One of the hottest stories of Baltimore Ravens training camp has quickly become the wide receiver room. Zay Flowers got paid, Rashod Bateman is showing signs of turning things around, and the WR3 battle is taking off.
It’s that WR3 battle that has everyone's attention. The center of it has been rookie third-round pick Ja’Kobi Lane. Man, has he been dominant.
It’s only training camp, but Lane has done everything you could want and so much more. It feels like with each practice, he’s adding another jaw-dropping catch to his already impressive highlight reel.
Preseason is a different animal, though. For Lane, if he can continue this remarkable stretch into the Week 1 battle against the Philadelphia Eagles, he’d put a very powerful claim in for that prized WR3 spot.
Ja’Kobi Lane could stake claim in WR3 spot in Baltimore Ravens’ preseason opener
While Lane’s recent dominance has been something to keep an eye on, you can never put too much stock in camp performances. Stuff like this happens almost every year. For the Ravens, some of the most memorable summer standouts include Tim White and Miles Boykin, both of whom ended up disappointing in their Baltimore tenures.
However, it seems like Lane is making a different kind of impact. Rather than relying on pure speed, the USC product refines his game around his strength and will to win at the catch point. He’s taking the names of the Ravens’ best cornerbacks, and as Nate Wiggins put it, Lane is a dawg.
Lane needs to carry that dawg-like mentality into the preseason because although he’s separating himself in the WR3 competition, it’s far from over. Devontez Walker and Elijah Sarratt are gunning hard for that spot.
Walker has become a fan favorite in Charm City thanks to the explosiveness he brings to the offense. Over 11 career targets, he’s hauled in 7 receptions for 157 yards and 4 touchdowns. Yeah, that’ll play, but he needs to prove he’s more than the occasional flash in the pan.
As for Sarratt, the rookie fourth-rounder is very clearly behind Lane. Sarratt was stuck in Lane's shadow through the first week of camp, and while he’s started to make more plays recently, he has a ton of ground to make up. If he can continue to pick up the pace in the preseason opener, though, the trend could certainly shift slightly.
Still, it feels like Lane’s job to lose at this point. He’s the kind of receiver that the offense has lacked, and he’s been showing a strong connection with Lamar Jackson early on. Jackson’s ball placement and Lane’s contested catch ability are a scary combination for any opposing defense to face.
But if Lane doesn’t adjust well to the preseason spotlight, he could lose a lot of that ground he gained in training camp. Walker and Sarratt are going to put up a heck of a fight. That makes it crucial that Lane has the motor running hot early and often against the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night—it would make his case to be Baltimore’s third wideout way more compelling.
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