Last season, the Ravens offense was inconsistent and just plain bad at times. With the departure of Steve Smith Sr., the veteran wide receiver who played with Baltimore for three seasons, the Ravens may need to look to free agency to find some wide receivers to add to the roster. Here are three options the Ravens may go to.
Alshon Jeffery
Alshon Jeffery has been with the Chicago Bears since the 2012 season, and has been a highly productive wide receiver since 2013, when he put up over 1,400 yards receiving. For the Bears, Jeffery has been their best receiver since Brandon Marshall left for the Jets. Jeffery played under a franchise tag this past season, and could have his contract extended, or be put under the franchise tag again this season. It makes sense that the Bears would do either of those two things, however, Jeffery was suspended for four games this season for violating the NFL PED policy. He also has struggled with injuries recently. If the Bears do decide to let Jeffery go, he may be too pricey for the Ravens, especially with his recent off the field issues. If Jeffery does land in Baltimore, he would be an instant starter for the team, and hopefully would complement Mike Wallace well.
Pierre Garcon
Pierre Garcon has been a solid player for the Washington Redskins since he signed with the team in 2012, and has twice been over 1,000 receiving in his five years with the team. Garcon is a team player, and would be a good presence in the Ravens locker room if they were to sign him. Like Jeffery, Garcon could be resigned by his team, but there are signs pointing to a departure from Washington for Garcon. If Garcon hits the open market, he probably would price for less than Jeffery would coming out of Chicago. He is currently 30, and will turn 31 in August of this year. He also has not had the same amount of production Alshon Jeffery had in Chicago. He still is a great receiver, and would be a good fit if the Ravens can snag him off the market.
Kenny Britt
Kenny Britt is coming off of his first 1,000 yard receiving season. He’s been with the Rams since 2014 after leaving the Tennessee Titans, who he had been with since 2009. He dealt with some off the field issues early in his career, but has put that behind him since then. Britt has been a productive receiver in his time with the Rams, even with the constant quarterback problems the team has. If Britt ends up leaving the team, he would be the least expensive receiver on this list, but has tremendous potential to produce for the Ravens considering he is only 28 and is coming off of his best NFL season yet.
Other Options for the Ravens
If the Ravens don’t want to find new receivers in the free agent market, they could find some gems already on the roster. There are two receivers already on the Baltimore Ravens that could fit the roles of potential free agent acquisitions. The first being Kamar Aiken. Ravens fans saw what Aiken could do in the 2015 season, when injuries to much of the team gave him his chance to prove his worth. He totaled for 75 catches with 944 yards. In 2016 however, Aiken’s role was limited with a crowded receiver field. With Steve Smith Sr.’s retirement, Aiken could have a much bigger role in Baltimore. If the Ravens can re-sign Aiken, he could become a consistent pass catcher. The second receiver on the roster that could hit it big is former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds. The Ravens absolutly love the potential Reynolds has, as they drafted him to be a receiver in the sixth round last season. After a year on the practice squad, Reynolds was elevated to the 53 man roster for the last game of the season, but he did not play. Reynolds could start out as a kick or punt returner this season, and potentially could evolve into a reliable receiver for the Ravens.
