ESPN gives Falcons poor grade for Ryan Neuzil trade with Ravens

The Atlanta Falcons struck a deal with the Baltimore Ravens just minutes before the 2026 NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, sending starting center Ryan Neuzil to Baltimore for guard Andrew Vorhees and a sixth-round pick in 2028.After praising the Falcons for getting value in the Jessie Bates deal, those around the NFL weren't as impressed by the Neuzil trade. The fact that Atlanta received such a modest return for its starting center, while being just a half-game back in the NFC South race earned the team a "C-" grade from ESPN. "I don't mind that for Baltimore, especially since the Jurgens deal already is looking like a mistake. But it's a tougher sell for the Falcons. I would much rather try to re-sign Neuzil to a long-term deal (perhaps they did). If they were going to trade Neuzil, was this really the best they could get? And while the Falcons are hardly contenders, this certainly won't help quarterback Michael Penix Jr. down the stretch. Backup Corey Levin will presumably start going forward. Vorhees figures to be a depth guard for the Falcons like he was for the Ravens." - Seth Walder & Ben Solak, ESPNThe Jessie Bates trade made sense because the Falcons received a second-round pick, which will give them a chance to add a quality prospect. Plus, the secondary has enough young talent to not completely fall apart without Bates. In this case, it's hard to argue with ESPN's assessment. While Neuzil was playing in the final year of his contract, Atlanta didn't receive much back for a team that claimed it was not punting on the season. Levin has seven career starts, and it's a fair point to say it likely doesn't help Penix.The third-year quarterback has a history of injuries, therefore changing centers in the middle of the season doesn't seem like the most sensible decision. Perhaps the Falcons don't feel the drop-off to Levin will be that noticeable.Vorhees, 27, has some starting experience (22 career starts), and at least gives the team some quality depth. We'll have to see how the Falcons respond this weekend against the 6-2 Kansas City Chiefs.Meanwhile, the Ravens earned a B+ for the trade from ESPN.This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: ESPN gives Falcons poor grade for Ryan Neuzil trade with Ravens