It's no secret the Baltimore Ravens have a huge question to answer when it comes to their quarterback situation. Besides that elephant in the room, the Ravens, like many teams in the NFL, have other needs to address in the free agent market.
Looking at Baltimore's roster, one can say there's talent all over the place, particularly on the defensive end. With the exception of some busted coverages and blown leads in a few games, the defense is capable of giving the Ravens a chance to win every week. As for the offense, most would probably say that is the weaker point on the team, keeping them from being a true contender in the AFC.
Back to that elephant, the name is Lamar Jackson, and the world waits to see if he will be throwing passes in Baltimore in 2023. The contract negotiations have been ongoing, but nothing has been agreed upon. Therefore, the Ravens hit Jackson with the non-exclusive franchise tag, meaning he can get offer sheets from other teams. Baltimore would have the chance to match the offer, but if they don't, they would get two first-round picks via trade.
Regardless of who the quarterback is for the Ravens next season, they will need a few targets to catch those passes. With that in mind…
The biggest need the Ravens need to address after the first week of NFL free agency is wide receiver
Making sure the wide receiver pool is stocked for Baltimore has been a constant battle through the years, but it's not do to a lack of trying. They brought Sammy Watkins to the squad, but he was often-injured and ended up going to another locale. The Ravens drafted Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in 2019, but inconsistent play led to him getting traded to the Arizona Cardinals before the 2022 season.
The moves haven't stopped there. Baltimore drafted Rashod Bateman in 2021, but he hasn't been healthy enough to make an impact big enough to say the pick was worth it. They even brought DeSean Jackson into the fold, but he's back on the market.
With the Ravens having a run-heavy offense under previous offensive coordinator Greg Roman, they're were some who felt that held the receivers back from being productive, if blame wasn't being placed squarely on Jackson. Whether it's injuries, lack of plays or the quarterback not being able to get the ball to the targets, the result is Baltimore still has a void at that position.
Now, the Ravens have a new OC in Todd Monken, who held the same position at Georgia during the two national championship runs the Bulldogs went on. The move to bring Monken in is seeming designed to help Jackson take the next step in his development as a complete quarterback, assuming he wants to stay. Even if Jackson remains there, that doesn't fix the need to get wide receivers, and keep them healthy.
If Bateman is able to stay on the field, that would be a boost on its own. He has shown signs he could become a bonafide target for whoever is throwing to him, but his first two seasons in the NFL have been plagued by injury. Devin Duvernay and Demarcus Robinson have had limited production, but it was nothing that would consistently threaten opposing defenses.
Long story short, the biggest receiving threat the Ravens have is tight end Mark Andrews. If I can figure that out, the defenses Baltimore sees on a weekly basis can surely do the same, and they will do what's necessary to take Andrews away. Getting a bona fide receiver would not only help the QB, but open up the middle of the field for Andrews.
So who can the Ravens add to bolster the receiving corps? Fortunately for them, there are a few options out there. Perhaps Odell Beckham Jr. can be the one to open things up. Beckham Jr. seems hungry to prove he can still play at a high-level after tearing the ACL in his left knee during Super Bowl 56. Whether he could or not remains a question until he plays another game, but it wouldn't hurt Baltimore to find out.
On a side note, maybe a trade for DeAndre Hopkins could be in the works with the Cardinals, or perhaps a deal with the Denver Broncos to acquire Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton may be in the offering.
What we do know is the wide receiver position remains a glaring weakness for the Ravens as we enter the second week of free agency. There's no telling if addressing the need would affect Jackson's feelings, but getting someone to pair with Andrews could only help. If not, a flickering championship window could close soon after.
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