The Baltimore Ravens made a shocking trade on Tuesday, dealing outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
The big player in the deal was Oweh, who is coming off a 10-sack season in 2024, but has yet to tally his first sack of 2025. The 26-year-old is also in a contract year, and was likely on his way out of Baltimore by season’s end, so he will get a chance to stand out on one of the better contenders in the AFC as he looks to play into a big-time contract by the time the 2026 offseason rolls around.
With most of the attention on Oweh, Baltimore’s acquisition of Gilman is flying under the radar. He is not a flashy player by any means, but he has been a strong contributor to Los Angeles’ defense throughout his six-year career. Now, he joins a Ravens’ defense that is searching for its identity in the midst of a disastrous start to the 2025 campaign.
Many of the issues that have led to Baltimore having the league’s worst defense through five weeks have been due to the lack of communication. Blown coverages have been a common theme, as they have given up 1,313 passing yards, which is the second-worst mark in the NFL. In Gilman, the Ravens now have themselves an Ar’Darius Washington replacement, which should allow the rest of the secondary to flex their versatile muscles.
Alohi Gilman is an underrated acquisition
Washington played a key role in 2024, helping turn around a defense that was among the worst in the NFL through the first half of the regular season. Since he was thrust onto the starting defense, Baltimore became one of the best units. While the Ravens faced some of the worst offenses down the stretch of that season, the unit looked far more sound, and they could see similar reconstructions with Gilman playing next to rookie safety Malaki Starks.
Gilman has posted a 65.5 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus. He has proven to be a starting-caliber safety, and while he has the tendency to blow coverages every now and then, he brings depth to a depleted secondary. Most notably, the move will allow versatile safety Kyle Hamilton to hover around the field and be the dynamic playmaker everyone knows he is capable of being.