Ravens trade for Chase Young in cheap, no-brainer PFF scenario

Add another name to the endless list of players linked to the Baltimore Ravens' list of trade targets ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline. This is a classic one, mind you, but Chase Young is here again to please your fanciest dreams!

After rumors of a potential trade emerged earlier this season about Chase Young and the Washington Commanders having a hard time trying to find a way to extend their relationship, Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus has brought the possibility back to the conversation.

In fact, the analyst listed the Ravens as the franchise making the most sense to trade for Young in a bargain type of transaction in which Baltimore would only have to surrender a couple (2024 and 2025) of third-round picks.

"You can make a legitimate case that this trade is way too much and also too little," Spielberger started.

He thinks that the trade is "arguably too much because there’s a very realistic scenario where Young becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season and is free to sign with any team for zero draft pick capital," but also "arguably too little because Washington could, in theory, extend fellow edge defender Montez Sweat before the franchise tag deadline and then place the tag on Young."

"The Ravens are already in the top three of cash spending for 2023, so pulling off another blockbuster like they did last year in acquiring linebacker Roquan Smith may be tough to accomplish. Giving up premium draft capital also makes it harder to add cheap young talent, further compounding the issue."

- Brad Spielberger, PFF

As Spielberger points out, the Ravens already made a splash trade last season when they acquired off-ball linebacker Patrick Queen from the Chicago Bears. Will they do it again this year?

The PFF scribe thinks so, writing "From Baltimore’s perspective, they’re effectively buying the right to franchise tag or extend Young after the season" if they trade for the Commanders' rusher, which he also considers "a far cheaper option" compared to Carolina Panthers' fellow d-man Brian Burns.

Spielberger also noted, "The Ravens could choose to let Young walk after the season and recoup a compensatory pick, something they do as well as any franchise in the league."

That's a key point to consider, as Young could be just a cheap rental but undoubtedly one that would put the franchise closer to winning the Super Bowl this season just in exchange for a few low-round picks.

It's still a bit early to know where things will end up by the end of October as there are still a couple of games left in most teams' schedules and the narratives and expectations could change depending on the results.

Even then, it's fair to assume the Ravens will pull off a trade (whatever and for whoever that is) before November in order to align their current contending timeline with a serious, solid, and realistic chance at a Super Bowl run in the 2023 postseason.