Ravens Trade Away 29th Overall Pick In NFL Draft
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) -- The Baltimore Ravens didn't get anything out of the first round of the NFL draft except one more pick than when they started.
And that, general manager Ozzie Newsome said, was plenty good enough.
The Ravens traded the 29th overall selection in the NFL draft to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, a move that leaves Baltimore without a first-round pick for the second time in three years.
In exchange, Baltimore received Minnesota's second-round slot -- 35th overall -- and the Vikings' fourth-rounder (98th overall).
"A couple of teams called us, and we had several players that we liked that are still available for us Friday," Newsome said.
"To be able to pick up that 98th pick from Minnesota, we think is going to be another good player. Or we can take that pick and use it to move into the second or third (round) to go get another player."
Two years ago, Newsome received three picks from Denver for the 25th overall choice. He used the pick to snag linebacker Sergio Kindle.
The Ravens have plenty of holes to fill in this draft, so getting an extra choice seemed more prudent than taking someone with a No. 29.
"If we were stuck at 29, we could have picked," Newsome said. "One of those guys is still available for us, and could be
available with the third pick tomorrow."
Baltimore has made the playoffs for four years running, so picking late in the first round is almost a commonplace occurrence.
The challenge is to make the best of it.
"As long as I'm here, hopefully I'm picking 29, 30, 31 or 32," Newsome said. "And then when you watch the board come off as it did today, to have the ability to go back, acquire another players and still get a player that you probably would have taken at your pick, it's good business for us."
On a night in which dozens of other teams welcomed at least one newcomer to the fold, the Ravens had no one to greet with a handshake and a fresh new jersey. But the Ravens expect to be busy on Friday and Saturday.
The trade supports the assertion before the draft by Eric DeCosta, the team director of player personnel, who said, "We want as many picks as we can get because I think the draft is all about luck. The more picks you have, the better chance you have to get lucky."
The Ravens considered moving up in the draft, but decided it wasn't worth surrendering picks to do so.
"We talked about it. There were a couple of players we thought like we could get if we traded up, but it can get expensive," Newsome said. "After a certain number of players went off the board, we felt like going back would be a better benefit for us."
Baltimore has two picks in the second round (35 and 60 overall), a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder, two fifth-round picks and one apiece in the sixth and seventh rounds.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
