Ravens News 3/5: Trade candidates and more

Lamar Jackson says he’s still ‘puzzled’ over playoff loss to Titans: ‘I don’t know what happened’ - Jordan Dajani

“I [still am] puzzled, like, just looking at highlights and stuff,” Jackson told Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt of SiriusXM NFL Radio at the 101 Awards, per Pro Football Talk. “I’m like, ‘I don’t know what happened.’ Like, we had good plays. We had good drives. We’ll hit a hump one play. They steal the momentum, and it’s, you know, the NFL is like a momentum game. Like, whoever’s got momentum, they’re going to score points. They might come out with a victory, and that’s what it was. We was flat the whole night. That game was not on our defense. I feel like we just didn’t execute on offense. [If] we put more points up, it’d be a great game.”

“We’ve got to elevate at some point in the game,” Jackson said. “I don’t feel we did that, even though we scored one in the third quarter or something. But it was like when we scored, we didn’t get excited. It was like we already lost. We can’t do that no more. That’s what I’ve seen, including myself.”

Derek Carr, Alshon Jeffery among top NFL trade candidates - Gregg Rosenthal

Defensive ends Yannick Ngakoue, Jaguars and Matt Judon, Ravens: Frank Clark, Dee Ford and Jadeveon Clowney were all assigned the franchise tag last year, then were dealt at various stages of the NFL calendar before Week 1. I’m grouping Ngakoue and Judon together because they fit similar profiles: players expected to be tagged who could also be available in a trade.

Ngakoue is the more likely player to be dealt because he doesn’t want to sign long-term with Jacksonville and he should have more value to suitors based on his resume. If Frank Clark and Dee Ford were worth a first- and second-round pick, respectively, last year in addition to monster contracts, Ngakoue should come around the same price.

The Ravens would reportedly listen to trade offers regarding Judon, but that would only further create a positional need for Baltimore at edge rusher. Judon also doesn’t necessarily have the reserve of pass rush moves or production before 2019 to inspire a premium pick in a trade.

Hayden Hurst, Baltimore Ravens tight end: A report out of Jacksonville suggested that Hurst had inspired a few inquiries from tight end-needy teams like the Jaguars and Patriots. It makes sense, because Hurst has flashed some of the skills that made him a first-round pick, but he’s buried at third on the depth chart behind Mark Andrews and primo blocker Nick Boyle.

Then again, the Ravens are not usually in the business of trading away depth. Tight ends are crucial to their roster. While they have plenty of needs this offseason, dealing Hurst only makes sense if they get a significant return for him.

2020 NFL Draft: Player comps for PFF’s top running backs - Michael Renner

Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Ray Rice

Rice was a weapon in the Ravens passing attack on angle routes for years, and Edwards-Helaire was no different in LSU’s offense this past season. Neither possesses anything special in the speed department, but that’s not where they win. Short-area quicks is their game — and that translates extremely well to the NFL. Rice went over 700 receiving yards in three straight seasons from 2009-2011.

2020 NFL Mock Draft 9.0: The Post-Combine Mock - Kevin Hanson

28. Baltimore Ravens: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

While I have focused primarily on the defensive side of the ball in earlier mock drafts, the Ravens would benefit from adding another playmaker for Lamar Jackson. Jefferson has outstanding hands, ran a better-than-expected 40-yard dash (4.43) and is coming off a prolific season (111/1,540/18) for the national champions.