We have to take risks at the wide receiver

About the Ravens' quest to find great receivers in the next draft, general manager Eric DeCosta made an badogy with baseball.

"One of the most important things we have to do is hit the bat and swing," said DeCosta. "It's hard to be a .400 striker if you're only batting twice. We must take risks. We have to find some guys we love and try to appreciate the very good football players, the guys who play. "

The Ravens fished three big receivers in the first round three times: Travis Taylor (2000), Mark Clayton (2005) and Breshad Perriman (2015). Baltimore has selected two wide receivers in the first three rounds since 2008: Perriman and Torrey Smith (2011).

In his first project as General Manager, how nice would it be for DeCosta to hit a home run at the wide receiver? To find one or two,[comma] that complement the play capacity of quarterback Lamar Jackson? To bring young dynamic talent to a position that has experienced a frequent turnover of veterans in recent years?

Among the most popular topics at Tuesday's preparatory press conference was the expanded receiver position. Why would not it be? The Ravens have separated from two returning veterans this season, John Brown and Michael Crabtree. Willie Snead IV and Chris Moore, two receivers on the list, had an NFL pbad. Jaleel Scott and Jordan Lasley, two big receivers entered in the fourth and fifth rounds of last season, have potential, but none played a cliché last season and they have not proven themselves.

Meanwhile, this project ranks among the top potential candidates in the first round, including Marquise Brown of Oklahoma, DK Metcalf and AJ Brown of Ole Miss, N'Keal Harry of Arizona State, Parris Campbell of Ohio State, Riley Ridley of Georgia and Hakeem Butler of Iowa State.

Whether the Ravens stay in 22nd place, whether they are coming back from the first turn to gain more choice, the opportunity to sweep at a wide receiver of quality should come. Finding those who are best suited to the Ravens could be a challenge, and none of them is considered an unavoidable hope. But DeCosta did not feel he would choose a wide receiver simply because finding the right player for this job was not always easy for the organization.

"The receivers come in all shapes and sizes," DeCosta said. "Some guys are fat and physical. Some guys are fast and make good routes. The other guys catch the ball very well. Other guys drop three or four balls but catch six or seven touchdowns. It's really about finding the right guys who love us, who can help us win football games. "