The Baltimore Ravens are not immune to making bad deals. Over their 30-year history, the front office has made several trades that have negatively impacted the play on the field, as well as their draft process. However, even their worst trade does not quite compare to the blunder the Dallas Cowboys just made with superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons.
The Cowboys traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, netting two first-round picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark in the process. While the return does not seem too bad, when you are trading an elite-level player like Parsons, the package better be more than worth it, and this trade fails to satisfy his value.
The Ravens have never made a deal as infuriating as this one, but they have made the occasional trade that ultimately flops. The first such trade that comes to mind for Ravens fans is the Anquan Boldin debacle.
Cowboys' Micah Parsons disaster makes Ravens' Anquan Boldin blunder look tame
Boldin spent three productive seasons in Baltimore, quickly becoming a fan favorite during his time there. He amassed over 800 yards in all three campaigns, and while he never eclipsed 1,000 yards, the team’s run-heavy offense made that accomplishment a struggle for any wideout.
He was a key part of the Ravens’ 2012 Super Bowl run, posting an impressive 22 receptions for 380 yards and four touchdowns throughout the playoffs. He was the perfect match with quarterback Joe Flacco and his cannon of an arm, becoming one of the best contested catch receivers in the NFL during the early 2010s. This made it all the more questionable when Baltimore opted to trade him in the 2013 offseason.
As the story goes, the front office wanted Boldin to take a $2 million pay cut. After an outstanding playoff run that culminated in a Lombardi Trophy, the veteran receiver was having none of it and hoped to play out his contract on the stated salary. Unfortunately, the Ravens were looking to relieve cap space, and they traded him to the San Francisco 49ers for just a 2013 sixth-round pick.
Although Boldin was heading into his age-33 season, he proved that he still had plenty left in the tank. He put up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2013 and 2014. As for that sixth-round pick, it became running back Theo Riddick, but Baltimore traded the selection in a package to move up for linebacker Arthur Brown in the second round. Brown never amounted to much, playing just three seasons with the Ravens and totaling 17 tackles before getting cut in 2016.
Still, this move looks somewhat sensible in comparison to what Jerry Jones just did with Parsons. He and the Cowboys had every chance to extend the two-time All-Pro, but failed in every way possible.