Though it hasn’t always been pretty, the Baltimore Ravens are currently sitting in first place in the AFC North.

That’s right, despite having a slew of injuries, issues on the offensive line, and the second-worst passing defense in the NFL, the Ravens have found a way to win when it matters, keep things close when they can’t, and look like a certified contender in all five of their games so far.

Riding the momentum of three-straight victories, can the Ravens continue their winning ways in Week 6 and beyond, putting some distance between themselves and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals? Maybe so, but if Eric DeCosta is smart, he’ll be sure to leverage that faith with some additional firepower at the trade deadline. Fortunately, there are a few interesting options on the table that could do just that, including a pair of former Pro Bowlers heading towards exits from their current teams.

1. A sixth-round pick to the Eagles for Darius Slay

In case you haven’t heard, the Ravens’ passing defense is bad.

Taking the field at anything but 100 percent, with Arthur Maulet, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Christian Matthew, and Trayvon Mullen all on IR and Marlon Humphrey questionable with an ankle injury, the Ravens’ defense has allowed an astounding 1,401 yards through the air through five games, a mark only one team has surpassed. Teams have thrown on the Ravens with impunity, attempting 187 on the season, and thus far, that aggressive aerial attack has been rewarded, with opposing QBs completing an average of 66.8 percent of their passes and reaching the endzone nine times for good measure.

Sure, the Ravens will get healthier as the season goes on – unless they suffer even more injuries – and could rebound if young players like Nate Wiggins step up, but even at full strength, do they have enough depth to really contend with the best teams the AFC has to offer on the way to the Super Bowl? It certainly doesn’t sound like it.

Fortunately, there is a defensive back on the market who could not only help to boost the Ravens’ depth but one they’ve actually shown interest in in the past in Darius Slay, the Philadelphia Eagles cornerback set to take the field in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns.

Now, on paper, Slay is having a bad year under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. He’s allowed 14 catches on 21 targets for 129 yards and two touchdowns, and even his on-ball production is slightly down, defensive just two passes through four games. Factor in the exciting young cornerbacks on the Eagles roster in Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, and Isaiah Rodgers, and it’s entirely possible Howie Roseman would be willing to let Slay go even for a mid-Day 3 pick like a sixth-rounder.

If the two teams work something out that makes sense financially, Slay could be a fantastic late-career addition to Zach Orr’s defense and potentially help to add some playmaking to a secondary that has recorded just three turnovers in 2024.

2. Josh Jacobs, a fourth to the Browns for Amari Cooper

When the Ravens signed Josh Jacobs this offseason, it felt like a fantastic buy-low opportunity to add a top-40 left tackle to the roster on the cheap.

On paper, Jacobs is a player who should vastly outperform his sub-$2 million price tag, as he’s earned snaps at both tackle spots and guard at the NFL level since being drafted in the third round out of Houston back in 2020 but he’s really only shined as a left tackle in reserve duty, with his efforts at his three other positions producing far less effective results.

So, if Jacobs is more of a one-position backup than a four-position reserve, and Ronnie Stanley has played 99.42 percent of the Ravens’ snaps in 2024, could they consider moving off of the journeyman’s contract if it brings back a more immediate contributor?

Well, considering the Browns’ need at tackle after placing James Hudson III and Hakeem Adeniji on IR, Jacobs might just be the sweetener needed to get a deal done for Amari Cooper, who is the sort of calming veteran presence who could boost the Ravens’ passing game down the stretch.

Now granted, could the Browns refuse to make a trade out of principle? Sure, that has happened plenty of times in the past and will continue to happen well into the future, but considering where the Ravens sit in 2024, how ineffective the Browns’ passing game has been this season, and how motivated both teams could be to right the ship, such a deal could be mutually beneficial.

At 30, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, Cooper likely won’t call Cleveland home after the Super Bowl and will be allowed to leave for the low-low price of a comp pick in the future. Trading him for a more immediate pick, plus a versatile lineman with untapped potential, could be enticing enough to convince the Browns to break with tradition in order to shore up their present and future, especially with Nick Chubb returning to the field in the not-too-distant future.

And for the Ravens? Well, Cooper would, at worst, be their second-best receiver and could quickly become Lamar Jackson’s best friend as he looks to round out his offense in 2024.

Bonus: sign Tre’Davious White if he gets released

If the Ravens don’t want to trade an asset for Slay but would still like to pursue a veteran upgrade on the defensive line, there’s a chance they could have their cake and eat it too in the form of Tre’Davious White, the former Ravens All-Pro who has largely disappointed with the Rams.

Now granted, White is still technically a member of the Rams and may finish out the season on the 53-man roster as a veteran reserve if they start to pick up steam in the month before the deadline. But considering he was a healthy scratch in Week 5 following the return of Darious Williams, it looks like White may follow Devin White – unrelated – on the way to a mid-season release and, thus, could sign wherever he pleases moving forward.

A press-man corner with an insane pedigree in both the NFL and NCAA, White is no longer the lockdown cornerback who can operate on an island by himself, but with some help over the top? Paired up with a strong pass rush – which the Ravens have – and who knows, maybe White could be 75 percent of Slay for a fraction of the price.