The Robbie Anderson dream is over. Now, the Baltimore Ravens seem to be eyeing a different wide receiver to boost their pass-catching depth this season.
Baltimore could have pursued Carolina Panthers wideout Robbie Anderson when he was on the trading block, but the Arizona Cardinals closed the deal instead, adding yet another young and talented star to their receiver corps.
The Ravens have shown minimal interest in the wide receiver market ever since the end of last season, and their offseason acquisitions (or lack thereof) suggest it’s not a position they want to focus on.
Whereas the Cardinals have been rather desperately stockpiling weapons to complement Kyler Murray, Baltimore’s faith in its wide receiver unit has stayed steadfast.
There is, however, some value to acquiring a top-tier wideout; take the Buffalo Bills, for instance: would Josh Allen have enjoyed as much success as he has without Stefon Diggs?
With Rashod Bateman still injured and with the other Ravens receivers not performing up to par, the Ravens have reportedly turned their attention to a veteran option, former Raiders wideout DeSean Jackson.
DeSean Jackson is not the answer to Ravens’ passing woes
Veteran free-agent WR DeSean Jackson is scheduled to visit the Ravens on Tuesday, his agent @DrewJRosenhaus confirmed. At 35, Jackson wants to continue playing.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2022
Jackson can boast quite the career as a verifiable deep threat, and in theory, he could fit in the same role that Marquise Brown played in 2021.
He had stints on the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders last year and recorded 20 catches for 454 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season.
Jackson himself named the Ravens as a team he would want to play for and said: “I like Lamar Jackson’s game right now. Jackson and Jackson.”
His speed, experience, and big play ability make him a worthy target for several teams, yet in the Ravens’ case, he would only amount to a worse Marquise Brown — and why should Baltimore have to settle for that?
The Ravens’ wide receiver corps is as thin as it’s ever been, and coming off of an embarrassing loss to the New York Giants, some drastic changes may be in order.
Still, adding a 35-year-old wide receiver (who is often injured, to boot) doesn’t seem like the best use of the team’s resources.
DeSean Jackson feels very much like the last resort option, the button the Ravens should press when they’re in panic mode. It’s not time to panic just yet.