The Baltimore Ravens made a trade that surprised a lot of people during the 2022 NFL Draft. They sent wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a first-round pick. Brown is now teaming up with his college quarterback, Kyler Murray, but it was a deal that left some people scratching their heads.
The Ravens are a run-first team, but why would they trade their nominal No. 1 receiver given the limited options on the roster? Right now, Rashod Bateman, their first-round pick from 2021, is set to be the team’s No. 1 option.
That is likely something Baltimore planned for when they selected him, but they are dangerously thin at the position. Devin Duvernay and James Proche II are behind him on the depth chart, providing the Ravens with a top-three that has combined for 1,204 receiving yards thus far in their careers.
Tight end Mark Andrews is the No. 1 target in the passing game and the running game is the strength of the offense. But, to head into the regular season with this group of wide receivers would be quite surprising.
That is part of the reason why over at NFL.com, Marc Ross believes that the Ravens would be the best fit for free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. If he is looking for the opportunity to become the No. 1 wide receiver on the team, Baltimore presents him a legitimate chance at doing so.
However, it is anyone’s guess as to when Beckham will be back on the field. He suffered a torn ACL in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals, which could keep him sidelined for a majority of the season.
Can Baltimore afford to wait that long for help at the wide receiver position? While Beckham may be the most talented wide receiver left in free agency, the Ravens may opt to sign a player that is healthy and able to contribute right away, not one they could be waiting until November to be able to make an impact on the field.
Beckham showed that he can be a chain mover and big play threat with the Los Angeles Rams, playing a complementary role behind Cooper Kupp. He would be a good fit, schematically, for Baltimore but the uncertainty around when he will get back on the field makes him a risky signing.
