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The Baltimore Ravens have long been known for their organizational consistency and defensive tradition. Now, they enter the latter stages of the 2025 offseason as legitimate contenders in the AFC. On the flip side, questions still linger about whether they’ve done enough to close the gap with perennial powerhouses like the Kansas City Chiefs and the ever-ascending Buffalo Bills. Sure, Baltimore has made a series of smart, measured moves in both free agency and the draft. However, the margins between “very good” and “Super Bowl-bound” in today’s NFL are razor-thin. That makes a strong case for one or two aggressive trade acquisitions before the season kicks off.
Offseason Recap
Bringing back franchise left tackle Ronnie Stanley was clearly the Ravens’ most pressing offseason concern. Locking him in provides much-needed continuity on an offensive line that must protect Lamar Jackson during his prime window. Now, yes, the Ravens made several intelligent picks across all three days of the 2025 NFL Draft. They did focus on both rotational contributors and developmental upside. That said, they left some areas unaddressed, most notably wide receiver depth and interior defensive line stability. This was following the retirement of veteran run-stuffer Michael Pierce. His consistency and experience will be sorely missed even with Aeneas Peebles added to the rotation. In addition, sure, the signing of DeAndre Hopkins brings name recognition and short-term upside. Still, it underscores the fact that outside of Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, this receiving corps still lacks true dynamism and depth.
Baltimore, therefore, finds itself in a familiar spot. They are once again good enough to win 11 to 13 games in the regular season on the back of its foundational strengths. They have a dynamic quarterback in Jackson, a versatile backfield, and a defense that consistently finishes in the league’s upper third. And yet, they are still just a piece or two away from being able to dominate playoff games against elite competition. If the Ravens are serious about reaching a Super Bowl in 2025, then it’s time to be bold.
Here we'll try to to look at the players who are the Baltimore Ravens 2 best trade targets to round out their 2025 roster.
Target 1: Jalen Ramsey
The prospect of adding veteran All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to a Ravens defensive backfield that already features Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey is tantalizing. Ramsey, despite turning 30 this year, remains one of the top cover men in the NFL. In fact, his 2024 campaign was graded as the 10th-best among all cornerbacks by Pro Football Focus. That just proves that he still brings physicality, anticipation, and leadership to any secondary he anchors.
Consider this, though — the Miami Dolphins enjoyed sporadic defensive success during Ramsey’s tenure. However, the broader organizational direction now appears pointed toward a youth movement centered around Tua Tagovailoa and a reshuffled roster. As such, Ramsey and the Dolphins are prepared to explore trade options. This sets the stage for a win-now contender like Baltimore to pounce.
The Ravens don’t need Ramsey in the most basic sense of depth chart necessity. Chidobe Awuzie, signed after his release from the Titans, is a competent rotational option. Still, Ramsey’s addition wouldn’t just be about bolstering talent. It would send a clear message to the rest of the AFC that Baltimore is going all-in. Adding Ramsey would enable the Ravens to better preparefor postseason chess matches against quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen.
Ramsey’s arrival would also allow the Ravens to deploy a three-cornerback package. That would be as flexible and formidable as any in the league. It would also allow Humphrey and Wiggins to thrive in roles tailored to their strengths. Meanwhile, Awuzie becomes an exceptional depth piece whom the Ravens could lean on in specific matchups or injury situations.
Target 2: Jayden Reed
Yes, Baltimore’s front office deserves credit for signing DeAndre Hopkins to a short-term deal. That said, the reality is that the Ravens’ receiver room remains too reliant on hope rather than certainty. Flowers is a rising star, and Bateman has flashed promise. However, neither of those names provides the kind of explosive, after-the-catch dynamism that can truly unlock Lamar Jackson’s full potential as both a deep-ball thrower.
Enter Jayden Reed. The Green Bay Packers’ 2023 second-round pick, despite playing in a crowded receiver room, managed to tally 55 catches for 857 yards and six touchdowns in 2024. He showcased both vertical speed and route nuance. Right now, there is reason to believe he could be pried away. This is especially true after the Packers invested premium draft capital in receivers Matthew Golden and Savion Williams this past spring. We believe that signal a desire to pivot to bigger-bodied, high-upside targets.
If the Packers are open to moving Reed, the Ravens should absolutely make that call. Note that adding Reed to the existing trio of Flowers, Hopkins, and Bateman would allow offensive coordinator Todd Monken to deploy a diverse array of personnel packages. More importantly, it gives Lamar Jackson a reliable slot weapon with legitimate WR2 upside. Reed can win quickly, stretch the field horizontally, and provide insurance in case Bateman continues to battle inconsistency.
Reed elevates the ceiling of the Ravens’ entire offensive operation. He offers the kind of speed and efficiency that helped Baltimore look nearly unstoppable at times during the regular season, and sorely lacking during their playoff exit.
The Final Push
For the Ravens, the 2025 roster is already very good — but very good doesn’t win Super Bowls in an AFC loaded with arms, schemes, and speed; adding Jalen Ramsey and Jayden Reed isn’t about fixing flaws, it’s about turning strengths into overwhelming advantages, and ensuring that the final stages of Lamar Jackson’s prime don’t end with “what ifs” but with trophies and rings.
