4 most disappointing trades in Baltimore Ravens history
By Justin Fried
2. The Baltimore Ravens trade up to draft Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller had all the physical gifts needed to become a future star in the NFL, and no one saw that more than former Ravens head coach Brian Billick.
Billick and the Ravens bet on Boller’s upside when they traded away a future first-round pick to trade up and select the uber-talented quarterback out of California.
Unfortunately, Boller fell well short of expectations in the NFL. While he still went on to have a respectable career, he never quite reached the heights that the Ravens expected him to.
And he has to be considered when discussing the worst draft picks in franchise history. That’s made even worse when you factor in what the team gave up to draft him.
The Ravens traded up from the second round to select Boller, giving up their 2004 first-round pick in the process. That pick was used to draft future All-Pro defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.
Needless to say, Wilfork’s career in New England went a little different than Boller’s did in Baltimore.
Boller lasted five years with the Ravens making 42 career starts before the team moved onto the Joe Flacco era.
Boller’s Ravens career ended around the same time as the coach who traded up to draft him’s did. Billick and his quarterback were tied at the hip, for better or worse.