The Baltimore Ravens are bringing back Mike Wallace. According to reports, the Ravens have picked up his option.
The Baltimore Ravens are bringing back Mike Wallace. The offense remains the beleaguered portion of the offense. Bringing back Brandon Williams and signing Tony Jefferson helps an already good defense. Wallace is one of the only play-makers the Ravens have left that they know they can count on.
Wallace had a decent season in 2016 and the Ravens are lacking at the wide receiver position. ESPN’s Jamison Hensley summed up the move to keep Wallace, very concisely:
"“The Baltimore Ravens didn’t reach an agreement with any wide receivers by the start of free agency Thursday. So, when it came time to decide whether to pick up Mike Wallace’s option for 2017, there really wasn’t a decision.”"
Hensley couldn’t have said it any better. The Ravens have a completely baron wide receiver group. They don’t know if Breshad Perriman can end up being a number one receiver, but all indications are that he’s a work in progress. Hensley pointed out quite accurately that the Ravens had no reason to let Wallace leave.
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Moving forward Wallace should be a big part of the offense. He has a good chemistry with Flacco. Secondly, Wallace has blazing speed. Any pass that he hauls in could go the distance. In the first game against the Steelers, Wallace had a short pass that he took over 90 yards for a touchdown. Wallace can certainly be part of a well balanced offense. The question becomes how much can they lean on him?
The Ravens still need to address the cornerback position but the first round of the draft is their best chance at finding a number one receiver. At the very least the Ravens need to find Wallace some help. One option would be drafting John Ross with the 16th pick in the draft. It’s not unrealistic. Ross appears to be the consensus third best wide receiver in this draft class. Corey Davis and Mike Williams are likely top 10 picks. Ross could be there when the Ravens pick on day one of the draft.
Next: A Dominant Defense Is The Best Path Forward For The Ravens
In addition to bringing back Wallace, the Ravens signed Danny Woodhead to help the offense. The Ravens seem to have a clump of running backs and tight ends. We still don’t know what is going to happen with Dennis Pitta and Ben Watson who could still be cap cuts. The Ravens have one receiver they can count on. It looks like the NFL Draft will be where they solve the rest of their receiver crisis.