Baltimore Ravens will make a big move this offseason

Oct 12, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil (58) celebrates as he high fives fans after they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-17. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Every couple of years, the Baltimore Ravens make a move that is both entirely unexpected and completely brilliant. The 2010 trade for Anquan Boldin qualifies. So too does the 2013 theft of Elvis Dumervil. Call it a gut feeling, I’m expecting another such move this year.

Why? Let’s start with the salary cap. The Ravens may come in under or over the cap depending on where it’s set, but one thing is certain: The Ravens have more chances to be flexible than any year I can remember. Whether its extending Haloti Ngata (likely) or releasing Gino Gradkowski (a near certainty), the Ravens have nearly a dozen potential moves they could make to clear cap room, maybe even as much as $15-20 million.

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That’s not chump change. In fact, that’s a whole heck of a lot of money: more than enough to re-sign some of the Ravens’ more fairly priced free agents (Justin Forsett and Will Hill come to mind) and still have enough left over to make a splash.

That could be enough money to make a play for one of the top-tier receivers in line to get cut, or maybe even to trade for one nobody realizes is on the market. It could be enough money to pursue a potential starting cornerback. Whatever it is, the Ravens will actually have a chance to make some moves this offseason.

The most logical position to address via a big move is receiver, where there are a lot of names on the rumor mill (Brandon Marshall, Vincent Jackson, Larry Fitzgerald, among others). Teams aren’t in as good of a position to release cornerbacks, so finding one that won’t affect the Ravens’ compensatory picks will be extremely difficult.

Important to keep in mind is that we don’t truly know who is available yet. This is all speculation. It could very well turn out that the Ravens would be better off hoarding cap space for next offseason. If the only options are over-the-hill receivers, that could be the right course of action.

That said, Ozzie Newsome always has a few tricks up his sleeve. And with just enough room to work with, Ozzie could very well stun Ravens fans with a brilliant, totally unexpected move. In fact, I might be setting myself up for disappointment. But I don’t think so.

Time to hold your breath Ravens fans. As Barack Obama would say, change is coming.

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