The Ravens made a couple of significant moves on Thursday as they ramp up for the second half of the season.
The Ravens are finalizing a trade with the Vikings that would bring pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue to Baltimore for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick, according to ESPN. Baltimore is also planning to add veteran receiver Dez Bryant to their practice squad, according to NFL.com.
Bryant, 31, has not played since being released by the Cowboys after the 2017 season. He signed with the Saints during the following season but tore his Achilles tendon in his first practice with the team. Bryant had impressed the Ravens in an offseason workout and will go through another one and a physical before signing.
While Bryant could help fortify an offense that ranks second to last in passing yards per game, Ngakoue will be a boost on the other side of the ball.
In August, Minnesota acquired Ngakoue in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2021 second-round pick and a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick. The Jaguars drafted the defensive end in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Maryland.
The 25-year-old Ngakoue racked up five sacks and seven quarterback hits in six games for the Vikings. In four seasons in Jacksonville, Ngakoue registered 105 solo tackles and 85 QB hits.
With the Ravens on a bye week, Ngakoue will undergo COVID-19 testing this week and will likely make his debut next week against the Steelers.
Despite offseason adjustments throughout the front seven, the Ravens haven’t seen much improvement in the pass rush. In six games, the Ravens have recorded 15 sacks.
This offseason they gave up a 2020 fifth-round pick (originally acquired from Falcons) to the Jaguars for defensive end Calais Campbell, who has four sacks. They also signed defensive end Derek Wolfe (zero sacks, six solo tackles) and drafted inside linebacker Patrick Queen (two sacks, 32 solo tackles) at 28th overall.
The Ravens are 5-1, but trail the unbeaten Steelers in the AFC North.