Ravens Offered Their Entire 2008 Draft Class To Move Up & Select Matt Ryan

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Ravens spoke with the Rams back in 2008 about trading up in the draft to select QB Matt Ryan.

Sources told Rapoport this week that the Ravens actually offered their entire draft to trade up from No. 8 overall to No. 2 and select Ryan and a deal nearly happened. However, the Rams were reportedly asking for even more from the Ravens including a 2009 second-round pick to do the deal.

Ultimately, talks broke down the Rams drafted DE Chris Long, the Falcons took Ryan at No. 3 overall and Ravens elected to trade back and eventually select Joe Flacco later on.

It’s rare for a team to be willing to give up an entire draft for a single player like Mike Ditka did several years ago when he was in charge of the Saints and moved up to select RB Ricky Williams.

In the end, the Ravens got their quarterback and managed to come away with RB Ray Rice later on in the 2008 draft and used the following year’s second-rounder on OLB Paul Kruger.

Ryan put together his most impressive season this past year since he entered the league and walked away with MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards last night (NFLTR).

The Falcons are expected to open extension talks with Ryan this offseason, despite the fact that he still has another two years remaining on his current deal.

Ryan, 31, is a former first-round pick of the Falcons back in 2008. He’s currently in the fourth year of his six-year, $103.75 million contract that includes $59 million guaranteed and stands to make base salaries of $15.75 million and $19.25 million over the remainder of the contract.

In 2016, In 2016, Ryan threw for 4,944 yards while completing 69.9 percent of his passes to go along with 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 3 quarterback out of 36 qualifying players.