Cap room for him? Not really, but moves could be made.
Draft capital for him? Maybe, but we're awfully low in the draft.
Tunsil trade (For record-keeping purposes, the trade saw the Dolphins acquire first-round picks in 2020 and 2021 and a second-round pick in 2021 along with offensive tackle Julién Davenport and defensive back Johnson Bademosi in exchange for Tunsil, wide receiver Kenny Stills, a 2020 fourth-round pick and a 2021 sixth-round selection.)
It only took the Ravens a little over a year to learn their selection of Orlando Brown was a wise one, but they've met a new challenge with the tackle that could be their last.
Brown has expressed his desire to be traded, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday. After spending the majority of 2020 on the left side in place of the injured Ronnie Stanley, Brown has found his comfort zone and does not want to return to the right side. He'll only play for a team that will line him up at his preferred left tackle position, per Rapoport.
Rapoport added the Ravens value Brown significantly and would need major compensation in order to do a deal.
Brown's background is on the left side, but he ended up in Baltimore as a right tackle after a poor pre-draft showing saw him slide from a first-round projection to an eventual third-round pick of the Ravens. He blossomed in 2019 and especially in 2020 after switching to the left side to replace Stanley, earning his second straight trip to the Pro Bowl -- and first as an initial selection. Thanks to Brown's quick adjustment to the left side of the line, Baltimore didn't lose much in offensive production following Stanley's injury, finishing as the league's No. 1 rushing offense for a second straight season.
Brown's success on the left side and desire to remain there might very well also be tied to the financial ramifications of the tackle position. As it currently stands, there is a $5 million per year difference between the league's highest-paid right tackle (Philadelphia's Lane Johnson) and left tackle (Green Bay's David Bakhtiari). Of the top 10 highest-paid tackles in the NFL (in terms of average salary per year), only two -- Johnson and Las Vegas' Trent Brown -- are right tackles.
Orlando Brown missed out on significant money typically afforded to first-round picks right around the moment when he racked the bar after just 14 bench-press reps during a nightmarish 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. He's made a little over $1.8 million in base salary total in his first three seasons, and though he will see a significant boost in 2021 (base salary of $3.38 million) due to the structure of his rookie deal, that's still an incredibly far cry from where tackles of his level land in compensation ranking.
After demonstrating his ability to effectively handle the transition from right to left tackle -- a return to his roots, essentially -- Brown is in a prime position to capitalize financially and beyond. He'll maximize his earning potential by remaining a left tackle, and he'll probably enjoy playing the game a bit more in a stance and vantage point that's more familiar to him, anyway.
If that doesn't fit in Baltimore, the Ravens will have to move him. And though this isn't exactly the best way to ensure maximum leverage in a deal, they'll probably still get a haul for him. [Reply]
Niang is not a LT for fucks sake. He is a RT, he has never played LT. And for everyone saying well Fisher moved from Left to Right, that’s because it was easier. You will not put a RT who has never played a snap at LT in college at LT in the pros to protect the GOAT Mahomes blindside [Reply]
Originally Posted by MAHOMO 4 LIFE!:
Niang is not a LT for ****s sake. He is a RT, he has never played LT. And for everyone saying well Fisher moved from Left to Right, that’s because it was easier. You will not put a RT who has never played a snap at LT in college at LT in the pros to protect the GOAT Mahomes blindside
So no ones ever moved successfully? And you dont think we have the staff to make it happen?
Ill die on the Niang is a LT just becasue Mahomo. [Reply]
Originally Posted by MAHOMO 4 LIFE!:
Niang is not a LT for fucks sake. He is a RT, he has never played LT. And for everyone saying well Fisher moved from Left to Right, that’s because it was easier. You will not put a RT who has never played a snap at LT in college at LT in the pros to protect the GOAT Mahomes blindside
If Veach and Reid believe that Niang can play LT....then I’ll take their opinion over yours. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
If Veach and Reid believe that Niang can play LT....then I’ll take their opinion over yours.
Naw, they have other interests for allowing that happen. If Naing is the LT, there is legitimate cause for concern. Dude is coming off an injury, and hasn't played in more than a year. Plus, when he did, he was a RT. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TEX:
Naw, they have other interests for allowing that happen. If Naing is the LT, there is legitimate cause for concern. Dude is coming off an injury, and hasn't played in more than a year. Plus, when he did, he was a RT.
Sewell hasn’t played in a year. Any issues if he started? [Reply]
Originally Posted by TEX:
Naw, they have other interests for allowing that happen. If Naing is the LT, there is legitimate cause for concern. Dude is coming off an injury, and hasn't played in more than a year. Plus, when he did, he was a RT.
If Niang is the starting LT, don't you think it's because the training staff said, "he's good to go"? The injury he had in college wouldn't be relevant at all at that point. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Wallymo:
Agreed. The team cannot afford to trade early-round picks or invest large dollars for a substandard solution. Our big contracts are going to come due in the next couple of years -- we need all the swings at cheap talent we can get.
And there have been many, many highly successful tackles picked after the first round. This year's deep class means a tackle taken in the second or third round would have had first round grades in other classes.
I'm for protecting Jesus as much as the next fellow. But I don't believe the team needs to mortgage its future to do so. Whoever the Chiefs roll out at LT will have Thuney to help lighten the burden. So I would either take a tackle at 31 or, if the top four first-rounders are gone, trade back for more capital.
You seem nice. Post more.
It would be on thing if we were attempting to trade for prime Joe Thomas or Willie Roaf. Brown has enough question marks that we can’t just mortgage the future for him.
I don’t want to necessarily see a LT by committee approach, but we need multiple options at this point. That seems to be the strategy with the interior and RT. Outside of LG, every position has a couple guys fighting for the spot.
I’d like to see the same with a vet stop gap and draft pick. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Franchise:
You didn’t answer my question. If we had a chance at Sewell....would you question him not playing in over a year?
Well, considering that Sewell is one of the best prospects to come out at LT in a number of years I'd say there's a reason to not question him. Didn't he get a few Heisman votes as a Olinemen when he last played....
Are you trying to say that you think that Niang is as good of a prospect as Sewell? [Reply]
Originally Posted by mkp785:
Well, considering that Sewell is one of the best prospects to come out at LT in a number of years I'd say there's a reason to not question him. Didn't he get a few Heisman votes as a Olinemen when he last played....
Are you trying to say that you think that Niang is as good of a prospect as Sewell?
Nope. But if you’re going to question one player about sitting out an entire year than you’d better question every player that did. [Reply]