Baltimore Ravens should put Gus Edwards on the trading block

Now that the Baltimore Ravens have upgraded at the running back position, Gus Edwards should be put on the trading block:

Gus Edwards is a solid number two running back for the Baltimore Ravens. He’s had two very strong seasons in a row. Edwards averaged 5.3 yards per carry last year and had 711 yards and three touchdowns. He’s a productive player who the Ravens all the sudden don’t need. If the Ravens can get a fifth round pick out of him, it would be a good deal.

A fifth round pick seems to be the going rate for a trade with the Ravens. Kaare Vedvick, a back up kicker, got the Ravens a fifth round pick. Jermaine Elumunor and a sixth round pick got the Ravens a fourth round pick. A fifth round pick got the Ravens Calais Campbell and a fifth round pick and Kenny Young got the Ravens Marcus Peters.

Extra picks help the Ravens keep building for the future while they stack the roster for a championship run at the same time. Even if the Ravens only get a sixth round pick out of the Edwards trade, Eric DeCosta will make use of it. Big picture thinking sees Edwards as an expendable player for the right price.

Baltimore currently has four very impressive running backs while three is the magic number. The Ravens have Mark Ingram for another year or two. J.K. Dobbins is a player who could end up being the most explosive play-maker the Ravens have in the backfield not named Jackson. Justice Hill is a good third down back. Hill probably isn’t marketable yet. Edwards is a commodity the Ravens can sell.

The Ravens obviously like Edwards, yet they clearly were willing to get better at the running back spot. The Ravens basically ignored Edwards in the playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans and just drafted a running back who should take some of Edward’s touches away. Dobbins has the potential to be the most prolific running back from this draft class and a long-term starter. Edwards has always just been the complementary running back in a running back by committee approach.

Ingram, Dobbins and Hill are running backs who offer a bit of everything. Edwards is the one who is who he is. He’s a hammer in the running game who pounds the rock right up the gut. Ingram, Dobbins and Hill all have a similar set of skills. This could make the offense less predictable and it’s not like Ingram and Dobbins can’t grind out tough yards inside the tackle box.

Edwards is clearly the big loser of the Ravens 2020 NFL Draft. The running back pecking order in Baltimore really worked for him the way it was. Edwards deserves a chance to have a heavier workload somewhere else. The Ravens don’t need four running backs. Ingram and Dobbins should be the one-two punch. Hill should be the change of pace that gives that can give them a breather.