Bolstering their options at edge-rusher will be tricky for a Baltimore Ravens team with limited salary cap space, so it makes sense general manager Eric DeCosta “would love to add” Tennessee Titans veteran Harold Landry III for a bargain price in trade.
The versatile outside linebacker could be had for as little as a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. That’s according to ESPN’s Ben Solak, who made a compelling case for why this trade makes sense.
Solak believes “the Ravens would love to add Landry to their room, which lacks legitimate pass rush juice.” Whether or not the Ravens are indeed lacking for juice on the edges is open for debate, but what’s certain is two of their primary pass-rushers, Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, “are signed only through 2025.”
Their uncertain futures would make a deal for Landry timely. Particularly when Solak’s colleague Adam Schefter reported on February 26 the Titans made Landry available for trade.
Adding a supporting piece alongside Oweh and Van Noy for the cost of a mid-round pick would be a bargain for the Ravens. Especially when Solak expects DeCosta would “restructure” Landry’s contract, “converting a lot of his base salary into signing bonus money they can prorate over void years.”
Those kinds of cap mechanics are going to have to be DeCosta’s focus this offseason. If he can perform them and add a proven commodity to an already loaded front seven, it will be a A-grade offseason for the Ravens.
Harold Landry a Natural for Ravens Defense
Landry possesses exactly the kind of hybrid skills the Ravens have made a feature on the edges of their defenses for years. As Solak put it, “Landry has enough coverage ability to work in the system and can provide an immediate pass-rush impact at a position the Ravens have consistently missed on draft picks and need quick help.”
If there’s a concern it’s declining numbers. The 28-year-old missed the 2022 season with a torn ACL, but he since hasn’t come close to tallying the career-high 12.5 sacks he notched in 2021.
Landry’s production has remained solid, 10.5 sacks in 2023 and nine last season. He’s also registered just 26 and 18 pressures across the same season, a far cry from the 43 he generated in ’21, per Pro Football Reference.
No. 58 remains an “effective pressure player” because of “active hands, use of bend and turning the corner,” according to Panthers Wire writer Jared Feinberg.
Perhaps the answer to still getting the best out of Landry is to reduce his workload. It’s an idea detailed by Solak: “Imagine taking a speed rusher such as Landry and giving him 400 snaps instead of 800. Imagine primarily deploying him on passing downs and keeping his legs fresh for postseason football. And Landry still has enough juice to make disruptive plays. His get-off, as measured by NFL Next Gen Stats last season, was the fastest of his career (0.72 seconds). Only Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett were faster.”
Getting a player with this kind of pedigree for either the 128th or even the 136th-overall pick is a bargain the Ravens can’t ignore. Not when their primary edge defenders could be looking for new teams a year from now.
Ravens Face Tough Decisions About Edge Players
Van Noy is coming off his first ever Pro Bowl season, but he’s also 33 and perhaps playing on his last deal. Meanwhile, Oweh’s case is a little different.
The differences stem from the first-round pick in the 2021 draft only being 26 and just approaching his prime years. Oweh’s upward trajectory was confirmed by a banner campaign in 2024, when he registered double-digit sacks for the first time in his career.
Alternatives are in short supply on the roster, unless the light suddenly goes on for oft-injured second-rounder David Ojabo. Perhaps Tavius Robinson could play his way into more reps after showcasing potential as a physical mismatch on the edge during his second season.
Relying on Robinson and Ojabo to refresh their pass-rush department can save costs but is still a risk for the Ravens. A trade for Landry would more than mitigate the risk.
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