Ravens: 4 trades the team could explore this summer

1. The Ravens could trade for Chandler Jones

This is the big one. The trade that would send shockwaves through the NFL and establish the Ravens as true Super Bowl contenders.

What if the Ravens traded for Chandler Jones? It seems implausible at first, especially after the Julio Jones debacle, but there are a few differences between the two situations.

For starters, Jones is on the last year of his deal in 2021 meaning that the team won’t have to worry about being tied into future salaries that they didn’t agree upon. They’ll just have to make the numbers work this season.

The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec mentioned the possibility of the Ravens trading for Jones in a recent mailbag.

"“I do agree that it would be hard to resist making a run at Jones. The guy had double-digit sack totals for five straight years before last year’s injury-shortened season. If the compensation and contract demands were fairly reasonable, it certainly could be a ‘better situation.'”"

The biggest caveat with a Jones trade would be that the star pass rusher will expect a new contract upon being traded. Could the Ravens really afford to hand Jones an extension with deals for Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews on the horizon?

That remains uncertain. But if they are to pull it off for any player, Jones makes the most sense.

The 31-year-old remains one of the best pass rushers in football with 11.0 or more sacks in each year from 2015 to 2019 before a torn bicep cut his 2020 season short.

As for what it might take to land him, some have speculated it could be similar to the package the Atlanta Falcons received for Julio Jones. Although if position value comes into play, he might cost more.

This one is a long shot, but if the Ravens are willing to be aggressive in their pursuit of a championship, there are few more impactful additions they could make at this stage than a trade for Chandler Jones.