The Baltimore Ravens have their eyes on the NFL Draft after a somewhat quiet free agency period. Aside from retaining left tackle Ronnie Stanley and signing former All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Ravens largely sat back as the rest of the league went tick-for-tack in the free agent market.
And while the Ravens may not have made big headlines in free agency, one NFL writer believes they could be eyeing a trade. Isaac Zuniga of Last Word On Sports predicts that the Ravens will trade edge rusher Odafe Oweh to the Chicago Bears.
“The Bears have brought in pass rushers in different ways,” Zuniga writes. “Out of the main three, Montez Sweat came over via trade, Dayo Odeyingbo via free agency, and Austin Booker via the NFL Draft. So to say trading for Odafe Oweh is out of the picture, think again.”
In terms of what a trade would cost, Zuniga predicts Oweh could be dealt for a third-round pick.
“Baltimore is unlikely to part with Odafe Oweh for anything less than a Day Two draft pick,” Zuniga writes. “If the Bears can secure him for a third-round selection, it would be a win-win scenario—Chicago lands a young, ascending pass rusher, while the Ravens gain additional draft capital without committing to a hefty extension. Given the Bears’ aggressive approach this offseason, don’t be surprised if they make a move for Oweh.”
This isn’t the first time Oweh’s name has appeared as a potential name on the move. Bradley Locker of PFF named Oweh as the Ravens’ best trade asset, saying that Baltimore is at somewhat of a crossroads with Oweh.
“The former first-round pick has notched 109 pressures over the past two seasons on a 77.9 PFF pass-rushing grade, which ranks 21st among qualified edge defenders,” Locker writes. “While Oweh has been above average as both a pass rusher and a run defender, his play might not warrant a lucrative extension. The Ravens could face a crossroads with the 26-year-old heading into the draft.”
Oweh is coming off a tremendous season with the Ravens and his best as a pro. He notched a career-high 10 sacks. His nine tackles for loss and 23 hits on the quarterback were also career highs. If the Ravens did want to trade their former first-round pick, they likely won’t ever get as much value for him as they would right now.
