The Baltimore Ravens are short a veteran presence outside the numbers, but their second-leading receiver from 2016 knows who can fill his shoes.
Retired receiver Steve Smith, now spending his days dropping glorious one-liners during NFL Network's combine coverage, mused Friday on Baltimore's shoddy receiver depth, suggesting that impending free agent Brandon Marshall should be a target for the team.
"I think (Marshall) would be a good fit," Smith told the Ravens' website. "Actually, me and B. Marshall talked last week and he kind of gave me a heads up on some things.
"I think he would be a great fit because he's a playmaker. At the end of the day, you need playmakers. You need a lot of horses in the stable and you can never have too many playmakers on one team or one side of the ball."
Set to be released by Jets this week, Marshall has made it clear that his next destination will have to be in contention for a Super Bowl. Baltimore was one Antonio Brown touchdown away from winning the AFC North last season and should be more than competitive in the division again.
Marshall might also be intrigued by the leadership of John Harbaugh and the veteran presence of Joe Flacco, a consistent, if not elite quarterback.
The wideout is just two seasons removed from a 1,500-yard campaign when, with solid quarterback play, he outworked corners and was an absolute force in the red zone. If Marshall can regain that form with a QB like Flacco, that would be a boon for the Ravens, who are in the market for that type of commanding athlete on the flanks.
