Barring a complete turnaround, the Baltimore Ravens are facing another missed postseason. Rather than desperately trade for a player to push them towards the playoffs, I believe this team should acquire assets for the future. By this, I mean trading away the most productive cornerback on the Ravens roster: Brandon Carr.
The editing staff here at Baltimore Beatdown were discussing trades—Who trade for, or trade away, and no doubt, Vasilis Lericos’ idea made the most sense. Not because he’s Brandon is a bad player, but because he’s too good.
In seven weeks, this playmaker tied his last three years interception total with the Dallas Cowboys, at three interceptions. He’s clearly not slowing down; he’s reliable, good in coverage, capable of creating turnovers, and any team looking for a cornerback needs to call Ozzie Newsome about a trade.
This season, Brandon Carr has stuffed the stat sheet.
Tackles: 17
Pass Defensed: 7
Interceptions: 3
Last week, Carr finished as the highest graded Raven, according to PFF. He allowed only three of six targets thrown his way, for only 22 yards.
Right now, Brandon has started over 150 consecutive games. The reliability is undeniable, while also playing at an above-average level.
What is Brandon Carr worth?
Brandon’s contract is a four-year/ $23.5 million deal. His cap hits equate to:
2017: $3M Dead Cap: $6M
2018: $6.5M Dead Cap: $3M
2019: $7M Dead Cap: $2M
2020: $7M Dead Cap: $1M
His entire contract is team friendly. At any point, a team will save money, multiple million in fact, by cutting him. The last three years are options anyways.
When talking about his contract, Vasilis said, “Premium position, playing great and lots of contenders could use a cornerback. To top if off the Ravens should have 5 legit corners under contract for next season.”
This turns his entire contract into a one-year/$6 million deal, with the option to sign him up
As mentioned before, he’s stuffing the stat sheet, healthy, reliable and a valuable veteran presence. For what he brings to the table, a third-round pick sounds fair.
I believe a team who feels a strong cornerback away from a deep postseason run will find a third-round pick a balanced trade. This gives a teams’ defense a great starting candidate, while also giving the Ravens a pick for the future.