Tim Heitman- USA Today Sports
During the weeks leading up to the 2013 NFL Draft, there are so many scenarios and rumors swirling around about what a team is going to do around the league, whether it is trade up, trade down or both. It helps the hype of the draft. It gets fans going. The draft has turned into a main event like no other. And the Baltimore Ravens are part of that.
This week, there have been reports, namely from Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun, suggesting that the Ravens may trade up to get one of the premiere tackles in this draft in Lane Johnson. While it may be a too little early to suggest anything, I’m going to have to go with a big no on this rumor. The Ravens are a team that is trying to fill positions that they decided to part with earlier this offseason. The Ravens need all of the draft picks they can get. It’s that plain and simple.
To go from the 32nd pick all the way up to near the top of the draft for one player is highly unlikely given the Ravens’ track record. The Ravens are very stingy when it comes to the first round draft picks.
For instance, the Kyle Boller debacle in 2003, when the Ravens gave the New England Patriots two first round picks for the quarterback, which we all know the deal was horrible. The Ravens treat their draft picks like an unborn child. If anything, it is more likely that they will trade back like they have the last three years.
