The Ravens have already made their trade deadline splash.

Giving up a ransom for an offensive lineman with a deep injury, while still in concussion protocol, and taking on $17M a year in salary a few weeks back drew criticism around the NFL for Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta. And as we have explained, for a team already running a franchise-record payroll and with the least cap space in the NFL, the options for further moves are limited.

Unless, of course they shed significant salary and cap in a transaction that then allows them to add elsewhere in a more meaningful way. It’s complicated for sure, and, most likely, DeCosta maybe tries to pick up a veteran kicker on the cheap (as always we know who they would be looking at), but the Cam Jurgens trade was certainly a shocker, so maybe team president Sashi Brown and DeCosta have more tricks up their sleeve.

And, assuming they are getting a little heathier at a certain position, and if things don’t improve with certain highly-paid players soon, maybe they could manage to sell and buy something else significant in what could be two-time MVP Lamar Jackson’s final season here and before an inevitable purge of longtime starters that will be coming in 2027.

So, who do we have in mind?

You Have To Give To Get

DeCosta is cornerback Marlon Humphrey’s No. 1 fan. He gushed about him before the season started, justifying his $19.3M in total compensation in the final year of his deal (10th among all NFL corners) and how he would bounce back in a big way. Yeah, well, he’s a decent enough player but the Ravens corners still don’t make plays on the ball and their corners and safeties don’t have a pick all season despite being thrown all as much as anyone.

Humphrey, a man-coverage guy for the most part, spoke about how he was “garbage” at times in the preseason and the Ravens are always talking up TJ Tampa, and that oft-injured corner is working his way back from Injured Reserve. Maybe Humphrey moves to the slot and they get better there – the slot has been the abyss and Ja’Marr Chase might be able to go off there Sunday – but if not, even with the corner play being suspect, moving this contract could open up significant wiggle room.

When Humphrey has wanted the other team's best receiver this season, it has not gone well.

With Baltimore less than $3M under the cap, not having many ideal restructure candidates and still needing space to cover additions along the way due to injury and otherwise, including Humphrey in a package would make sense.

What Could They Save?

Humphrey has been a Pro Bowl performer in the past, going through a walk year doesn’t always bring out the best (especially when you have spent your entire career in one place), and there is always an acute need around the league and people willing to take risks (like DeCosta with Jaire Alexander not that long ago!).

By the deadline, Humphrey will basically be owed $7.7M for the second half of the season, and would save that much in cap if dealt. It’s a lot of money to be sure, but the Ravens already paid him $4M in the offseason in a bonus and if they believe as much in rookie head coach Jesse Minter’s scheme as they should, and believe in their youth at this position (and maybe if they ate a few million of Humphrey’s deal to save $5M) they could have the ability to maneuver in a more meaningful way at the deadline.

If they want to win a Super Bowl, they need to be creative and keep an open mind. There are plenty of Ravens not playing to their contract, but most are untradable; Minter didn’t need a $19M corner to have a top three pass defense with his zone schemes with the Chargers, and this could be addition by subtraction in numerous ways.

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