As the Ravens looks to fill key gaps with potential elite players available in free agency, management and head coach John Harbaugh are evaluating what moves they can make to improve on their 2024 performance. While their former linebacker C.J. Mosley still thinks about the Ravens, they’re focusing on other players now.
Last season, the Ravens finished with a 12-5 record but fell short in the divisional round of the playoffs, losing to the Buffalo Bills. This was a step back from their 2023 run, when they made it to the AFC Championship before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Now, with just the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Ravens will have to be more aggressive in free agency—and they’ve already made a major move.
The Ravens have officially announced the signing of WR DeAndre Hopkins on March 13, fulfilling Hopkins’ own vision of playing alongside Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. Now, it’s just a matter of seeing how this trio will perform together in the upcoming season.
John Harbaugh has spoken highly of Hopkins in the past, but there’s one key difference between then and now.
John Harbaugh called DeAndre Hopkins a “star” receiver in 2017
Back in 2017, when Hopkins was with the Houston Texans, Harbaugh praised him ahead of a Ravens-Texans matchup, calling him one of the best receivers in the league.
“[Hopkins is] A star, one of the best, very top receivers in the National Football League,” John Harbaugh said. “Very tough cover, go-to player. Very impressive.”
In the matchup following Harbaugh’s statement, Hopkins was the top receiver with seven receptions and 125 yards, but no touchdowns. The Ravens won 23-16.
Other coaches also highlighted Hopkins’ ability to make tough catches and score touchdowns, as 2017 was one of the peak years of his career.
“It’s uncanny what DeAndre’s able to do,” Sean Ryan said at the time, when he was quarterbacks coach for the Texans. “You couple that with his ball skills and how he gets his body to the ball and is able to make some of the catches the guy makes. Between his ball skills and his feet, it’s as good as I’ve ever seen.”
Hopkins is no longer at his peak
The biggest question now is whether Hopkins can still perform at the 2017 level.
While he made it to the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs last season, he wasn’t a key playmaker in their offense. Before that, he had a good 2023 season with the Tennessee Titans, breaking the 1,000 yards mark but staying far from his peak.
Since suffering an injury in 2021, Hopkins hasn’t returned to his top form. However, now that he is fully healthy and playing with a strong quarterback in Lamar Jackson, he has an opportunity to prove that Harbaugh’s 2017 praise still holds true.
If he can regain his old form and the Ravens can make good trades this offseason, the team’s offense could be one of the most dangerous in the league.