The Baltimore Ravens are a team to watch as a potential trade partner for Washington Commanders edge rusher Montez Sweat, according to national NFL writer Cam Marino.
It was reported earlier on Saturday that the Commanders were looking to move one of Sweat or fellow edge rusher Chase Young ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline. Washington’s decision could ultimately be based on what it does in its Week 8 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Commanders got off to a 2-0 start this season, but they have since lost four of their last five games to fall to 3-4.
Sweat will be a free agent at the end of the year, and Washington may want to trade him now in order to recoup some value for him before possibly losing him for nothing in the spring.
It should be noted that the Commanders are projected to have significant cap room in the offseason, so they would likely have the financial wherewithal to retain Sweat if they so pleased.
Sweat, who played his collegiate football at Mississippi State, was selected by Washington with the 26th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.
He enjoyed an impressive rookie campaign, playing in every game and registering 50 tackles, seven sacks and a couple of forced fumbles. The following year, Sweat had his best season to date, racking up 45 tackles, nine sacks, an interception, a pair of forced fumbles, six passes defended and a defensive touchdown.
Outside of 2021, when Sweat missed seven games due to injury, the 27-year-old has been a very consistent presence along the Commanders’ front seven ever since he was drafted.
Through the first seven games of this year, Montez Sweat has logged 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
The Ravens already have a mighty fine pass rush, ranking No. 1 in the NFL with 29 sacks heading into Week 8. However, Baltimore seems to want to stack up on defense to further improve its chances of making a Super Bowl run.
The Ravens are 5-2 and will battle the struggling Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
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