
The Baltimore Ravens are drawing closer to the offseason, with trades and free-agent signings now part of the process.
That's always a chaotic time for all 32 teams, but it will be especially hectic for the Ravens as they try to figure out which of their free agents they want back and which they want to sign from outside the team. There is always the option to make some trades to find new pieces.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta showed at the trade deadline that he is willing to cut a few deals for the betterment of the team. Don't be surprised if that trend continues with him in the offseason as he looks for the right pieces for Baltimore.
Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine broke down all 32 NFL teams' top three options for trade targets during the offseason. Ballentine listed his three options for the Ravens despite the limited cap space they have at $21.8 million:
"Bringing in another interior defender who can pair up with Nnamdi Madubuike on the inside would be a good addition. Javon Hargrave has experience in the AFC North and still has a little pass-rush juice despite a slow year in Minnesota. Clark is still an excellent run defender and the Cowboys have an expensive trio of interior defensive linemen.
Luka Van Ness would be a buy-low candidate. He's entering the fourth year of his contract and hasn't made the impact that Green Bay expected when they took him in the first round of the draft. Perhaps new head coach Jesse Minter could get another level of production out of him and add depth they need on the outside."
One of the big reasons Jesse Minter was hired as the head coach of the Ravens is to help a defense that mightily struggled last year. Baltimore's defense finished 24th in yards allowed and 18th in points allowed.
The Ravens' biggest problem in 2025 was their defensive line, which struggled to generate pressure on the quarterback, as they recorded only 30 sacks on the season. Only two other teams had fewer sacks than them, with Travis Jones leading the way with five.
There is uncertainty about Madubuike's neck injury and whether he will actually be back, but his latest social media post gives fans hope. Jones is the top guy on the Ravens' defensive line, so Clark and Hargrave would be good insurance policies in the middle.
If the Ravens can't find a way to re-sign Dre'Mont Jones, who is a pending free agent, Van Ness would be a cheap, solid option for the Ravens. Van Ness has only had 8.5 career sacks, but give him a good amount of playing time and he can make the most out of his opportunity.
With the cap space not needing to be where they want it to make big moves, these would be good for depth and rotational players. The draft is where Baltimore will have to do more of the damage to build for the future.
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