The Baltimore Ravens were expected to reshuffle their roster in hopes of turning around their disastrous 1-4 start to the 2025 season. On Tuesday, they did just that, dealing outside linebacker Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers for safety Alohi Gilman, as first reported by NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
The deal also included an exchange of draft picks. The Ravens sent a 2027 seventh-round pick in the deal, while the Chargers sent a 2025 fifth-round pick back to Baltimore. The trade came just hours after the Ravens signed safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to their practice squad. Despite being one of the worst teams in the league by record, it is clear the Ravens still have hopes of contending in 2025, and the Oweh trade may just be the start to their turnaround.
While Gilman is an intriguing option to add to a secondary desperate for help, the more notable aspect of the deal is the increase in Baltimore’s cap space. Dealing Oweh saved them around $8 million against the cap, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Eric DeCosta may not be done after Odafe Oweh trade
With the move, the Ravens now have over $14 million in cap space, per Spotrac. DeCosta’s latest trade opens up a wide array of possibilities to improve the team, and those moves could be coming.
But a key to this deal is what, if anything, DeCosta does with the cap savings from trading Oweh. The Ravens probably need two pieces on their defensive front after Madubuike loss. https://t.co/6sGbNwaxwX
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) October 7, 2025
Despite the early rough patch, Baltimore still has a talented team. They are two Derrick Henry fumbles away from possibly sitting at 3-2 heading into their Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Throw in the mounting injuries that have impacted the team over the past two weeks, and it is clear the Ravens are not your typical 1-4 team.
Still, there are plenty of additions that need to be made in order to reform this team into a contender. The offensive guard duo of Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele is one of the worst in the league, the pass rush group could use an extra body or two with Oweh gone, and the interior defensive line still needs to find a replacement for defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who will miss the rest of 2025 due to a neck injury.
Possible trade candidates include Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler and New York Giants pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. There could be plenty more lucrative options available as the trade deadline gets closer, and the Oweh deal could signal that Baltimore is still a threat to be a buyer at the deadline.
