The Ravens have frequently been mentioned as one of the teams most in need of an addition at the receiver position this offseason. That has included the team being identified as a landing spot for one of the veterans still on the free agent market. 
Such speculation is unsurprising, given the current state of the team’s WR room. Four wideouts can comfortably be slotted in on the 53-man roster, led by 2021 first-rounder Rashod Bateman. He, like Devin Duvernay, James Proche and Tylan Wallace, however, lacks NFL experience and a track record of success in the pros. Especially in the absence of Marquise Brown, an addition of some kind has been widely expected since the draft.
Outside of free agency, trades represent another avenue by which the Ravens could an established pass-catcher. On that point, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic opines that it is all-but guaranteed general manager Eric DeCosta has “spoken to teams about acquiring a receiver” (subscription required). A blockbuster deal such as the one involving Brown is unlikely, though, given the team’s sparse salary cap space and run-heavy offense.
Assuming a sizeable move isn’t made in the coming weeks, Zrebiec names Proche as the incumbent wideout best-positioned to see an increased workload. While Bateman is in line to take on the role of No. 1 receiver, and All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews will see a healthy target share, the 2020 sixth-rounder could be in line for a starting spot. He has totalled just 17 receptions to date, but put up substantial production during his college career at SMU.
Given his track record in player swaps (from Brown most recently, to Orlando Brown Jr. last offseason), DeCosta making a trade for another wideout would come as little surprise at this point. Even if that happens, however, the position will remain one to watch throughout training camp and into the start of the season.
Shoddy B
Fuller could make sense as an affordable deep threat with upside. Sanders could make sense as a crafty professional to drop in a very young room. Hard to believe they won’t add someone.
The ravens tend to stay away from players with histories like Fullers off the field issues.
@Dendee, agreed, Fuller’s recent injury history and the PEDs suspension are “red flags”? IE. DeCosta knows Biscotti (sp?) probably wouldn’t sign off on it, so don’t even entertain the thought?
The Ravens haven’t shied away from giving players another chance. This is a team that signed a guy after killed somebody in a drunk driving accident.
@ E “The M O” Hmmm. Okay. Okay. Yes, true, the Ravens, have brought in players (or kept them) after off field nasty stuff. How could I have forgotten the Ray Lewis off field tragic event. The only example I can remember when they didn’t keep someone was when “Hey diddle diddle Ray Rice up the middle” brutally attacked his wife? . And in hindsight, maybe the Ravens didn’t keep him because not of what he did to his wife but because the Ravens were ready to move on from Ray Ray because age/wear-n-tear. I hope it was a moral high road move on the Ravens part, but then again……
No, they were very much behind Ray Rice until the video evidence came out.
#Ed “the M O”. So in other words, like every other team in similar situations, Baltimore was following league protocol? Once the league, weighed in, the Ravens followed suit?
No. The Ravens investigated the situation themselves and Ray lied to them. They stood behind Ray and believed everything he said without speaking with the victim. Then the video came out and everyone Ray spoke to said, “Wow, that’s not what he told us happened.”
Even after that, they tried to keep him and champion for him. It wasn’t until all the public outrage did they cut him. Even then the Ravens FO was trying to negotiate with Goodell to get him back in.
Sounds like Jeff Z doesn’t have a source here (quote: “opines”). If Ravens thought they needed another WR thru FA market, would they have waited this late? But, Adam L’s observation about getting a WR thru trade, seems a possibility? IE Ravens have options at safety. Would someone want Chuck Clark?
Would they have waited this late? Sure. The Ravens are notoriously big on the later stages of free agency, in part because it helps keep them rolling in extra comp picks, which is a fairly consistent part of their team building strategy.
@ooof, I wasn’t aware of the extra comp picks strategy. Interesting. Thanks!
Sure thing. You’ll notice them signing a lot of free agents after the draft or who were cut by their previous teams. Neither affects their comp pick formula. This year they made a big exception in Marcus Williams, but it’s no accident that 2017 is the last time they had as few as 7 draft picks.
@ooofs; great stuff. Hey, switching gears here for a sec, any concerns with Lamar chirping a bit about not reporting to camp?
I have no earthly idea what’s going on there. It would seem from the outside like both sides should be interested in working out a deal, but I can’t pretend to know what’s happening, let alone what’s thought, in private.
Here’s to hoping it’s a non issue!
It is clear that the Ravens are going “all-in” on their running QB – thus they need to get his extension signed ASAP, otherwise in 2023 they are going to end up with a team that cannot run -or- throw.
I think it would be a huge mistake to drop huge money into a guy that plays the QB position and the best thing about how he plays as a QB is how he runs. A guy that has ran the ball 100+ times a season.
That kind of wear and tear usually doesn’t bode well for running QB’s.
@NoPoliticsSports; I’m thinking they’re not going “all in” on Lamar. Looks like the Ravens are going with a short game O this year. A lot of dink and dunk stuff, less deep action and less holding on to the ball activity. . Can Lamar run this, of course, but so could others … doesn’t require mad superstar skills just a good manager of the plays. And maybe this is why Lamar is grumbling about possibly not reporting to training camp?
And this is part of the reason Marquise Brown wanted out and why now top tier WR wants to come here.
If Isaiah Likely is that hybrid TE/WR for our team then the Ravens do not have to pick anyone else with Bateman and Andrews on their roster
Even if that turns out to be true, it’s not the sort of thing a team with win-now aspirations banks on happening in year one. Nor is it the Ravens’ MO to throw rookies into the deep end, outside of high picks and necessity.
The Ravens threw Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst out there in their rookie year’s. The Ravens can do the same with Isaiah Likely
Hurst was a 25-year old first rounder from the SEC. Andrews was a consensus All-American and the receptions leader for one of the very best teams in the country. Likely is coming out of Coastal Carolina as a tweener. It’s much harder to see the field as a rookie TE if your blocking is in question.
I like the pick and the potential, but I wouldn’t count on him featuring too prominently in the offense for most of his rookie season–certainly not to the degree that it keeps them from adding a veteran receiver.
He will if he has sure hands and the young WR’s don’t, or can’t get open.
Explain Mark Andrews who was drafted in that same draft. This point negates everything that you are talking about likely not seeing the field. When the Ravens staff speak about Isaiah Likely they call him a chess piece and a matchup nightmare. More importantly, he was productive playing all of those positions. Greg Roman knows how to use 2 tight ends think 49ers Delanie Walker. In camp I didn’t here much buzz about our wide outs. I kept hearing buzz about Likely. As Likely’s buzz crescendos into a scream for the need for him to be on the field, the Ravens will find ways to have him on the field. Likely play the traditional tight end position, slot, wide, and fullback in the Coastal Carolina offense . He caught for over 900 yards. Lamar Jackson loves to throw the ball between the hashes and this gives the Ravens even more of a reason to throw to Isaiah Likely this year. Last nugget, the Ravens LOVE to showcase their rookies and Likely is the next late round steal that the Ravens will deploy this year
Andrews was a consensus All-American from a much bigger program in a much tougher conference. Likely is making a much bigger jump.
@OmegaWizard; I’m thinking along the same lines as you. Amatuer hour here, but how they drafted and also rumblings that Lamar will be throwing to RBs more than ever before, I believe are indications they will not add a WR.