While they aren't breaking out the check book just yet, Ravens Owner **Steve Bisciotti** and General Manager **Ozzie Newsome** acknowledged the need to upgrade the team's wide receiving corps in Wednesday's State of the Ravens press conference.
"Do we want to improve at the wide receiver position? Yes," Newsome said. "I think that will further enhance our running game. I think having a playmaker on the outside will help Joe Flacco become a better quarterback."
Baltimore's receivers notched 12 catches over the final three games of the 2009 season. Only **Derrick Mason**, who is currently an unrestricted free agent considering retirement, surpassed 500 yards receiving during the regular season.
"We got to get better because if we ever get involved in a shootout, I want to win the shootout," Newsome said. "I want to be able to win a game like that and be able to win a 6-0 game too. That's my goal."
Newsome is leaving his options open, as he says. "If we can improve our football team, then we will do it," he said.
That even includes potentially trading the Ravens' first-round draft pick for an established wide receiver, Newsome conceded. Baltimore's track record is building from within the Draft, however, so that option is unlikely.
Signing or trading for a wide receiver comes at a cost as NFL teams must constantly balance where they allot their money. While the Ravens would love to significantly bolster the team at the wide receiver position, they aren't willing to drop off in other areas in order to do that.
"Each year it's going to be something," Newsome said. "I could say we need a playmaker outside, yes. But we need some other things to help us to make sure that we can compete to be in the Super Bowl also."
"If we wanted to get a guy in the top 10 of his position of every position, it would cost us 200 million. I'm not allowed to do that," Bisciotti added. "We've always had a great defense and we've got to be careful that we don't run out and fill all those holes and create them somewhere else."
