Ravens could fleece another team on draft night (and it's sweeter than the last)

Anyone else remember when the Baltimore Ravens moved back two spots in the 2022 NFL Draft and still walked away with Tyler Linderbaum? Yeah, that aged beautifully. The Buffalo Bills leapt up to take cornerback Kaiir Elam, and now two years later, Elam’s been shipped off to Dallas while Linderbaum is busy being one of the best centers in football.

Turns out, that move might be a template worth revisiting. In a new piece over at NFL.com, Chad Reuter pitched six first-round trades that would be considered win-win scenarios. One of them? A sneaky swap between Baltimore and Kansas City that could be another quiet masterclass for general manager Eric DeCosta and the Ravens' front office.

The proposed trade saw the Ravens trading back from pick No. 27 to No. 31, sending a fourth-rounder (No. 136), and getting back the Chiefs’ third-rounder at No. 95. That’s a move the Ravens should be all over.

Baltimore Ravens could trade back in the first round with the Chiefs

Here’s what Reuter said about it:

“The Ravens have had recent success addressing needs even after falling back a few spots, picking up center Tyler Linderbaum after a two-slot drop in 2022 and receiver Hollywood Brown in a three-spot move in 2019. Watch for the team to lock up a defensive back or one of the top remaining offensive linemen after the trade.”

We’re not saying this would be an automatic home run. A lot would have to play out for both sides. But it’s exactly the kind of move DeCosta makes look easy. They are quite literally loaded with Day 3 picks (eight). Packaging one to slide back a few spots and add another top-100 talent instead? That’s a no-brainer.

This draft class has solid depth, especially in the trenches. Even with the 31st pick, Baltimore could still land a high-upside pass rusher like James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), a boundary cornerback like Trey Amos (Ole Miss), or a physical guard like Tyler Booker (Alabama). Fast-forward to Round 3, and names like Jonah Savaiinaea (OL, Arizona), JT Tuimoloau (EDGE, Ohio State), or even Jordan Phillips (DL, Maryland) could still be there for the taking.

That’s how you turn something mundane —such as trading back four spots—into something extraordinary. The Linderbaum trade-down speaks for itself. If the Ravens truly believe they can still get a promising prospect at 31, then (Linder) bombs away! Send it. After fleecing the Bills, fleecing the Chiefs three years later would be even sweeter.

Baltimore has done more with less before. If they can pull off another broad-daylight heist, don’t be surprised when they walk away with the better player… just like they did with Linderbaum.