Over the years, the Ravens haven't made many player-specific trades during the offseason.
In fact, only 15 player trades have come since the franchise moved here from Cleveland in 1996.
Where the Ravens really warm up the trade machine is during the draft, where every year, general manager **Ozzie Newsome** seems to masterfully maneuver up and down the rounds to acquire more picks. Often, those picks have turned into talent.
With that being said, here's my list of the Top 10 trades in Ravens history.
Don't forget to add your own list in the comments below.
10) 2008: Ravens 125th-overall pick to Oakland Raiders = Fabian Washington
Washington's acquisition essentially reads like an extra member of the 2008 draft class. After only three years with Oakland, the Ravens got a lightning-quick corner that notched a personal-best 19 pass deflections his first year in Baltimore. Washington was emerging as a valuable starter for the Ravens in 2009 before a knee injury cut short his season after 10 games.
9) 2007: Ravens 101st-, 166th- and 203rd-ovarall for Jacksonville's No. 86 = Marshal Yanda
He may have been a third-round selection, but Yanda shaped himself into one of the toughest and most versatile lineman on the Ravens' roster. The Iowa product started 12 games at right tackle as a rookie, five at right guard in 2008 before being felled by a knee injury, and then another nine last year at guard, consistently putting fear into defenders eyes when he pulled around the corner.
8) 2007: Ravens third- and seventh-round picks in 2007 and third-round pick in 2008 to Buffalo Bills = Willis McGahee
A Pro Bowler from his Ravens start, McGahee was an all-around force, starting 15 games in 2006 and leading the Ravens with a career-high 294 carries for 1,207 yards. McGahee embraced a supporting role to Ray Rice last year, but is still an important part of the team, as evidenced by his 12 touchdowns.
7) 1996: Ravens guard Gene Williams to Atlanta for No. 153 = Jermaine Lewis
Lewis, a Maryland product, was an explosive returner and slot receiver, scoring a then-team record 23 touchdowns from 1996-2001. He made the Pro Bowl as a return specialist in 1998 and 2001, but perhaps his most memorable moment was a kickoff return for a touchdown in the second half of the Super Bowl. Absolutely lethal running back punts, Lewis owns nearly every Ravens punt return record.
6) 2009: Ravens 26th- and 162nd-overall picks to New England for No. 23 = Michael Oher
Selecting Oher was a no-brainer after he slipped down into the 20s. Now regarded as a top-10 talent and a player that can man right or left tackle for years to come, Oher was a true steal. The 6-foot-4, 310-pounder immediately earned a starting spot and was a force on the Ravens' young offensive line last year.
5) 2006: Ravens 13th- and 181st-overall for Cleveland's No. 12 = Haloti Ngata
The Browns may have been bluffing that they were going to select Ngata, as they flipped spots with Baltimore and earned an extra draft pick. Cleveland then took outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley. How did that work out? Ngata, one of the league's best young defensive tackles, is coming off a Pro Bowl season, while Wimbley's 6.5 sacks and 69 tackles in 2009 are simply respectable.
4) 2006: Ravens fourth-round pick to in 2007 to Tennessee Titans = Steve McNair
While McNair was being locked out of the Tennessee Titans' practice facility, the Ravens swooped in to get a potential Hall of Famer and a solid option at quarterback for a few years. The only full season McNair started for Baltimore, he earned a Pro Bowl nod and set a franchise record for completing 63.0 percent of his passes, leading the team to the playoffs. A shoulder injury held him to only six games the following year before he retired.
3) 1999: Ravens second-round pick to Atlanta for first-round pick in 2000 (turned out to be 5th-overall) = Jamal Lewis
The Ravens already had the 10th-overall selection (Travis Taylor), but Lewis was the gem of this draft. Not only did he rush for 1,364 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie, he also was a key component of the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV squad. Baltimore's all-time leading rusher enjoyed a prolific career in purple and black before joining the Browns in 2007. With the Ravens' 1999 pick, Atlanta nabbed tight end Reggie Kelly.
2) 2008: Ravens 8th-overall pick to Jacksonville for 26th-, 71st-, 89th- and 125th-overall. Then, Ravens 26th-, 89th- and 173rd-overall to Houston for No. 18 = Joe Flacco
The Ravens were initially eyeing Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, who was tabbed third-overall by the Atlanta Falcons, even having conversations with some teams about moving up. But when Ryan was gone, Flacco was the answer. Newsome deftly traded back, and then back up when Flacco's name got hot. Now, the Ravens have their quarterback of the future. It was also the highest the Ravens have ever drafted a quarterback (beating Kyle Boller at 19th-overall in 2003).
1) 1995: Cleveland first-round pick to San Francisco for first-rounder (26th) in 1996 (plus 49ers' first-, third- and fourth-round picks in 1995) = Ray Lewis
Obviously, this one is pretty easy. Some thought Lewis was too undersized to excel at the NFL level, but they were certainly wrong. Lewis earned USA Today's All-Rookie team honors after leading the Ravens in tackles (146) in 1996. His 15 tackles for loss led the NFL. He added 2.5 sacks, 6 pass deflections, and an interception that year, too. No. 52 has gone on to do much, much more.
