The Baltimore Ravens should be seeking a ton of defensive upgrades this offseason. Their 2025 unit was disastrous and seemed to unravel at the worst moments, blowing multiple leads. After hiring Jesse Minter this offseason, the Ravens will certainly put a heavy emphasis on overhauling the defensive side of the football.
It all starts with the pass rush. No matter how good the secondary plays in coverage, it won’t matter if the defensive front cannot pressure opposing quarterbacks. That was perhaps the most fatal of all the team’s flaws last year. They finished tied for third-worst in the NFL with 30 sacks. Baltimore’s front office should be knocking on every door possible to try to improve that stagnant defensive line.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine offered an under-the-radar target to help quietly boost that area in Baltimore. In a recent article where he listed one trade from an NFL team that he’d like to see this offseason, he believes the Ravens should trade for Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. He has Baltimore sending a 2026 sixth-round pick, no. 210 overall, to acquire the 33-year-old. Ballentine wrote:
“Jesse Minter takes over in Baltimore with the goal of building an elite defense that can support Lamar Jackson on offense. The Ravens were 28th in pressure percentage last season.”
“Adding reinforcements up front needs to be a priority. They could have an opportunity to go after a veteran at a relatively cheap draft price in Javon Hargrave.”
“Hargrave might only have a year or two left of production at 33 years old, but it would be worth the risk for the Ravens to build an elite pass rush.”
Ballentine noted that Hargrave is coming off a down season, but with the amount of talent that the Ravens lack in the trenches, Hargrave would be a worthwhile upgrade.
Ravens could make a quiet, cheap upgrade by acquiring Javon Hargrave
Sure, Hargrave seems to be regressing. Over the last two years, he’s registered just 4.5 sacks. However, his total of 3.5 sacks last year would’ve ranked tied for third among Baltimore’s top sack-getters. That tells you just how desperately Minter needs help on his new defense. It’s really bad.
With defensive lineman Broderick Washington Jr. being widely expected to be a cap casualty this offseason, Hargrave could become an immediate replacement. Alongside Travis Jones, John Jenkins, and hopefully Nnamdi Madubuike next year, that group would certainly apply far more pressure on the interior. With the interior eating up blocks and making opposing offensive lines uncomfortable, that would, in turn, allow outside linebackers like Mike Green to feast off the edge.
Hargrave may also be an important veteran that the Ravens could add to the locker room. They’re entering a new era with a very young coaching staff. Those veteran voices on the roster will be huge in implementing change in 2026. Hargrave has also been to two Super Bowls in his career, one with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 and another with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023. He knows what it takes to win, and adding someone who has his kind of success and experience could help the Ravens finally get over the hump.
It’s worth mentioning that adding Hargrave would have heavy implications on Baltimore’s cap space. He carries nearly a $21.5 million cap hit in 2026. They’ll likely have to restructure that deal if any sort of trade is made. However, given the severe need for defensive front help, it might be worth biting the bullet on his salary.
There are a ton of other options this offseason for the Ravens to take a swing at. Both free agency and the trade market have some tempting names potentially available. Hargrave may be a slight improvement, and if the front office wants to go the cheaper route on the interior, while emphasizing edge rusher and interior offensive line more heavily, he could be someone to keep an eye on.