Though the Baltimore Ravens have been perennial playoff contenders for nearly the last two decades, the organization needed a shake-up this offseason. They’ve been one of the most talented teams in the NFL since Lamar Jackson was drafted in 2018, despite major injuries across the board and subpar talent at certain positions.
Now, with Jesse Minter replacing John Harbaugh as head coach, one ESPN analyst believes some familiar issues persist for Jackson’s Ravens.
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Dan Orlovsky On What the Ravens’ Biggest Question Mark Is
Speaking on ESPN’sFirst Take, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky said, “I think there are some question marks about the Baltimore Ravens that are fair… I think the wide receiver core is probably the biggest question mark for me.
“This is a wide receiver group that has Zay Flowers, a really good player. Bateman has highs and lows both on the field and off the field when it comes to production and availability; Mark Andrews is still Mark Andrews… Outside of Zay, your two and threes are questions. Cincinnati doesn’t have those.”
It’s a notable point Orlovsky makes, and one that’s fairly obvious.
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Flowers had a career year in 2025, catching 86 balls for 1,211 yards and tacking on five touchdowns, earning him an 80.6 grade according to PFN’s Wide Receiver Impact Metric, ranking ninth among all wide receivers.
He led Baltimore in receiving by nearly 800 yards, followed by Mark Andrews with 422 and DeAndre Hopkins with 330, respectively, which proves Orlovsky’s point well.
Outside of Flowers, the Ravens are extremely thin at wide receiver.
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While Hopkins is gone, Bateman is expected to step back up after a disappointing 2025, and rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt will at least be intriguing rotation options.
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There’s almost no comparison to make between the Ravens’ receiving corps and the Bengals’ as Orlovsky also pointed out.
Ja’Marr Chase is perhaps the best wide receiver in the league, and he has the best No. 2 option behind him in Tee Higgins. Additionally, they have a nice depth option in Andrei Iosivas.
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While Flowers is in Higgins’ realm, Baltimore doesn’t have the overall talent that Cincinnati’s receiver room has.
However, it is worth pointing out that the offenses work completely differently.
While the Ravens focus on the power run game, with occasional passing plays featuring Flowers, the Bengals run a pass-first scheme to get the most out of their talented receivers.
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Both work, just in different ways.
For now, Flowers will continue to be the unquestioned top target in Baltimore, while they try to get the most out of Bateman, Lane, and Andrews.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
