Not So Fast on Narrative About Ravens and Free-Agent Receivers
As noted in yesterday's Late for Work, Hilton's apparent decision to take less guaranteed money to stay in Indianapolis rather than sign with the Ravens added fuel to the notion that receivers don't want to play in Baltimore's run-heavy offense.
A week earlier, JuJu Smith-Schuster reportedly turned down a bigger offer from the Ravens before signing a one-year deal to stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
At this point, however, the narrative about the Ravens and free-agent receivers is speculative. Like Hilton, Smith-Schuster made it known that his first choice was to remain with the only NFL team he has ever played for.
"Unfortunately, there's not a clear answer to the question," Ravens Wire's Matthew Stevens wrote. "Very few players will ever publicly say why they turned down an offer, especially if there's a chance at a pairing in the future. In this case, both Hilton and Smith-Schuster played it as cool as they could, focusing more on their current teams and how big of an offer Baltimore gave them over their reasoning for rejecting it."
Could the fact that the Ravens throw the ball less than any team in the league have been a factor for Hilton and Smith-Schuster? Sure, but that also could be an over-simplification.
Stevens noted that the decisions by Hilton and Smith-Schuster to accept one-year deals to re-sign with their respective teams could be due in part to a historically low free-agent market thanks to the salary-cap reduction.
"Think about it this way: If you're a free-agent wide receiver and you want to make the most money possible next season, you're going to want to sign with the team that gives you the best chance of putting up a career-best year," Stevens wrote. "Would that be the place you've been your entire career, with a coaching staff and teammates that know how to maximize your potential? Or would you rather make a little more money for a year but have to uproot your entire life and family to move states away and play in an offense that throws the fewest passes in the NFL? The answer is pretty obvious."
Stevens added: "It is a concern that Baltimore hasn't been able to land a wide receiver yet. … But I also think this is a unique offseason that no one really knows how to handle, and it's unfair to judge a team or player for how they're trying to navigate it."
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March 26, 2021 at 08:39PM
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Late for Work 3/26: TY Hilton Says He Was 'Five Seconds Away' From Signing With Ravens - BaltimoreRavens.com
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