The Ravens have reportedly opted not to pick up wide receiver Breshad Perriman's fifth-year option, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
If true, it's not a surprising decision considering Perriman will be battling to make the 53-man roster this offseason and would carry a $9.4 million cap hit in 2019, per Spotrac.
Drafted 26th overall in 2015, Perriman has yet to break out in three seasons and is coming off a very challenging year in which he caught just 10 passes for 77 yards.
After multiple drops, including two that led to interceptions, Perriman was a gameday inactive down the stretch of last season as the Ravens pushed for the playoffs.
Injuries have hampered the 6-foot-2 speedster's obvious potential. A PCL knee injury shelved him for his entire rookie season. In 2016, a partially torn ACL knocked him out for much of the offseason practices. In 2017, a hamstring injury sidelined him for much of training camp.
"What we found out that sometimes the development of the receiver can be retarded because they're just not on the field," General Manager Ozzie Newsome said last month.
"Some of the success of the receivers that we've had have all had durability, have all been able to be on the field. That way they can develop. If they're spending a lot of time off the field – they can't develop."
Newsome called this a "make or break" year for Perriman.
He will face stiff competition for a job after Baltimore brought in veterans Michael Crabtree, John "Smokey" Brown and Willie Snead IV.
The Ravens also have Chris Moore, Tim White, Quincy Adeboyejo and DeVier Posey returning and drafted two rookies in fourth-rounder Jaleel Scott and fifth-round Jordan Lasley. That's 10 wide receivers for likely only five or six spots.
