Top 3 reasons to be pessimistic about Baltimore Ravens chances in 2023
1. Can Baltimore Ravens get the most out of their wide receivers next season?
The Baltimore Ravens wide receiver looks better on paper than fans can ever remember. Lamar Jackson has never seen a room this good in his career, and no one can deny that. However, you can poke holes in the idea of how high this can take the Ravens' ceiling.
First, Rashod Bateman has never played a full season in the NFL. It is possible he gets his career on track after this year, but it is just as likely that he has proven that he may not be durable enough, as the jump has proven to be tough for his body.
Then, there is Odell Beckham who did not even play last season. He is also 31 years old, which is when you see wide receivers leave their prime. Some players will tail off and have extended careers, but others can be seen tumbling off of a cliff once they hit this age. The injuries of Beckham may have his status leaning towards falling off of a cliff.
Then, there is Zay Flowers. He obviously brings the most promise, but he is a rookie and a small one at that. The Ravens' hope is that Beckham and Bateman are healthy so that they can ease Flowers into the mix and get him comfortable. However, if one or the other, or even both goes down, the team is going to be asking Flowers to do a lot.
Of course, rookies also tend to miss games when you consider it is a longer season, and the physicality week-to-week escalates. Who is to say that Flowers fits long term?
Lastly, none of these players have played together before this season. Who is best in what role, and how they work off of each other will be key to learn this season. Lamar Jackson may see highs that are higher than ever, but he also may see frustration getting used to the new players.
5 reasons to be excited about the Baltimore Ravens. dark. Next. 5 reasons to be excited about the Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens wide receiver corps may end up being better in 2024 than 2023 because of this. If Beckham and Bateman can stay healthy they would head into 2024 with growth, and Flowers would be in year two with a shot to break out. In 2023, there may be ups and downs as it gets sorted out.