Breaking: Ravens Are Closing In On Deal To Sign $97 Million Former Pro Bowler
This offseason, the Baltimore Ravens’ defense has undergone a number of significant adjustments.
They lost their defensive coordinator to the head coaching post of the Seattle Seahawks.
Their defensive coordinators departed to take positions coaching defensive backs and the defensive line.
Additionally, the Ravens lost a number of key players in free agency who were focused on defense.
The squad may need to make a significant change in order to attempt and restore the defense to its former glory.
Purchasing a top cornerback via trade might be that action.
The Baltimore Ravens should try to acquire New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, according to Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report, who made this suggestion in a piece analyzing deals each NFL contender may make to fix their worst problem.
Lattimore Has Been Dominant When Healthy
In 2017, Lattimore was taken 11th overall and made an early impression as one of the NFL’s top corners.
After defending 18 games and intercepting five passes in his rookie season in the NFL, he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year. As a rookie, Lattimore was also selected for the Pro Bowl.
For the next four years, he recorded double digits in passes defensed, and in three of those seasons, he kept opposing quarterbacks’ completion rate below 60%.
Lattimore was selected for the Pro Bowl in every season in which he allowed a completion percentage of less than 60%.
Lattimore received a significant deal because of his outstanding play over the first five years of his NFL career. A five-year contract for $97.6 million was inked by him.
Regretfully, he has had difficulty maintaining his health ever then. Since agreeing to the agreement, Lattimore has only appeared in 17 games over the past two years.
Still, he has performed admirably in the games that he has participated in.
During the 2023 season, Lattimore allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete fewer than 60% of their passes when hurled his way, allowed just 6.4 yards per target, and defended 8 passes in 10 games.
For Lattimore, that final number was a career high.
Still, given his costly contract and history of ailments over the last two seasons, a Saints team in need of cap space may consider trading for him.
If the Saints make him available, he would be a good fit for the Ravens as they look to reload on defense.
Ravens Need to Reload on Defense
In 2023, the NFL’s top defense belonged to the Ravens.
It appears that they won’t be nearly as good in 2024 as they are now.
Although it’s hard to predict how much the defensive improvements brought about by the new coaching would affect the team, it’s certain that losing those guys will cost them the next season.
The previous season, Geno Stone intercepted seven passes before leaving for the Bengals.
The Panthers have signed Jadeveon Clowney.
Right now, Kyle Van Noy is unrestricted.
A total of 18.5 of the team’s 60 sacks came from the two.
Patrick Queen, an All-Pro linebacker, joined the Steelers after recording 133 tackles in the previous campaign.
The defense had some problems prior to losing those four players, who constitute a significant amount of performance from the squad from the previous season.
The team lacked a trustworthy cornerback to play next to star Marlon Humphrey or cover him in the event of an injury. They lost Ronald Darby this offseason, which further weakened them at the position.
The Ravens were supposed to prioritize addressing the corner position this offseason, but they haven’t done so and might now have too many other needs in the draft to spend a high pick on one.
Because of this, a move for Lattimore might be enticing.
He has shown off elite talent in the past, but his injuries the past couple of seasons have likely brought his trade value down and it might not have been that high to begin with.
L’Jarius Sneed is the same age and is coming off of a very impressive season, but the Titans only gave up a 3rd rounder in 2025 to get him from the Chiefs and sign him to a similar contract.
If the Ravens could get Lattimore at a reasonable price then it’s a move that makes a lot of sense for them in 2024.
