Ravens Named Potential Landing Spot if Davante Adams Is Traded
The Ravens have a history of acquiring star wide receivers in their thirties. Could Davante Adams be next?
Adams, 32, reportedly informed the Las Vegas Raiders that he prefers to be traded, and the Ravens are among a host of teams pundits have named as a potential landing spot for the six-time Pro Bowler.
"Imagine an offense with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Isaiah Likely and Adams," NFL.com’s Eric Edholm wrote. "Suddenly that 0-2 start would feel like a distant memory. Very few teams are equipped to defend that kind of firepower, and the Ravens might even have some young WR talent they could send back to the Raiders in any proposed deal. But this is a cap-strapped team that would have to pull a few strings to make it happen."
Pro Football Network’s Dakota Randall wrote: "Adding Adams would change everything for this offense. The passing attack could match the upside of the rushing game, and the Ravens could take some of the pressure off Derrick Henry. Baltimore should go after Adams — and aggressively."
ESPN's Bill Barnwell also mentioned the Ravens among the teams who should try to trade for Adams, but he has doubts as to whether they would actually do it.
Barnwell noted that of the veteran wide receivers the Ravens have acquired in the past such as Derrick Mason, Steve Smith Sr., Anquan Boldin, Dez Bryant, and Odell Beckham Jr., only Boldin was acquired via trade.
"The Ravens would absolutely be interested in signing Adams as a free agent if he were cut after the season, but trading a Day 2 draft pick for a short-term rental is not typically how this organization operates," Barnwell wrote. "It sent a third-round pick to the Vikings for Yannick Ngakoue a couple of years ago, but that was in a situation in which it would have been in position to recoup a compensatory pick for the edge rusher if he left in free agency. The Ravens eventually landed a fourth-rounder.
"Adams wouldn't be eligible for a compensatory pick if the Ravens cut him after the season. They might not have the financial flexibility to afford Adams beyond this season given Lamar Jackson's salary, and if they are going to add help on offense before the deadline, the offensive line seems like a bigger problem to attack."
Russell Street Report's Brian McFarland said the Ravens' cap situation would make trading for Adams difficult, but not impossible.
Adams has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in five of the past six seasons. He had 997 yards in 12 games in 2019 with the Green Bay Packers. Adams led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 2020 (18) with the Packers and 2022 (14) with the Raiders.
The Ravens saw firsthand that Adams is still one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. He caught nine passes for 110 yards and a touchdown and took over in the fourth quarter as the Raiders upset Baltimore in Week 2.
The New York Jets, where Adams would reunite with former Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Commanders are generally seen as the most likely landing spots for Adams. The Pittsburgh Steelers also have the cap space and were trying to trade for star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk this offseason.
Bills OC Says Failed Trick Play Cost Them the Game
The Buffalo Bills had momentum and the ball in Ravens territory midway through the third quarter Sunday night as they looked to turn what had been an 18-point deficit into a one-score game.
And then everything changed in an instant.
Kyle Van Noy forced Josh Allen to fumble on an ill-advised trick play. Kyle Hamilton recovered the fumble, and the Bills never recovered. The Ravens scored a touchdown six plays later en route to the 35-10 win.
Bills Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady said the failed trick play, which saw wide receiver Curtis Samuel take the direct snap, run left and pitch to Allen, cost the Bills the game.
"They're switching their D-line, as soon as I see that, I gotta get out of the play," Brady said. "So even with all that, yeah, bad, poor play call, and ultimately, kind of cost us a football game right there, because you had an opportunity right there to cut it to a one-score game. We were kind of flowing a little bit, so I got to be better."
Not only was Van Noy not fooled by the play, he was insulted the Bills attempted it with him on the field.
"I almost felt disrespected that [the Bills] tried that," Van Noy said on the “Pat McAfee Show.” "They were trying my IQ out there a little bit."
Todd Monken Praised for Game Plan Against Bills
Unlike his Bills counterpart, Ravens Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken is getting kudos for his game plan in Sunday night's game, specifically in how he used Henry.
"In the season's first two games, Henry only had 14 combined runs from under center. In the last two, he's had 32 runs from under center. He's rushed for 172 yards (5.2 yards per carry) on those 32 carries," The Athletic's Ted Nguyen wrote. "These stats don't include his runs from pistol, which are obviously effective. Lamar Jackson is less of a threat on under-center runs because quarterback options aren't available but the sacrifice is well worth it to get Henry going.
"Monken should also get credit for being willing to dial down his desire to get into spread formations and air the ball out — an adjustment I don't think he would have made last season. He also cranked up the Ravens' play-action rate to 61.9 percent against the Bills, by far their highest of the season. This was a smart approach against the Bills, who are decimated at linebacker."
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano also praised the Ravens for establishing their offensive identity.
"Having a star running back—those still exist—is making the Ravens' opponents reconsider giving them the underneath game in this era of defenses doing everything they can to take away downfield passing," Manzano wrote. "In signing a 30-year-old running back who had 2,030 career carries before this season, Baltimore appears to have displayed some forward thinking. That might come off as a bit of an oxymoron for those who still believe run-heavy offenses can't win in today's football.
"But Henry isn't playing in an old-school predictable offense and constantly facing stacked boxes. He turned his 24 carries into 199 yards vs. the Bills and often saw wide lanes to burst through because linebackers are having a hard time guessing whether Jackson will keep the ball or give it to Henry."
Tom Brady, Cris Collinsworth Awed by Henry
Speaking of Henry, NFL analysts are still buzzing about his spectacular performance Sunday night.
Fox Sports' Tom Brady named Henry one of his top three stars of the week for the second week in a row.
"It's just not fair what he's able to do," Brady said. "You shouldn't be able to run that fast with that size. And it's taken a few weeks, but Derrick looks like he's the perfect piece for the Ravens offense. We said it last week, we'll say it again: he and Lamar, they're just getting more comfortable every single game. That backfield is incredible. It's bad news for the rest of the NFL."
NBC Sports' Cris Collinsworth, who provided color commentary for the Ravens-Bills game, marveled at Henry's display of size and speed.
"It's intimidating," Collinsworth said on "The Rich Eisen Show." "I've been on the field a few times where you see somebody like that that's running, and you try to picture yourself as a defensive back going, 'OK, I'm going to run up there and throw my 190 pounds as hard as I can at this guy's thighs.' And you see people get knocked out all the time. It happened in the game [Sunday night].
"I think the thing that was most startling was, he's a little older now, and breaks out in the clear, and he's going up against all the cornerbacks and safeties, the fastest guys on the defense, and not only do they not catch him, it looks like he's pulling away from them."
Ravens Have PFF's Offensive Line of the Week
The heavily scrutinized Ravens offensive line also has been recognized for its performance against the Bills, as Pro Football Focus named it the Offensive Line of the Week.
"The Ravens' offensive line didn't allow any pressure in this game, and they were able to dominate the running game, too," PFF's Gordon McGuinness wrote. "Three offensive linemen — left tackle Ronnie Stanley, center Tyler Linderbaum and right tackle Roger Rosengarten — earned PFF run-blocking grades above 70.0."
Individually, Jackson and Henry were named to PFF's Team of the Week.
