The Ravens have signed free agent wideout DeAndre Hopkins, and probably we all should have seen that coming. He fits the profile of the type of wideout Baltimore likes to bring in.
Yes, he's a sure-handed possession receiver, with four seasons with over 100 receptions and four more with at least 75. Plus, he old.
Hopkins turns 33 in June, but the Ravens aren't too concerned, signing him to a one-year, $6 million deal. That's not big money in today's NFL, but it's not nothing. If you're a pass-catching wideout who's played his best ball, Baltimore still believes it can squeeze another good season or two out of you. And in general, they've been correct.
Since 2000, in fact, they've signed a dozen other 31-plus year old wide receivers who've played their best ball for other teams. Five of those previous dozen have gone on to have at least one top-40 PPR season with Baltimore; three did it multiple times, and three had at least one top-20 season. A couple of those guys were 35 or older when they did it with Baltimore, so the Ravens might anticipate getting multiple good years out of him.
Baltimore has Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman already, but let's not rule out Hopkins emerging as a steady presence, perhaps catching more balls than Bateman, who comes off his first good season. I'll concede Hopkins was little used and/or perhaps cooked for most of his campaign with Tennessee and Kansas City last year, but you only have to go back to 2023 to see him catching 75 balls for 1,057 yards and 7 TDs for those Titans.
Wide receivers 31 or older who have played for the Ravens this century are listed below; top-40 seasons are in bold. Skeptics would point out their most recent forays into these waters, ala Odell Beckham, have been not so good.
| LONG IN THE TOOTH RAVENS WRS, 2001-PRESENT | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Age | G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Rk |
| 2024 | Nelson Agholor | 31 | 14 | 29 | 14 | 231 | 2 | 116 |
| 2023 | Odell Beckham | 31 | 14 | 64 | 35 | 565 | 3 | 63 |
| 2022 | DeSean Jackson | 36 | 7 | 17 | 9 | 153 | 0 | 143 |
| 2020 | Dez Bryant | 32 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 47 | 2 | 157 |
| 2018 | Michael Crabtree | 31 | 16 | 100 | 54 | 607 | 3 | 56 |
| 2017 | Mike Wallace | 31 | 15 | 92 | 52 | 748 | 4 | 38 |
| 2016 | Steve Smith | 37 | 14 | 101 | 70 | 799 | 5 | 37 |
| 2015 | Steve Smith | 36 | 7 | 73 | 46 | 670 | 3 | 53 |
| 2014 | Steve Smith | 35 | 16 | 134 | 79 | 1065 | 6 | 18 |
| 2013 | Brandon Stokley | 37 | 6 | 21 | 13 | 115 | 0 | 128 |
| 2012 | Anquan Boldin | 32 | 15 | 112 | 65 | 921 | 4 | 30 |
| 2011 | Anquan Boldin | 31 | 14 | 106 | 57 | 887 | 3 | 35 |
| 2010 | Derrick Mason | 36 | 16 | 100 | 61 | 802 | 7 | 28 |
| 2010 | T.J. Houshmandzadeh | 33 | 16 | 57 | 30 | 398 | 3 | 78 |
| 2009 | Derrick Mason | 35 | 16 | 134 | 73 | 1028 | 7 | 17 |
| 2008 | Derrick Mason | 34 | 16 | 121 | 80 | 1037 | 5 | 20 |
| 2007 | Derrick Mason | 33 | 16 | 164 | 103 | 1087 | 5 | 14 |
| 2006 | Derrick Mason | 32 | 16 | 112 | 68 | 750 | 2 | 36 |
| 2005 | Derrick Mason | 31 | 16 | 137 | 86 | 1073 | 3 | 19 |
| 2001 | Qadry Ismail | 31 | 16 | 134 | 74 | 1059 | 7 | 20 |
--Andy Richardson