After weeks of speculation, the Baltimore Ravens finally executed a move. The Ravens are officially trading tight end Hayden Hurst to the Atlanta Falcons. A couple of weeks ago I talked about my thoughts on a potential trade involving Hurst. I said, “If I had Eric DeCosta’s job, (I can dream) I scream yes the moment a second-round pick is mentioned.” Well, it turns out that Eric DeCosta must be reading my articles, because that’s exactly what happened.
DeCosta and Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff agreed to this deal, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
- Falcons acquire Hayden Hurst and the Ravens 2020 fourth-round compensatory pick, number 143.
- Ravens acquire Falcon’s second and fifth-round draft picks, numbers 55 and 157 respectively.
The Ravens got the compensation they needed for Hayden Hurst. The former first-round pick has talent but got lost in the sea of tight ends on the Ravens’ roster. As Hurst aged, he was getting less and less valuable, so it was smart for the Ravens to move on from him now.
Interestingly enough, the Ravens have already used the fifth-round pick received from the Falcons to complete the trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for Calais Campbell. (Again according to Adam Schefter). That means the fifth-round pick the Ravens received for Kaare Vedvik back in the summer of 2019 is still owned by the team until it’s turned into Stefon Diggs by the end of the day. (I’m being sarcastic, but also not).
This move leaves the Ravens with just two tight ends on the roster. Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle. Each fills a critical role for the Ravens as a receiver and blocker respectively, and the Ravens have no plans to move on from either player in the near future. Baltimore will need to add at least one new tight end by the start of training camp, whether that be in free agency, the draft, or by another trade.
Overall this trade was a smart move for the Ravens. Baltimore gets to move on from a 27-year old tight end not living up to first-round expectations while recuperating significant value. The Ravens now have two second-round picks and have a total of five picks in the first three rounds of the 2020 draft. This extra draft capital gives them great flexibility. With depth at positions of need like wide receiver and offensive line, this extra capital should make April all the more exciting.
