Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
With Anquan Boldin gone, the Baltimore Ravens‘ passing game is expected to look a little different in 2013. Torrey Smith is slated to be the new No. 1 receiver, while the rest of the depth chart battles it out to determine who gets more time on the field. Smith has developed quickly in the past two seasons. Whereas he was initially used primarily as a deep threat, his route-running and elusiveness has progressed nicely since 2011.
Jacoby Jones has the most experience out of the remaining wide receivers, so it seems likely that he will be leaned on more than last season, even if he does retain his kick-returner status. At the very least, he is a proven deep threat that could be paired with Smith to free up the middle of the field for tight end Dennis Pitta. While he lacks the speed to be a deep threat, tight end Ed Dickson has excelled at sneaking behind defenses and making catches over the top, so he could be used as a another target in similar situations.
The rest of the roster is made up of largely unknown and unproven receivers who can offer their talents in limited roles. Tandon Doss has strong hands and can make nice catches in the open, but struggles against coverage, so he could be used in the slot like Pitta or over the top like Dickson. Deonte Thompson is rumored to have more speed than any other receiver on the roster, so he could be used as a third deep target option on specific plays. David Reed possesses good speed as well, and can wrack up yardage if left in the open. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk could be the Ravens’ most valuable wild card, though. If he can translate his Harvard success to the professional level, he can be one of Joe Flacco‘s new favorite targets.
All in all, the passing attack itself probably won’t look very different from last season. There will be a few new faces on the field, however, and that could add some new wrinkles to the offense.
