Setting up what we know about the Ravens and Orlando Brown Jr.:
The Baltimore Ravens are almost inevitably going to trade Orlando Brown Jr. this offseason. According to a report by NFL Network’s Ian Rappoport, the Ravens have permitted Brown Jr. to seek a trade. It’s happening guys.
Here’s what we objectively know about the situation. Ronnie Stanley went down with an injury this season that moved Brown Jr. to the left tackle position. That’s the money position of the offensive line. That’s not an opinion, left tackles get paid the most on an offensive line.
Brown Jr. performed well after the move to the left. This has his stock as high as it’s going to get. With one year left in his contract, he wants a trade to preserve his status as a left tackle. The Ravens gave a big extension to Ronnie Stanley; if Brown Jr. plays for the Ravens in 2021 he’s going back to the right.
In all fairness, Brown Jr. is doing what he should be doing. This is his chance to be traded and to get a big deal elsewhere as a left tackle. It’s a little like when you drive a car out of the dealership, the second Brown Jr. drives back to the right side his value goes down.
That’s the summed up nicely way of saying what we know. The rest is a guessing game. What’s his trade value? That’s up to the team that is most desperate for his services. What do the Ravens do to replace him? We’ll see though it means the offensive line just went up to priority one this offseason.
Let’s just say that right tackle has become a major need for the Ravens. In the last several offseason the Ravens invested draft picks on interior offensive linemen. It’s time to find not just a starting right tackle, but depth at the tackle position as well. Tyree Phillips is a work in progress and D.J. Fluker is a player they must say goodbye to.