The Baltimore Ravens will need to add some depth in the wide receivers room this offseason, and that could be done in a number of different ways.
The two most likely are through free agency and April's NFL Draft, and Pro Football Focus' most recent pre-free agency mock draft, the Ravens add a potential No. 2 behind Zay Flowers in the first round.
Pick 30: Baltimore Ravens: WR Troy Franklin, Oregon
"Baltimore wasn’t particularly efficient throwing the deep ball last season. Troy Franklin posted a 99.1 deep receiving grade in 2023 and averaged 3.32 yards per route run, the sixth-best mark in the FBS. The Ravens need to continue to add weapons around Lamar Jackson, and Franklin’s frame and long speed are a good match."
Baltimore struck gold with Flowers in the first round last season, as he posted 77 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie campaign. But the Ravens haven't been so lucky in the past when drafting receivers early.
Rashod Bateman was taken by Baltimore at No. 27 overall in the first round in 2021 and totaled 32 catches for 367 yards and one touchdown last season. Devin Duvernay was taken in the third round in 2020 and has yet to develop into anything other than a kick returner.
It's a high-risk, high-reward move taking a pass catcher in the first round. The Ravens could also choose to dive into free agency for a wideout.
Of those who will be available when the new league year starts on Wednesday, Calvin Ridley, Marquise Brown and Gabe Davis are probably the most coveted. The Ravens, of course, have a history with Brown, as he was drafted by Baltimore - as a first-round pick, by the way - in 2019.
Whichever way the Ravens choose to go in the first round, it's hard to fathom that he won't be an immediate impact player with general manager Eric DeCosta's more recent history here.
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