The Baltimore Ravens’ wide receiver room improved this offseason slightly…but only slightly. It remains a major question mark, as outside of Zay Flowers, it’s pretty much an entirely unproven group. While there appear to be six guys ready to snatch up active roster spots, maybe the team shouldn’t be satisfied with that.
It’d make a ton of sense if the Ravens opted to sign a veteran ahead of training camp. Behind Flowers and Rashod Bateman, there’s inexperience, and someone with more years under their belt could speed up development. But with what should be a competitive team in 2026, that veteran could also be one who might sneak onto the roster.
Maybe that guy is Deebo Samuel? Former Raven Femi Ayanbadejo thinks it could make some sense. He spoke about the possibility on an episode of The Baltimore Collective with Jeff Zrebiec, Bobby Trosset, and Cole Jackson.
“[Deebo Samuel’s] a guy that’s so unique, like there’s not a lot of Deebo’s out there,” Ayanbadejo said. “He’s kind of a Swiss Army Knife. If and when there’s an injury, because this is football, this is just what happens, I wonder if [the Ravens] come into camp and they sign another vet before camp, or if they wait until something happens in camp.”
Baltimore Ravens could make sense as destination for Deebo Samuel
What makes Deebo Samuel such a fascinating player is his versatility. As Ayanbadejo said, he’s unique. He’s obviously a solid wide receiver, but it’s his play as a ball carrier that separates him from your typical wideouts.
Across his NFL career, Samuel has been heavily involved as a rusher. He’s seen a total of 219 carries in 97 games, and he’s made the most of those opportunities with 1,218 yards, 21 touchdowns, and an average of 5.6 yards per carry. That’d be an intriguing element to add to Baltimore’s offense.
It’d be especially intriguing given who’s calling the plays for the Ravens’ offense in 2026. Declan Doyle is taking over, and as a 30-year-old offensive coordinator who quickly introduced himself as one of the more innovative minds in football, the possibilities if Samuel were in his offense would be endless. Most notably, it’s expected that Doyle will run more play actions and reps where Lamar Jackson is under center, and that’s where a players like Samuel have the chances to feast.
When you have a trio like Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Flowers, eye candy should be the name of the game. You have Jackson threatening defenses with his arm and as a scrambler, Henry in the backfield ready to run through anyone who comes near him, and Flowers threatening the edges of the defense and separating as well as any wideout in the NFL. If you add Samuel’s unpredictability, physicality, and devastating blocking ability, that’s an offensive unit that could turn in historic numbers.
Of course, Samuel isn’t necessarily a Pro Bowl-level player anymore. His 2021 season, when he totaled over 1,700 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns, seems like a peak he’ll never reach again. However, he's still a productive player, most recently putting up over 800 total yards and six touchdowns with the Washington Commanders in 2025.
Admittedly, it’d be very difficult to find a spot for Samuel. After drafting two wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft, and already having a starting trio and go-to return man in-house, there’s almost no room for him. If the Ravens are serious about competing, though, and think they need one more upgrade in the wide receiver room to reach new heights on offense, they should contemplate finding a way to bring in Samuel.
Add us as a preferred source on Google