The Baltimore Ravens have seen their wide receiver room change a bit during the 2022 offseason, specifically with the trade of wideout Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals. The team also saw both Sammy Watkins and Miles Boykin move on, leaving plenty of young players to compete for catches at the position that include Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, James Proche II and Tylan Wallace.
When listing off “no brainer” NFL moves that should happen right now, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report talked about Baltimore bringing in a veteran receiver in former Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans pass catcher Julio Jones. Ballentine talked about how the group needs a veteran, and Jones has the leadership skills as well as NFL resumé to help the Ravens both on and off of the field.
“What the group needs is a veteran who understands how to succeed in the NFL. Julio Jones isn’t the All-Pro player he once was, but he still fits that bill…Jones is a strong leader who would provide a great presence in the locker room. That alone is a good reason to sign him, but he can also still provide a big-bodied receiver for Lamar Jackson on the field…The 33-year-old has struggled to stay healthy. He’s only made 19 appearances over the past two seasons, but he’s also just one season removed from averaging 11.3 yards per target, which would have been the best mark among all Ravens receivers last season.”
At his peak, Jones was one of the best receivers in the league. The veteran stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs around 220 pounds, the former Alabama star would provide Baltimore with a proven big-bodied receiver that can go up and make contested catches, a skillset that they desperately need. Jones also has 11 years on NFL experience, so he’d be an ideal mentor for a player like Bateman, who is trying to establish himself as a true No. 1 wideout.
For how good Jones has been, injuries have unfortunately been quite common for him throughout his career. However, even if the Ravens were to get 12-13 healthy games from the veteran, the signing could be more than worth it.
In his 11 seasons as a professional, Jones has caught 879 passes for 13,330 yards and 61 touchdowns, averaging 15.2 yards per catch.
