Reporter suggests Ravens take 'collegiate approach' by drafting Justin Fields

The Baltimore Ravens are not one of the teams that have been linked to drafting a quarterback for obvious reasons. They appear to be set at the position thanks to Lamar Jackson, but NFL Media's Bucky Brooks wonders if the team would consider taking Justin Fields as a replacement for the one-time MVP in order to avoid giving Jackson a massive payday.

"They [could] take a collegiate approach to the quarterback position," Brooks said on NFL Network’s Path to the Draft. "They cash in on a Justin Fields. And then maybe they operate like a college team. One quarterback graduates, the other quarterback steps into the starter’s role. You now have the opportunity to keep a starting quarterback potentially on a young deal, build up the rest of the assets, and then play smash mouth football the way that they play, and continue to build a better team around the quarterback. It’s something to think about."

Fields almost certainly won't be available by the time the Ravens pick at 27. The Ohio State quarterback is expected to be taken in the top 10, but Brooks is merely suggesting that if Fields were to unexpectedly fall that far, he might be of interest to Baltimore. 

Of course, the reason colleges only keep quarterbacks for a maximum of four seasons is because they have to, but the idea of an NFL team taking a similar approach is certainly intriguing. The obvious appeal is that you would always have a quarterback on a rookie contract, allowing you to build an impressive roster around them. 

However, there are obvious risks, as trying to find a good quarterback in the draft is incredibly difficult, which is why teams historically have done everything they can to hold on to good ones when they have them.