Baltimore Ravens: Top Five Offseason Needs

Nov 9, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marlon Brown (14) catches the ball over Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin (33) and safety Daimion Stafford (39) at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Jump Ball Receiver

Steve Smith is aged, Torrey Smith is on an expiring contract, Jacoby Jones is on the decline, and everyone else is unproven. And even at their best, the Ravens’ receiving corps lacks a jump ball threat.

Gary Kubiak has made good use of what the Ravens have, but the deep ball has still been hit or miss this year. Joe Flacco does not deserve the blame for that, as he has been the third most accurate deep passer in the league according to Pro Football Focus (subscription needed). The Ravens simply lack the big receiver with ball skills that can turn the deep passing game into a more consistent threat. Marlon Brown has the size, but he has yet to prove he has the ball skills necessary to succeed in jump ball situations.

Fortunately for the Ravens, there are tons of big receivers in this draft class. Each of the top-nine receivers in the CBS Sports rankings is at least 6’1″, so there is no excuse for the Ravens to not grab a big, talented receiver early in the draft. Of course, size is not always a predictor of jump-ball ability, so expect significant scouting and coverage of this year’s crop of receivers from the Baltimore Wire.