Did Ravens sign wrong free agency edge rusher? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Baltimore Ravens have made the news this offseason for a reason they likely won’t be too fond of, as their walk-back on the Maxx Crosby trade was a bombshell.
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Having decided to part ways with the first two round picks to get Maxx, the Las Vegas Raiders‘ edge rusher failed his physical, and Baltimore walked back on the trade.
Then, just hours later, the Ravens signed Trey Hendrickson from the Cincinnati Bengals.
So, they kept both first-round picks and still got a quality edge rusher. But did they get the right one?
ESPN’s Ben Solak details that the move for Hendrickson will require more creative thinking from Jesse Minter.
“Hendrickson will alleviate the Ravens’ pass rusher problem, which has been a big issue for years — but I’m not sure he’s an every-down player, and Minter will need to scheme around him in a way Crosby would not have demanded,” Solak wrote.
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Hendrickson a big plus
Regardless of which pass rusher you think the Ravens should have gotten, Hendrickson isn’t a scrub.
He is still one of the better pass rushers in football, and it will be up to Minter to put him in the best position to succeed.
As a pure pass rusher, Hendrickson might not be on the field every snap, which isn’t ideal, but he still requires attention from the offense.
The Ravens kept their draft picks and acquired Trey. Was that the right move? Most think so.
But time will tell if Baltimore made the right decision.
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