Best Draft-Day Contingency Plans for Baltimore Ravens

With the NFL draft now two months away, the Baltimore Ravens are getting closer to finalizing their first-round big board. Like every NFL team, Baltimore is building a board, ranking this year's prospects based on the team's current needs and the quality of the players.

The Ravens are also likely zeroing in on the players whom they think have a good shot of being on the board in the first round. However, things can change, and one or more of those guys could end up getting picked before Baltimore gets a shot at them.

As of now, wide receiver and defensive back are Baltimore's biggest needs heading into the draft. With Torrey Smith possibly leaving, the Ravens will need to replace him with a first- or second-round pick. 

As for defensive back, Baltimore needs to add a corner in this year's draft, but the team could also address safety in the first two rounds. 

Over the next few slides, I'll break down some contingency plans with how the Ravens' strategy might go come draft day based on different scenarios.

In these scenarios, there isn't a wide receiver or defensive back worthy of drafting in the first round, which leaves Baltimore to go with one of three contingency plans I've outlined. 

Contingency Plan No. 1: Trade Down

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It's not unheard of for Baltimore to trade back in the draft if it doesn't like who's on the board. In fact, general manager Ozzie Newsome has traded out of the first round twice since 2010. 

In 2012, the Ravens traded out of the first round with Minnesota, and the picks they got from the Vikings netted Courtney Upshaw in the second round and Gino Gradkowski in the fourth round.

Upshaw has been a solid pass-rusher off the bench, and with Pernell McPhee hitting free agency, Upshaw's role will grow significantly in 2014. Gradkowski has been a decent backup who has provided depth at multiple spots along the offensive line. 

In 2010, Baltimore did a deal with Denver to trade out of the first round, and one of the three picks the Ravens got in return was used to select tight end Dennis Pitta.

Though injuries have plagued his career as of late, Pitta was a Pro Bowl-caliber player who had a pivotal role in helping the Ravens win the Super Bowl in the 2012-13 season. 

Though trading down keeps Baltimore from drafting a potentially better player, it will get more picks to address more areas with. Plus, the draft is a crapshoot, and it pays to have more picks and ultimately more chances at landing an impact player. 

The Ravens have shown they can find impact players in any round of the draft, and they could be better off having more picks versus having higher selections in the draft. 

Contingency Plan No. 2: Draft Melvin Gordon

Because the running back position has been devalued, the No. 1 prospect at that position in this year's draft could well be available when Baltimore is on the clock. 

If the Ravens can't address more immediate needs at pick No. 26, they should draft Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon.

In fact, running back could be a big need if Justin Forsett leaves in free agency. This past season, he was fifth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,266) to go along with eight scores, as he carried the Ravens offense throughout the year.

However, there's been no indication Baltimore is close to re-signing him. Gordon is the best running back prospect in this year's draft, and he'd easily replace Forsett if he moves on.

This past season, Gordon gained 2,587 rushing yards, second in FBS history to the 2,628-yard record held by Barry Sanders since 1988. Gordon also scored 49 times in his career.

If Baltimore loses Forsett in free agency, it must draft a running back early in this year's draft. Though there would still be bigger needs to address, spending a first-round pick on Gordon is a great contingency plan if it comes down to that. 

Contingency Plan No. 3: Take the Best Player Available

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One reason the Ravens have routinely been one of the best drafting teams is because of their willingness to take the best available player in the first round. 

Many teams will choose to address more pressing needs and even reach on prospects who play bigger positions of need. Baltimore instead chooses the best player on the board when it's picking in the first round. 

Just last year, the Ravens took Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley when that was one of the positions the Ravens were fine at. 

“People always ask about best available player, what that means,” Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta said via BaltimoreRavens.com. “He (Mosley) was the best available player on our board, and he would have been the best available player on the board at 10. We think he’s a great football player. We’re very excited to get him.”

Because the Ravens took the best player available, they were rewarded with a player who was voted to the 2015 Pro Bowl, which made him the first Ravens player to be selected in his rookie season.

Mosley was the runner-up for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading Baltimore with 133 total tackles. He's now a franchise player the Ravens will soon be building their defense around.

That's what taking the best player available did for Baltimore last year, and that's why it will be a great contingency plan this year if no one is worthy of the No. 26 pick at a bigger position of need. 

As for who could be that guy this year, I've made the case for why Kentucky outside linebacker Bud Dupree would be a tremendous pick for Baltimore. 

While he plays at a position that's loaded in 2015, it could suddenly become a position of need next year with Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil on the wrong side of 30. 

Dupree is one great prospect who could be on the board at pick No. 26, but other promising players could fall to Baltimore at that spot. 

The Ravens have shown they're willing to bypass bigger needs in order to maximize the value of players they get in the first round. Staying true to that may once again be a great contingency plan this year if bigger positions of need aren't worth addressing in Round 1.