Ravens Trade LB Kenny Young to Rams for CB Marcus Peters

Baltimore makes first big move to strengthen potential playoff run.

The Baltimore Ravens found a way to boost their injury-marred secondary by trading linebacker Kenny Young and an undisclosed 2020 draft pick to the Los Angeles Rams for cornerback Marcus Peters. 

We have acquired Pro Bowl CB Marcus Peters from the Rams for an undisclosed draft pick and LB Kenny Young. pic.twitter.com/qEsyDTvelp

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 15, 2019

Peters, 26, could make a big impact for the Ravens starting this week against the Seattle Seahawks. He was a two-time Pro Bowler for the Kansas City Chiefs before being traded to the Rams last season.

Peters is durable and has started every game since arriving in Los Angeles. This season, Peters has played in six games, producing 14 tackles, two interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown-- and four passes defensed.

Since he entered the NFL in 2015, Peters has produced an NFL-best 24 interceptions, four of which he returned for touchdowns. 

The Ravens needed to make a move because of the mounting injuries with their defensive backs. They lost a pair of safeties, Tony Jefferson and DeShon Elliott, to season-ending knee injuries in back-to-back weeks. 

Cornerbacks Tavon Young and Iman Marshall are also on Injured Reserve. However, Marshall is designated to return after Week 8.

Cornerback Jimmy Smith has not played since the regular-season opener in Miami because of a knee sprain, but he is expected to be back in the lineup in the coming weeks.

Young was a fourth-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft from UCLA. He appeared in all 16 regular-season games, including three starts, as a rookie.

Young entered training camp as a potential starter, but he has appeared to have fallen out of favor with the Ravens coaches. He was a healthy scratch over the last two games and will not look to get back on track with the Rams. 

The Ravens are 4-2 and sit atop the AFC North. Their schedule gets much tougher with the Week 7 road game against the Seahawks, who are 5-1.

"I’m going to give you the cliché, but it’s the truth: We just have to focus on Seattle. So, how the schedule fell or how we fit … It’s better to be 4-2 than 3-3 or 2-4, but not as good as 6-0 or 5-1," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.

The Ravens have a bye on Oct. 27 before embarking on the toughest stretch of the season with games against five more playoff-caliber teams -- Patriots (Nov. 3), Texans (Nov. 17), Rams (Nov. 25), 49ers (Dec. 1) and Bills (Dec. 8).