The offseason action will speed up in the coming weeks now that the Super Bowl is over, and the Baltimore Ravens might be among the most active players. After losing 17-10 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game, the Ravens will try to fine-tune a Super Bowl-caliber team to climb over the hump.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report wrote “5 NFL Trades That Could Help Prevent a Chiefs Super Bowl Three-Peat,” and one of them involved the Ravens.
In Kay’s suggested trade, the Ravens would obtain running back Alvin Kamara in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round draft pick from the New Orleans Saints.
“While the five-time Pro Bowler isn’t the superstar that he was earlier in his career, he can create still big plays as both a rusher and pass-catcher out of the backfield,” Kay went on to say.
Kamara is 28 years old and has been a high-volume RB in the past, but he could be an ideal complement to the Ravens’ run game.
The run game appeared to disappear in the game against the Chiefs, as quarterback Lamar Jackson was asked to air the ball out despite the Ravens trailing by barely 10 points at any point.
Kay went on to say, “Jackson led the team with 54 yards on eight carries in the contest, well outpacing the production from running backs Gus Edwards (three carries for 20 yards) and Justice Hill (three carries for three yards).”
It’s possible the Ravens didn’t trust their run game to deliver in that crucial moment, but adding a player of Kamara’s caliber may prevent that next season.
Saints Get Salary Relief by Shipping Off Alvin Kamara
Kamara has spent his whole career with the Saints, who chose him in the third round in 2017. Kamara won Offensive Rookie of the Year for the Saints and has been an important component of their attack since his debut.
While he has never run for 1,000 yards, his ability to catch passes out of the backfield has made him a valuable weapon. Kamara has 10,048 scrimmage yards, including 5,829 rushing and 4,219 receiving yards.
Saints, RB Alvin Kamara agree to 5-year, $75M contract extension. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/9azxNvegXd
— NFL (@NFL) September 12, 2020
Kamara had a disappointing season by his standards, with a three-game suspension to begin the season. On the other hand, Kay said, “The 28-year-old back would be an ideal buy-low candidate for the Ravens, who could try to capitalize on the Saints’ need to shed salary.”
In Kay’s fake transaction, the Ravens would only exchange a seventh-round choice to reduce their salary. Kay points out, “The Saints project to be $82.8 million over next year’s cap, but they could save $11.8 million by trading Kamara after June 1.”
Ravens Would Be Getting Elite Change-of-Pace Option
The Ravens have a championship core, so general manager Eric DeCosta needs to fine-tune the club with little adjustments. He is hampered by his cap situation, therefore he must be inventive.
Kay believes a trade is conceivable if “He’s [Kamara] willing to renegotiate his contract to one more commensurate with his projected usage in Baltimore.”
If Kamara takes a wage reduction, he might fit inside the Ravens’ salary limit, and Kay says, “The Ravens could deploy him as a third-down and change-of-pace back.”
While Kamara recorded a career low of 694 rushing yards, Kay feels he might thrive in a smaller role in an offense that maximizes his chances of success when he does get on the field.
The Ravens presently have only Hill and Keaton Mitchell, who is recovering from an ACL injury, on their roster for next season. so. “The Ravens need another capable back who can take on some of the workload while changing the game with his presence from time-to-time,” Kay went on to say.
Adding Kamara not only boosts the rushing attack, but it also provides QB Jackson with an electric safety valve in case of pressure or a play breakdown.
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