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Baltimore Ravens signing WR Mike Wallace is huge with Perriman down with ACL injury

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens over the years have proven to be a proactive organization which is one of the reasons why the team is so respected around the league. When the Ravens signed Mike Wallace to a two-year deal worth 11.5 million in March, some looked at it as a solid signing but nothing that would grab headlines. With Ravens WR Breshad Perriman suffering a partially torn ACL, Wallace still adds the speed that the Ravens desperately need on offense at this point in time.

The Perriman injury is so unfortunate especially for Perriman himself and we all hope that he has a speedy recovery. At the same time, this is a business and Wallace now has a very big opportunity to show everyone why he was a 1,000-yard receiver with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during his days with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wallace, in his four seasons with the Steelers from 2009-2012, had a total 235 receptions for 4,042 receiving yards, 32 touchdowns with 17.2 yards per catch to go along with it. During his last three seasons (Two with the Miami Dolphins from 2013-2014 and one with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015) Wallace struggled putting up those numbers as he had chemistry issues with a young quarterback in Ryan Tannehill with the Dolphins and a run-first offense with the Vikings.

Wallace now has a veteran quarterback in Joe Flacco who is not only one of the most aggressive downfield passers in the NFL but throws one of the best deep balls down the field in the NFL as well.

Wallace provides a presence that will help keep the pressure off of wide receivers such as the future Hall of Famer in Steve Smith Sr. who is recovering from a torn Achilles and a young receiver in Kamar Aiken who is coming off of his best season yet with 75 catches for 944 yards and five touchdowns while dealing with four different quarterbacks for the Ravens in 2015.

Wallace will help keep the opposing secondary honest with nine routes while Smith Sr. and Aiken help cover the underneath routes and finding the soft spots in man and zone coverage. Wallace's presence also makes opposing defenses think twice before sending eight men in the box to stop the Ravens rushing attack as he is more than capable of winning one on one coverage near the sidelines.

Overall

Perriman's injury hurts the Ravens offense there is no doubt about it. But with the presence of a proven wide receiver in Wallace, the Ravens gameplan will still be the same going forward.