The Baltimore Ravens had talked about being hopeful to re-sign wide receiver John Brown this offseason. Brown had talked about wanting to return to Baltimore on a long-term contract. It didn’t come to fruition as Brown is set to sign a three-year contract with the Buffalo Bills for $27 million when free agency opens tomorrow afternoon.
The Ravens had inked the oft-injured Brown last offseason to a one-year, “prove-it” deal at $5 million. Brown came out strong last season with quarterback Joe Flacco before the offense became more conservative and run-heavy under rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson starting at midseason. Even with the slowdown in production, Brown still caught 42 passes for 715 yards and five touchdowns. He led the Ravens in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2018.
Still, Brown showed he was a capable deep threat with better route running than he had previously been given credit for. By staying healthy throughout the season, Brown increased his value in free agency quite a bit, earning a long-term deal with the Bills.
Brown’s departure will further deplete Baltimore’s depth chart at wideout. Willie Snead is the only consistent wide receiver currently on the roster, with Chris Moore right behind him. Both Jordan Lasley and Jaleel Scott — 2018 NFL draft selections — played no snaps last season. Instead, the Ravens have invested heavily at tight end to help take some of the receiving pressure off the wide receiver corps and create mismatches. As free agency begins in earnest, Baltimore will likely look to add young talent to the roster well before the season starts.
