Do the Baltimore Ravens have serious interest in this free agent wide out?
Beyond the Lamar Jackson news, the Baltimore Ravens do have to make upgrades to their roster in free agency. One of the biggest areas of need is wide receiver. It has made a name like Allen Lazard jump to the front as one of the big names available.
Should the Baltimore Ravens sign Allen Lazard?
While that means that most teams will have interest, it is worth noting that Matthew Berry of NBC Sports notes that he heard the Baltimore Ravens are going to be interested in Allen Lazard.
"My source goes on to explain that that was a phrase he heard about Lazard, one of the top free agent wide receivers this year in a fairly thin class. I heard both the Ravens and Chiefs really like Lazard and my sense is that Lazard returning to Green Bay is not out of the question, but an unlikely outcome."
With Green Bay out of the picture, it does make sense that both Baltimore and Kansas City are looking to free agency to upgrade at wide receiver. Still, you have to assume that if the Ravens move on from Lamar Jackson that Lazard will heavily lean toward the Chiefs.
The debate for Lazard is a tough one. On the surface, he was outplayed by two rookies last season and did not break out when the offense was supposed to center around him. He is a complementary wideout who will probably get overpaid.
Right now, Spotrac expects him to make $12.5M per year, and PFF has him projected for $11M per year. It is hard to see him outside of the $10-$14M range. Still, $14M for a complementary wideout is a lot.
At the same time, what are the Baltimore Ravens to do? They need a wide receiver, and he is one of the best options around. There are limited free agents, and the big issue with the NFL draft is how many of the wide receivers are small.
The Ravens should not be overly picky, but Lazard is almost a hybrid tight end at his size. The team needs a big target who can block, assuming that Lamar Jackson stays. With that in mind, the options really start to dwindle and all eyes focus more intently on Allen Lazard.
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It is not surprising that the Baltimore Ravens have an interest in Lazard when you consider the fit and lack of other options. The team may have to pay a bit much, but as long as it is not dramatically over the market