Ravens to Trade Back in 2023 NFL Draft?

Could the Baltimore Ravens explore trading out of the first round in the 2023 NFL Draft?

The Baltimore Ravens have a plethora of options with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They could address one of their positions of need, with wide receiver, edge rusher and cornerback all being good choices. Alternatively, they could trade back to accrue more picks later on. 

As the draft grows closer and closer, talks of Baltimore moving down have begun picking up steam. General manager Eric DeCosta even commented on the possibility in a press conference on April 5.

"I think we've done that nine times in the last four years," Decosta said. "I think the chances for us to be able to do it are pretty decent. . . We have to look at the capital that we can get by trading back, and we'll make the best decision that we can."

When looking at the draft, Baltimore trading back makes a lot of sense. The Ravens only have five total draft picks, among the fewest of any team in the league. So trading back to acquire more picks is definitely something to consider.

As DeCosta notes, the Ravens have traded back several times in recent drafts, including twice in the first round. In 2019, they traded back from No. 22 to No. 25 with the Philadelphia Eagles, acquiring a fourth and sixth-round pick in the process. Then in 2022, they traded back from No. 23 to No. 25 with the Buffalo Bills and acquired an additional fourth-rounder.

On the other hand, the Ravens have also traded up into the first round multiple times in DeCosta's tenure. In 2021, they acquired the No. 31 overall pick from the Kansas City Chiefs in the Orlando Brown Jr. trade. The next year, they traded Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the No. 23 and No. 100 picks.

With less than a week to go until the draft, Ravens fans won't have to wait long to find out what their team will do. 

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