Ravens discussion: should Eric DeCosta have traded for Quenton Nelson?
· Yahoo Sports
The Ravens made a blockbuster trade for offensive line a few weeks ago, but they may have been outdone by the Seahawks on Tuesday. Eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson is heading from Indianapolis to Seattle in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, per The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero.
Visit biznow.biz for more information.
Baltimore’s offensive line issues have been glaring (again) this year, and rookie guard Vega Ioane is now set to miss time with a sprained MCL. Nelson would certainly upgrade the unit, potentially at right guard initially before taking over for John Simpson at left guard after Ioane’s return. But after sending a 2028 second-rounder to the Eagles for Cam Jurgens a few weeks ago, does trading even more draft capital make sense considering the Ravens’ current and future salary cap picture? Here are Baltimore Beatdown’s thoughts
Nikhil MehtaI have always loved Quenton Nelson, so in my heart of hearts, I would have loved to make this trade. But, partially because I am expecting my colleagues to be all for it, I’ll play devil’s advocate. Seattle’s 2027 third and 2028 fifth are valued somewhere in the second-round range – higher or lower depending on how you value the Day 3 pick. But the Seahawks can absorb all of the roughly $10 million Nelson is owed over the remainder of the season. The Ravens cannot, which would force them to restructure current contracts and/or ask the Colts to eat some of Nelson’s salary. The former exacerbates an already-untenable 2027 cap situation; the latter would drive the trade price up, likely requiring a second-round pick and potentially a Day 3 kicker to complete the deal.
Nelson is also on an expiring deal, and like it or not, Baltimore has $5.5 million in guaranteed money committed to John Simpson next year. Nelson is definitely an upgrade this year, but can Baltimore get a long-term deal done? If not, second-round value is a high price for a half-season rental, especially considering the sobering reality that the 2026 Ravens may not be a Super Bowl-caliber team. They may need another year to remake their roster under Jesse Minter’s new coaching staff to reach their full potential.
The upshot of a rental, though, is worth mentioning. Nelson decidedly pushes Baltimore closer to championship contention, and if he walks in free agency, the Ravens should be in line for at least a fourth-, if not a third-round compensatory pick in 2028. Eric DeCosta absolutely could have gotten this done. But I see why he didn’t.
Dustin CoxYes, I believe the Ravens should have traded for Nelson. Nelson has been one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL for his career and should still have several high-end seasons left in him. With Baltimore’s offensive line woes and difficulty developing guards in recent years, Eric DeCosta could have solved both guard spots for the foreseeable future with Nelson and Vega Ioane.
I understand wanting to hold on to draft capitol after sending a 2028 second-rounder out the door for Cam Jurgens already, but players of Nelson’s caliber are extremely hard to come by, especially for this price. Nelson will demand a top-of-the-market deal after this season, but he is a player worth paying for if you are serious about fixing your offensive line. I was out on the idea when I expected Nelson to net a second or even first-round pick, but I believe this is a missed opportunity to protect Lamar Jackson.
Stephen BopstYes – obviously there is a contractual component that made the Cam Jurgens trade attractive for Baltimore, but in retrospect, it’s looking like a fairly significant overpay relative to what the Seahawks gave up for Nelson. A trade for Nelson would’ve fortified the Ravens offensive line for years to come and given Eric DeCosta the flexibility to address other areas of need on the team.
Unfortunately, I think it was more of a contractual issue for Baltimore. They only have ~$2M in cap space and Nelson is due $10M this year. That’s what happens when you pay Marlon Humphrey and Roquan Smith big money! It wouldn’t surprise me if a future trade involves off-loading one of them to create more flexibility.
Zach CanterI’ve been clamoring for the Ravens to grab Quenton Nelson for a while now. He was my biggest trade target at this deadline to turn this team into a contender. Reinforce the offensive line, go all in on protecting Lamar Jackson and running the ball, be an elite offense to win playoff games. The price only costing a 3rd and 5th makes this sting even more.
That being said, I think there’s a multitude of reasons the Ravens probably didn’t do this trade. They might have been worried about not reaching a long term extension with Nelson and didn’t want that price on a rental. They also just might not think this is the year to go all in. The more feasible reason are likely cap cost and priorities. Nelson is due $10M and tbe Ravens only have $2.1M in cap space. While they could have been doing with restructures, extensions, or paying a higher draft capital to get Indy to eat cost, I think there’s Ravens could be saving that cap space for the defense. They might be targeting a different Colt in DeForest Buckner or Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack to bolster their 4-man pass rush since their coverage unit is so iffy. The Ravens might be ok with John Simpson being the weakest link on offensive line. While I know fans will hate it and I would have loved Nelson, provided Ioane comes back, this is not a bad line, especially in pass protection. Jurgens looked good in his debut against Dexter Lawerence, the tackles are steady, and Ioane has been a OROTY-level blocker. They can survive and score 30 points a game with Lamar Jackson, Zay Flowers and that line. They might not survive if defensive improvements don’t happen.
Now, it’s your turn! Should Eric DeCosta have pulled the trigger on a trade for Quenton Nelson, or was he right to stand pat after moving a second-rounder for Cam Jurgens? Let us know in the comment section below!