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The Baltimore Ravens have been named the best fit to replace DeAndre Hopkins with an All-Pro wide receiver during the remainder of 2026 NFL free agency.

Their latest attempt to glean whatever a once-dominant veteran wide receiver had left didn’t work for the Baltimore Ravens with DeAndre Hopkins in 2025, but general manager Eric DeCosta can put things right by adding an All-Pro wideout during the remainder of 2026 NFL free agency, a pass-catcher with seven 1,000-yard seasons to his credit.

While Hopkins toiled through last season, barely a shell of the five-time Pro Bowler who once feasted on any type of coverage, Stefon Diggs was helping the New England Patriots reach a Super Bowl.

Diggs proved a deluxe one-year rental for the Pats, but the 32-year-old has been left on the market this offseason. It’s an opportunity the Ravens can’t ignore, according to John Breech of CBS Sports.

He pointed out “when you look at the Ravens’ track record, if you are a former star receiver in the NFL who is over the age of 30, there’s a 50 percent chance the Ravens are gonna call you up and try to sign you. We saw it a few years ago, back in 2023 they signed Odell Beckham. We saw it last season, they signed DeAndre Hopkins. Of course, Hopkins’ contract has expired, so now you have  that hole you need to fill at the No. 2 spot, because really, you look at Baltimore’s offense, yes they  love to run the ball, but if they are gonna throw the ball, they don’t have much at the receiver position outside of Zay Flowers. As a matter of fact, there isn’t a receiver besides Zay Flowers who finished with over 225 yards last season! So you’re talking about just this gaping hole in the roster. Stefon Diggs could go in there and fill that. He’s from the Maryland area, so this would be kind of a homecoming. I think he would love this. I think Lamar Jackson would love this.”

Breech makes a strong argument, even if not everybody is likely to believe the cupboard is bare for the Ravens at receiver. Either way, Diggs would be a huge asset for franchise quarterback Jackson, based on what he did for a dynamic signal-caller last season.

Stefon Diggs the Right DeAndre Hopkins Replacement

Hopkins couldn’t snag more than a mere 22 catches during his lone year in Baltimore, despite Jackson’s best attempts to hype the ageing All-Pro. Diggs, by contrast, was collecting 85 receptions from 102 targets for the Patriots, becoming the go-to target for Drake Maye in the process.

Maye was a better passer when aiming for Diggs because the four-time Pro Bowler was still getting open in key areas of the field. Diggs made a speciality of finding space over the middle and between the numbers as “the best crossing-route runner in football last year,” according to ESPN’s Kevin Clark.

A play like this, with Diggs hauling in a deep crosser in traffic to help the Patriots beat the Ravens in Week 16, is a great example of his enduring value.

The latter’s colleague Mina Kimes also noted how “Stefon Diggs would honestly help most NFL teams, let’s just start there. I like to call him ‘professional wide receiver’ because that’s what he does. He’s just, he runs precise routes, he’s going to be where you need him to be and he’s gonna catch the football.”

Kimes’ description perfectly sums up the type of target Jackson needs as the two-time NFL MVP learns a new offense from a new coaching staff and tries to convince the Ravens to hand him a lucrative contract extension.

Jackson may have a hard time to doing either of those things if his current receiver corps remains unchanged.

Ravens Have Too Much Uncertainty at Wide Receiver

It’s not that there isn’t ample potential on the depth chart, but the Ravens lack enough tangible production at the receiver spots. Flowers has delivered, but the team has been waiting an age for 2021 NFL draft first-round pick Rashod Bateman to make the grade.

Another playmaker could emerge from further down the pecking order, but there’s equal uncertainty about the main candidates. Including Devontez Walker, a natural deep threat with a knack for finding the end zone, but also a wideout with just seven career catches to his credit.

DeCosta did use back-to-back picks in this year’s draft to try to add to Jackson’s targets. One of those picks, taken on Day 3, is already touted for big things, but he’ll need to make quite a leap to meet expectations.

There’s obviously room for a receiver of Diggs’ pedigree to be the trustworthy source of big plays Jackson still needs.