The Deebo Samuel dream isn’t over yet. The Baltimore Ravens could consider this blockbuster trade proposal in which the team gets the 49ers’ star receiver in return for….a LOT of draft capital.
After putting together a successful draft and free-agent haul, the Ravens may not be done adding to their roster — specifically, they may not be done adding wide receivers to their roster.
Baltimore’s current depth chart has Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, and James Proche as the starting trio with not too much talent behind them. The Ravens could opt to go down the Sammy Watkins route and pick up another dirt-cheap vet, or they could entertain a very worthy trade proposal that sees Deebo Samuel don the black and purple in 2022.
Niner Noise’s Peter Panacy suggested that the San Francisco 49ers trade Deebo Samuel and one 2023 third-round pick for the Ravens’ 2023 first-round pick, 2023 second-round pick, and 2024 first-round pick.
It’s a very un-“Ravens-like” trade, but why not give it a second thought?
Panacy writes:
"“Baltimore is projected to have over $45 million in cap space for 2023, according to Over the Cap, so a lucrative trade-and-extend scenario for Samuel could be in play here. The only remaining element to figure out is what the Ravens would be willing to offer in order to remain in hot contention within a still-tough AFC North.”"
The Ravens acquire Deebo Samuel for a king’s ransom in newly proposed trade
We don’t think the Ravens are getting fleeced at all, not when you consider the fact that Marquise Brown essentially got traded for a first-rounder.
Panacy notes that the 49ers reportedly turned down trade packages involving one first-round pick, so Baltimore would likely have to sweeten the deal with an additional first-rounder in 2024.
It’s well-known that the Ravens don’t like to part with their precious draft capital, but it’s also well-known that the Ravens’ wide receiver room is a monstrous liability right now.
Aside from Rashod Bateman and his potential breakout performance, Devin Duvernay and James Proche are not the receivers who can help Lamar Jackson make a triumphant comeback.
Jackson has the chance to re-enter the MVP conversation only if he has a strong enough supporting cast, and Baltimore’s doe-eyed and unproven wideout room just won’t cut it.
Trading for Samuel makes the Ravens a Super Bowl contender, no questions asked. Duvernay and Proche would get more time to grow into a starting role while Greg Roman can salivate at all the ways he can incorporate Samuel into Baltimore’s run-centered offensive scheme.
At the end of the day, would the Ravens actually accept such a trade? Probably not.
But this proposal is out there in the open, and we hope Eric DeCosta at least considers the immediate consequences of securing a bonafide stud like Deebo Samuel in 2022.