Saints not planning to retain Willie Snead after Ravens sign receiver to offer sheet

Snead will be the third wideout to join the Ravens this offseason as they look to revamp their offense

Willie Snead is about to join the Ravens' wide receiver corps.

The team signed him to a two-year, $10.4 million offer sheet on Friday. The Saints, where Snead spent the first three years of his NFL career, have five days to match the Ravens' offer but have no plans to do so, reports CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora.

Willie Snead set to become a Baltimore Raven next week. Saints not planning to match offer sheet

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) April 21, 2018

That means Snead, whose best season was in 2016 when he had 72 receptions for 895 yards and four touchdowns, will join Michael Crabtree and John Brown in Baltimore. Crabtree, a possession receiver who scored 25 touchdowns in three seasons with the Raiders, signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Ravens last month. Brown, a former Cardinals wideout who has battled injuries, inked a one-year, $5 million deal.

The addition of Snead likely indicates that the Ravens are no longer in the Dez Bryant business. The Cowboysparted ways with their former first-round pick last week.

The Snead offer sheet is clear indication that the Ravens didn't like their chances of landing Dez Bryant. They've been in talks with him, but getting Snead, following additions of Crabtree and Brown and the expected drafting of a WR, would almost surely take them out of running.

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiecsun) April 20, 2018

Money was almost certainly the biggest issue -- for the Ravens, for the Cowboys and, of course, for Bryant. As it stands, there seems to be little interest in Bryant's services. But that could change after the 2018 NFL Draft, where the Ravens were once expected to take a wide receiver, perhaps as early as the 16th overall pick. That may change with the arrival of Brown, Crabtree and Snead.

The team's biggest needs are at tight end and quarterback, which is why half of the most recent CBSSports.com mock drafts have the Ravens targeting South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst or Oklahoma St. quarterback Mason Rudolph in Round 1. Baltimore could also address needs at edge rusher and linebacker too, but the bottom line is that wide receiver is now less of a concern.

Meanwhile, the Saints signed former Bears wideout Cameron Meredith, who had 66 receptions for 888 yards and four touchdowns in 2016 but missed all of last season with an ACL injury. He'll join one of the league's best receivers in Michael Thomas (104 receptions, 1,245 yards, 5 TDs) and veteran Ted Ginn (53/787/4).

In case you're wondering, half of the most recent CBSSports.com mock drafts have New Orleans taking either SMU wide receiver Courtland Sutton or South Dakota St. tight end Dallas Goedert with the 27th overall pick.