Baltimore Ravens Roster Preview: Tight Ends
By Joe Schiller
Today in my Baltimore Ravens series preview, I take a look at the tight end position, which has been retooled with two new rookie additions.
When the Baltimore Ravens completely revamped the pass-catching department this offseason, it wasn’t limited to wide receivers. Tight ends also played a huge role in the equation. Veteran Ben Watson was the team’s second-leading receiver with 522 yards and returned to the New Orleans Saints in free agency on a one-year deal.
Joe Flacco hasn’t had a reliable and secure target at the position since Dennis Pitta but Ozzie Newsome invested two of the Ravens’ top four draft picks into tight ends, giving Joe Flacco a young and talented arsenal of receivers to work with.
It’s one of the more intriguing positions on the offense this season with plenty of potential on the depth chart. Here’s how it currently.
Hayden Hurst
Newsome clearly had a plan, trading back twice in the first round of the NFL draft and landing Hayden Hurst with the 25th pick. The former baseball pro turned tight end is already 24-years old but the Ravens don’t seem to be too worried. Hurst is a big-bodied target that possesses the versatility to thrive as both a blocking and pass-catching tight end. He worked heavily as an H-back at South Carolina, something Greg Roman will likely utilize in the offense again this season.
Hurst has already earned praises in OTAs for his reliable hands. John Harbaugh continually harped on the drops last season and the Ravens vowed to make a change. With a Todd Heap-like skillset, Hurst should thrive in the offense and see playing time right away. This is the earliest the Ravens have drafted a tight end since Maxx Williams and the expectations are high from the short sample size that’s already been presented.
Mark Andrews
Only three picks later, Newsome struck on a tight end again, this time selecting Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews in the third round. The Ravens doubled up on tight ends but Hurst and Andrews are far from the same player.
At 6’4″, 256 pounds, Andrews fits the mold of a Rob Gronkowski or Travis Kelce kind of tight end. A player that’s listed as a tight end but thrives almost primarily in the passing game. Andrews was college football’s top tight end last season and Baker Mayfield’s favorite target in the Oklahoma offense. Whether lined up in the slot or on the line of scrimmage, Andrews has the burst and open field speed to be a mismatch on opposing linebackers and defensive backs.
Andrews will have to improve his physicality and blocking up front but he has all the traits to be a modern-day tight end that can put up huge numbers with the Ravens. Paired with Hurst, the duo is definitely something to be excited about.
Maxx Williams
The addition of two young tight ends speaks volumes of the current tight end depth chart, specifically regarding Maxx Williams. He set rookie franchise records with 32 receptions and 268 receiving yards in 2015 but hasn’t been the same player since. A knee injury knocked him out most of the following season and 2017 wasn’t anything to write home about. In eight starts, Williams finished with 86 yards on 15 receptions and one touchdown.
This is a proving year for the 24-year old. Williams made the recovery back to the gridiron and must show the coaching staff he can be an integral part of the offense. He’s a blocking tight end the Ravens will continue to utilize but in the last year of his rookie contract, Williams will need to show he’s more than a one-trick pony.
Boyle falls in a similar boat to Williams. Not as much because he was a fifth-round pick but Boyle has worked primarily as a blocking tight end but had his best season in 2017 with 203 receiving yards. The athleticism is there and it’s been shown through plenty of hurdles over defenders that have caught the eye of fans and players alike. The addition of two young tight ends may put Boyle’s role in jeopardy and he also must show his skillset is worthwhile to the offense.
Vince Mayle is an interesting case because he’s a wide receiver turned tight end. He saw minimal offensive snaps last season but did contribute one rushing touchdown on an end-around against the Oakland Raiders in Week 5.
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A solid special teams player, Mayle’s roster spot could be in jeopardy. The Ravens only took four tight ends on the 53-man roster last season and they very well might not need to take any more than that this year.