NFL Trade Grades: Ravens score big in Calais Campbell trade with Jaguars
The Baltimore Ravens have traded for Calais Campbell, sending the Jacksonville Jaguars a fifth-round pick. Grading the trade for both teams.
With the start of 2020 free agency looming, the Baltimore Ravens are addressing one of their biggest defensive needs of the offseason via the NFL trade market. On Sunday, the Ravens agreed to a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars that will land the reigning AFC North champions Pro Bowl defensive lineman Calais Campbell in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Agreeing to trade for the 33-year-old Campbell comes on the heels of the Ravens also placing the franchise tag on free-agent pass-rusher Matt Judon. Schefter also reports that Baltimore and Campbell, who is set to play the final year of his current contract that owes him an average of $15 million per year, will try to work out an extension.
The Ravens are clearly trying to upgrade their front seven, something that was critical for them to do in 2020 to take the next step in building their roster up. Meanwhile, the Jaguars are continuing to shed salary to likely institute a full-blown rebuild in Jacksonville. So how did each team make out in this trade? Let’s give each team a grade.
Ravens trade grade: A-
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One of the key areas of focus this offseason for Baltimore was going to be upgrading their pass rush with individual players. So much of the pressure they created in the 2019 offseason was predicated upon exotic packages and blitzes. Subsequently, adding a player of Campbell’s ilk makes a ton of sense for this defense.
While looking to sign a 33-year-old defensive lineman to a contract extension after a trade might be a bit worrisome, he’s the exact type of player the Ravens should be adding at this point. His versatility as both an edge rusher and defensive end on a three-man front makes him a movable chess piece for the Baltimore defense, which can be exceptionally valuable to them.
Campbell’s age means that the Ravens don’t get top marks for this trade but, getting a valuable and effective player for their process in exchange for only a fifth-round pick is very much a win for the No. 1 seed in the AFC last season.
Jaguars trade grade: C
With the moves that the Jaguars are making this offseason, it’s clear that they are in the midst of a rebuild. That’s what trading Jalen Ramsey midseason in 2019 and trading A.J. Bouye recently indicates in a big way. The same can be said of a potential deal involving Yannick Ngakoue after the Jags placed the franchise tag on the pass-rusher.
Getting draft capital in exchange for a veteran asset who does not fit a long-term rebuild in Jacksonville is admirable and worthwhile for the Jags. But at the same time, it’s hard not to dock the Jaguars a bit in terms of grading because of why they have to unload these pieces.
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Jacksonville has severely mismanaged the salary cap and their team-building over recent years and now they are having to pay the price. This is another aspect of that and, while getting something back in a trade is better than outright releasing a player, it’s hard to give the Jags a ton of credit when they put themselves in a bad position to have to make these moves.