When the Ravens and Chargers pulled off a midseason trade back in October - Odafe Oweh for Alohi Gilman - the reaction was swift, loud, and, as it turns out, maybe a little premature. Trade grades were handed out like Halloween candy, with most analysts calling it a win for the Chargers and a head-scratcher for Baltimore.
But now, with the regular season winding down and both teams firmly in the playoff hunt, it’s time to revisit this deal with the benefit of hindsight. And what we’re looking at might just be one of those rare NFL trades where everybody walks away better.
Let’s start with Oweh. The former first-round pick had a quiet start to 2025 - no sacks in his first five games - which made the trade feel like a sell-low moment for Baltimore.
But since landing in Los Angeles, Oweh has flipped the switch. Seven sacks in nine weeks.
That’s not just production - that’s impact. He’s thriving in Jesse Minter’s scheme, and more importantly, he looks like a player finally in sync with his surroundings.
“This team has afforded me the opportunity to just be free, be me,” Oweh said. “They trust me. They believe in me.”
That sense of freedom is showing up on the field. Oweh isn’t just putting up numbers - he’s playing with confidence, energy, and purpose. And for a Chargers team that needed a jolt off the edge, he’s delivered exactly that.
But here’s the twist: while Oweh is flourishing in L.A., the Ravens’ defense has actually improved without him.
Enter Alohi Gilman.
A sixth-round pick once pigeonholed as a special teams guy, Gilman has become a key piece in Baltimore’s secondary. Since his arrival, the Ravens have taken a leap statistically.
From Weeks 6 to 15, they’ve gone from 30th to 5th in expected points added per play. Defensive success rate?
Up from 29th to 5th. Yards allowed per game?
Down by 100 - from 408.8 to 308.6. That’s not a small bump.
That’s a transformation.
Gilman’s been a big part of that. He’s not a perfect player - there have been some missed tackles in space - but he’s brought a physical edge and playmaking instincts to a Ravens defense that needed a spark.
His chemistry with Kyle Hamilton, forged back in their Notre Dame days, has translated seamlessly to the pros. And he’s already had his breakout moment: a lateral return touchdown after an interception in a shutout win over Joe Burrow and the Bengals, earning him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Gilman’s perspective on the trade? He’s just happy to finally be in a system that lets him be himself.
“I’ve always found a way to be versatile,” he said. “I can play deep, I can play in the box, I can cover. I think they [the Ravens] allowed me to just be the best version of me.”
That’s the common thread between both players - they’ve landed in places that let them play to their strengths. Oweh, once a misfit in Baltimore’s system, looks unleashed in L.A. Gilman, long underutilized in Los Angeles, is now a key cog in one of the NFL’s hottest defenses.
And for all the early noise about who “won” the trade, maybe the real answer is: both teams did.
The Chargers are 10-4 and on the verge of locking up a wild-card spot. The Ravens, after what some framed as a “fire sale,” are surging and very much in the mix for the AFC North crown.
Both defenses have gotten better. Both players are thriving.
And both front offices - Joe Hortiz in L.A., Eric DeCosta in Baltimore - deserve credit for pulling the trigger on a deal that’s paid off on both ends.
Gilman isn’t thinking about whether he was a steal. He’s focused on the now - and enjoying it.
“I keep in touch with some of those guys [in L.A.],” he said. “I root for them for sure.
I spent a lot of years there. I have a lot of great relationships with them, but my focus has just been here, really, and on how I can be the best guy here.”
There’s still time for the final chapter to be written - and who knows, maybe it comes in January. There’s a very real chance the Ravens and Chargers could meet in the playoffs, possibly even in a wild-card matchup. That would be the ultimate test of this trade’s impact.
But until then, we’re looking at something rare in today’s NFL: a true win-win. No swindling, no fleecing - just two teams making the right move at the right time. And in a league that often treats trades like zero-sum games, that’s worth appreciating.