With Alex Smith‘s arrival in Washington D.C., it’s not too far off to think the Ravens could be in play for a day one QB.
Mr. Smith goes to Washington is just the start of what’s set to be an eventful offseason for the NFL. The shocking move to trade Alex Smith to the Redskins completely shifts the entire quarterback market. The Redskins are now not searching for a young quarterback. The same can be said for whichever team lands Kirk Cousins.
The NFL draft just got a lot more interesting.
Two quarterback-needy teams picking before the Baltimore Ravens are off the board for a round-one QB. The Ravens are in search of Joe Flacco‘s eventual replacement but round one seems like a reach, or does it?
Interesting aspect of this Alex Smith trade--Cousins likely lands with one of the QB needy teams picking in top half of round 1. That removes one team from the QB market and we could see a small slide for 1 or more QB's in the draft. Teams like Balt & LAC come into play.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) January 31, 2018
The Chiefs did it just last year. They moved up 17 spots from No. 27 to select Patrick Mahomes. They gave up a 2018 first-round pick and a third rounder in the process. There’s no reason the couldn’t likely move to the same spot or lower for a cheaper price. They’re expected to receive a third-round compensatory pick for the second year in a row. Ozzie traded that pick the last offseason he could very well do it again.
The wide receiver class also plays a part in a potential quarterback selection. Assistant general manager Eric DeCosta spoke about the upcoming wide receiver class at the Senior Bowl saying, “this year, I think the strength of the draft at the wideout position is there might be eight or nine guys that you feel comfortable taking in the second and third rounds.”
Aside from Calvin Ridley, there isn’t a receiver worth selecting halfway through the first round at this point in time. Receivers like James Washington are shooting up draft boards but there’s no guarantee they reach the first round. The Ravens stress their “best player available” mentality and that could be the case in round one if a quarterback is on the board.
This is new territory for the front office. The Ravens haven’t had to worry about the quarterback position since before the 2008 season. That was the last time they selected a quarterback in the first round. Flacco helped bring a Super Bowl title to Baltimore but now at 33-years old, his time in the NFL is limited. We haven’t seen the Ravens seriously consider finding Flacco’s replacement but this quarterback class could offer the perfect opportunity. Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield all seem like first-round locks. Lamar Jackson could even sneak in with a strong combine and pro day.
The point is, the Ravens will likely have an opportunity to finally find Flacco’s heir apparent and I wouldn’t be opposed. Flacco’s contract runs through the 2021 season but the Ravens could cut him with just $8 million in dead cap after 2019. By that time, there could be a young quarterback in waiting ready to take the reigns of the franchise.
Next: Baltimore Ravens: Analyzing second round draft picks of the last decade
Don’t rule out the possibility, it’s a lot more plausible than you think.