Harbaugh Confident Baltimore Will Be Destination for Free-Agent Receivers

Baltimore looking to add a veteran playmaker

Last offseason, Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledged certain wide receivers might not have been all that excited about joining an offense that mainly focused on the run. 

However, he said players would be mistaken to undermine the ability of quarterback Lamar Jackson to throw the ball downfield. 

Fast forward one year and Baltimore could be a key destination for veteran wideouts that want to make an impact with a record-setting attack.

"And if you remember, last year I kind of said it in a way like, ‘They’re going to find out.’ And yes, I absolutely believe that players are going to be very excited to be here and to be a part of this offense,” Harbaugh said.

Jackson had one of the most successful regular seasons by any quarterback in NFL history. He completed 265 of 401 passes for 3,127 yards and an NFL-high 36 touchdowns, which was also a franchise record. 

Tight end Mark Andrews led the team with 64 receptions and 852 yards with 10 touchdowns and was named to the Pro Bowl in just his second year. Rookie Marquise Brown was the top downfield threat with 46 receptions for 584 yards with seven touchdowns. Brown, however, was hampered by a foot injury for most of the season. Willie Snead IV was third on the team with 31 catches for 339 yards and was also a key blocker for the running game.

Baltimore is looking to change the look of its offense again this offseason. The Ravens broke the NFL’s all-time single-season rushing record (3,296 yards). Baltimore also became the first team in NFL history to average at least 200 rushing and 200 net passing yards per game in a season, finishing with 206.0 rushing yards and 201.6 net passing yards per game.

As teams adapt to the run-oriented offense, Jackson will have to make more plays with his arm. That could mean bringing in some more talented receivers that can extend plays/

"We are not going to be sitting on our hands, schematically," Harbaugh said. "We are not going to be saying ‘OK, we have this offense and this defensive system that was hard for people to deal with, and we are good.’ We understand that we are going to be studied on both sides of the ball, by every single team in the league, very thoroughly. We will be the first team that they will pull the tape up on and watch."