Getty Marquise Brown makes a tough catch against Tennessee.
This offseason, the Baltimore Ravens knew they had to prioritize some spots for upgrades, and they did just that at wide receiver, adding some big weapons to the roster.
Now that they have those weapons, it’s going to be a fascinating offseason to see who slots in where on the roster. The start of that will happen during training camp, and as a result, there’s going to be an intense battle at this spot in the weeks ahead.
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Recently, Bleacher Report and writer Alex Kay took a look at picking out the best camp battles for every team in the league. When it came to Baltimore, it’s only natural that wideout was the choice. As Kay wrote, seeing who steps up and can fill in will be a huge goal for the Ravens.
He said:
“The Baltimore Ravens have been struggling to get much out of their receiving corps, an issue that has been compounded by the lack of opportunity in an offense that runs the ball far more than any other.
The team’s top two options this season should be Marquise Brown and free-agency pickup Sammy Watkins, with first-round pick Rashod Bateman also in line to earn a prominent role. Miles Boykins, Devin Duvernay and Tylan Wallace—a fourth-round pick this year—should also easily make the roster, while guys like James Proche II, Deon Cain, Donte Sylencieux and Binjimen Victor will all battle for the sixth receiver position.
There’s an outside chance that Baltimore brings in Julio Jones as well, as the team has been linked to the superstar wideout in trade talks. A player of his caliber would instantly elevate this offense, but it would come at a high cost in both salary and assets.
If Brown can live up to his potential—something the team is banking on him to do in Year 3—and Bateman is as pro-ready as advertised, the Ravens should see their passing attack improve significantly in 2021.
Watkins is a solid No. 2 option if he can stay on the field, but avoiding injury has proved difficult for the veteran during his up-and-down NFL career. Fortunately, there is plenty of promising depth behind him, with an intriguing training camp battle likely to determine the player who will fill in if a starter goes down.”
It’s true that Watkins was an important addition, and the Ravens will have to see where everyone else fits in including the rookie players who were added this offseason. The group already feels deeper than it’s been, and that is good news ahead of a new season on the field where production will be necessary for this group.
Ravens Needed Talent Infusion at Wideout
If Baltimore’s wideout spot is upgraded, this is huge news for the team considering that was a massive need going into the 2021 season. The Ravens didn’t add much in free agency minus Sammy Watkins, so to come away with two major pass-catching targets for Lamar Jackson is a huge win for the franchise in terms of their quest of getting playmakers into the fold to help make the offense much more dynamic.
With these guys in the fold, it would not be a shock to see the Ravens having a much better season on offense, though developing them will be the biggest key for the team moving forward.
Other Key Ravens Camp Battles
While wideout might be one of the most important spots on the team, it’s far from the only one that fans should watch closely this offseason. There will be intrigue to see who starts on the offensive line, as well as what players make the best case to start on the edge to provide the pass rush punch the Ravens so dearly need after losing plenty of players this offseason at the spot.
With all this in mind, wideout remains the place that Ravens fans should watch closely this offseason during camp.