Since the very moment the Baltimore Ravens saw their Super Bowl aspirations go up in flames during last season’s divisional-round loss to the Tennessee Titans, they set their sights on making 2020 the year for the franchise. With a returning roster that featured reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson, a cavalcade of playmakers around him, and a defense bolstered by All-Pro defensive lineman Calais Campbell, the Ravens appeared well positioned to finally break through and reach the sport’s brightest stage.
That notion only seemed to gain traction as the first half of the season unfolded. The Ravens won five of their first six games and made a headline-grabbing move to acquire Pro Bowl pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue. By any objective measure, Baltimore had gone all in on making 2020 a championship campaign.
And while the Ravens trailed the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North standings, they had the chance to take the lead with a win over their division rival in Week 8’s head-to-head matchup.
But all the optimism that permeated the franchise heading into Sunday’s tilt quickly dissipated as the game inflicted untold damage to the Ravens’ title hopes. Already reeling from the absences of lead running back Mark Ingram and starting right guard Tyre Phillips, the team saw franchise left tackle Ronnie Stanley — who had just signed a five-year deal that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history — suffer an ankle fracture and dislocation that will put him on the shelf for the remainder of the season.
Adding insult to injury, the Ravens fell at home to the Steelers 28-24 despite a valiant comeback effort. The loss puts Baltimore two games behind in the division standings and will likely force the team to pull off an upset in Pittsburgh (along with some outside help) to bridge the gap.
While Baltimore has given no indication that the injury will affect Stanley’s availability beyond this season, it nonetheless leaves a massive void at the most high-profile position along the offensive line. That issue becomes more pronounced when considering how the unit had performed prior to losing Stanley. While far from a moribund group, Baltimore’s offensive line has demonstrated clear regression from last season, a change largely attributable to future Hall of Fame guard Marshal Yanda’s retirement this past offseason. The drop-off from Yanda to Phillips looked pronounced most weeks and contributed to the offense declining from the No. 1 unit by DVOA in 2019 to the 19th-ranked unit entering Week 8.
But the Ravens’ woes didn’t end with Stanley’s broken ankle or the heartbreaking defeat. One day after the game, All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey revealed on social media that he has tested positive for COVID-19. The diagnosis not only sidelines one of the league’s premier cover men for the foreseeable future, but it also raises questions about the health and availability of his teammates. In several instances this season, a positive test has not resulted in more than a few other cases on that player or staff member’s team. In other instances, such as the outbreak among the Tennessee Titans that forced the NFL to significantly adjust its schedule, the consequences have proven more dire. The outcome for Baltimore will only become clear in the coming days.
All of those factors have turned a once-promising season into a borderline nightmare. At this moment, the Ravens seem a full step behind the Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Buffalo Bills in the race for AFC supremacy. And while Baltimore’s schedule eases in difficulty over the back half of the year — only one of its final five opponents currently boasts a winning record — that alone won’t make up the difference.
But while 2020 currently seems like a missed opportunity, the Ravens still have time to address their issues and rebound. Until the trade deadline arrives at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, they can fortify their roster with players from other teams.
Even had Stanley avoided his injury, the offensive line would have remained Baltimore’s most glaring need. And while quality starters rarely change hands during the season, general manager Eric DeCosta has some viable options to consider.
The Bills have a surplus of starting-caliber offensive tackles, with veteran Ty Nsekhe serving as the backup to bookends Dion Dawkins and Daryl Williams. Nsekhe probably wouldn’t cost more than an early Day 3 pick and comes off the books following the 2020 season. His acquisition would also allow Orlando Brown, who shifted over to the blindside following Stanley’s departure, to move back to right tackle.
If the Bills determine that trading with an AFC competitor presents too many risks, the Ravens have other potential options. The Green Bay Packers also appear to have a surplus of quality tackles, with All-Pro David Bakhtiari and Billy Turner serving as their preferred starters and Rick Wagner, a multiyear starter with Baltimore earlier in his career, serving as their backup. Unless the Packers want to make a more aggressive move in anticipation of next year’s expected cap shortfall, sending Wagner back to the team with which he began his career makes the most sense. And rather than parting with a draft pick, the Ravens could instead offer a receiver like Myles Boykin given the dearth of proven options behind Pro Bowl wideout Davante Adams in Green Bay.
Of course, the Ravens might have already concluded their in-season shopping with the acquisition of Ngakoue. That trade cost them their third-round pick in the upcoming draft as well as a conditional fifth-round selection in 2022. While not enough capital to kneecap DeCosta and the Baltimore front office, it does remove multiple useful assets that the team might have otherwise used in a deadline deal.
But if the Ravens still think of themselves as all in on this season, it makes sense to back up their previous investments with more. Their window for title contention won’t close at the conclusion of 2020, but they have little time left before Jackson’s cost skyrockets and their previously signed extensions truly hit the salary cap. By striking now, Baltimore gives itself a chance to improve along the margins in a way the team simply can’t in future seasons. The outlook might not appear as rosy as it did two months ago, but the perception can quickly change with the right moves and a little luck.
Jason B. Hirschhorn is an award-winning sports journalist and Pro Football Writers of America member. He has bylines at NFL.com, SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, and other outlets.