Ravens acquire early 20’s pick and a starting guard in this mock draft.
March and April are the months of mock drafts. Free agency comes and goes in a flash, the frenzy only lasting a week typically. With NFL news limited to the rules committee and the Owners Meeting outside of the free agents, majority of the attention for two months turns to the NFL draft, arguably one of the best marketed sporting events in the United States. Experts like Daniel Jeremiah, Mel Kiper, Lance Zierlein and more get the attention as the NFL sphere gears up for the draft.
In a unique look at the draft, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell did a mock first round. But instead of drafting prospects, Barnwell submitted a mock trade involving each team’s first-round pick. With each scenario existing in its own unique universe, we’ll take a look at the Ravens’ proposed trade.
Ravens receive: 1-22 and offensive guard Zion Johnson
Chargers receive: 1-27, 4-136 and TE Mark Andrews
Barnwell spends most of his time talking about the Chargers end of this trade here. Zion Johnson was a first-round guard for the Chargers who Barnwell says “hasn’t lived up to expectations” and “average”. Johnson is in the last year of his rookie contract with his fifth-year option still available, costing $17.6 million guaranteed. Remember the Ravens also have center Tyler Linderbaum to extend and pay.
The Ravens also trade Mark Andrews here, which would down them an All-Pro caliber player and Lamar Jackson’s favorite target. With Andrews’ roster bonus triggering, no matter when the Ravens trade Andrews, they would lose him plus be two million in the hole with the dead money. The most basic breakdown of this trade is the Ravens trade their first and compensatory fourth to move up five spots to 22 and then a player swap players on the last year of their contracts with Andrews and Johnson.
This trade doesn’t make sense for the Ravens in most senses. While the Ravens technically win out on value according to the Jimmy Johnson value chart between the three picks, the Ravens rarely jump up in the draft anywhere, much less the first round. While I’m not against moving up if an impact player is falling, the Ravens probably are, preferring to let value fall to them. The player swap is also in poor taste for the Ravens. An “average” guard that’s not likely to be extended for your quarterback’s favorite weapon is not a good swap, especially when the Ravens seem content with their “average” guards in Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees. Unless a guard is an obvious upgrade over one of those two, I can’t see the Ravens making a move like that.