One Move The Ravens Can't Afford To Get Wrong At The NFL Trade Deadline

The Ravens can be myopic and simplistic and sophomoric – and that’s been their brand as an ownership group and front office group, for the most part, the further removed they are from their heyday under legendary general manager Ozzie Newsome.

They can keep pretending that people like Eric DeCosta, who made a career getting promotions by leveraging Newsome’s accomplishments, have this team on the cusp of a Super Bowl or get real about an aging and bloated payroll, the worst salary cap situation in the NFL for 2027 (it’s not even close) and another showdown looming with two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, whose contract talks they have butchered since the became eligible for his first extension back in 2020, and who can decided whatever he wants in 207 basically by virtue of some of the more unique contract language in the NFL (as explained thoroughly here).

They can come to grips with the fact they enter Thursday night’s home game against Jacksonville as 10-point dogs for a reason, and that them getting De-Costed 17 times since this feckless front office took over for Newsome (a historic pace of blowing double-digit leads in the second half to lose) is not some fluke. They should get real about the fact that come midnight, they’ll likely be 3-9 in their last 12 games at M&T Bank Stadium and 6-9 since last Thanksgiving. As it stands now, they are 3-7 in their last 10 against winning teams and win 33% of their games during Jackson’s tenure when he doesn’t start and he’s not throwing another pass this season with the way to rest of this will play out.

So the biggest mistake for them to avoid is simple.

It’s the same mistake they keep making when the owner fired a Hall of Fame coach to replace them with a bunch of kids in a total start-up to produce the worst second-half football in the NFL, but implied it’s a Super Bowl roster and called DeCosta the best GM in the league and said he “bats .800” in his personnel transactions so who cares about the whiffs. The team president said Minter had the immediate pedigree to keep them on their Lombardi path and DeCosta thumped his chest about his offensive line and ability to get Jackson signed and how Marlon Humphrey was worth $19M when he spoke before the season began.

The biggest mistake they can’t make is to continue to believe their own self-aggrandizing and self-mythologizing BS and do something about embracing change and fixing their cultural disease for once. The biggest mistake they can’t make is try to continue gaslighting and obfuscating the fans and taking them for fools, rather than actually start repositioning the team for the future.

It will be next to impossible, mind you, given the abysmal way they structure contracts and how DeCosta plays favorites with who he overpays. They are going to stink for years to come no matter what they do now. But if things are ever going to change here – they won’t, by the way, with these people in charge (it’s tragically similar to the Orioles across the board) – waiting til the offseason serves no one. For a multitude of reasons.

Sell Off What The Market Wants

Nov 1, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) scores a touchdown during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at New Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This ain’t much, especially consider this is a $370M payroll that, according to Bisciotti, is the envy of football with a true mastermind managing it. The Ravens are remarkably screwed this offseason, and punting all of this til January because optics and trying to protect their alleged reputation (so many in the NFL knew DeCosta is vastly over his skis before he took the reigns) is an afront to their covenant with the people who strain to make all of this possible.

And, yeah, this sell-off should include Bisciotti selling the team, cashing his chips, and finding a motivated and hungry and focused and sharp new steward of the franchise, like he used to be. But that was a long time ago, now. Start with moving Derrick Henry and do whatever you can to get something for Ronnie Stanley, too.

Play The Kids

Aug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback T.J. Tampa (27) celebrates after the Ravens make a fourth down stop of the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s imperative there is a runway to finding out if Trenton Simpson or Teddye Buchanan can wear the green dot and replace Roquan Smith who hasn’t been an impact football player since DeCosta vastly overpaid him. This is a blight and embarrassment either way, but we knew they are too prideful to bench him, and no one wants anything to do with this contract. They can spite themselves and their future by playing silly games (DeCosta always does), we’ll see how it plays out.

Same needs to start happening with tackle Carson Vinson and tight end Matthew Hibner and receiver Elijah Sarratt (going to make your fourth-round pick inactive on a terrible offense every week in a seven-win-at-best season?). It needs to happen for young vets like corner TJ Tampa, and receiver Devontez Walker with a long runway as a starter.

Address Your Culture

Nov 1, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore (2) jumps to make a catch against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) during the third quarter at New Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

You know how you start to clean up a culture of entitlement and quitting in the second half and showing no pride at home and empowering losing football players who seem to enjoy trolling Ravens fans more than actually doing their jobs (Humphrey) – you admit it is your brand and you hold people accountable. I know it’s tough when the head coach comes off as a puppet (well) and the offensive coordinator also seems horribly out of his depth, but if you don’t want the locker room walking all over them forever, you do something now.

Call out the player stupidity and lack of effort at times, and get a former NFL head coach here to start coaching up your coaches on how to lead and message properly. Bench people immediately, in game (I know DeCosta is a preening annoyance on the sidelines, but he can’t stop you from doing the right thing in-game). The longer you continue this charade – and keeping all of your biggest mistakes past the deadline would be the most pathetic thing possible – the worse it will only become.

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