Baltimore a landing spot for Marshall or Boldin?
Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/03/2010 @ 4:28 pm)
General manager Ozzie Newsome told the media on Wednesday that he’ll seek wide receiver help this offseason for the Ravens, although he obviously didn’t divulge any details about how he’ll acquire said help.
Will Newsome make a run at Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall? It’s a strong possibility, as is the idea of the Ravens signing/acquiring either Julius Peppers or Elvis Dumervil to help boost their pass rush. At this point, nothing should be ruled out.
If the Ravens do decide to trade for a receiver this offseason, the general consensus might be that they’ll go after Boldin because he comes with less baggage. But don’t forget that Newsome had a deal in place with the 49ers back in 2004 for Terrell Owens before an arbiter squashed that deal from happening. Marshall is younger than Boldin and can likely be had for a reasonable price because everyone knows that he’s on the outs in Denver. So if Newsome feels that Marshall is worth the risk, then it might only take a second or third rounder to acquire him.
Newsome knows that the Ravens have a solid young core on offense and the defense is still good enough to make a Super Bowl run. If he can acquire a receiver of Marshall or Boldin’s talent, then he’ll be taking another step in getting Baltimore to the next level.
Update: Beat writer Mike Preston disagrees with the sentiment that Baltimore will be a landing spot for Marshall, even going as far as to say that he would be surprised if the Ravens pursued him this offseason.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
Ravens to revisit trade for Marshall?
Posted by Anthony Stalter (07/29/2009 @ 12:57 pm)
A Yahoo Sports report suggests that the Ravens may revisit the idea of trading for Broncos’ disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
This comes after the Ravens were unsuccessful in getting veteran Drew Bennett(notes) to return. Bennett passed a physical last week, but then complained about an old knee injury before deciding to not play.
Bennett’s decision and Mason’s retirement earlier this month have left the Ravens in a lurch at wide receiver. The Ravens think Mason’s retirement was partly a ploy to help get more money from the team. (Mason had asked to renegotiate his deal earlier in the offseason.)
The Ravens have declined to comment. However, team history would indicate they aren’t likely to make the deal. General manager Ozzie Newsome doesn’t like to give up high draft picks, could be concerned about Marshall’s history of off-field problems and likely wouldn’t want to pay the large contract Marshall is seeking.
I have a hard time envisioning Newsome pulling the trigger on a trade for Marshall, but considering how thin the Ravens are at receiver I certainly wouldn’t rule the idea out.
Even after losing defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, productive linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard to the Jets this offseason, Baltimore still has the makings of one of the better defenses in the league. They also have a solid running game and assuming he doesn’t fall victim to the dreaded sophomore slump, Joe Flacco should only improve in his second year as well.
So with all of that in mind, Newsome may feel as though his team is only one missing piece away from making another run at the Super Bowl. Receiver is the obvious need and Marshall is a dynamic playmaker. But whether or not he’s worth the risk of acquiring (especially in exchange for high round draft picks) is a decision I don’t envy Newsome for having to make.
