The Baltimore Ravens have seen the wide receiver position change quite a bit over the course of the 2022 offseason. The team traded away wideout Marquise Brown and also moved on from both Sammy Watkins and Miles Boykin, leaving them with players such as Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, James Proche II and Tylan Wallace to step up.
“The Ravens have their own picks in each of the first four rounds of the 2023 draft. Kicking over first and a third-rounders to the Commanders for a highly productive and healthy 26-year-old receiver just entering his prime would provide Baltimore with the ideal Brown replacement…Getting the deal finalized before training camp would give McLaurin time to get integrated into the Ravens offense and allow the Commanders to prepare for a campaign without their top offensive weapon.”
There’s no question that McLaurin would add another dynamic to Baltimore’s already potent offensive unit. In three seasons in the NFL, the wideout has accumulated 222 catches for 3,090 yards and 16 touchdowns. He would be a true No. 1 wide receiver for quarterback Lamar Jackson, and would fit in nicely with other pass catching weapons such as Bateman and tight end Mark Andrews. However, there are a few things to think about when it comes to the potential of the Ravens trading for McLaurin.
First off, the star is in line for a massive second contract, which he absolutely deserves. However, with Baltimore’s offense being a run-heavy one, it’s up for debate just how much they’d be willing to pay a wide receiver, especially when a contract for a player of McLaurin’s caliber is likely to exceed $20 million per season. There is also the question of how much draft capital the Ravens would want to give up, as the team values their draft picks.
McLaurin would be a phenomenal addition for Baltimore. However, depending on how the Ravens feel about dishing out big money to a wideout as well as surrendering major draft capital in the process, a deal might not be in the cards.
