The Baltimore Ravens’ defense has experienced significant changes this offseason.
They lost their defensive coordinator to the Seahawks’ head coaching position.
Their defensive line and defensive backs coaches left to be defensive coordinators elsewhere.
The Ravens have also lost some important players on the defensive side of the ball in free agency.
With so much changing, the team may need a big move to attempt to get the defense back to an elite level.
A trade for a star cornerback could be exactly that move.
In an article discussing trades each NFL contender could make to address their biggest weakness, Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton suggested the Ravens should try to trade for New Orleans Saints corner Marshon Lattimore.
Lattimore Has Been Dominant When Healthy
After being selected 11th overall back in 2017, Lattimore immediately established himself as one of the NFL’s best corners.
He won Defensive Rookie of the Year after intercepting 5 passes and defending 18 in his first NFL season. Lattimore also earned a spot in the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
He reached double digits in passes defended for each of the next four years and held opposing quarterbacks to a completion percentage under 60% in three of those seasons.
In each of the seasons with a completion percentage allowed under 60% Lattimore earned a spot in Pro Bowl.
His impressive play over the first five years of his NFL career earned Lattimore a huge extension. He signed a 5-year contract worth $97.6 million.
Unfortunately he has struggled to stay healthy since then. In the two years since signing the extension, Lattimore has played just 17 games.
However, he has still been pretty good in the games where he has played.
Lattimore defended 8 passes in 10 games during the 2023 season, once again allowed opposing QBs to complete less than 60% of their passes when throwing his way, and allowed just 6.4 yards per target.
That last number was a career best for Lattimore.
Still, his injuries over the past two seasons coupled with his expensive contract could make him a trade candidate for a Saints team that needs cap space.
If the Saints make him available, he would be a good fit for the Ravens as they look to reload on defense.
Ravens Need to Reload on Defense
The Ravens had the best defense in the NFL in 2023.
Right now, it looks like they won’t be nearly as good in 2024.
It’s difficult to know just how much the coaching changes are going to impact the defense, but it’s easy to see how the players they’ve lost could hurt next season.
Geno Stone left for the Bengals after intercepting 7 passes last season.
Jadeveon Clowney recently signed with the Panthers.
Kyle Van Noy is still a free agent.
Those two combined for 18.5 of the team’s 60 sacks.
All-Pro linebacker Patrick Queen left for the Steelers after making 133 tackles last season.
Those four player represent a ton of production from last season’s team and the defense already had some issues before losing them.
The team didn’t have a reliable corner that could play alongside star corner Marlon Humphrey or step in for him when he was injured. This offseason they lost Ronald Darby to make them even thinner at the position.
The Ravens were expected to prioritize the cornerback position this offseason, but they have not addressed it yet, and now they may have too many other needs in the draft to use a top pick on a cornerback.
This could make pursuing Lattimore an attractive option.
He has displayed exceptional talent in the past, but his recent injuries have likely decreased his trade value, which may not have been very high to begin with.
L’Jarius Sneed is the same age and is coming off of a very impressive season, but the Titans only gave up a 3rd rounder in 2025 to get him from the Chiefs and sign him to a similar contract.
If the Ravens could acquire Lattimore at a reasonable price, then it would be a sensible move for them in 2024.
