Ravens Breakout Star Named Surprising Trade Candidate

This Baltimore Ravens breakout star has been labeled a rather surprising trade candidate.

Sep 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh (99) celebrate4s after sacking Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) during the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens finished second in the NFL with 54 sacks last season, and a good chunk of that production came from two players: Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh.

Van Noy led the team with 12.5 sacks, but Oweh's 2024 campaign was even more noteworthy, as he finished with sacks in just his fourth NFL season.

The former first-round pick added 39 tackles and a hefty 23 quarterback hits overall, establishing himself as a true breakout star for the Ravens.

However, Oweh is preparing to enter the final year of his contract, and Sterling Xie of Pro Football Network feels that could make him a potential trade candidate, especially considering that Baltimore selected edge rusher Mike Green in the second round of the NFL Draft.

"If the Ravens view Oweh’s high sack total as a mirage, it would explain why they took a chance on Mike Green in the second round," Xie wrote. "Green was available that late because of his past troubling sexual assault allegations, as he was a first-round talent based on his pure pass-rush ability. His arrival could give the Ravens some leverage in extension talks with Oweh, opening up the possibility of a trade if there’s a disconnect about his true pass-rush ability."

Oweh had never registered more than five sacks in a single season before this past year, so there is absolutely reason to wonder if his campaign was a fluke.

That being said, the 26-year-old posted a 78.5 pass-rushing grade at Pro Football Focus in 2023, and it's important to note that he even logged 15 quarterback hits during his rookie season back in 2021. So, perhaps this ability was always there for Oweh, and he finally broke through.

Still, given the Ravens' rather testy financial situation, it's not out of the realm of possibility that they could consider moving Oweh. It just doesn't seem incredibly likely.

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