Not Going There …

The Ravens won’t be taking a wide receiver or a quarterback in the first round of this year’s draft.

That’s about the only certainty surrounding the team because every other position is on the table.

The Ravens have selected six wide receivers in the past three drafts, including a pair of first-round picks. They plan to move forward with their current group of wideouts, but they could add another playmaker on day three if someone talented falls to them.

“I’m very comfortable where we are at the receiver position,” GM Eric DeCosta said. “I think people saw last year a lot of growth at that position. We had a nice mix of younger players who continued to improve throughout the year. We’ll look at ways of augmenting that position group, but I would not expect any significant additions at this time. That can always change, but at this time, I think we’re very comfortable with where we are with that group.”

The Ravens selected wide receivers Marquise Brown (2019) and Rashod Bateman (2021) in the first round of the draft.

Mock Draft: @DarinMccann made a move to jump to 10 for the EDGE he wanted. Would you do the same? #RavensFlock https://t.co/VXOUiBlF1n

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Bateman is expected to be a breakout player this season. He missed the first five games last season after undergoing groin surgery. However, he soon emerged as the Ravens’ most valuable wideout and finished with 46 receptions for 515 yards and a touchdown.

Bateman is hopeful he will enter the year fully healthy and has already been working out with Jackson this offseason.

“With the injury and missing time, getting that chemistry back with ‘L’ has definitely been important,” Bateman said. “So, working out with him was definitely a plus. Getting in shape [and] running some routes, it definitely felt good to connect with him.”

There are some questions surrounding Brown, who is entering his fourth season. Brown is coming off his best season as a pro, surpassing 1,000 yards receiving. However, he struggles with drops and sometimes pouts when he doesn’t get enough targets. Brown also tended to disappear when Jackson missed five games last year.

Brown is in the final year of his rookie contract, which will pay him just over $2 million this season. DeCosta has said the team will pick up his fifth-year option in 2023 worth $13.4 million, but from there, the future is murky.

If Brown plays well over the next two seasons, he could command a contract around $20 million, which would require a significant investment from the Ravens.

DeCosta admitted he has a soft spot for Brown.

“First of all, Marquise was my first pick, and I think very highly of Marquise,” said DeCosta, who took over as GM in 2019. “I think he’s a talent. I love his personality and his competitiveness and his passion. I think he had over 90 catches (91) this year and just over 1,000 yards (1,008). But I like his energy that he brings, and quite honestly, for his skill set, for what he brings to the table, the fifth-year option, in my mind, if you look at receivers and what they’re making now, it looks like a bargain.

“He’s just a nice piece, and honestly, if we didn’t bring him back, we’d be trying to find another receiver.”

They are also set at quarterback with starter Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley, despite some concerns about the long-term future of that position. The Ravens are still trying to reach a contract extension with Jackson and it might take a while before there is some resolution one way or another.

This is not a deep draft for quarterbacks, so the Ravens are not going to reach for a player, despite having 10 picks.

However, if they cannot reach a deal with Jackson by next year, selecting a quarterback could be a big priority in 2023.

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