Trade Up in First Round for Miami's Game-Wrecking Edge Rusher
Some early mock drafts had the Ravens selecting Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 14 overall, but there's a good chance he'll be off the board well before Baltimore is on the clock.
Bain is widely believed to be a top five pick, with some mock drafts having him go as high as No. 2.
With the Ravens needing an impact edge rusher, CBS Sports' Mike Renner said they should trade up to get Bain if he begins to fall.
"I would trade up for him in this draft class specifically if it takes Day 2 draft capital this year to do it," Renner said on “Glenn Clark Radio.” "Now, if it takes 2027 draft capital, I'm not as interested. 2027 looks like it should be a very, very good draft class, but this year's thin."
Renner has Bain ranked as the second-best prospect behind only Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the consensus No. 1 overall selection. Renner called Bain, who had 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season, "probably the best defensive end prospect I've ever scouted … in a decade or so" despite not possessing the physical traits typically associated with dominant edge rushers.
"There's kind of an archetype, and it's like Myles Garrett – tall, long, explosive, tuned up, twitchy – and that's not Bain," Renner said. "But … he is truly a one-of-one sort of power player that I've seen at the collegiate level.
"He was so dominant last year. He led college football in pressures. You watched the playoffs, and he was a one-man wrecking crew most of those games whether it's versus the run or versus the pass, so I'm buying him."
Daniel Jeremiah Mocks Arizona State Wide Receiver to Ravens
Most mock drafts have the Ravens selecting an edge rusher, defensive tackle, or offensive lineman in the first round, but wide receiver has also become a popular position for Baltimore among draft analysts.
In NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft, he has the Ravens taking Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.
"Baltimore is still in search of a complement to Zay Flowers," Jeremiah wrote. "Tyson gives the new coaching staff more firepower on offense."
Ravens Named Best Fit for Multiple Free-Agent Edge Rushers
The Ringer’s Austin Gayle and ESPN’s Matt Bowen released their top 50 free agent rankings and identified the best team fit for each player. Both pundits had the Ravens targeting edge rushers.
Gayle matched the Seattle Seahawks' Boye Mafe (No. 22) and the Los Angeles Chargers' Khalil Mack (No. 33) with the Ravens. Mack played in new Head Coach Jesse Minter's defensive scheme the past two seasons.
"Mafe technically wasn't a starter in Mike Macdonald's defense, as DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu out-snapped him by a decent margin over the second half of the season and the playoffs," Gayle wrote. "Still, Mafe is a high-effort, athletic player with over 600 snaps played in each of the past three seasons, including postseason games. … Could Mafe be a highly productive pass rusher on his next contract? Sure. We just haven't seen that from him yet.
"Mack, who will turn 35 years old this month, is reportedly contemplating retirement after a down year with the Chargers in 2025. He missed four games with an elbow injury and had to adjust to playing with a brace in the second half of the season. Still, Mack is the same tough, high-effort player he's been his entire 12-year career, and when healthy, his pass rush production always has been among the best in football, even as he's aged. If he still thinks he has enough in the tank, Mack should be able to sign a one-year flier with a contender for around $14 million."
Bowen named the Ravens the best landing spot for the New England Patriots' K'Lavon Chaisson (No. 27).
"Chaisson, who had a career-high 7.5 sacks with the Patriots last season, would fill a void off the edge as an explosive rusher, and he can drop as a coverage defender in coach Jesse Minter's scheme," Bowen wrote.
Pundits Predict Marlon Humphrey's Future With the Ravens
Four-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey is facing an uncertain future as he heads into the final year of his contract before void years.
Humphrey, who turns 30 in July, has been named a top cut candidate by NFL.com’s Matt Okada and Fox Sports’ Greg Auman.
"Humphrey allowed the most receiving yards in coverage (831) in the entire league, according to Next Gen Stats," Okada wrote. "He surrendered a 66.3% completion rate and 8.7 yards per target, both of which were worse than fellow Ravens corners Nate Wiggins and Chidobe Awuzie. And yet, Humphrey carries the fourth-highest cap hit on the team in 2026 at $26.3 million. Cutting him before June 1 would net $7.3 million in cap savings, but he might be worth one of the post-June 1 cut slots, as that would boost the savings to $19.3 million for Baltimore."
Auman said Humphrey would have his share of suitors if he became available, including one he has plenty of history with.
"He has 10 interceptions in the last two seasons, so he'll have a solid demand for his services," Auman wrote. "He's played his entire career for John Harbaugh, so the Giants should be in play."
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox placed Humphrey at No. 3 in his ranking of the top 10 offseason trade targets, which he based on upside, past production, positional value, contract status, likely availability, projected price point, and recent buzz.
Knox projected Humphrey's trade value to be a 2026 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2027 fifth-round pick, and he named the Giants and Rams as potential suitors.
"Minter, who spent four years in Baltimore as a defensive assistant, might not be eager to move on from Humphrey and is highly unlikely to advocate for his outright release," Knox wrote. "However, GM Eric DeCosta will likely listen to reasonable offers, given Humphrey's age and contract status. Humphrey is still a dependable starter and should interest teams as a one-year rental with a future to be decided after 2026."
Quick Hits
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- Several players who spent time with the Ravens or Baltimore Colts made Bleacher Report’s ranking of the top 99 quarterbacks in NFL history, including Lamar Jackson (No. 28) and Joe Flacco (No. 53).
