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The Baltimore Ravens still have opportunities to improve their roster, even with the bulk of free agency and the NFL Draft now out of the way.
Though the Ravens are once again shaping up to be contenders this season, questions still remain about some position groups, especially at wide receiver.
The Ravens didn’t make any splashy moves at receiver this offseason. They gave extensions to Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman and used a fourth-round pick on Devontez Walker. They did not re-sign Odell Beckham Jr.
And of course, they still have Zay Flowers, who is coming off an impressive rookie season, and tight end Mark Andrews, who is one of the best pass-catching TEs in the NFL.
Beyond that, however, there are a lot of question marks and inexperience.
On the Ravens official website, Ryan Mink recently named Tylan Wallace and Deonte Harty as two names to watch beyond their top three starters and Walker. Wallace has largely been a punt returner. Harty has a bit more experience, but has just one season with over 200 receiving yards in six seasons (570 in 2021 with the Saints).
With the Ravens now in OTAs, it’s worth wondering if the team will sign any remaining free agent wide receivers, especially with two big names still available: Michael Thomas and Hunter Renfrow.
Thomas has battled injuries over the last three seasons, playing a combined 20 games since 2020. However, 2023 was his healthiest season in the last three years. He caught 39 passes for 448 yards and 1 touchdown in 10 games. It’s a fry cry from his peak production, when he had 1,725 receiving yards in 2019, but he could be worth a flyer.
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Monzano recently named the Ravens as a potential landing spot for Thomas.
Renfrow remaining on the market is a bit more of a mystery. Renfrow is only two years removed from a 103-catch, 1000-yard, 9-touchdown season with the Raiders. His stats took a dramatic downturn thereafter, as he seemingly did not mesh with former Raiders’ head coach Josh McDaniels’s game plan.
Still, Renfrow played all 17 games last season, so health is not an issue.
Renfrow has previously demonstrated explosiveness in tight situations and reliability on third downs, both of which could be helpful for the Ravens’ offense.
The Ravens have shown a willingness to take flyers on players before. Last year, they signed Beckham Jr. and running back Dalvin Cook for the stretch run. Beckham had his moments but was not a major impact player overall while Cook hardly played.
There are reasons Thomas and Renfrow are un-signed, be it contract demands, health, or uncertainty about their skill level in 2024. Still, for a Ravens team lacking depth in pass-catchers, either player could be worth trying out.