Did the Ravens fail to develop WR Breshad Perriman or was it merely a draft miss?

The Baltimore Ravens are not well-known around the league for developing wide receivers. This has been one of the positions that they have little to no success with in regards to the draft. The Ravens have drafted 27* receivers since 1996 Cheap Za'Darius Smith Jersey , including Darren Waller who converted to a tight end, and there has been a lack of star power. Baltimore has drafted three receivers in the first-round — Breshad Perriman, Mark Clayton, and Travis Taylor. Out of those three, Breshad Perriman has been the biggest disappointment.They have selected four receivers on Day two (rounds two and three), Patrick Johnson, Torrey Smith, Yamon Figurs, and Devard Darling. Out of all 27 receivers they drafted, Torrey Smith may be the most successful receiver they drafted, and he only spent four seasons with the team. The remaining 20 receivers were drafted in rounds four through seven, and some of these selections include Brandon Stokley Alex Lewis Jersey , Michael Campanaro, Tommy Streeter, David Reed, Chris Moore, Jermaine Lewis, Tandon Doss, Ron Johnson, Demetrius Williams, and Justin Harper among others. There is no question that drafting wide receivers has been a weakness for general manager Ozzie Newsome, but is it all his fault? Has he merely missed on talent and misidentified traits in prospects, or has he drafted high potential players, but the various coaching staffs have failed to develop these receivers?Ravens WR draft historyPlayer (draft year)Round selectedStats with RavensStats with other teamsPlayer (draft year)Round selectedStats with RavensStats with other teamsStokley excelled after leaving Baltimore Cheap Lamar Jackson Jersey , while Torrey Smith has had a worse career since departing. A significant factor in that could have been where Stokley ended up compared to Smith. Unlike Stokley, Smith did not have the luxury of joining a team with one of the best quarterbacks of all-time. While there is not much history or data to show a trend in either direction, Perriman could help bring an answer to the original question; do the Ravens need to change their wide receiver evaluation process or is it a development issue?Unlike most of the other receivers on this list, Perriman has rare size and speed. He was considered a raw prospect due to his unrefined route running and inconsistent hands. However, Perriman flashed throughout his time in Baltimore. His rookie season ended early due to a knee injury, but he bounced back the following year with 33 receptions for 499 yards and three touchdowns. It appeared as if Perriman was ready to take the next step. Unfortunately for the Ravens, he regressed in 2017 as drops plagued him, and he was a healthy scratch for four games.It was well-documented that Perriman would be fighting an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, but he made a strong case in the preseason. He finished with 11 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown. Perriman showcased better tracking ability, route running, and hands. His biggest mistake came in the Hall of Fame Game as his first target resulted in an interception because he was unable to secure the ball.Injuries and drops will be what he will be remembered for during his time in Baltimore, but what happens if Perriman has a successful rest of his career elsewhere? If he can succeed in a different system with a different offensive coordinator and quarterback Eric Weddle Jersey , what will the narrative be?He has yet to sign to a team, but he has had several workouts scheduled since his release. Some of those teams include the Jets, Giants, and Bills. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expressed excitement for Perriman as he is slated to get a fresh start with a new team.“You get a chance to get a fresh start, a healthy start. He had his best camp, because he was in camp and played well [and was] very productive in the games and in practice. I’m hopeful for him. I want to see him do well. You become friends with these guys, and I want to see them be successful,” Harbaugh said, via the team’s official website. As seen in the chart above, the Ravens have a history of failing to develop receivers combined with poor scouting of proper talent. Over the course of their franchise history, they have passed over several quality receivers, which has hurt them significantly and forced them to sign aging veterans.It would be hard to blame this problem on solely one person Authentic Brandon Williams Jersey , but it is a concerning development, and Perriman’s production with his next team could shine a necessary light on what the bigger issue is.*I have placed an asterisk on 27 receivers as Keenan Reynolds was a quarterback in college, who switched to wide receiver in the NFL. I did not include Lamont Brightful, who played wide receiver in college, but was a defensive back and kick returner in Baltimore. The Ravens will get their first look at Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield this weekend and defensive coordinator Don Martindale is doing all he can to make sure his unit doesn’t take the rookie lightly.Martindale praised Mayfield’s “confidence and swag” on Thursday and then did his best to pump up both traits when sharing what he told the defense about Mayfield.“I already told the defense this, I think Baker Mayfield is this generation’s Brett Favre or John Elway, if you will,” Martindale said, via ESPN.com. “This guy knows where he wants to go with the ball and he’s very accurate. He’s got a quick release and he’s really playing well.”Those are pretty big names to throw around for any quarterback and it’s a particularly lofty comparison for one who has just about seven quarters of NFL experience. Should Mayfield provide more fuel for Martindale’s comparison over the next four quarters, the Browns may send the Ravens back to Baltimore with their second loss.