Could Ravens actually trade up in first round of draft?

With nine selections in the first four rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens have a plethora of draft pick trade scenarios to consider before Day 1.

General consensus is that Baltimore will make a trade at some point this draft and that the picks they currently hold won’t be the same picks they come away with this weekend. As for Day 1 trades, the team has reportedly been exploring options to move up the board, though any deal will likely be made during the first round of the draft itself.

Depending on how the first five or ten picks play out, the Ravens have a real opportunity to trade up and snatch a highly coveted prospect.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport listed a few teams potentially interested in trading up in the draft, namely the Philadelphia Eagles and the Ravens. According to Rapoport, those two teams have made the most phone calls to “canvas the situation” on Day 1.

The Ravens have not traded up in the first round since 2009, but The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec stated that the team would absolutely move up to try to get Oregon pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux if he miraculously falls out of the top-five.

Baltimore Ravens more than likely will trade draft picks between now and the end of 2022 draft

Baltimore also has major needs at cornerback and offensive tackle, so prospects like LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. or Mississippi State’s Charles Cross present two worthy options to trade up for as well.

What teams would be most interested in dealing with the Ravens in the first round?

Zrebiec writes:

"“There’s been talk that the Giants are willing to listen to offers for the seventh overall pick, but the asking price will probably be too rich for the Ravens. It would likely take something in the neighborhood of the Ravens’ first-rounder at 14, the second of their two third-rounders at 100, their second of five fourth-rounders at 119 and a 2023 second-round pick to get it done.”"

Given how much Baltimore loves its draft capital, trading that many picks for a top-ten spot doesn’t seem like a move Eric DeCosta would make as the team has long emphasized investing for the long-term.

Someone closer to the Ravens’ asking range might be the Washington Commanders, who hold the 11th overall pick. Washington owns just six total picks in the draft, but the Baltimore has five in the fourth round alone.

We can’t remember the last time Washington and Baltimore made a trade, but the 2022 NFL Draft is bound to be full of surprises, and seeing the Ravens jump up a few places on Day 1 seems feasible enough.

We’ll see how the dice rolls on Thursday night.