Ozzie Newsome's Shrewd Dealing Gives Ravens Chance to Clean Up in NFL Draft

There's an old saying that goes when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. That's what the Ravens did with their trade down in the first round this afternoon. They didn't have enough to go up and get Matt Ryan, but that doesn't mean that quarterback stopped being their biggest need. And it doesn't mean that quarterback was their only need.

They have to address a replacement for Jonathan Ogden, regardless of his return for this season, they need to get deeper in the secondary and they need to start preparing for the overhaul of a team that's not getting any younger. Now, thanks to getting two third-rounders and a fourth from the Jags for the eighth pick, they're in position to do whatever they'd like for the rest of the process.

I'd guess that that will still begin with a quarterback. Brian Brohm, Chad Henne and Joe Flacco are a tightly bunched second tier of QB's and the Ravens should be able to pluck whichever one they like, either by staying put or using their gains to jump back up a bit and nab their guy. Give credit to Ozzie Newsome for recognizing the value of the eighth pick whether it's used on a player or to create the chance to add several players.