When thinking about the current state of the Ravens’ corps of pass catchers, several names emerge before the player who has every reason to emerge in 2014 as one of the better wideouts in the NFL.
Torrey Smith, a second-round pick in 2011, enters the final year of his rookie contract with no current indication that the Ravens are prepared to extend his deal. In his third season, Smith cracked the 1,000-yard barrier for the first time, generating 1,128 yards on a career-high 65 catches. That puts Smith at No. 17 among all pass-catchers, and it creates a potential conundrum regarding his worth.
On one hand, Smith had a great year given the lack of complementary weapons. On the other hand, a high-end wideout should have had even better numbers, especially without players like Anquan Boldin (who was traded in the 2013 offseason) and tight end Dennis Pitta (who missed most of the year with a dislocated hip) not siphoning off throws.
This year, Smith will be sharing the stage with a healthy Pitta, a newly-arrived Steve Smith, a currently-underrated Owen Daniels, and a frequently-overlooked Jacoby Jones, who contributed 455 yards after missing time with a Week One knee injury. To get a big-money, long-term deal, Smith needs to emerge once again as the top option -- and to find an even higher ceiling of production.
