ExtremeRavens Posted October 31 Posted October 31 The Ravens’ trade for Carolina Panthers receiver Diontae Johnson did very little to change the landscape in the AFC. In fact, it was just another day in the NFL. With the addition of Johnson on Tuesday, the Ravens upgraded at the receiver position, but the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs are still the No. 1 team in the conference with the Ravens No. 2 and the Buffalo Bills No. 3. If the experiment with quarterback Russell Wilson continues to pan out in Pittsburgh, then the Steelers jump in at No. 4, but there have been few trades at this point that have changed the likely scenario of the Chiefs and the Ravens duking it out for the second straight year in the AFC title game. The addition of Johnson, 28, can only help the Ravens. He has 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns this season and his presence will push starter Rashod Bateman to work harder and possibly No. 3 receiver Nelson Agholor off the roster. But it isn’t like the Ravens added Davante Adams or Amari Cooper. READER POLL: What is your biggest area of concern for the Ravens? They already had the league’s No. 1 offense. The only deal the Ravens could make before Tuesday’s deadline that could have a significant impact is to add a pass rusher, even though the acquisition of Panthers outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney would be a gamble. A year ago, Clowney had a career-high-tying 9 1/2 sacks for the Ravens. This season, he has only one sack and 19 tackles for Carolina. In 2023, Clowney had Mike Macdonald as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator. Now it’s Zach Orr, whose defense is ranked No. 32 in pass defense and in total disarray. Clowney might be the answer, and he might not, but it would be worth the risk if the Ravens consider themselves serious Super Bowl contenders. The Ravens also need a shutdown cornerback, but it’s unlikely any team will part ways with that caliber of a player at this point. Those types are a hot commodity, and the Ravens were fortunate to trade for Los Angeles Rams cornerback Marcus Peters in October 2019 in exchange for linebacker Kenny Young and a 2020 fifth-round draft pick. As for the Ravens’ defensive problems in the secondary, it’s common throughout the NFL. With the exception of the Chiefs, who plays great defense anymore? Every game is filled with receivers running wide-open and missed tackles. It’s all part of the tilted field in favor of the offense emphasized by Roger Goodell since he became commissioner in 2006. The real problem for the Ravens is that they don’t have a shutdown cornerback on the roster. Nate Wiggins could become that player eventually, but he is only a rookie. Marlon Humphrey is in the right spot over the slot, but players such as cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Arthur Maulet are more suited for nickel and dime roles, and the Ravens don’t have a presence at safety except for Kyle Hamilton. The Ravens’ secondary is composed of a bunch of nomads right now, and neither Orr nor pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt have been able to help them find a way out. At least for Johnson, the Ravens only gave up a fifth-round pick, but even that is somewhat costly because they have been productive in that slot over the years, selecting players such as receiver Jermaine Lewis, center Jeff Mitchell, safety Dawan Landry, defensive tackle Arthur Jones, cornerback Asa Jackson, center John Urschel, outside linebacker Matthew Judon and defensive tackle Broderick Washington. Getting a sixth-round pick in return from Carolina helps, though. Trading is an extensive process requiring large amounts of time poring over film and working through negotiations. Before losing to Cleveland on Sunday, the Ravens had won five straight games. They lost to the Browns because their offensive line got exposed like it did against Kansas City and the Las Vegas Raiders in the first two games of the season, and their secondary had its usual problems. But maybe there is a shift of philosophy in Baltimore. Like the Chiefs and Cincinnati in previous seasons, the Ravens have figured out that if you can’t stop them, you might as well try to outscore them. We will know for sure by Tuesday’s trade deadline. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article Quote
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