DeVontez Walker is making an early push for the Ravens’ WR3 job

The NFL has changed since your grandfather or grandmother taught you the game. There was a time when offenses lived in two-wide receiver sets and viewed the slot receiver as a situational piece. Those days are long gone. Three-receiver formations are now a staple of nearly every offense, including the Baltimore Ravens, now under Declan Doyle, which effectively makes the third wide receiver a starter.

That brings us to an interesting question. Who exactly is Baltimore’s third receiver?

Zay Flowers is the unquestioned star of the group. Rashod Bateman remains firmly in the team’s plans despite a disappointing 2025 season. Baltimore also invested heavily in the future by drafting Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt.

Those names dominate most discussions about the position. There’s another we all may begin to mention more often.
‘ rookies, as they should be

The excitement surrounding Lane and Sarratt is understandable. Both rookies arrive with impressive resumes, intriguing physical traits, and coaching staffs that have already spoken highly of their potential. It’s easy to look at either player and imagine a significant role developing at some point.

Still, projecting future success and winning a job today are two different conversations. Both guys will make this team, but will either ascend to become the third wide receiver on the depth chart. Veteran experience still matters. Trust still matters, and familiarity with the offense matters.

What about Devontez Walker? Remember him? He made quite the impression during the second and third weeks of Ravens OTAs.

While much of the attention has focused elsewhere, Devontez Walker has quietly put together a strong offseason so far. The Ravens’ official website recently included him among ten players who stood out during OTA practices.

“With Rashod Bateman not on the field during the second and third weeks of OTAs, Walker seized the golden opportunity to show he’s ready for a bigger role. Walker caught the first deep ball of OTAs and showed that he can stretch the field vertically and horizontally.”

“With Rashod Bateman not on the field during the second and third weeks of OTAs, Walker seized the golden opportunity to show he’s ready for a bigger role. Walker caught the first deep ball of OTAs and showed that he can stretch the field vertically and horizontally.”

The praise was noteworthy. That’s exactly the type of development Baltimore hoped to see. Opportunities have been available, and Walker appears to be taking advantage of them. The battle is far from over. None of this guarantees Walker will ultimately win the job. Lane and Sarratt aren’t going away. LaJohntay Wester remains an intriguing option, particularly because of his special-teams value.

Bateman and Flowers will continue commanding most of the attention at the top of the depth chart. Is there any credence in stating Baltimore’s third receiver hasn’t arrived yet? Sometimes the answer isn’t the rookie generating offseason headlines, but then again, sometimes, it is.

Walker still has to prove he can be more than a situational deep threat, but his early OTA work gave Baltimore something to evaluate heading into training camp. With Rashod Bateman missing time during the second and third weeks of OTAs, Walker seized the extra reps, caught the first deep ball of the spring, and reminded the Ravens why his vertical speed remains intriguing. His production has been limited, but the efficiency is difficult to ignore: seven career catches, three touchdowns, and five receptions of at least 20 yards. If Walker can stack consistent practices, improve the details of his route running, and show he can threaten defenses beyond occasional shot plays, he has a real chance to push for the third wide receiver job in an offense still searching for another explosive element around Zay Flowers, Bateman, and Mark Andrews.