Ebony Bird
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Why the Baltimore Ravens should trade for Stefon Diggs

By Chris Schisler

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 09: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts during the first half of a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes Benz Superdome on August 09, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 09: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts during the first half of a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes Benz Superdome on August 09, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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The Baltimore Ravens should seriously consider trading for Stefon Diggs.

At first glance the Baltimore Ravens trading for Stefon Diggs doesn’t seem like the move they need to make. The defense has been the problem while the offense ranks among the best in the NFL. That being said the Ravens need another go to weapon in the passing attack. The Ravens can’t make one trade and fix a bunch of defensive problems. Trading for Stefon Diggs would be the highest impact trade they could make.

The Ravens offense is a three weapon show. You have Mark Ingram II as the running back. You have Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews in the passing game. Lamar Jackson has completed 49 passes to Brown and Andrews. The offense is too dependent on two players. The passing attack goes as well as Jackson can fit the ball into these two stars. When Andrews and Brown aren’t making plays, the offense stalls.

Jackson has taken a step back in the past couple of games. The Steelers game was his worst game of the season. The past three weeks haven’t been great for Jackson as a passer. Jackson has made an incredible amount of progress and the Ravens can’t let any trend of regression keep it’s course. Diggs is a very quarterback friendly receiver. That’s why he had over 100 catches and 1,000 yards in the 2018 season.

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The Ravens need another receiver to step up and Diggs has the big play capability. Diggs is a sure handed target, who can make something happen after the catch. He averages over 15 yards per reception this season. If the defense has to worry about Diggs it adds a whole lot for the Ravens. It makes Brown and Andrews more viable in the passing game. It allows Willie Snead to become the sneakily good fourth option in the passing game.

This move would help the offense now, however Diggs could be a big part of the future. Under his current contract with the Vikings he wouldn’t become a free agent until 2024. Under the assumption that Jackson is the long-term answer at quarterback the Ravens have a spending window that matches his rookie contract. Diggs would be worth the sizable cap hit. The combination of Jackson, Diggs and Brown could be dangerous for the rest of the AFC North.

The first reaction to the Ravens woes is to go after a player on defense. This defense is what it probably is going to be this season. It can improve however it’s not going to be dominant; there are simply no signs of dominant defense being a possibility. Trading for a weapon for the offense makes more sense. It could help lift Jackson up. It could be the missing piece of the offense that could bring the perfect balance to this passing game.

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The Ravens should have drafted Diggs (who was one of the great Maryland Terrapins of all-time) in 2015. Now they should go get him via trade. If the Ravens believe in Jackson they have to make one more big move for the offense and there is no sense in waiting until the offseason.

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