John Harbaugh maintains great expectations for a forgotten member of the wide receiver corps for the Baltimore Ravens. A raw, but gifted second-year pass-catcher who already looks more up to speed with the pro game this offseason.
Harbaugh told reporters at Ravens minicamp on Wednesday, June 18, how Devontez Walker “has a chance to be really good,” per Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink.
John Harbaugh really likes what he’s seen from second-year WR Devontez Walker: “He has a chance to be really good.”
That’s a bold statement after Walker caught just one pass as a rookie last season. Granted his lone grab was a 21-yard touchdown against the New York Giants in Week 15, but the fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft almost looked lost on the depth chart after the Ravens added five-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins this offseason.
It’s to Walker’s credit he’s battled hard and performed well, determined not to be forgotten. Staying relevant won’t be easy with Hopkins in town, Zay Flowers returning from injury and Rashod Bateman signing a new deal, but still having the faith of his head coach bodes well for Walker.
Forgotten Ravens WR Still Has Potential
Harbaugh still believing in Walker’s potential makes sense since the former North Carolina star possesses a core talent that never goes out of fashion in the sport. Namely, legitimate field-stretching speed.
Walker is a vertical threat, but the label needn’t limit his role, quite the opposite. A clearly defined set of skills can help the Ravens design plays just for Walker.
It’s what Harbaugh himself did to help put the rookie in the end zone against Big Blue. Albeit, Harbaugh had trouble remembering his own influence, per Ravens Vault co-host Sarah Ellison.
Look who was behind the play drawn up for Devontez Walker’s TD … even though he almost forgot
Building on this signature play requires Walker getting onto the field more often. It’ll happen if he continues to work as well as he has this offseason.
The work has included Walker adding more precision to his routes. Something highlighted by PressBox reporter Bo Smolka during OTAs.
Rookie WR Devontez Walker running routes at #Ravens OTAs
Reps like this weren’t lost on Harbaugh, who believes Walker “is ‘more certain’ as a route-runner, per Russell Street Report’s Nikhil Mehta. The latter thinks Harbaugh’s assessment “makes sense” because “Walker had a limited route tree at UNC in 2023 after missing the first four games due to an eligibility issue.”
Expanding his repertoire can help Walker earn passes from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, even though the two-time NFL MVP is no longer short of dynamic targets.
Wide Receiver Now a Position of Strength for Ravens
There haven’t been many times, if any, in franchise history when the Ravens could claim wide receiver as a team strength, but this is one. Adding Hopkins and changing the decorated veteran’s role is just one of the many options for the most exciting position group on the roster.
Using narrative-changing wideout Bateman in a different way is another possibility for offensive coordinator Todd Monken. The play-caller will also want to work explosive after-catch specialist Flowers more into the game-plans.
Having so many ways to get so many skilled receivers involved is a true champagne problem for the Ravens. It will be easier to solve if Monken gives his primary pass-catchers specific responsibilities based on their best traits.
Like playing Flowers inside and woking more deep shorts to rapidly improving Walker into the playbook.
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