OTL: Ravens Loath to “Go All In,” But Has the Time Come?

With much of the NFL media focused on Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup between the Chiefs and Eagles (bleh), it was a slower Tuesday for the Ravens flock. Here at RSR, though, we keep the ball rolling! Early in the week, news broke regarding two league stars now available for trade:

Myles Garrett has requested a trade.

His statement: pic.twitter.com/yx5Q9Exa0V

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2025

I was informed that the team will be seeking a trade immediately and will be working with me and my family to find the right place to continue competing for championships. I don’t agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA.

Still, if there’s… pic.twitter.com/XWmbGVscGy

— Cooper Kupp (@CooperKupp) February 4, 2025

I know, I know. Every time such news breaks, it almost becomes annoying watching fans around the league submit their outlandish trade proposals. With that in mind, I won’t dare.

At the same time, I want to make an argument for the all-in approach this season, and in doing so, advocate for at least trying to bring Myles Garrett or Cooper Kupp to Charm City. And before I do that, I want to equate the wise words of Yoda to Ravens fans’ frustration with attempted trades in the past:

The Baltimore Ravens got about a million of them so where do I start? https://t.co/yGH5mc3USJ

— RAMEY (@HoodieRamey) February 4, 2025

Yes, the Ravens do have about a million “almost trades,” but with a strong, relatively young roster and eleven draft picks, I’m eager to see them finally make a splash. The Super Bowl window isn’t closed, but it’s not getting wider – time to do everything you can to get the job done:

In the time between Lamar winning his 1st and second MVP, the Rams

1. Went all in
2. Won a Super Bowl
3. Tore it all down
4. Rebuilt
5. And got sent home the same weekend as (now 3x MVP) Lamar Jackson

And the Ravens will just keep bumbling around, afraid to go all in.

— (@_Yeef) February 4, 2025

Whether it’s Kupp, Garrett, or someone else, GM Eric DeCosta has the pieces to continue building to an already contending team. On the offensive side, fans have debated whether to trade Mark Andrews and have Isaiah Likely step into the #1 role:

Do you think Isaiah Likely will be considered TE1 of the Baltimore Ravens by the end of next season? #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/EBYqg2ENm9

— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) February 4, 2025

As I see it, Likely can be the #1 without parting with Andrews, or he can continue to be a chess piece in a loaded TE room. With cap not being much of a factor for the position group, why disrupt a strength when you don’t yet need to?

The Ravens should take a similar approach across their roster.

Yes, Rashod Bateman took strides and Zay Flowers continues to grow. Why not trade for a third reliable, playmaking WR? Yes, the pass rush can be supplemented through the draft, but why does that need to be the only big move made in the area? Baltimore could draft the likes of Pearce Jr. or Sawyer while still splashing for Josh Sweat in free agency. The list goes on, but I like how the approach is described through the offensive lens here:

A culmination of the Ravens 2024 offensive numbers were record setting.

Build on it. But don’t just add pieces to add talent. Do it methodically. Make it a super strength. Prepare for injuries. Player fit, skillset is ultra important. Need to enhance it, not mess with the flow.

— Huddle It Up Films (@HuddleItUpFilms) February 4, 2025

I fully acknowledge that hindering upcoming cap space and mortgaging the team’s future with draft picks limits the amount of major moves the Ravens can make this offseason. That said, with a Super Bowl ready roster that hasn’t quite gotten over the hump, I feel DeCosta should be looking for the right opportunities to make a statement this offseason.

We see Philadelphia do it fairly regularly – look where they are now. Their opponent, Chiefs DT Chris Jones, highlighted how many teams in the AFC alone are pushing for a Super Bowl appearance.

Maybe I’m short-sighted, but it’s EDC’s job to setup Baltimore as the best of that bunch – now’s the time to do everything he can to make it happen.

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