2. The positive side of no deadline deal:
Eric DeCosta knew that more than one of the trade possibilities could have helped the Ravens in their goal of winning a Super Bowl this season. There were few trade possibilities that didn’t come with a hefty price tag. If the Ravens wanted Yannick Ngakoue for example, a first round pick would certainly be part of that trade. When used correctly, first round picks are huge for the franchise. First round picks have netted the Ravens Ronnie Stanley, Marlon Humphrey, Lamar Jackson and Marquise Brown in recent drafts. The Ravens are trying to win now and at the same time, they are trying to win tomorrow as well.
Without a trade the Ravens are still in the mix for a Lombardi Trophy. A win against the Seahawks was a sign that the Ravens are picking up steam. If they take down the New England Patriots on Sunday it will make a statement that the Ravens are an elite team in the AFC. Being a contender today, while preserving the ability to improve for the 2020 season and beyond is not a bad deal for the Ravens.
Fans always are going to want a trade to happen. In a perfect world the Ravens would have gotten a great pass rusher with a fair deal. Getting a difference maker with a trade that doesn’t make sense would never be worth it. Every trade has a winner and loser. DeCosta has pretty much won every trade he has made to this point. He’s not going to make a rash decision and that’s why he is a good general manager. If the Ravens didn’t make a trade for Peters, they would have had to make a deal today. The Ravens already made the move they had to make. Another addition to this team via trade would have been gravy.