The Baltimore Ravens backing out of the blockbuster Maxx Crosby trade and quickly pivoting to signing Trey Hendrickson was a controversial move this offseason. While Crosby is clearly the better player, the Ravens saved themselves two first-round picks with this maneuver. One of these picks became Vega Ioane in April, and the other is their 2027 pick.
Ioane looks like a stud and filled a major need at the guard position. And with how this season is trending, their 2027 pick will be higher than the Ravens would like. Hendrickson has been pretty productive; this season he has two sacks, and he ranks fourth in the league in pass-rush win rate. In short, the Ravens still got a high-end pass rusher and saved themselves two valuable picks.
Say what you will about Eric DeCosta, but this was clearly the right call. Frankly, if he went through with the Crosby trade, it would have been disastrous for the Ravens, and that's nothing against Mad Maxx.
The Baltimore Ravens would be in an even tougher spot if they went through with the Maxx Crosby trade
As we all know, the Ravens' season is currently hanging on by a thread. They are 4-4, with Lamar Jackson out for the foreseeable future. Sure, they traded for Jacoby Brissett on Wednesday, but right now it's likely that they'll be outside of the playoffs for the second straight year. In fact, ESPN's analytics gave the Ravens just a 6 percent chance to make the playoffs in an article published on Tuesday. Now, this number could increase with Brissett in the fold, but the playoffs are still a long shot in a loaded AFC.
As such, the Ravens' pick will likely be in the top 18—last year it was 14, which feels like a realistic outcome. There's also a real chance the Ravens' season goes off the rails, and they end up with a top-10 pick. Giving up the No. 14 pick alone is a lot, but losing another pick in this range would've been brutal for the Ravens.
Had the Ravens been a Super Bowl threat, the steep price would've been far more understandable, but with how the season is trending, they clearly dodged a bullet.
For as great as Crosby is, and while he's an upgrade over Hendrickson, he wouldn't have solved all of the Ravens' problems. Baltimore could still stand to benefit from generating more pressure and sacks. However, that hasn't been at the crux of their problems. Truthfully, the Ravens' biggest problem remains their offensive line. If they didn't draft Vega, this problem would have been even worse.
Ioane has stepped in and been the team's best lineman as a rookie, especially since the first couple of weeks. He is particularly fantastic in pass protection. Plus, Ioane even thrived playing center for three weeks. Notably, the Ravens' horrid Week 8 line performance came without Vega.
The Ravens' line has remained one of the worst in the league, and without him, they would've been even worse.
Outside of the line and injuries, the Ravens' secondary has been a key issue. They've surrendered the sixth most passing yards, constantly blowing coverages, and giving up big plays. Even if Crosby generates more pressure than Hendrickson, he's not solving this issue.
Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, the Ravens have a lot of holes to fill, and the draft is a great place to address these glaring needs. Without a doubt, it's been a disastrous season for the Ravens, but it would be even more disastrous and detrimental without their first-round pick.
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