OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens‘ first significant free-agent signing addresses their biggest need.
The Ravens reached a one-year, $3.25 million deal with Nelson Agholor, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday. The deal, first reported by The Score, can reach $6.25 million with incentives, sources said.
The addition of Agholor represents the first step in helping the NFL’s least productive wide receiver group, but it doesn’t preclude Baltimore from acquiring another wide receiver or drafting one in the first round.
Baltimore has ranked last in the NFL in receiving yards by wide receivers in three of the last four seasons (2019, 2020 and 2022).
Entering Friday, the Ravens and the Jacksonville Jaguars were the only remaining teams who had yet to sign a free agent from another team.
Agholor visited the Ravens earlier this week. He reunites with new Ravens wide receiver coach Greg Lewis, who was his position coach in 2016 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Agholor, who turns 30 in May, spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the New England Patriots after beginning his career with the Eagles (2015-2019) and the Las Vegas Raiders (2020). He was part of Bill Belichick’s free agent spending spree, signing a two-year, $26 million pact in March 2021 after averaging a career-high 18.7 yards on 48 catches with the Raiders.
Agholor’s production in New England didn’t match the lucrative contract, as he totaled just 68 receptions for 835 yards and five touchdowns over 31 regular-season games (20 starts).
Belichick spoke highly of what Agholor brought to the team, highlighting his limited number of mental errors while calling him one of the team’s most consistent players.
Agholor’s role faded, however, by the end of the 2022 season. With the Patriots needing a victory in their season finale to clinch a playoff berth, he was on the field for just four offensive snaps in a loss to the Buffalo Bills.
In 16 games last season, he played 45% of the offensive snaps. Meanwhile, in 15 games in 2021, he had played 65% of the offensive snaps.
Overall, in eight NFL seasons, Agholor has 340 receptions for 4,426 yards and 31 touchdowns.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss contributed to this report.