
![]()
The Ravens, meanwhile, now have much more pressing matters.
They must figure out a way to not only offset the loss of a potential Hall of Famer, but to get even better. If the Ravens offense is going to improve in 2017, it must make even more big plays.
“Whenever you lose a great player — he is one of the all-time great players — [you] are going to have to fill the void,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “Guys are going to have to step up, and we’re going to have to find a way to be better next year.”
Even at age 37, Smith was one of the Ravens’ biggest playmakers. Despite missing two game with an ankle injury, he led the team in receiving touchdowns with five. He was second on the team in receiving yards (799), third in receptions (70) and third in targets (103).
When the Ravens needed wins down the final stretch of the season, they turned to Smith. He scored a key touchdown at the end of the first half versus the Philadelphia Eagles and caught seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But Smith was more than just big plays and stats. He was a fiery leader that elevated the game of everyone else around him. His competitiveness was infections, teammates said. Opponents feared him and defensive coordinators game planned him.
“Reality is going to hit us at some point that we don’t have him on the field anymore and to be able to be the guy that he is on Sundays,” quarterback ![]()
So how do the Ravens try to replace Smith?
Nobody will be able to be the kind of person he was. Just like legendary linebacker Ray Lewis, Smith was one of a kind. The Ravens will look to replace and increase his production, however.
As far as in-house options, the Ravens will return veteran ![]()
Baltimore will also have ![]()
However, Perriman didn’t have major production. He caught 33 passes for 499 yards and three touchdowns, serving mostly as the team’s No. 3 receiver.
![]()
![]()
Fourth-round rookie ![]()
“Nobody has to do anything spectacular; we’ve just got to go to work and get better and better each day,” Flacco said. “We have guys that can step in and do the job and they don’t have to be Steve Smith. They just have to be themselves, and that’s the most important thing.”
The Ravens could also add new blood via free agency or the draft.
Some of the top options in free agency are Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson and Washington Redskins receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson.
The top wide receivers in this year’s draft class are generally believed to be Clemson’s Mike Williams, Western Michigan’s Corey Davis, Washington’s John Ross and USC’s JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Those are options that will be explored in the coming months. For now, the Ravens are still coping with not having No. 89.
“It’s tough,” Flacco said. “What a competitor, what a player. He did so many things for this team. It’s definitely a tough reality.”



