The Ravens’ wide receiver room still looks like a work in progress, even after a modest offseason upgrade. Outside of Zay Flowers, the group remains largely untested, and while there are six players who appear capable of claiming active roster spots, that may not be enough for a team that wants to be ready to contend in 2026.
That’s why the idea of adding a veteran before training camp keeps coming up. Baltimore could use a proven presence behind Flowers and Rashod Bateman, someone who brings more experience and can help speed up development in a room that still has plenty to prove. And if the Ravens are looking for a veteran who could do more than just fill a seat, Deebo Samuel is the name that stands out.
Former Raven Femi Ayanbadejo floated that possibility on an episode of The Baltimore Collective with Jeff Zrebiec, Bobby Trosset, and Cole Jackson.
“[Deebo Samuel’s] a guy that’s so unique, like there’s not a lot of Deebo’s out there,” Ayanbadejo said. “He’s kind of a Swiss Army Knife. If and when there’s an injury, because this is football, this is just what happens, I wonder if [the Ravens] come into camp and they sign another vet before camp, or if they wait until something happens in camp.”
What makes Samuel such a compelling fit is the way he changes an offense. He’s a receiver, sure, but his value goes well beyond that.
Samuel has been used heavily as a runner throughout his NFL career, piling up 219 carries in 97 games for 1,218 yards, 21 touchdowns, and a 5.6-yard average per carry. That kind of production would give Baltimore another layer to work with.
The fit gets even more interesting when you look at who is taking over the offense in 2026. Declan Doyle, a 30-year-old coordinator who has already drawn attention as one of football’s more inventive minds, is expected to lean more on play action and more snaps with Lamar Jackson under center. That kind of setup could open the door for Samuel to do damage in a hurry.
And Baltimore already has the kind of personnel that can make defenses uncomfortable before the ball is even snapped. Jackson threatens teams with both his arm and his legs, Derrick Henry forces defenders to brace for impact, and Flowers stresses the edges and separates as well as any receiver in the league. Add Samuel’s unpredictability, physical style, and blocking, and the whole thing starts to look dangerous in a hurry.
Samuel is not the player he was during his peak. His 2021 season, when he posted more than 1,700 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns, looks like the high-water mark. Still, he remains productive, and he most recently finished with more than 800 total yards and six touchdowns for the Washington Commanders in 2025.
The challenge, of course, is roster space. Baltimore already drafted two wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft, and with a starting trio plus a return man already in the building, there is barely any room left. Even so, if the Ravens believe one more receiver could push the offense to another level, Samuel is the kind of player they should at least consider finding a place for.
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