Ravens rookie report card: Grading Tyree Phillips year one

Ravens, Tyre Phillips Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Ravens, Tyre Phillips Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tyre Phillips is a work in progress going into his second season with the Baltimore Ravens. It was a mixed bag for Phillips, who got action at both right guard and right tackle. Phillips logged nine starts in his rookie season.

When he was taken in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, it seemed likely that he’d get the Ben Powers treatment. That didn’t happen. Instead of being ignored as a rookie, the Mississippi State product got thrown in the mix right away.

Let’s look at the grade book for Phillips.

TYREE PHILLIPS. C. <h2 class=. OT. Ravens

Explaining the grade:

Giving Phillip anything lower than a C is unfair. He was an unpolished rookie who played like an unpolished rookie. Phillips has the things that cannot be coached. The Ravens cannot waste the gifts that Phillips has to work with. They must refine his game starting with fundamentals.

I believe that the Ravens were playing Phillips out of position when he was playing guard. He was an offensive tackle in college; not every tackle is suited to a move inside. The best path forward is to label him as a right tackle and have him compete for playing time if Orlando Brown Jr. is traded. There his 345-pound frame can work for him a bit more.

Phillips may have been thrown into the action before he was ready. If I expected him to be a starter right away, this grade would be lower. I saw enough to think that there may be something there with Phillips.

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His snaps were not wasted. If this is the baseline, the starting point of his development, I’ve seen worse. He could be anything at this point, it’s too early to render a verdict. One thing is for sure, we need to see more in 2021 if he’s going to get playing time next season.