The Baltimore Ravens currently sit at 5-1 through six weeks of the 2021 season. They’ve overcome plenty of injuries on their way to currently being the top spot in the AFC, finding quality production from not only their stars, but also from outside additions that they’ve made along the way.
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, Brett Sobleski of Bleacher Report put together a list of one ideal trade candidate for each NFL team. For the Ravens, he picked Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman La’el Collins. When explaining his selection, Sobleski mentioned the fact that Baltimore’s offensive line group has been in flux all season.
“[Ronnie] Stanley’s absence created a void on Lamar Jackson’s blind side, which has been filled by veteran Alejandro Villanueva. Villanueva has moved from right to left tackle, and Patrick Mekari took over strong-side duties, creating a tenuous situation.”
He also talked about how Dallas might want to move on from Collins due to the fact that his salary will increase significantly after this season as well as the fact that his replacement has been playing well.
“Meanwhile, La’el Collins has been reinstated after his five-game suspension, yet he might find himself without a starting job. Terence Steele played very well for the Dallas Cowboys to open this season, and considering his improvement and Collins’ salary increase after this year, the Cowboys may consider a move.”
Collins has extreme positional versatility, and would be a great addition to the Ravens’ offensive line. However, he is due to have a $10 million base salary in each of the next three seasons, and the team is already getting solid contributions from both Alejandro Villanueva and Patrick Mekari.
The current Cowboys’ offensive lineman would definitely help the team, even if only for depth purposes. However, Collins is a talented player, so he would definitely push for at least some playing time. With Mekari playing so well for the most part and Villanueva holding his own, it’d be interesting to see how Collins would fit in with the Ravens both in 2021 and in the future.
