With the NFL draft less than three weeks away, the Ravens have added a veteran to a wide receiver group short on experience by agreeing to a one-year deal with Seth Roberts.
The former Oakland Raider was released on Thursday and quickly found a new home on a roster that included only two wide receivers — Willie Snead and Chris Moore — who have even caught an NFL pass. Roberts, 28, made a career-high 45 receptions for 494 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games (six starts) last season. Because he was released, the signing will not count against the compensatory pick formula.
A 2014 undrafted free agent out of West Alabama who spent his first year on Oakland’s practice squad, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Roberts caught 158 passes for 1,826 yards and 13 touchdowns in 62 games (25 starts) for the Raiders. The slot receiver is regarded as a good blocker — something the run-heavy Ravens value more than most organizations — and ranked 88th overall among qualified wide receivers in Pro Football Focus’ grading system last year.
It’s unlikely that Roberts’ addition will drastically change general manager Eric DeCosta’s plans for the draft as the Ravens are clearly in need of more talent at the wide receiver position after the offseason departures of veterans John Brown and Michael Crabtree. Roberts, Snead, Moore, 2018 Day 3 draft picks Jordan Lasley and Jaleel Scott, and former practice-squad member Quincy Adeboyejo are currently the only wide receivers on Baltimore’s offseason roster.
In four career games against the Ravens, Roberts had eight receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns, one of those being the game-winner in the final 30 seconds of the Raiders’ 37-33 win in 2015.
Ravens agree to one-year deal with former Oakland receiver Seth Roberts
Luke Jones
Luke Jones is the Ravens and Orioles beat reporter for WNST BaltimorePositive.com and is a PFWA member. His mind is consumed with useless sports knowledge, pro wrestling promos, and movie quotes, but he often forgets where he put his phone. Luke's favorite sports memories include being one of the thousands of kids who waited for Cal Ripken's autograph after Orioles games in the summer of 1995, attending the Super Bowl XXXV victory parade with his dad in the pouring rain, and watching the Terps advance to the Final Four at the Carrier Dome in 2002. Follow him on social media @BaltimoreLuke or email him at Luke@wnst.net.
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