Report: Ravens Pulled out of Julio Jones Trade Talks After Drafting Rashod Bateman

The Baltimore Ravens reportedly were interested in Julio Jones. Well, at least until the NFL draft. 

According to Albert Breer of SI.com, "The Ravens discussed a Jones trade with the Falcons prior to the draft, but pulled out of the running after taking Rashod Bateman in the first round, and never got back in."

Jones was ultimately traded to the Tennessee Titans alongside a 2023 sixth-round pick for a 2022 second-rounder and a 2023 fourth-rounder. And it's possible the Ravens were never all that serious in going after him:

As for Baltimore, the team's fans may not be thrilled to learn the Ravens decided to end any potential pursuit of Jones because of an unproven rookie. That's not a knock on Bateman, a talented wideout who emerged as a star in 2019 as a sophomore after catching 60 passes for 1,219 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

But one of the Ravens' issues in the past two years has been a lack of top playmakers out wide for quarterback Lamar Jackson. Receiver Marquise Brown was tied for the team lead in receptions (58) and led the team in receiving yards (769) and touchdowns (eight). 

Hardly shabby numbers, but not exactly WR1 production, either. 

Granted, the Ravens' offense has always been centered on the run game. But adding more balance to it seems to have been an offseason goal for the team.

“I really think the way things are structured this year, we’re going to have a chance to get our preparation done this time of year and this summer to where we can have a more balanced attack,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said on a conference call Sunday. “Who knows? There might be some games this year where we’re really letting it rip.”

Free-agent addition Sammy Watkins will help if the Ravens do let it rip, though he's exceeded 1,000 receiving yards just once in his career, back in 2015. And Bateman will play a role, though rookie receivers typically adjust slowly to the NFL game.

For a team with immediate Super Bowl aspirations like the Ravens, Bateman may not be the instant injection of star power at wide receiver many fans believe they needed. 

Jones would have scratched that itch. Instead, he'll do so for one of Baltimore's primary competitors in the AFC, the Titans.