Antonio Bryant a Solution to the Baltimore Ravens' Wide Receiver Needs?

It seems like everyone in the NFL, including fans and experts, know that the Baltimore Ravens need a wide receiver on the outside to help quarterback Joe Flacco.

Everyone but the Ravens.

This time last year, Ravens fans were crying for their team to pick a young receiver, and at the time Darrius Heyward-Bey's name kept coming up, but unfortunately the ever-unpredictable Al Davis and his Raiders front office ended that possibility by reaching for the receiver in the top 10 of the 2009 NFL Draft.

So the Ravens went the safe route and selected offensive tackle Michael Oher instead, which also turned out to be a solid move in helping protect Flacco for many years to come.

But the question of getting a receiver still looms and once again the rumor mills are filling up quick with the possibility of landing either the Cardinals' Anquan Boldin or the Broncos' Brandon Marshal via trade.

Here is the important question...why would the Ravens want to sacrifice a very important draft pick (or two) to get one of them when they can just look down south to find a receiver that could help too?

The Buccaneers look like they will not continue with receiver Antonio Bryant on their roster in 2010, and he will go into free agency two years removed from having the best season of his professional career.

In 2008, Bryant had 83 receptions for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns.

Before that, in 2005, with the Cleveland Browns, Bryant eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark as well.

A former Fred Biletnikoff Award winner in 2000 when he was in college at Pittsburgh, Bryant has shown the ability to be a very good receiver in the NFL.

The biggest question with Bryant is his attitude, which Ray Lewis keeps in check, and his inconsistent play throughout his career in the NFL.

Still, this is the type of low-risk, high-reward player the Ravens may be looking for. Even though Bryant will probably ask for a ton of money at first, that number will go down when he realizes that teams will not pay him that much since he must prove himself all over again.

It may be in Bryant's best interest to just call Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome right now and say he'll take a one-year deal as long as the Ravens can commit to giving him a long-term deal if he can prove himself in 2010.

Will this happen?

Who knows, but it is a very sound prediction for both Bryant and the Ravens because they need each other. It almost seems like a perfect match at this time in the offseason.