
Anquan Boldin was the Ravens’ top receiver for the last three seasons.
The veteran averaged 62 catches and 879 yards a year during his time in Baltimore. With Boldin now in San Francisco, where will that production come from this season?
The most likely answer is a receiver-by-committee approach. Don’t expect a single person to take on a starting job and put up numbers that match to Boldin's.
The Ravens are looking for
The Ravens will look for increased production from all of their top targets, and spreading out those Boldin’s 62 receptions will help soften the blow of losing a No. 1 receiver.
It starts with
The next position to consider is tight end, where
The Ravens may use Pitta more in the slot, as he probably has the best hands on the team and is a safety net for quarterback
Dickson wants to get more involved in the passing game after a down receiving year in 2012. The Ravens regularly use two tight-end sets, and Dickson could see numbers more similar to the 54 catches he had back in 2011. A move in that direction would go a long way in distributing receptions.
Another player looking to get more involved in the passing game is
If Smith, Pitta, Dickson and Rice all increase their receptions by about 10-15 catches next year, then that leaves only 15-20 catches from Boldin’s numbers to be made up by some combination of Jones, Doss, Reed, Williams, Thompson or Streeter. All of the young receivers have shown promise during the offseason, and the Ravens are hoping that one of them can emerge from the pack during training camp.