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The Baltimore Ravens are urged to trade for a top-five pick during the 2026 NFL draft.

Eric DeCosta isn’t above making a bold trade during the NFL draft, but the general manager for the Baltimore Ravens would surprise more than a few if he dealt a late-round choice for a quarterback who’s a former top-five pick.

It’s an idea from Jason La Canfora, writing for Sports Illustrated. He thinks the Ravens don’t need to entertain a high-profile deal for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, nor for Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.

Instead, La Canfora names Indianapolis Colts draft flop Anthony Richardson as a better target for DeCosta. According to La Canfora, “moves made on the margins can reap big rewards and things keep going from bad to worse for former top-five quarterback Anthony Richardson and, well, it’s not going to take much to pry him away from the Colts this weekend. Heck, it might not even take a selection in this year’s draft.”

While he cited Richardson’s struggles to be productive and stay healthy for the Colts, La Canfora still believes the fourth player taken in the 2023 draft has value for the Ravens.

Specifically, dual-threat signal-caller Richardson can be useful as a deputy to Ravens franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.

Ravens a Natural Fit for Anthony Richardson

This isn’t the first time the Ravens have been named a good landing spot for Richardson. It’s an idea not about to go away now Richardson has requested a trade, per Andrew Siciliano, but Colts GM Chris Ballard admitted “we’ve had some talks, but nothing’s come to fruition at this time. So at this point, he’s still an Indianapolis Colt,” per Bleacher Report’s James Palmer.

The fit is usually justified along the same lines La Canfora draws for his draft trade scenario. He noted how “Doyle grew up under Sean Payton’s tutelage; Payton fell hard for a run-first QB in Taysom Hill and found ways to use him as a fullback and Wild Cat guy and even took Hall of Famer Drew Brees off the field a fair amount for just that.”

Using Richardson as a sub-package rushing threat from football’s most important position might seem like a luxury the Ravens don’t need. Particularly when DeCosta retained Pro Bowl QB2 Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley during 2026 NFL free agency.

Yet, as La Canfora pointed out, Huntley “isn’t nearly the explosive and twitchy and powerful runner that Richardson is, and he doesn’t have close to his upside. The Ravens didn’t even want him back this time last year and it took Cooper Rush crashing out spectacularly for Snoop to get anther shot. And he took advantage … but he’s also had plenty of rough outings.”

As for how Doyle would fit Richardson into a new-look Ravens offense, La Canfora asked, “could you imagine a personnel package with Lamar and Richardson and Derrick Henry in the same backfield?”

Putting Richardson’s bulky 6-foot-4, 244-pound frame next to Jackson and two-time league rushing champion Henry would be a power-running look no defense wants to see. Not when Richardson is a viable threat after rushing for 10 career touchdowns and averaging 5.5 yards per carry on the ground.

Those numbers are impressive, but are they enough to warrant the “fifth-round pick” La Canfora estimates DeCosta would have to give up to acquire Richardson? That’s tougher to answer when Richardson would also need to prove himself as a credible stand-in for Jackson.

Ravens Need Proven Cover for Lamar Jackson

Huntley got paid because he’s consistently earned the confidence of Ravens teammates thanks to his assured performances filling in for Jackson. Having to step in for Jackson on multiple occasions, across different stints with the Ravens, has helped Huntley build his status as one of the more reliable backups in the game.

Jackson’s own injury history is lengthy and includes missing four games with an ankle problem in 2021, before losing six games to a knee sprain a year later. He also sat out four games last season thanks to a combination of thigh, hamstring and back injuries, according to Draft Sharks.

Huntley’s record of five wins and six losses, per StatMuse, means the 28-year-old still represents quality cover for two-time NFL MVP Jackson. It’s debatable whether Richardson would offer the same strength in depth after failing to live up to his draft status as a top-five pick, and eventually being unseated by Daniel Jones in Indianapolis.