Baltimore Ravens: John Brown Free Agent Signing Grade

The Baltimore Ravens signed former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver John Brown to help their lackluster receiving core and Joe Flacco.

It was evident that the Baltimore Ravens needed to upgrade their pass-catching group this offseason. With the limited cap space the Ravens had, this was a good signing as a step in the right direction considering the Ravens only receivers were Breshad Perriman, Chris Moore, Tim White, Quincy Adeboyejo, and Devier Posey.

This addition was necessary, with both Mike Wallace and Michael Campanaro as current free agents and especially with the release of Jeremy Maclin. These will not be the only additions to the offense as I expect a few more moves in free agency but especially in the NFL Draft but I give this signing a B grade.

Nicknamed “Smokey” because of his speed, John Brown can be a difference maker as a deep threat if he stays healthy as he is a carrier of the sickle cell trait that has plagued his career so far.

The 27-year old receiver out of Pittsburg State passed 1,000 receiving yards and 50 catches in 2015 for the Arizona Cardinals, catching seven touchdowns that year. He’s, unfortunately, never had a season close to that as injuries/ sickness have slowed down his production ever since.

While he does have drop issues, he can prove his worth on the one-year deal as a big play receiver that can stretch the field with the production when he is on the field. I like this deal, considering his cost for a one-year deal with incentives and now with Ryan Grant’s contract voided, the Ravens now have money to spend on a big-name target like Michael Crabtree, who is visiting Baltimore on Friday (via Adam Schefter).

The former Washington Redskins wide receiver Ryan Grant will not be signing with the Baltimore Ravens due to a failed physical.

The former Tulane receiver started last year for Washington but still did not have over 500 yards and 50 catches in any of his 4 seasons. Ryan Grant is a reliable route runner with good hands that could do damage in the slot/ outside but just does not have the upside and potential production compared to Brown.

He was not worth the contract offered by the Ravens to begin with (4 years, $29 million) as it also had $14.5 million in guarantees and $10 million as a signing bonus but is now not legally binding due to medical concerns.

Next: Raiders make a mistake cutting Crabtree?

He is now not an option for the Ravens after they flagged him for his injury and will become a free agent. Michael Crabtree could be a potential option for the Ravens with Grant now out of the picture.