Pundit Says Signing Veteran Wide Receiver Such As Keenan Allen Should Be on Ravens' To-Do List
The Ravens are excited about their wide receiver group as currently constructed, but one thing it's lacking is experience behind starters Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman.
The next four wide receivers on the depth chart have a combined seven career catches, all by Devontez Walker over his two seasons. Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt are rookies, and second-year return specialist LaJohntay Wester took just 58 snaps on offense last season.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski said signing a veteran wide receiver is the Ravens' second-biggest item on their to-do list before the start of the regular season. (Finding a starting center was first).
"The organization has never had a problem bringing in aging veterans who can still play," Sobleski wrote. "For example, Keenan Allen could round out the team's pass-catchers quite nicely."
A proven, physical receiver such as Allen would be an intriguing addition. The six-time Pro Bowler has six 1,000-yard seasons and never had fewer than 744 yards in a season in which he played at least nine games.
Allen is 34, but he showed last season that he still has gas in the tank, logging 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns with the Los Angeles Chargers. As the Chargers' defensive coordinator last season, Head Coach Jesse Minter saw firsthand what Allen brings to the table.
Other notable wide receivers still available in free agency include Stefon Diggs, 32, Deebo Samuel, 30, and former Raven DeAndre Hopkins, 34.
On a side note, NFL.com’s Matt Okada said he would like to see Adam Thielen come out of retirement and sign with the Ravens.
"Despite a storied, 12-year NFL career that included two Pro Bowl selections and an appearance in the 2017 NFC Championship Game, Thielen never made it to the Super Bowl," Okada wrote. "He turns 36 in August, but I think he has a few crucial catches left in the tank. I'm sending him to the Ravens, where Lamar Jackson and Co. always seem one receiver short and where Thielen has great odds at a meaningful playoff run."
Thielen had 19 catches for 186 yards and no touchdowns with the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers last season.
Looking at Players Who Raised Their Stock at Ravens' Offseason Program
With OTAs and mandatory minicamp completed, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec looked at which players' stock rose and whose fell.
Here's a look at three risers:
Jackson
"The two-time league Most Valuable Player set the tone for his teammates by being a regular for the voluntary workouts, which hasn't always been the case. Offseason attendance is often overblown, but at least for Minter and first-year Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle, it would be hard to overstate the impact of having the face of the team in the building every day and leading the team. Jackson looked to be in good shape and practiced well. He's embraced the challenge of learning a new offense and seems determined to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2025."
Walker
"The third-year pro, who has four touchdowns among his seven career catches, is practicing with more confidence and assertiveness. He took advantage of the increased opportunities this offseason and looked ready to become a weekly offensive contributor. Now, he'll have to hold off rookies Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt for the No. 3 wide receiver job."
LB Trenton Simpson
"Teddye Buchanan deserves praise for a quick recovery from a knee injury. However, with him still on the mend, Simpson stepped in alongside Roquan Smith and showed good form. Smith said this is the best he's ever seen Simpson and it would be hard to mount a counterargument. Even if Buchanan is ready to go, Simpson is the type of athletic talent a creative defensive coach like Minter will utilize."
Former Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale Saw Something Special in Minter During Time Together in Baltimore
Former Ravens Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale saw early in Minter's coaching career that he had a bright future.
Minter's first NFL job was as a defensive assistant coach with the Ravens, and he and Martindale worked together for four seasons (2017-2020).
"The thing that stood out with me is just how serious he was about the profession," Martindale said on the “Ryan Ripken Show.” "For as good as we were defensively, he put a lot into it and had a lot of responsibility and was really good at his job, and you just knew that he was going to keep climbing the ladder. I was disappointed when he went to Vanderbilt [to be defensive coordinator] because I wanted him to stay with me.
"It's fun to watch him in his journey. You knew he was going to be successful."
Martindale attended a practice last week and was impressed with what he saw from Minter and his staff.
"I know Jesse's going to do a great job there. He did a great job when we were all together there, and I think it's to his advantage that he was in Baltimore before," Martindale said. "He knows the expectations. You can already see the culture that he's building. That's exciting to see."
Martindale also praised General Manager Eric DeCosta for bringing back veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell, who turns 40 in September.
"People don't give [Campbell] enough credit. He's like LeBron James," Martindale said. "It's amazing what he's done with his career."
Zion Young Named Ravens' X-Factor
FOX Sports’ Ben Arthur named the biggest X-factor for every team this season. For the Ravens, it's rookie edge rusher Zion Young.
"The Ravens need pass-rush help opposite free-agent acquisition Trey Hendrickson," Arthur wrote. "If Young, a second-round rookie, develops as hoped, new coach Jesse Minter's defense will have another talented edge defender to help out its talented secondary."
Young has looked the part thus far in practice.
"When he strikes a sled, it looks different," Minter said last week. "He's extremely physical. You almost have to tone him down in the periods because of the rules of engagement right now. I like how hard he plays. I like the swagger [and] the edge that he sort of brings when he's on the field. I like how he's learned everything and picked it up to this point. When the pads come on, it'll be really exciting to see what that looks like."
