For years the Baltimore Ravens have essentially ignored the wide receiver position. However, that all changed this offseason. General manager Eric DeCosta made a concerted effort to upgrade the team’s pass catchers this offseason, making moves in free agency and draft.
The first player that DeCosta signed in free agency was Nelson Agholor, who will bring some speed and big play ability to the offense. In the days before the 2023 NFL Draft, the Ravens made a splash by signing veteran Odell Beckham Jr. He missed the entire 2022 season recovering from an ACL tear suffered while playing in the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams.
The final cherry on top was Baltimore using their first-round pick on Boston College wide receiver, Zay Flowers. That gives the Ravens a solid trio added this offseason to join 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman who has been held back by injuries in the early going of his career.
Those moves have to make Lamar Jackson happy. Jackson signed a record-breaking long-term deal to stay with the Ravens and will now have some great weapons around him outside of tight end Mark Andrews.
Could there be another addition on the horizon? There were some rumors that Jackson was hoping the Ravens would acquire veteran DeAndre Hopkins from the Arizona Cardinals along with signing Beckham. While that hasn’t happened, they could make a move for another veteran wide receiver.
A potential trade target is Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Transitioning to life without Tom Brady, 2023 could be a rebuilding year for the Buccaneers with Kyle Trask and Baker Mayfield set to battle it out for the starting quarterback job.
With some salary cap concerns, veterans such as Evans could be on the move. What could a trade between the Ravens and Buccaneers look like? A suggested trade package is Baltimore sending a 2024 second-round pick and wide receiver Devin Duvernay to Tampa Bay in exchange for Evans.
Baltimore would have turned what has been a weakness into the greatest strength on the team. Adding Evans to Bateman, Beckham, Flowers and Agholor would give Jackson the kind of depth you only see in a video game or fantasy football roster. Add in Andrews and running back J.K. Dobbins and the Ravens could have the best skill position group in the NFL.
