PFF Receiver Rankings: Do Beckham, Flowers Raise Ravens?

The Baltimore Ravens made some big catches, ironically enough, at receiver. How does the revamped catching corps stack up against the rest of the league?

A team bearing the Baltimore Ravens moniker has to boast a healthy aerial attack.

After a roller-coaster season that saw several big names fall to injury or inconsistency ... or both, in some cases ... the Ravens made some major moves on offense. Charm City won the Odell Beckham Jr. sweepstakes with an expensive raffle ticket in the form of a $15 million, one-year deal. Shortly after, they used their primary draft pick on Boston College Eagle Zay Flowers. At 22nd overall, he was the highest selection the Ravens had used on a pass-catcher since 2005 (Mark Clayton). The pair joins fellow newcomer Nelson Agholor (arriving via free agency from New England) as well as elite tight end Mark Andrews. 

Alas for the Ravens, the big-ticket additions did little to impress Pro Football Focus: In ranking the 32 receiving groups of the NFL, the Ravens are in the middle of the pack at 15th.

"The Odell Beckham Jr. signing doesn't elevate this group as much as OBJ signings have in the past, but it still strengthens a group that should be suitable for (quarterback) Lamar Jackson to make a playoff push," PFF writes.

“After starting just nine games over the past two seasons, Rashod Bateman is in for a breakout year. Andrews has been up there with Kelce and Kittle with an elite 90.4 receiving grade since 2021. Throw in Zay Flowers and his dynamic after-the-catch ability — he racked up 503 yards after the catch at Boston College last year — and it is a promising group."

The Beckham signing is indeed a high-risk, high-reward situation. Beckham's last NFL action paved the path to a Super Bowl championship with the Los Angeles Rams. But that came more than a calendar year ago after injuries sustained along the way caused him to miss all of last season. Bateman was another first-round choice (27th overall in 2021) but has likewise dealt with medical woes that have limited him to 18 games in his first two years. 

Despite the relatively low ranking, the Ravens own the second-best AFC North receiving corp. Unfortunately for the purple and black, the list is topped by the Cincinnati Bengals, who are headlined by the apparently lasting antics of Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Tee Higgins. Pittsburgh ranks 18th while the Cleveland Browns are 22nd. 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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