No way the Ngakoue trade should be the last midseason shuffle from the Ravens
Without question, using the Ravens’ Week 7 bye to trade away a 2021 third-round pick (and a ‘22 conditional fifth-rounder) for a premier pass rusher settling into his prime years of productivity was a no-brainer for General Manager Eric DeCosta.
Welcome home, Yannick Ngakoue (Washington, D.C. | University of Maryland)!!
Truth is, despite the upgrades on the defensive line this past offseason—with the additions of DEs Calais Campbell (Ngakoue’s former teammate on the Jaguars’ defensive front) and Derek Wolfe—the Ravens still yearned for that edge rusher who could disrupt, or better collapse, an opposing passer’s well-curated pocket.
Ngakoue—whom the Ravens had reportedly been interested in inking over the summer, before he signed with the Vikings—is that physical, nearly indomitable presence which the Ravens need to help neutralize the likes of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes when the postseason arrives.
But that’s hardly the only alteration this 5-1 club should make before venturing into the second, more competitive half of this already unconventional season.
Looking at the offensive side of the ball, there’s been plenty of hand-wringing about the encore performance from last year’s MVP, quarterback Lamar Jackson. There’s also been a restless and steady din over offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s play-calling—more than occasionally referred to as uninventive and predictable.
And of course, there’s the perennial complaint of the Ravens pass-catchers.
That last point is, by far, the most aggravating because it’s long been apparent that this franchise has rarely ever defined its offensive success by the forward pass. Except for their early years, the run game has always been the calling card on offense. Every Ravens fan knows this. But sadly, too few accept it.
Look at those 1996 and ‘97 Ravens teams. Led by veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde, with stout outside weapons in Michael Jackson and Derrick Alexander, those teams were incredibly prolific “through the air.” But after a 4-12 inaugural campaign, followed by a 6-9-1 sophomore season, the franchise correctly adjusted its organizational philosophy.
That is, in order for the Ravens to compete in the then-AFC Central (with smash-mouth juggernauts like the Steelers, Tennesee Oilers, and Jaguars), they would need to develop an offensive identity that ran the rock and controlled the clock, thereby enabling a burgeoning championship-caliber defense to impose its will whenever it occupied the gridiron.
In short, to beat the Steelers, the Ravens would need to be the Steelers—albeit a better version.
A Super Bowl championship in 2000 quickly proved that concept.
And yet, Baltimore still flirted with prototype-passers in the years that followed, signing free-agent quarterback Elvis Grbac for the 2001 title defense, and then drafting Cal-Berkeley’s Kyle Boller (and trading up to do it!) in 2003.
The Ravens would misfire on wide receiver in the draft during that time as well, highlighted by first-round busts in Florida’s Travis Taylor and Oklahoma’s Mark Clayton.
Meanwhile, the Steelers would bolster its own identity for striking wide receiver gold in the draft—and pairing them with future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger—by such selections as Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress, Antwaan Randle El, Santonio Holmes, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Martavis Bryant, Juju Smith-Schuster, and Chase Claypool.
It can be maddening to consider that, while the Ravens had been mimicking a Steelers-like approach, the Steelers simply managed to reinvent themselves from their 1970s vintage with a passing assault that’s since stood the test of time.
But results have always been what’s mattered in the National Football League. And although Pittsburgh has two titles to its credit during the interminable Roethlisberger era, that’s still only as many as the Ravens have earned in their entire quarter-century existence.
So which philosophy prevails? Realistically, it’s a push.
And “push” is exactly what the Ravens should embrace—in perpetuity. After all, offensive lineman like to maul. So let ‘em maul.
Do the Ravens need reliable pass-catchers? Of course they do. But reliable is a far different standard than phenomenal. And with that distinction established, the Ravens certainly have more than reliable talent at the wide receiver and tight end positions.
Sure, the anticipation of adding Dez Bryant to this roster is intriguing. There’s probably some (Anquan) Boldin-like value to be gained by such an acquisition.
But it’s not necessary to pursue a trade for Julio Jones, or A.J. Green. Or Kenny Golladay, Evan Engram, or David Njoku. None of them—despite their varied abilities—will put this team over the top.
Instead, they merely need to run the rock. And really run the rock.
That means they do it with their 2020 second-rounder, J.K. Dobbins. Just give the Ohio State kid the keys to the car already. After all, they invested a high-round pick on him. So let him carry the offense with his athleticism, spelling him occasionally with the wizard-like athleticism which Lamar possesses.
Mark Ingram—his own hype-man expertise notwithstanding—is nothing more than a third-down back at this stage of his career. Let him chew up the line to gain when the situation presents itself. And as for Gus Edwards, he’s arguably the best contingency plan and late-game clock-salter in the sport. Define that role for him now and serve notice to the team: Dobbins is the Ravens top dog in the backfield.
That is the singular offensive adjustment that the Ravens should make coming out of the bye.
Because it doesn’t just make perfect sense, it also quiets all the other clamor.
After all, Greg Roman won’t need to come up with some revolutionary game plan. J.K. Dobbins is that plan.
And Lamar’s “regressive” statistical season won’t matter one bit if the Ravens effectively run it down everyone’s throat. Besides, it’s not as if his other-worldly abilities won’t still be sitting in the holster when you require them.
It’s perfectly apparent that what delivers a third Super Bowl Championship to the Ravens is exactly the same as it was for their first: manage the game at quarterback, run the rock, and play stifling defense.
Back then, when they had to find a way to beat the Titans, that recipe worked perfectly.
Today, it’s the Chiefs who have their number. The trade for Ngakoue adds another important ingredient.
But trust me, what remains for that tried-and-true, winning recipe to work again already sits in the cupboard.