5 wide receivers the Ravens could acquire besides Antonio Brown
Lamar Jackson is continuing to lobby for Antonio Brown, but here are five other wide receivers the Ravens could sign or trade for.
Antonio Brown retired and reversed the announcement in a matter of days last week, as he called for the NFL to resolve his situation. He is almost surely facing a suspension he’s deemed eligible to play, but if his status is made clear there will be teams who will look hard at signing him.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw with Brown this offseason, and Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown (Antonio Brown’s cousin) was also involved in the workout. That fueled plenty of Antonio Brown-to-the Ravens speculation, and Jackson has circled back to call for his team to sign the mercurial wide receiver.
The end of Jackson’s quote, courtesy of ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, perfectly conveys the ongoing uncertainty of Brown’s situation.
Lamar Jackson: "It was nice throwing to Antonio Brown [this offseason]. I was hoping we would get him. I’m still hoping — a little bit."
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) July 29, 2020
The Seattle Seahawks are the second team that’s been most tied to Brown, as Russell Wilson worked out with him most recently and has lobbied similarly to Jackson for a signing. But until the league stops dragging their feet, albeit with some broader concerns right now, any team with any possible interest in Brown will have to wait for clarity.
Here are five wide receivers the Ravens could sign or trade for instead of Antonio Brown.
5. Demaryius Thomas, Free Agent
Thomas is far removed from his peak with the Denver Broncos. But earlier this month it was reported the New York Jets were talking about bringing him back. He wants to keep playing, but beyond that Jets report/rumor there has been no other known interest in him.
Thomas is close to a notable career milestone. He needs 237 receiving yards to become the 49th player in NFL history to each 10,000. Whether that’s a driver for his desire to keep playing is unclear, but it’s also hard to say it’s not.
The Ravens probably want someone way more dynamic than Thomas is at this stage of his career. But he’d be a solid veteran presence in any wide receiver room, and Baltimore should have him on their list of options besides Brown.