As Jacoby Jones and Possibly Torrey Smith Depart, Ravens Need Plan B at Wide Receiver

Dec 21, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Ravens are coming off a season that saw them deploy perhaps the best receiving group they had ever had, thanks to the addition of Steve Smith Sr. Since the team’s divisional round loss to the Patriots, however, that group is quickly dissolving.

The Ravens released Jacoby Jones on Wednesday, less than a year after signing the return specialist and Super Bowl hero to a new multi year contract. Jones failed to deliver as a pass catcher in 2014 as his role on the field dwindled with each passing week.

Meanwhile, the promised emergence of Torrey Smith as a true, number one receiving threat never came to fruition. With several receiver needy teams in the NFL, however, it now appears that some team is going to pay him like one. The Ravens brain trust no longer sounds confident that they can keep Torrey in Baltimore at a reasonable price.

Owen Daniels is a free agent as well, and though he has expressed a desire to return to the Ravens in 2015, nothing is guaranteed. Daniels has played his entire career under Gary Kubiak, who is now the head coach of the Broncos – a team that is likely to be looking for tight end help with perennial starter Julius Thomas hitting the free agent market.

If you add Justin Forsett to the mix, this all adds up to an astonishing reality – three of the Ravens’ top five receivers from the 2014 season may be wearing different uniforms in 2015. That’s a ton of turnover for one Joe Flacco, especially when you consider the fact that their top receiver – Steve Smith – will be 36 years old before the season starts.

So much like the way Marlon Brown burst onto the scene in 2013, the Ravens might need a bit of a miracle in 2015. Smith can’t do it by himself, and if he does, teams will simply smother him in coverage. They have to obtain a difference maker at wideout, whether it be via the draft or free agency.

Kamar Aiken has a decent future as a possession receiver, but he isn’t a field stretcher or a mismatch for opposing corners. Neither is Marlon Brown. While last year’s third round pick Michael Campanaro has a ton of potential and some pretty good jets, he is strictly a slot guy because of his size.

With Ozzie Newsome telling the press that the Ravens would not have any player on their draft board with domestic violence issues, this likely rules out Dorial Green-Beckham, who would fit the team’s need perfectly. A massive, talented, and fast touchdown catching machine, DGB would present too much of a PR risk for a team still smarting from the Ray Rice fiasco.

So while the saying goes “in Ozzie we trust,” it’s natural to feel a little nervous about the next few weeks. The Ravens aren’t the only team that has a need at wide receiver, and the talent pool in this year’s draft isn’t as deep as last year’s. Here’s hoping they can uncover a diamond in the rough.

Next: Ozzie Newsome calls out Matt Elam and kisses Pernell McPhee goodbye

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