While the Baltimore Ravens’ wide receiver room is filled to the brim, they still have more uncertainty there than they’d like. Zay Flowers is a WR1. That much is clear. After him, though, there’s a handful of guys who just aren’t sure things.
The top two wideouts have talent, but they haven’t done enough to instill belief entering 2026. Is Rashod Bateman going to bounce back after a poor 2025 campaign? How about Devontez Walker? Will he put together a long-awaited breakout? Then there’s the rookies, and if things go right for them, they could actually hold the key to unlocking a deep passing game.
It’s unfair to put immense expectations on Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt. There’s a long way to go for the two mid-round draft picks. However, by all accounts, they crushed it at OTAs, and Flowers gave them a ton of praise for their mentality.
“[Lane] got that ‘dawg’ mentality,” Flowers said. “He wanna go get the ball, he wanna learn. And the same thing with [Sarratt]...They came in ready to do their job. That’s great to see, and I’m gonna lead them by example.”
Baltimore Ravens have rookie weapons ready to emerge (and they need them badly)
When the Ravens drafted Lane in the third round and Sarratt in the fourth round, they were sending an obvious message: they want more physicality on the outside. The trio of Flowers, Bateman, and Walker can stretch the field well, and second-year wideout La’Johntay Wester is dynamic in space, but none of those guys threaten opposing defenses with size. The rookie duo will certainly do that, both with their play and mindset.
At 6-foot-4, Lane is set to be the contested threat that Lamar Jackson has lacked across his career. With that kind of size, matched with above-average athleticism, Lane has the potential to be nearly unstoppable at the catch point. He possesses extremely long arms, can jump out of the building, and with Jackson throwing passes, he should have no problem going up and getting the football.
In Sarratt’s case, he might be the more polished of the two. He’s a bit shorter than Lane, but he brings plenty of physicality. He has a dense frame that makes him a serious problem on 50/50 balls, and he also has some route-running chops in his bag. He’s nicknamed “Waffle House” for a reason, people. With that profile, he has the potential to be open 24/7.
Along with their impressive play, it sounds like Lane and Sarratt check off the mental box, too. They could grow into receivers that are nearly unguardable, and when you have that “dawg” mentality that Flowers talked about, you’re doing things right. It doesn’t hurt that the rookie duo is being taken under a two-time Pro Bowler’s wing, either.
Overall, as the Ravens are desperate for wide receiver help, Lane and Sarratt could be exactly what they need. It’s only OTAs, and they’ll need to prove themselves in live game action, but it’s a tremendous start to their NFL careers. Let's hope they carry that into training camp.
Add us as a preferred source on Google