Joe doesn’t need a star wide receiver for success

Yesterday I had a commenter bring up the Ravens need for an elite wide receiver to couple with quarterback Joe Flacco. Obviously I am in the boat of getting Joe some real weapons to the likes of Julio Jones, Antonio Brown or A.J. Green, but it comes with some stipulations. Simply acquiring an elite receiver isn’t simple. It takes real draft knowledge and also not paying the boatload in the draft or with the cap.

Looking throughout history while also pointing towards the current season, it’s obvious star wideouts aren’t bringing teams post-season success.

Randy Moss - The most gifted receiver in NFL history went to two Super Bowl’s, but let’s not act like it was on his shoulders. Paired with the best NFL team possibly ever vaulted him towards the limelight. Even he couldn’t deliver in the post-season though, with the 18-0 Patriots losing to the Giants. His mediocre ‘swan song’ with the 49ers wasn’t pretty either.

Calvin Johnson Jr. - Megatron never brought about nor sniffed an NFC Championship game. His absolute prominence in NFL history will be without the storied post season we all so desperately ask about when looking in the rearview mirror.

Julio Jones - The Falcons traded the house for him, and while he has absolutely proven worthy, he hasn’t taken them to the big game.

Antonio Brown - Even with Ben Roethlisberger and Le’Veon Bell the superstar isn’t wearing a championship ring. Keep in mind he has a great contract for both sides and was drafted in the fifth round, meaning the Steelers maximized the value for AB84.

Demaryius Thomas - Two Super Bowl appearances with one ring on his finger. We’re not going to pretend he really attributed much in either though, right? The Seahawks pummelled him in Super Bowl XLVIII and during Super Bowl 50 the Broncos survived on the shoulders of Von Miller and Orange Crush 2.0.

A.J. Green - How many times have the Bengals reached the playoffs now and haven’t won a game? He’s an absolute superstar but where is his postseason success.

Odell Beckham Jr. - Hasn’t reached the postseason, and very prone to emotional outbursts to the likes of Terrell Owens. The Giants are a mess besides OBJ and Eli Manning, but that’s my point I’m hammering home.

Speaking of Terrell Owens, he is also ringless.

Alright Kyle, we get it.

Wide receivers are fantastic, and no doubt Joe Flacco could be heightened to new levels with a star-studded receiving talent, but by no means will it bring the Ravens postseason success. This is a team sport, we all know it. Ravens fans also know defense wins championships. The last time a wide receiver really brought their team to and through the playoffs was Larry Fitzgerald on the greatest run possibly ever by a wideout. Even then, they were a formidable squad as a whole, with special receivers, including Baltimore’s beloved Anquan Boldin. To remind folks they still couldn’t bring the Lombardi home, rather Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes broke everybody’s hearts.

Like I said, the Ravens would add yet another dimension to their offense with a top 10 pass-catcher, but no doubt the receiving unit right now is something great. Mike Wallace, Steve Smith Sr. and the rest are doing well, if only the offensive line can get healthy enough to produce in both pass blocking for Joe and mauling defenders in the run game.