The San Francisco 49ers are desperate to fix their secondary this offseason, and apparently, they think the Baltimore Ravens might have the answer. According to Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, the 49ers should try to swing a trade for Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore’s All-Pro cornerback who is coming off one of the best seasons of his career.
Normally, the idea of trading a cornerback of Humphrey’s caliber would be laughable, but this is the NFL offseason, and money talks. The Ravens could have around $13 million in cap space, and with left tackle Ronnie Stanley likely walking in free agency, Eric DeCosta has some serious roster gymnastics to consider. If San Francisco comes knocking with a big-time offer, Baltimore’s front office might at least pick up the phone.
The idea of trading Humphrey is a tough pill to swallow, but that’s what happens when your roster is built to win championships. Not everyone can stay forever. DeCosta isn’t in the business of giving away elite players for nothing, so if the 49ers really want to pry Humphrey out of Baltimore, they better be prepared to pay up.
What would a Marlon Humphrey to San Fransisco 49ers trade look like?
Davenport laid out the framework for a potential deal:
"With both safety Talanoa Hufanga and cornerback Charvarius Ward set to hit free agency, the secondary has the potential to be a weak spot. The acquisition of All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey could turn that weakness into a strength."
"Still, with Baltimore sitting on less than $6 million in cap space and offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley about to hit free agency, some tough decisions loom for GM Eric DeCosta. If 49ers general manager John Lynch brings DeCosta a reasonable offer for Humphrey (say a third-rounder), the latter is going to at least listen."
A third-round pick? That’s laughably low for a player of Humphrey’s caliber. If DeCosta is going to entertain this at all, he’s going to need at least a third-rounder and likely more. Humphrey is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and coming off a six-interception season and All-Pro honors, his value has never been higher.
San Francisco has the cap space to give Humphrey the guaranteed money he likely wants, but Baltimore isn’t in the business of making other teams better without getting something legitimate in return. If the 49ers are truly desperate, DeCosta could fleece them for premium draft capital, which would allow the Ravens to reload in a draft stacked with intriguing cornerback prospects like Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), Jahdae Barron (Texas), Trey Amos (Ole Miss), and Denzel Burke (Ohio State).
Realistically, a Humphrey trade seems unlikely unless the offer is too good to pass up. But if DeCosta can turn a 29-year-old cornerback with a massive cap hit into multiple day-two picks, it would give Baltimore the flexibility to address multiple needs in a cap-strapped offseason.
The Ravens don’t make panic moves. They don’t make bad trades. But if the 49ers come in desperate enough, DeCosta could make them pay a serious price for Baltimore’s Pro Bowl cornerback. That’s how the Ravens operate.