Ravens: Improved receiving corps biggest reason for optimism in 2021

While the Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best teams in the NFL, one knock on them in recent years has been their receiving corps.

Lamar Jackson and the passing attack struggled might in 2021 as the Ravens put together the NFL’s worst passing offense. But the team made sure to arm him with better talent in that department.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report listed the Ravens’ upgraded receiving corps as their biggest reason for optimism this year.

He offered the following analysis.

"“Jackson and the Ravens could be poised to take the next step this season thanks to their revamped receiving corps. Baltimore added Sammy Watkins in free agency and drafted Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace in the spring.Bateman has the potential to be the No. 1 perimeter target that Jackson has lacked in his NFL career — last year’s No. 1 wideout, Marquise Brown, had just 58 catches for 769 receiving yards. This is big because if Jackson can improve even a little in the passing game, the Baltimore offense could be borderline unstoppable.”"

The additions of Rashod Bateman and Sammy Watkins should be huge for this offense because if the Ravens can get their passing game perfected, as Knox noted, they’ll be unstoppable on that side of the ball.

The Ravens have upgraded at wide receiver and it’s going to benefit them greatly.

We all know the Ravens can run the ball with the best of them, but Jackson needed better weapons to throw to and he has that now. Bateman gives them a potential future No. 1 option and pairing him with Marquise Brown gives Jackson two lethal options to throw to.

Watkins has mostly disappointed throughout his career, but injuries are a big reason as to why. When he’s healthy, he’s tremendous and can give the Ravens another boost through the air.

He won’t be tasked with being a No. 1 or No. 2 option in the Ravens’ offense, which will take the pressure off of him.

Tylan Wallace should be another significant factor in this offense too and he’s someone fans should be excited to see in a Ravens uniform.

The fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma State had just shy of 1,500 yards in 2018 and had over 900 yards in each of the last two seasons.

With new and improved weapons, Jackson should have no problem improving as a passer and silencing the naysayers when it comes to that aspect of his game.

The Ravens are going to have a tough battle with the Cleveland Browns in the division but these receivers joining the team should help give Baltimore the edge.