Vic Beasley would add elite pass rushing to Baltimore

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Photo credit Photo Courtesy: USA Today

By Austin Medina  

In their bye week, the Ravens have more time to evaluate which areas of need is on the roster. After adding Marcus Peters to an injured secondary, that area of need has become more of a surplus and less of a need.

After losing Pernell McPhee for the season (torn triceps), the Ravens find themselves without their second team leader in sacks. With just three sacks ranked second on the team, the loss of McPhee has also highlighted the Ravens inability to sack the quarterback.

The Ravens may choose to stay quiet ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline, which wraps up Tuesday at 4 pm. They can use a combination of Tyus Bowser (2 sacks) and rookie Jaylon Ferguson to take over McPhee’s reps.

However if the Ravens choose to stay active in the trade process, they would be wise to go after defensive end Vic Beasley.

Beasley, a former 8th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, is in a rare situation in Atlanta. His talent is undeniable yet the Falcons (1-6) have seemingly misused him the past two seasons. Over the last two years, Beasley has been asked to drop back in pass coverage. The underachieving Falcons have been in-between both 3-4 and 4-3 defensive schemes and Beasley has seen a drop in production.

#Falcons DE Vic Beasley, Jr. is on the trading block, per a league source. Beasley is making $12.8M this year, and will become an UFA after the season.

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 18, 2019

In 2016, Beasley excelled in the Falcons 4-3 defense. He tallied a career-high 15.5 sacks along with 11 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits. The Falcons made the Super Bowl that year in large part to Beasley’s ability to pressure quarterbacks.

Beasley is a finesse pass-rusher but he would thrive in the Ravens system. Similarly to Marcus Peters, Beasley would find himself in a scheme that utilizes his talents. Baltimore would be able to rely more on their improved secondary in pass coverage and allow Beasley to be a nightmare for opposing offenses.

Good news: the Falcons are in a fire-sale. The first step was trading wide receiver Mohammed Sanu to the Patriots for a second-round pick. Obtaining Beasley would most likely require a mid-round pick. The Falcons would also help with the remaining salary to make the trade more feasible. The Ravens could acquire Beasley as a rental and gear up for a playoff push involving quarterbacks Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Deshaun Watson.

There is no telling Beasley’s market or if the Ravens have shown interest. Perhaps the Ravens found a new pass rusher already on their roster?

A new #Ravens pass-rush presence?Brandon Williams never had two QB hits in the same game until Sunday, when he walloped Russell Wilson on back-to-back snaps. Here's what his position coach had to say about it: https://t.co/F3nfiSlJxA pic.twitter.com/rw6xWhsNGC

— Aaron Kasinitz (@AaronKazreports) October 22, 2019

Nevertheless, making a call for Beasley would be a wise move for the Ravens and would add immediate top-tier pass rushing. Instead of dropping the 27-year old in pass coverage, let him rush the passer in key passing downs. 

Would you like to see the Ravens go after Beasley? If not, is there a pass rusher that would make more sense?

Let us know at 105.7 The Fan!