The Baltimore Ravens have plenty of offseason decisions to make, including their wide receiver position. The 12-5 AFC North champions have young superstars like Zay Flowers and breakout Rashod Bateman, who especially exploded this past season with career highs. However, whether it was due to health, they were missing another weapon at the position. Diontae Johnson is still on the team, as he was suspended for the rest of the season but is a pending free agent. This trade blew up in their faces despite the low draft capital given up. Could another trade be in the works this offseason?
Deebo Samuel, Cooper Kupp Trade Candidates
Personally, I would love either, as they are missing a veteran option who is a bigger-bodied pass catcher. Although the Ravens use multiple tight ends often to overcome this deficiency, we all saw what happened in Buffalo. Flowers being out for multiple weeks in the playoffs, on top of Bateman midway through the Divisional round was the nail in the coffin. Another receiver in the mix would fix some offensive deficiencies for big playoff games against teams like the Bills or Kansas City Chiefs.
Lamar Jackson was throwing to Mark Andrews (unfortunate), Isaiah Likely (future tight end 1), and Anthony Miller/ Steven Sims on that final drive. Although they had vets like Nelson Agholor and Deonte Harty, they haven’t been big contributors most of the season. Rookie Tez Walker didn’t see action till late in the year and I hope Tylan Wallace is retained as a special teamer/ wide receiver.
I don’t envision the Ravens drafting an early-round receiver again likely a few years ago, but either through free agency or through a trade something could be possible sometime this offseason or before the regular season this year. Although he hasn’t officially requested a trade like Rams’ Cooper Kupp or 49ers’ Deebo Samuel, D.K. Metcalf is another name potentially if he wants out of Seattle.
Final Thoughts
In terms of salary, I am not sure if the Ravens would be the best landing spot for either, as playoffs that have more cap space and an open spot at receiver would be ideal. However, I don’t think the draft capital (Day 2-3 Selection) to get them would be that much, as both are older and have dealt with multiple injuries lately. Stylistically, they both fit as YAC monsters and their run-after-catch ability.
That would be deadly in Baltimore with their top rushing attack, led by Derrick Henry and Jackson duo. But the other issue is that they are in discussions about re-signing both Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum. On top of Henry, which could free up some cap short term as the Ravens need to keep their veteran running back and their young stars. Baltimore’s big pending free agents include Ronnie Stanley, as they will need a left tackle if the market outprices what the Ravens are willing to give.
If the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl win taught us anything is to build in the trenches, as Jackson needs better protection than what he got this past season. If the Ravens decide to land either vet receiver via trade, there will have to be some sort of contract renegotiation on their current deals. The same idea does go for free agency, as pending available wide receivers include Tee Higgins, Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Chris Godwin, and former Baltimore Raven Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.
