Ravens Will Need Major Help At Wide Receiver This Offseason
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens wide receivers managed just two catches for 18 yards in the Week 17 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It's been an ongoing challenge throughout the season.
Without tight end Mark Andrews, the entire passing game would be sunk.
"I think the ball could have gone there a few times, and it didn’t, and Mark [Andrews] got a lot of targets (9)," Harbaugh said about the wide receivers' performance against Pittsburgh. "It’s not like we threw the ball a lot. But there are times it could have gone there and it didn’t – not to say it should have. It’s just that’s the way the game plays out sometimes.”
The passing game faced challenges early in the year and the loss of Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay to season-ending knee injuries created even more adversity.
The Ravens don't have a wide receiver ranked in the top 75 in the NFL for receptions.
DeMarcus Robinson is ranked 78th with 46 receptions for 434 yards with two touchdowns.
Andrews is ranked 26th with 73 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns, and he's certainly earning his recent contract extension.
The Ravens have tried to upgrade their wide receiver in the past several years.
They used a first-round pick in two of the last four drafts to select wideouts — Marquise Brown (2019) and Bateman (2021). Brown has since been traded to the Arizona Cardinals where he has continued his inconsistent career and Bateman had two injury-marred seasons, so the jury is still out on him.
Baltimore also signed free-agent Sammy Watkins in each of the past two seasons.
The Ravens need to add a top-tier free agent or make a trade for more talent at wide receiver next season.
It has to be one of the team's top priorities.
