Ravens, Chiefs Make Trade: The Details and Impact on Browns
The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to a trade which enables the Chiefs to get left tackle Orland Brown Jr. to protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Ravens receive:
31st pick (1st round)
94th pick (3rd round)
136th pick (4th round)
2022 5th round pick
Chiefs receive:
OT Orlando Brown Jr.
58th pick (2nd round)
2022 6th round pick
The Chiefs once again push their chips into the middle in an effort to get back to the Super Bowl and win. Brown not only gives them a left tackle, putting him on the same side as Joe Thuney, who the Chiefs signed in free agency, but his cost is pretty low in 2021. Brown will earn a salary of $3,384 million and the Ravens will eat $216,430 in dead cap.
Brown will be a free agent after this season and will then want a significant contract. It's possible the Chiefs have already come up with the framework for the extension with Brown as this deal has been mentioned as a possibility ever since Brown announced he was requesting a trade to play left tackle.
The Chiefs also get a pick relatively early in the draft that is extremely cost efficient that can perhaps fill a hole, add a weapon.
The Ravens may have been waiting to make this deal because they have been figuring out how they would replace Brown. Alejandro Villanueva, a free agent from the Pittsburgh Steelers, could be their choice as he was in for a visit with the team within the last week.
The Ravens have already lost Matthew Judon and Yannick Ngakoue in free agency and with this trade, they have another player to replace. Additionally, the team already had holes on the offensive side of the ball, specifically the line, so 2021 may represent a reloading year.
The Ravens get a second pick in the first round as the team now picks 27th and 31st. They also get a second third and fourth round pick, but no longer have a second round pick. With all of those picks, the Ravens are looking to replace talent they've lost and find a way to control those costs.
Given the fact they have a pair of picks in the third and fourth round, just as the Cleveland Browns do, they could look to trade up into the second round if they see someone they want.
The Chiefs already represented one of the favorites and a rival for the AFC crown this season. They answer one of their largest questions after letting go of both Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher by getting Brown.
They still need to determine who will play right tackle, but they have players like Lucas Niang, Mike Remmers and Martinas Rankin that could compete for that spot. They could also look to add more help in the draft.
The Browns have been facing Brown since he entered the league, so they will be extremely familiar with him when the two teams face off in the regular season in what could be a playoff preview.
The Ravens, meanwhile, look less dangerous than they did last year currently. The draft is still to come and with the amount of ammunition they have, they will have the opportunity to significantly increase their talent, but they are currently down overall in terms of guys who they can count on to contribute this season.
They will still be the most viable contender against the Browns in the AFC North and have the capability to both make the playoffs and take the division. This season, it at least appears as though they could take a step backward in order to charge back toward contending for the Super Bowl in 2022 and 2023 if they can capitalize on their draft picks.
The path to the AFC crown is no easier for the Browns as the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills both look formidable, but they might have an easier road to securing their spot in the postseason within their division.
It's also worth noting that the Ravens had the 58th pick in the second round, which was right in front of the Browns, who pick 59th. That pick now belongs to the Chiefs, so there might be less pressure for the Browns to jump ahead of the Ravens to get a player they want out of fear they would instead be facing that player twice per season.
READ MORE: Andrew Berry Provides Encouraging Note on Curtis Weaver
