The Baltimore Ravens are working toward building a Super Bowl contender this offseason. After deflating in 2025, they’ve emphasized that they need to construct a better roster around quarterback Lamar Jackson.
They’ve done that on the defensive side with additions like Trey Hendrickson and Jaylinn Hawkins, but the offense remains much the same. Sure, they signed John Simpson, but they also lost Tyler Linderbaum. Outside of Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Zay Flowers, the unit still lacks depth.
The Ravens especially need more help on the receiving side. They will likely turn to the 2026 NFL Draft to find the perfect complement to Flowers, but according to DeAndre Hopkins, there may already be a promising weapon on Baltimore’s roster: LaJohntay Wester. He spoke about Wester’s potential in a recent interview.
“Ravens need another receiver, though, for sure…But look, you sleeping on LaJohntay [Wester]. LaJohntay’s nice.” Hopkins said. “I feel like [Wester] is the other receiver they might need.”
DeAndre Hopkins speaks highly of LaJohntay Wester’s future with Baltimore Ravens
Many fans want Hopkins to be a part of that wide receiver group in 2026. It felt like he didn’t reach his full potential under last year’s coaching staff. However, if Wester is on the rise as Hopkins believes, Baltimore may want to allow Wester to take advantage of a potentially bigger opportunity.
Wester was really only a return man in his rookie season. He returned 16 punts for 198 yards and 10 kicks for 246. He broke off a few big returns throughout the year, but never made any house calls. Still, that big-play ability is there.
It’s clear Wester’s intriguing playmaking traits were taken note of, as he earned more offensive snaps late in the year. It wasn’t a lot; he logged a season-high of nine snaps at wideout twice, but he was doing something right to earn those chances. He could continue to make strides next season if the door stays open for him to find a consistent role in new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s offense.
There’s reason to believe that Wester can crack the rotation and become a steady contributor. He was a machine at Florida Atlantic and Colorado, totaling over 2,000 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns between his final two collegiate seasons in 2023 and 2024. He's a bit of an underdog as a 5-foot-9 sixth-round pick, but he has the speed and elusiveness to be an effective weapon in Doyle’s explosive offense.
Regardless of what Wester does next year, the Ravens cannot rely on him to be a bigger piece of the offense. They need another starter to play alongside Flowers, and someone more physical, as well. The 23-year-old could step up, but Jackson needs more surrounding weapons.