Former NFL QB says Ravens would make AFC title game with Saquon Barkley move
The Baltimore Ravens have been linked with a few running backs ahead of next week’s NFL trade deadline. New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has not been a regular in the trade rumor mill with the Ravens, but if such a move were to transpire in the coming days, former NFL quarterback and current […]
The Baltimore Ravens have been linked with a few running backs ahead of next week’s NFL trade deadline. New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has not been a regular in the trade rumor mill with the Ravens, but if such a move were to transpire in the coming days, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orvlosky believes that Baltimore could then start looking ahead to this season’s AFC title game.
"You might as well book the plane from Baltimore to Kansas City for the AFC title game," Orvlosky said during Thursday's airing of ESPN's "Get Up" program. "That's how good that football team would be. Baltimore is tremendous right now, even without Saquon Barkley.
"This is the best pass game we have ever seen in Baltimore up until this point. … If you got Saquon to the best pass-game and that zone-read gets back, unstoppable."
Barkley’s future with the Giants has been up in the air since the offseason. The Giants placed the franchise tag on Barkley in March. The two sides failed to come to terms on a multiyear contract, and the two-time Pro Bowler wound up signing the franchise tag in July.
Speculation regarding Barkley’s future with the Giants has quieted down a bit as of late. He made clear last week that he wants to stay put with the Giants, noting that “everyone knows I don't want to get traded.” From the Giants’ standpoint, they reportedly do not have plans to part ways with the all-around running back ahead of the upcoming NFL trade deadline.
Baltimore does not have an urgent need for a running back. The Ravens have relied on a one-two punch of Gus Edwards and Justice Hill to lead its run game this season. The current AFC North leaders rank third in rushing yards per game with a 145.0 average. Still, adding Barkley into the fold would add another dimension to Baltimore’s already potent rushing attack.
The Ravens currently have their sights set on a road game against the Arizona Cardinals coming up in Week 8.
