With less than an hour to go before the close of the trading period in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens made a surprising move. Baltimore rarely ever makes an in-season trade, but in his last year, Ozzie Newsome broke old habits to try to get the Ravens over the hump. Since the dawn of the 2018 season, Baltimore’s running game has inexplicably struggled in an offense that has exploded. Alex Collins averages just 3.7 yards per carry, Javorius “Buck” Allen averages 2.6, and rookie Gus Edwards 3.9 on his limited number of touches. The Ravens understand the need to reinvigorate the running game and believe Montgomery could be the one to do it.
Historically, the Ravens offense has always been at its best with a strong run game to serve as the underlying engine. Baltimore’s offense in 2014 was arguably the best product seen under John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco. It was driven by Justin Forsett on the ground, which allowed for less pressure on Flacco, and more creative pass options. In 2017, the Ravens offense exploded in the second half of the season, when Alex Collins pounded his way through defenses. Now, in 2018, the Ravens offense has proved itself capable of great things, but only through the passing lane.
In a make or break year, the Ravens have a chance at making the playoffs for the first time since 2014. General manager Ozzie Newsome is clearly doing everything in his power to ensure that the Ravens return to the postseason. If the effort proves fruitful, it will not only save the collective sanity of Ravens fans but head coach John Harbaugh’s job as well. The Ravens now have a player that provides versatility in the backfield. Montgomery switched from wide receiver to running back in Green Bay. He averages 4.8 yards per rush in his career, and an average of 8.5 yards on 97 receptions as well. Baltimore hopes that his unique skill set will give the Ravens the extra edge to not only save the ground game but the season as well.
To make room on the roster for Montgomery, the Baltimore Ravens cut veteran linebacker Albert McClellan
