NFL 2023 Trade Deadline: Will Baltimore Ravens Adopt a Fresh Approach to Retain AFC North Leadership?

During the 38-6 blowout win against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football, the Ravens dominated the field on both sides. It doesn’t look like they need a lot of help this season to make it to the playoffs with the roster that they have. QB Lamar Jackson has reignited NFL MVP considerations and defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is firmly on his path to Ravens HC. But there’s always room for improvement. Can the team get even better with strategic trades before the Halloween deadline?

The 5-2 Ravens are headed to State Farm Stadium to face off against the Arizona Cardinals. And the window for them to seal the AFC North leadership is closing quickly. Will they make any big moves with just four days to go?

With just one trade last season, have the Ravens found their ‘dream team?’

Baltimore Beatdown’s Joshua Reed thinks the Purple Pain doesn’t need to make big moves this year. “The Ravens have everything they need to make their deepest playoff run in over a decade and legitimately contend for a Super Bowl this year,” Reed wrote. QB Lamar Jackson has been making waves this season. So far, he has thrown for 1,600 yards and has rushed for 350. It might not be too far-fetched to say that he has been single-handedly keeping the Ravens offense competitive. His 96.7 QBR is both a career landmark and an NFL high. And with an 80% completion rate, he is certainly up there among the QB elites.

The Ravens’ defense also seems tight, with Patrick Queen, Roquan Smith, and Kyle Hamilton as formidable tackling machines. The three have a combined tackle record of 161 this season! Purple Pain easily has one of the best defenses in their conference and certainly the best in their division, the AFC North. This season, they have recorded 29 sacks, the highest in the league. And that’s 4 more than the Bills, which are in the second place.

The Ravens look sorted… except for this gaping hole

Gus Edwards is currently the starting RB for the Ravens. But during Week 3, he suffered a head concussion, and the Ravens ended up logging their first defeat of the season. He eventually managed to get back in Week 4, but that just shows how vulnerable the RB position is. And that’s where Baltimore has an opportunity to make a bold trade.

Fans picked Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans as their favorite, who they would like to see decked in purple and black. It would certainly be a major plot twist if Baltimore’s nemesis ended up joining the team to help fulfill its Super Bowl dreams. The Ravens management has so far downplayed the need to plug in the RB hole, but with 13 TDs and 1,538 rushing yards in the last season, Henry is a mouth-watering prospect.

Read More: NFL Trade Deadline Watch: Here Are 10 Key Players That Could Be Up for Grabs

On the offensive side again, Kevin Zeitler is having the worst year of his career. Should the Ravens pull the plug on him and recruit fresh blood? That would help shed some of the burden from Jackson’s shoulders. And at left guard, John Simpson is the Baltimore Ravens’ worst lineman. While they have one of the best defenses in the league, it seems like the offense could use some help. For now, it’s wait and watch as the Ravens huddle up and plan their next moves.

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