Kamalei Correa is no longer a Baltimore Raven, now he is a member of the Tennessee Titans:
As reported first by Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Kamalei Correa was traded to the Tennessee Titans. This trade makes sense on just about every count. Correa has struggled since being drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The Ravens moved him to inside linebacker where he accomplished next to nothing for the purple and black.
Correa moved back to outside linebacker when the Ravens returned to training camp. This put Correa shined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game. He had three sacks and an interception against the Bears. For an entire week of preseason football talk, Correa was the most buzzed about player. Correa went from a roster bubble player on the outside, to a player who could add value at the outside linebacker position.
Ravens announce that they have received an undisclosed draft choice back for Kamalei Correa.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 28, 2018
Outside linebacker happens to be the Ravens deepest position. Correa’s chances of becoming a top player in the Ravens rotation were like the Secretary of Transportation’s chances of being named President. Basically, Correa was always going to be the last man in the most impressive group of edge talent in the NFL. Correa made himself valuable with his preseason play. The Ravens made him available by moving him to the best position group they had.
Correa going to the Titans makes sense because Dean Pees is the defensive coordinator in Tennessee. Pees never used Correa right, and that could be problematic moving forward, however there is familiarity there. Everything about the trade makes sense.
Correa was a bust for the Ravens. There is no getting around that. The Ravens traded back to take Correa in the second round, and they didn’t even get fifth round talent for him. When you consider that the Ravens passed on some great players, including Myles Jack, it’s a bad look for Ozzie Newsome. One thing is for sure, Correa won’t be on his greatest hits album.
The big question is now about roster math. What does the trade mean for the Ravens roster battles? That remains to be seen. One thing is clear though, the Ravens have a situation that makes it hard to keep all the outside linebacker talent. The Ravens are one of a handful of NFL teams that still has a fullback, and they are most likely going to keep three quarterbacks. The Ravens have to make room on the roster, and this trade helps with that.