A stunning proposal from the front office
Word out of Owings Mills on Friday morning points to an audacious move by general manager Eric DeCosta. According to multiple league sources, Baltimore has floated a trade offer centered on prying All-Pro cornerback A J Terrell away from the Atlanta Falcons. Terrell signed a four-year deal worth eighty-four million dollars last spring, and the Ravens believe they can absorb his cap figure while fortifying the league’s most opportunistic secondary.
What the Ravens would send to Atlanta
The preliminary framework circulating among executives features Baltimore’s first-round selection in the upcoming draft, a third-round pick in twenty-twenty-six, and veteran edge rusher Odafe Oweh. Atlanta, entering a soft roster reset under new head coach Raheem Morris, is said to covet additional draft assets and a young pass rusher with upside. Oweh checks both boxes after posting seven and a half sacks in a rotational role last season.
Why Terrell makes perfect sense for Baltimore
Coordinator Zach Orr built a defense that thrives on tight man coverage and relentless pressure. Pairing Terrell with Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton, and emerging shutdown specialist Brandon Stephens would give Baltimore four legitimate playmakers in the back end. Terrell, still only twenty-six, surrendered fewer than forty receptions on the year and allowed a passer rating under seventy when targeted. His sticky technique mirrors the press-heavy philosophy that carried the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game.
Cap gymnastics and contract outlook
Terrell’s cap hit for twenty-twenty-five sits at sixteen and a half million dollars. Baltimore currently owns close to fourteen million in space, but the team could clear room through a small extension for Derrick Henry or a restructure with Ronnie Stanley. DeCosta has navigated trickier scenarios in recent years, most notably last spring when he inked Lamar Jackson and Roquan Smith to record-setting contracts without gutting the roster.
Atlanta’s vantage point
For the Falcons, the opportunity to recoup a first-round pick and shed a large salary aligns with a philosophical change that emphasizes the trenches and quarterback stability around Michael Penix Junior. Adding Oweh supplies immediate burst off the edge, something Atlanta lacked after trading away Grady Jarrett and letting Calais Campbell walk.
League reaction and next steps
Front-office chatter at the league office in Palm Beach labelled the proposal “bold yet sensible” for both clubs. One NFC executive noted that Baltimore rarely overpays, but the chance to seize a premier cornerback during Lamar Jackson’s prime window outweighs the cost.
Negotiations are expected to intensify over the weekend. If a deal is consummated before draft night, the Ravens would pivot to interior offensive line and wide receiver with their remaining selections, while the Falcons would hold two picks in the top twenty-five and could target a franchise left tackle.
Final thoughts
Baltimore has built its modern identity on creative aggression. Bringing A J Terrell to Charm City would echo the Marcus Peters deal of twenty-nineteen, a midseason swing that transformed the defense and propelled a deep playoff run. This time, DeCosta is trying to land his prize before the early May schedule release, cementing the Ravens as Super Bowl favorites long before the first snap is taken.
Ravens fans, buckle up. The next forty-eight hours could reshape the secondary and set the tone for an ambitious title chase in twenty-twenty-five.
