LaJohntay Wester has made his name on special teams for the Baltimore Ravens, but his prolific college career and preseason flashes have shown that he can contribute on offense, not just as a return man.
Wester caught 108 passes for 1,168 yards at FAU before transferring to Colorado and adding 74 receptions for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns. Playing alongside Travis Hunter likely helped create favorable opportunities at times, but that context does not erase Wester’s own production or the traits that made him effective.
A Nice Slot Target
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Wester did much of his best work at Colorado from the slot, and there is a good reason for that. At roughly 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, he is better suited to operating in space than consistently battling stronger defensive backs on the outside, where press coverage could neutralize some of his quickness.
That does not mean Wester cannot have a role in Baltimore. Ja’Kobi Lane was drafted this season and profiles as an X-style receiver capable of battling stronger defensive backs on the outside, while Zay Flowers is a crisp route runner with years of experience working with Lamar Jackson. Wester could instead carve out occasional snaps from the slot, using his quickness to threaten vertically, work underneath, or contribute on more gadget-like plays such as jet sweeps and screens.
Baltimore already got a glimpse of what that kind of role could look like during the preseason. Wester caught seven passes for 45 yards and two touchdowns, including an eight-yard score against Minnesota and a one-handed 10-yard touchdown against Washington. On the Washington score, Wester aligned in the slot before working inside on an in-breaking route for the touchdown.
