Baltimore Beatdown is all about Almost Ravens this week! In addition to our reader-driven bracket narrowing down the most important near-acquisitions in staff history, our workers may also be offering their opinions on their favorite strikes the Ravens nearly pulled off. Today, we’re specializing in trades:
The Ravens’ near-signing of future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner in 2022 is a extremely attention-grabbing one. Wagner himself had a strong 12 months in Los Angeles with one other second-team All-Pro berth and will have stayed in Baltimore for a number of years. And the Ravens seemingly wouldn’t have traded for Roquan Smith in the course of the common season and signed him to a long-term extension that has not aged effectively. Smith has been nice in Baltimore, but it surely’s truthful to marvel if a extra reasonable worth for Wagner plus the second-round decide the Ravens despatched to Chicago would have been a greater allocation of assets. – Nikhil Mehta
My favorite participant the Ravens nearly signed is Darius Slay. While Slay was on the backend of his NFL journey in 2023-24, he was nonetheless taking part in effectively and sure would have been an excellent match in Baltimore. Placing him alongside Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton and firm may have paid dividends. Slay seemingly would helped certain up the staff’s secondary and alleviate a few of their points permitting large passing performs in latest seasons. He profiled because the prototypical veteran who the Ravens signal and get high-level play out of late in their profession. – Frank Platko
My private favorite participant the Ravens nearly signed was Za’Darius Smith. When the take care of “Z” was introduced, I used to be so thrilled for him to come back again as a Raven. Looking again on it now, if Smith’s deal had stayed, with Mike Macdonald because the defensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023, he may have been an anchor for what would turn into one of many NFL’s most feared defenses whereas Macdonald was in Baltimore (as soon as Macdonald obtained by way of his early kinks in 2022). Instead, the whole lot went haywire. Smith again out of Baltimore’s four-year deal, then signed a three-year take care of Minnesota. He was then traded to Cleveland earlier than the 2023 season, traded to Detroit in the center of the 2024 season, signed with the Eagles at the beginning of the 2025 season, then retired after 5 video games. I used to be devastated after I discovered Smith had backed out with the Ravens.. – Zach Canter
While not my favorite participant among the many bunch, Ryan Grant must be my private favorite “almost signing” of the Ravens, purely for the hilarity that ensued. It’s no secret that Baltimore has traditionally struggled to area high quality large receivers, and this was by no means extra true than the ultimate few years of Joe Flacco’s tenure with the staff. Entering the 2018 offseason, the Ravens desperately wanted large receiver assist after the Jeremy Maclin signing didn’t pan out the season prior. Baltimore selected to convey in two veteran free brokers forward of the draft in John Brown and Ryan Grant. Brown, a speedster coming from Arizona, was given a modest one-year deal price as much as $6.5 million with incentives. Grant, then again, was oddly given a four-year, $29 million deal regardless of totaling simply 985 receiving yards in his first 4 seasons with Washington. Fans had been rightfully puzzled by the signing. As with Maxx Crosby although, a failed bodily nixed the deal, which finally led to the staff signing a way more completed veteran large receiver in Michael Crabtree, who had simply been launched by the Raiders. Grant fizzled out, taking part in simply two extra seasons in the NFL, finally proving the Ravens proper for backing out of the deal as a consequence of well being considerations, however the determination to present him such a contract in the primary place baffles me to at the present time. – Dustin Cox
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