It seems the Baltimore Ravens are always in the market for a wide receiver, even though it’s not as much of a need as it was previously.
The Ravens have their top two receivers locked in with Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, both of whom are coming off the best season of their young careers. After that is where things get tricky, as most of Baltimore’s depth receivers are set to hit free agency next week. Even though Flowers and Bateman are a good duo, they can’t do everything by themselves.
It’s easy to assume that the Ravens will add to their receiving corps this offseason, but this year’s free agent and draft classes are both light on high-end talent. However, the silver lining is that there are some intriguing options later on, especially in the draft.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec believes the Ravens will go down that route, projecting them to take San Jose State’s Nick Nash in the sixth round at No. 185 overall, a pick they previously acquired from the Carolina Panthers.
“The Ravens could draft a wide receiver in any round and it wouldn’t be a surprise,” Zrebiec wrote. “DeCosta vowed to take more swings at the position, and Baltimore has drafted eight receivers over the past six drafts.
“Nash had a prolific final season at San Jose State, with 104 catches for 1,382 yards and 16 touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, Nash’s size would add some diversity to the Baltimore receiving group. The converted quarterback is adept at hauling in jump balls and making contested catches. He’d be a nice developmental addition.”
The Irvine, California native led all FBS players in receiving touchdowns this season, and could be a nice complement to the smaller Flowers and Bateman. Of course, that’s assuming he develops in Baltimore, which will take some time as he adjusts to the much higher level of competition in the NFL.
Nash may not be the immediate help the Ravens need, possibly prompting them to look elsewhere for that, but he could be a good addition to the receiving room in time.
