All of the focus on the Baltimore Ravens this offseason has been on their quarterback situation with Lamar Jackson. It sounds as if Jackson is ready to move on from Baltimore, requesting a trade from the team early in March.
While that has been dominating headlines, the Ravens have been diligently working on upgrading other areas of the team. One of the biggest takeaways from the 2023 NFL annual meetings was that the team is actively seeking upgrades at the wide receiver position.
According to ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano, the Ravens are making a push for free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Right now, all signs are pointing toward Beckham wanting to eventually team up with Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets, but the Ravens can offer him more money and a much larger role in their offense.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is another name to keep an eye on. While new Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has said he expects Hopkins to be in the lineup in Week 1, a trade is still very possible.
The biggest hold-up right now for the Ravens, or any team interested in acquiring Hopkins, is his contract. Any team that acquires him would be taking on $19.45 million in cash and cap hit, which is a lot for a 31-year-old seeking a new contract.
Fellow ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler mentioned another name he heard connected to the Ravens; Courtland Sutton of the Denver Broncos. There have been mixed signals about how interested the Broncos are in making a deal involving Sutton or Jerry Jeudy, but right now, they aren’t hanging up on teams making calls.
Sutton would be a solid buy-low candidate for the Ravens to target. Since a breakout 2019 season in which Sutton made the Pro Bowl, catching 72 passes for 1,112 and six touchdowns, he has struggled to get back to that level. Injuries, inconsistent hands and poor quarterback play have all played a part in his struggles.
If the price is right for Baltimore, Sutton would be a huge upgrade for a unit that has been mostly ignored during Jackson’s tenure with the team. Whether it is Jackson or someone else starting at quarterback for the Ravens in 2023, it is clear that their weapons need upgrading.
