The Baltimore Ravens labored through a tough 2021 campaign. Injuries derailed them from the get-go, and they were never able to recover, resulting in them missing the playoffs in a lost season. There was a lot of bad luck involved in Baltimore last season, but the front office made sure that they wouldn't be able to use bad luck as an excuse in 2022.

The Ravens made a lot of solid moves to reinforce the depth on their roster. They have given their star quarterback Lamar Jackson more protection on offense, and their defense looks like it will be one of the best in the league. If the Ravens can stay healthy, they look poised to be one of the best teams in the NFL in 2022.

Despite an offseason full of good moves, the Ravens failed address arguably their biggest position of need at wide receiver. They needed help there heading into the offseason, and that need is even more pressing now as Baltimore gears up for training camp, which isn't ideal. With that in mind, it isn't surprising that the Ravens two worst moves of the offseason came at the wide receiver position.

Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)

Baltimore Ravens worst offseason moves

No. 2: Letting Sammy Watkins leave in free agency

The Ravens had a dire need for more playmaking after the 2021 season. Granted, many of their top skill players were forced to miss time, if not the entire season, with injuries, which contributed to that need. They should have their top running back duo of JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards back for the 2022 season, and Mark Andrews is coming off a nice bounce back campaign last season too.

But wide receiver was the key need, and the Ravens only got weaker their this offseason. Letting their top free agent at wide receiver leave in Sammy Watkins certainly didn't help. Watkins was attainable for the Ravens, but they opted to let him sign with the Green Bay Packers instead.

Watkins lone season in Baltimore certainly wasn't a success. He finished with 27 catches for 394 yards and a touchdown, as he was caught up in the overall struggles of the Ravens offense. But Watkins is a better option at wide receiver than everyone on Baltimore's roster currently, aside from Rashod Bateman. Bringing him back would have given Jackson a consistent target at wideout, even though he was anything but that last season.

Instead, they let him go to another wide receiver needy team in the Packers. And in the process, it left Baltimore even thinner at wide receiver than they were heading into the offseason. And while losing Watkins hurts, it isn't nearly as bad as Baltimore's worst move of the offseason.

No. 1: Trading Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals

Easily the worst move of the offseason for the Ravens involved trading their best wide receiver in Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals. Baltimore should have been looking to bring in good wide receivers rather than getting rid of them. In the process, they have left their star quarterback in Jackson out to dry for the upcoming season.

Brown was dealt to the Cardinals, along with a third round pick, in exchange for the 23rd overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Ravens would end up trading down to the 25th pick and selecting center Tyler Linderbaum, which was admittedly a good pick. But at the cost of Brown, it didn't feel worth it.

Marquise Brown may have ultimately requested a trade off the Ravens, but either way, it's not a good look for Baltimore to be trading their top wide receiver despite having a pressing need at the position. Baltimore didn't even try to replace Brown, failing to add a wideout in the draft, which was really the only negative of their 2022 draft haul.

The problem now is there is a gaping hole behind Bateman on the wide receiver depth chart. Devin Duvernay is in line to be the second wideout behind Bateman, and while he's shown flashes early on in his career, he may not be ready for such an increase in responsibilities. Behind him is James Proche II, who has just 17 catches through the first two seasons of his career.

The lack of depth at wide receiver is the main reason these two moves are the worst of Baltimore's offseason. Jackson has very few playmakers on offense, and the Ravens failure to get him any additional help, or at least retain the playmakers they already had, could sink their 2022 offseason. Jackson is great in his own right, but whether or not he can hold up the offense without any help at wide receiver remains to be seen. If he can't, these two moves will look even worse than they already do.