The Baltimore Ravens have had a quiet but efficient offseason.
Already owning one of the more talented rosters in the league, the team didn’t have to make any bold moves. That’s a good thing, considering the team didn’t enter the offseason with much cap space to work with.
Reliable veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was added, as was cornerback Chidobe Awuzie. Joe Noteboom was also brought in to add depth on the offensive line, but the biggest move was re-signing star left tackle Ronnie Stanley.
As the Ravens typically do, they also added some quality talent in the draft. Safety Malaki Starks and edge-rusher Mike Green highlight the team’s 11 selections and should make this roster even more ready to contend.
However, it’s possible the team has another move or two up its sleeve before the season begins.
The Green Bay Packers recently declined their fifth-year option on linebacker Quay Walker. As a result, the Packers could be open to dealing the talented off-ball linebacker.
Anthony Palacios of LWOS recently identified the Ravens as a logical trade partner for Walker if the team decides to make a move. Palacios offered the following regarding this potential move:
It’s hard to imagine Roquan Smith and Kyle Van Noy will carry this linebacker unit single-handedly, as they lost one crucial free agent, Malik Harrison, to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Ravens don’t have a lot of spending money to get the best available possible trade candidate, but Walker might fit into what this defense is looking for. Baltimore has one of the most talented offenses and can’t let it go to waste since they’ve been reluctant to improve their defense. Walker might not do much, but he’s a capable upgrade over Simpson and Tavius Robinson.
As Palacios mentioned, the team did lose reliable inside linebacker Malik Harrison to the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers, so some depth could be added.
Walker has been a tackling machine in the NFL, collecting 100-plus tackles in each of his three NFL seasons. The Georgia product had 102 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks for the Packers in 2024.
While Walker is a solid run defender and sure tackler, the linebacker struggles in pass coverage. Pro Football Focus gave Walker just a 48.8 coverage grade in 2024, which ranked 137th out of 189 qualified linebackers.
However, the defender made up for his lack of coverage skills with above-average pass-rush and run-defense grades.
In Baltimore, Walker could battle Trenton Simpson for a starting inside linebacker spot next to Roquan Smith. Simpson also struggled in pass coverage last year, but Walker was better in run defense and as a pass-rusher.
Walker is set to play out his rookie deal in 2025 and will carry a cap hit of just over $4 million. This number would be doable for the Ravens, and the team could get first dibs on re-signing the defender if he impresses.
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