Phillip Lindsay, Kyle Fuller Among Players Listed As Potential Trade Targets
There's been plenty of speculation over the past several weeks about whether the Ravens will make a trade to bolster their roster. We'll know the answer by today's 4 p.m. trade deadline.
A lot of the trade talk has focused on acquiring a running back, with Marlon Mack of the Indianapolis Colts and Ronald Jones II of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the most frequently mentioned. However, The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec said Houston Texans running back Phillip Lindsay also could be an option.
"Houston has already traded Mark Ingram and if Lindsay's limited workload is any indication, it would have no problem moving on from him, too," Zrebiec wrote. "Lindsay hasn't shown much this year, but he ran with some juice when he was with the Broncos and hypothetically would bring a speed element to the Ravens backfield."
Lindsay signed with Denver as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and went on to rush for 1,037 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns to become the first undrafted offensive rookie to make the Pro Bowl. In 2019, he ran for 1,011 yards rushing and seven touchdowns and caught 35 passes for the second straight season.
However, Lindsay missed five games last year due to knee, hip and toe injuries and finished with 502 yards and a touchdown. With Houston this season, Lindsay, 27, has rushed for just 105 yards on 41 carries (2.6 average) and a touchdown.
In addition to Lindsay, Zrebiec identified several other players who have been involved in trade speculation and would make some sense for the Ravens on the surface.
Perhaps the most intriguing name on the list is Broncos cornerback Kyle Fuller, a 2014 first-round pick and two-time Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears.
"It would be a pretty cool story if the Baltimore native returned home to augment a Ravens secondary that could use the help," Zrebiec wrote. "He's essentially been benched in Denver, so he's available. However, he's also in the middle of a one-year, $9.5 million deal. The Broncos would have to absorb a good portion of that to facilitate a deal."
Injuries have left the Ravens thin on the offensive line, and Zrebiec said Philadelphia Eagles tackle/guard Andre Dillard might be a good fit.
"It's been well documented that the Eagles are willing to move the 2019 first-round pick who has never really established himself as a starter in Philly," Zrebiec wrote. "The Ravens need offensive line help and the added benefit is Dillard is signed through 2022, so he'd be a nice insurance policy for Ronnie Stanley in 2022, too. The issue is it has been speculated that he'd cost a Day 2 draft pick, which may be too rich for the Ravens."
Atlanta Falcons tight end and former Ravens first-round pick Hayden Hurst also made Zrebiec's list.
"A reunion with Hurst is a long shot, primarily because the Ravens have much bigger needs," Zrebiec wrote. "However, they've gotten very little production from the third tight end spot and a two-way player at the position could help their running and passing games. Hurst has a lot of friends in the building, too."
Would Titans Have Interest in Trading for Ty'Son Williams?
Yesterday, the Ravens again were named as a potential trade partner in a deal for a running back, only this time as sellers, not buyers.
With Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry out indefinitely after suffering a broken bone in his foot, ESPN's Adam Schefter included Ty'Son Williams on his list of running backs who might be available via trade.
Former Raven Torrey Smith also mentioned Williams as a player the Titans should target.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Titans are signing 36-year-old running back Adrian Peterson to the practice squad and plan to elevate him to the roster. However, if Tennessee is looking for a younger option, Williams, 25, could be an attractive option.
"Williams has a serviceable 63.5 rushing grade from Pro Football Focus this season, though he has excelled in pass protection where he has earned an 88.2 grade," Heavy.com wrote. "But behind the Titans' dominant offensive line, Williams could thrive with his downhill, physical rushing style."
Williams, who had a strong preseason after spending last year on the practice squad, had 142 yards rushing on 22 carries (6.5 yards per carry) and five receptions for 45 yards in the first two games of the regular season.
Over the next five games, however, he was a healthy scratch in two and received just 11 total carries in the other three, as the Ravens leaned on veterans Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman and Le'Veon Bell.
A few weeks ago, Schefter reported that the Ravens were receiving trade inquiries for their running backs.
**Marlon Humphrey's Return to Outside Cornerback Hasn't Gone As Well As Expected Thus Far
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With the return of slot cornerback Tavon Young this season after missing all but two games the past two seasons, All-Pro Marlon Humphrey has been able to go back to being an outside cornerback. However, Humphrey has not played to his usual high standard thus far.
"According to TruMedia, [Humphrey] has spent 205 coverage snaps at either right or left cornerback and 80 of them in the slot [this season]," Zrebiec wrote. "It, however, has not translated to Humphrey being at the top of his game. According to Pro Football Focus numbers, Humphrey has allowed 17 catches for 328 yards and three touchdowns as an outside corner. In the slot, he's given up seven catches for 94 yards and a score."
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had eight catches for 201 yards in his matchup against Humphrey in Week 6 (not all against Humphrey). Humphrey also had an uneven performance against the Las Vegas Raiders' receiving corps in Week 1 and was beaten for a 33-yard touchdown by Kansas City Chiefs No. 3 receiver Demarcus Robinson in Week 2.
"Nobody has attributed Humphrey's lapses to him moving back outside. It's worth mentioning, however, that the Ravens did not feel like they were playing Humphrey out of position when they 'had' to use him in the slot the past two years," Zrebiec wrote. "They felt it was a nice fit, because it allowed Humphrey to use his physicality and he was in more play-making positions closer to the line of scrimmage."
Pass Game Coordinator/Secondary Coach Chris Hewitt said last week that he wants Humphrey to trust his technique.
"He's had really good games," Hewitt said. "(Against) the Chargers, he had to take 81 (Mike Williams) all by himself. He did that and did a really good job against him. Chase got the best of him. What we're talking about moving forward is, continue to work on your technique. Don't stray from what your technique is, which has gotten you to this point."
Ravens Ranked As One of AFC's Top Three Contenders
With just two games separating the top 11 teams in the AFC, The Ringer’s Steven Ruiz identified the three teams he believes are the top contenders to represent the conference in the Super Bowl.
The Ravens (5-2) are No. 2 on his list, behind the Buffalo Bills (5-2).
"The drop-off from Buffalo to the rest of the conference is steep, but Baltimore is my pick as the top threat to the Bills," Ruiz wrote. "That's for two reasons: (1) Lamar Jackson has taken another step as a passer, and (2) the defense can't play much worse than it has in the first half of the season.
"You already know how special Lamar is, so let's focus on the second part. Most of Baltimore's defensive issues can be traced back to the season-ending knee injury Marcus Peters suffered in training camp. That news got kind of lost in that wave of injuries that washed over Baltimore in August, but Peters's absence has had a massive impact on the defense, which has dropped from ninth in defensive DVOA last season to 20th this season."
Ruiz said the Ravens' Super Bowl hopes would get a boost if they could trade for a starting cornerback or if cornerback Anthony Averett steps up the way he has in the past two games. That would allow Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale to get back to blitzing quarterbacks at a league-high rate.
"That, in combination with an offense that is back to full strength after rookie receiver Rashod Bateman's return to the lineup last week, could be enough to help Baltimore challenge Buffalo for home-field advantage," Ruiz wrote.
The Kansas City Chiefs, despite their 4-4 record, were ranked as the AFC's third-best team by Ruiz.
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