Baltimore Ravens free agency 2018: Top 5 targets

We know the need for a wide receiver is crucial to the Ravens’ success next season and Jarvis Landry is the cream of the crop in this free agent class. After four very productive seasons with the Dolphins, Landry is set to hit the free agent market. He’s reportedly been unhappy with potential contract talks to with the Dolphins and if the two sides cannot agree to a deal, Landry will be free to sign with any team. This is the opportunity for the Ravens to immediately address a major need.

Landry is primarily a slot receiver and a productive one in that. He led the league with 112 catches and finished just 13 yards short of his a third straight 1,000-yard season. Given that Jay Cutler and Matt Moore were the primary quarterbacks under center, that’s impressive in itself. Imagine how much more Landry would excel with a legitimate quarterback throwing him the ball.

Slot receiver or outside threat, the Ravens need all the help they can get at this point. Acquiring Landry would allow the Ravens to potentially target a bigger-bodied wide receiver in the draft like Courtland Sutton or Michael Gallup. Either way, I don’t believe the Ravens can rely on success just from the talent they acquire through the draft. It’s going to take more to fully address the passing game.

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Signing Landry would be a huge help but with every free agent comes a price tag. Landry is projected to earn close to $14 million a year in annual salary. That’s testing the limits of the Ravens’ cap space, especially if they want to retain center Ryan Jensen. When there’s a will there’s a way but Ozzie Newsome will have to work is magic if the Ravens want to pull this off. It would be a game-changer for the 2018 season.