Ravens' Updated Depth Chart After Sammy Watkins' Reported 1-Year Contract
March 26, 2021
The Baltimore Ravens finally landed a wide receiver who can help Lamar Jackson out in 2021.
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Sammy Watkins will sign a one-year deal worth $5 million guaranteed with the Ravens.
Wide receiver has been a position that the Ravens have been trying to figure out since Jackson took over as their starting quarterback in 2018. Watkins isn't a perfect solution, but he does provide head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman with another option to increase their explosiveness in the passing game.
Ravens' Projected Depth Chart
QB: Lamar Jackson, Trace McSorley, Tyler Huntley
RB: J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill
WR1: Marquise Brown
WR2: Sammy Watkins
WR3: Miles Boykin, Devin Duvernay, James Proche, Jaleel Scott
TE: Mark Andrews, Nick Boyle, Eric Tomlinson
LT: Ronnie Stanley
LG: Bradley Bozeman, Tyre Phillips
C: Patrick Mekari, Trystan Colon-Castillo
RG: Kevin Zeitler, Ben Powers
RT: Orlando Brown, Tyre Phillips
LDE: Derek Wolfe, Chauncey Rivers
NT: Brandon Williams, Justin Ellis
RDE: Calais Campbell, Justin Madubuike
RUSH: Pernell McPhee, Jaylon Ferguson
WLB: Malik Harrison, Kristian Welch
MLB: Patrick Queen, Otaro Olaka, Chris Board
CB: Marlon Humphrey, Anthony Averett
CB: Marcus Peters, Jimmy Smith
Nickel CB: Tavon Young, Khalil Dorsey
FS: DeShon Elliott, Jordan Richards
SS: Chuck Clark, Nigel Warrior
Depth chart info provided by Ourlads and Over the Cap.
Baltimore hoped that Marquise Brown would develop into a No. 1 wide receiver when he was selected No. 25 overall in the 2019 draft. The 23-year-old has shown flashes of promise with 1,353 yards and 15 touchdowns in 30 games over the past two seasons, but he hasn't taken off the way the team would have liked.
The entire receiving corps in 2020 didn't do much to help Jackson. He had the highest percentage of dropped passes (7.5) among all qualified quarterbacks. Baltimore ranked last in the NFL with 171.2 passing yards per game.
The Ravens' success on offense is determined by their running game, but they need to reach a point where opposing defenses at least respect their ability to pass.
Watkins, like Brown, is another player who has flashed potential at times. He had 2,029 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Buffalo Bills from 2014-15.
Injuries have been a constant problem for Watkins throughout his career. The Clemson alum has not played all 16 games in the regular season only once in eight seasons. He was crucial for the Kansas City Chiefs during their run to Super Bowl LIV two years ago with 288 yards in three playoff games, including 114 in the AFC Championship Game against the Tennessee Titans.
If the Ravens can keep Watkins healthy and get that version of him in 2021, he will be a focal point of their offense.