Former Ravens Pro Bowlers Express Utmost Confidence in Young Wide Receiver Corps

Multiple Baltimore Ravens pass catchers from the past are excited about the potential of the collection of talented wideouts they've assembled in the present.

Feb 4, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers former receiver Steve Smith Sr. on the NFL Network set at the Super Bowl LX media center at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the Baltimore Ravens' primary focus in the offseason was to upgrade in the trenches on both sides of the ball by overhauling their interior offensive and adding more juice to their pass rush off the edge, they also revamped their wide receiver room.

Instead of seeking out or retaining a well-seasoned veteran to serve in a complementary role at the position for the fourth year in a row, they opted to add a pair of youngsters in the 2026 NFL Draft and put more faith in their other homegrown talent to rise to the occasion as they install a new offense under first-time play-caller Declan Doyle.

This approach has garnered some skepticism from some pundits in the media, but there are those who not only approve of it but are excited about what the young bunch can accomplish, catching passes from a two-time league MVP in franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Count NFL legend and former Ravens wideout Steve Smith Sr. among those who have high hopes for the group that is spearheaded and highlighted by two-time Pro Bowler Zay Flowers, who is coming off back-to-back 1,000-plus receiving yard seasons and is still ascending.

“He is the alpha, he is the No. 1 wide receiver but you got to have a little bit (of) creativity and not have all of that clutter and have everything be predictable and confusing in the hashes,” Smith Sr. said on his '89' podcast. “You gotta get him outside of the hashes.”

Last year, Flowers put up the seventh-most receiving yards and second-most in the AFC with a career-high 1,211 yards. He operated primarily and did most of his damage out of the slot, where he ranked second in the league in yards per route run, only trailing 2025 Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. His overall yards per route run of 2.53, per Pro Football Focus, was the third-best mark in the league.

Playing alongside and behind Flowers, the Ravens are returning sixth-year veteran Rashod Bateman, who is coming off a down year, third-year pro Devontez Walker, who has been sparingly used the past two years but has flashed in his limited opportunities and added rookies Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.

Unlike Flowers, who is the main attraction and focal point of their passing attack, the rest of the Ravens receivers have prototypical size to play on the boundary, but have had varying degrees of success there during their respective professional and collegiate careers.

“When you look at this wide receiver group, they have to play outside of the hashes because these are guys who excel (out there),” Smith Sr. said.

Bateman (6-1, 193) had the best season of his career in 2024, when he emerged as a potent vertical threat outside the numbers and in the red zone, resulting in him posting career-highs with 756 receiving yards and nine touchdown snags. Walker (6-1, 198) averages 22.4 yards per catch and while he only has 7 career catches, over half have gone for touchdowns (4). Lane (6-4, 200) and Sarratt (6-2, 213) were contested catch and back-shoulder fade specialists who had a knack for getting in the end zone in college.

"The Baltimore Ravens said, 'Hey, we're going to figure it out and we're going to make sure that we cross all of our T's' and dot our I's and let's get a more proper level of different wide receivers,'" Smith said. "'Let's get the big guys. Let's get the slow guys. Let's get the tall guys. Let's get the little jitter bugs. Let's get every variation that we need to be able to attack multiple levels.'"

Since Jackson came into the league, the Ravens have never finished lower than third in the league in rushing yards, and that won't change anytime soon with a Hall of Fame running back lining up next to him in the backfield. However, to maximize the full potential of their offense and set themselves up for success as a team, Smith Sr. believes they need to attack every area of the field, instead of primarily over the middle, where Jackson is among the league's elite.

“We know they’re going to run the football with Derrick Henry, it’s not a question,” Smith Sr. said. “But the way to benefit mostly from that is by expanding the play sheet and really showing defenses that you can throw the football outside the numbers. Because if you can’t, it’s going to get clustered and very crowded and then it’s not going to work and then you’re going to be looking at another subpar season.”

Lane's hype train continues to build steam

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (8) catches the ball against UCLA Bruins defensive back Cole Martin (21) in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Despite having yet to take a step on the field for his first padded practice as a professional or even lace up his cleats for his first career preseason game, the third-round rookie continues to gain more supporters, fans and admirers among former Ravens players.

The latest to express their excitement about what he can bring to the table as a contributor to the new offense is five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

He played for the Ravens in 2025 and recorded the third-most targets (39) and receiving yards (330), the fourth-most in catches (22) and receiving touchdowns (2). Hopkins reposted a video of Lane running routes and working on his breaks and cuts. He praised his playmaking ability and shared how he looks forward to seeing him catch passes from Jackson.

He a playmaker! Ball in the air it’s his. Looking forward to see him w Lamar https://t.co/3jElBS7yHp

— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) July 20, 2026

"He a playmaker! Ball in the air, it’s his. Looking forward to see him (with) Lamar," Hopkins wrote.

There are a lot of similarities between Lane and Hopkins' games, as both are big-bodied wideouts with big 10-inch hands and large wingspans that they use to reel in just about any pass that enters their airspace at the highest point or with a defender draped all over them. Whether it's making contested catches with both hands or just one, Lane's complete skill set is one the Ravens sorely need in their receiver corps.

Lane already has a preexisting relationship with one Ravens legendary tight end, Todd Heap, having played high school football with his son. He also has ties to another, having been neighbors and classmates with Super Bowl-winning tight end Dennis Pitta's nephew. In his latest appearance on 'The Lounge' podcast, Pitta talked about how excited he is to see what Lane can bring to Baltimore as well.

"I'm excited about his potential because I don't remember a receiver that looks like Ja'Kobi that the Ravens have had in a long time," Pitta said. "(He's) just tall and long and the ability to go up and highpoint the ball and his catch radius.

"It's going to be exciting to watch because I think he's a very different receiver from Zay Flowers and some of the guys that they have, and I think they'll complement each other well and provide a different kind of weapon for Lamar out there, certainly in the red zone with his length."