The Baltimore Ravens' backing out of the Maxx Crosby trade due to medical reasons was highly controversial. In all honesty, giving up two first-round picks, including the 14th overall pick, for a player with injury concerns was highly risky, and the Ravens signing Trey Hendrickson vindicated this decision.
And now with Baltimore drafting Penn State guard Vega Ioane, Eric DeCosta's decision to back out of the Crosby trade was clearly the right call. By drafting Ioane, the Ravens addressed their biggest remaining roster need: interior offensive line. This, paired with their signing of Hendrickson, proves that the Ravens made the right call, especially given the injury risk attached to Crosby.
Drafting Vega Ioane proves once and for all that the Baltimore Ravens were right to back out of the Maxx Crosby trade
Had the Ravens gone through with the Crosby trade, they would have only addressed one of their pressing needs: edge rusher. Now, though, they filled their two biggest flaws by landing an elite edge rusher and blue-chip interior line prospect.
Baltimore will still need to add another pass catcher, center, and cornerback in the draft, but overall, they're in a great spot.
Last season, the guard duo of Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele proved to be catastrophic. This undoubtedly contributed to Lamar Jackson's injury problems, and when he was on the field, he was running for his life due to this poor protection.
Faalele (thankfully) found a new home with the New York Giants. However, signing John Simpson wasn't going to give Jackson nearly the level of protection he needs, and losing Tyler Linderbaum furthered the need for an interior lineman.
Ioane is flat-out an elite prospect, with numerous analysts touting him as the best guard prospect since Quenton Nelson. He has the ideal blend of strength and technique to succeed at the next level, and his college track record is exceptional.
According to Pro Football Focus, in 311 pass block snaps last season, Ioane allowed 0 sacks and 0 hits. Furthermore, in over 1,100 college snaps, Ioane allowed just two sacks. As such, Ioane projects to be a difference maker from the get-go.
With the protection around Jackson improving and a new system that emphasizes his skill set, it's fair to expect him to reach another level. Ioane should also open up more opportunities for Derrick Henry, who, much like Jackson, has already been dominant. The thought of the Ravens' already stellar offense further improving should terrify rival teams.
By all accounts, Ioane is a perfect fit for the Ravens, and he can help elevate the team significantly. And without a doubt, this pick should be the final piece of evidence that the Ravens were wise to back out of the Maxx Crosby trade.
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