It’s not the big move that Baltimore Ravens fans were waiting for, but re-signing Nick Boyle makes sense:
There are some teams in the NFL that don’t need to pay a third tight end six million dollars per season, but it makes sense for the Baltimore Ravens. According to reports the Ravens just inked a three year $18 million deal with Nick Boyle. Boyle was an unrestricted free agent and he would have been a valued target for many NFL teams because of his blocking ability.
Looking at Boyle’s stats is misleading, but surely that’s what the critics of this move are pointing towards. Boyle hasn’t scored a touchdown, who cares? He is a primarily blocking tight end in an offense that needs extra blockers.
Boyle fits perfectly into a role here. Much like the Tavon Young extension, the Ravens are paying one of their own players to make sure a specific task gets done. Young is a slot corner, and he’s good at it. Boyle is an extra offensive lineman and he’s good at it.
It may sound like a lot of money, but it’s really not. Boyle may not be the play-making tight end but he allows big plays to happen on the ground and can offer some extra protection for Lamar Jackson.
He’s going to be on the field a good bit with a Greg Roman called offense. The contract is fair, and it really doesn’t hinder the team in free agency. Boyle is getting paid, but he isn’t getting paid like a star.
If the Ravens lost Boyle they would have to replace him. They could have given similar money to Dwayne Allen, who the Ravens had been linked to. Instead the Ravens paid one of their own, knowing exactly what they were getting.
The Ravens had this money earmarked for a blocking tight end one way or another. Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews are on rookie deals. This means for the next few years the purple and black have the tight end position locked down at an impressive bargain.
The Baltimore Ravens made a sensible move that isn’t going to get too much love. Re-signing Mosley or Suggs would have been more exciting news. There’s no getting around it. This is like getting socks for Christmas. The thing is though, that everybody needs socks.