Ravens roster: Miles Boykin fighting for a roster spot this summer

The Baltimore Ravens will have to make quite a few difficult cuts this summer. And one player trying to avoid being left out is wide receiver Miles Boykin.

A third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Boykin has received ample playing time over the course of his first two seasons in the league. However, he’s failed to do much of anything with it.

Boykin started 11 of 16 games in 2019 but recorded just 13 catches for 198 yards and three touchdowns. Despite playing nearly 40 percent of offensive snaps, he averaged less than a catch per game.

The 2020 season was more of the same as Boykin started 13 of 16 games and finished with just 19 catches for 266 yards and four touchdowns. This was despite being on the field for a whopping 53 percent of offensive snaps.

Boykin has failed to make the impact the Ravens hoped he would coming out of college. And now, he finds himself simply fighting to stay on the roster.

Miles Boykin might not make the Ravens roster this summer.

Boykin still has a few things going for him. He’s the best blocking wide receiver on the team — a trait that’s very important in Greg Roman’s run-heavy scheme.

His physicality and blocking ability allows the team to run more outside-run concepts when he’s on the field. He’s also a regular contributor on special teams as he played roughly 30 percent of special-teams snaps in each of the last two seasons.

On top of that, Boykin is one of the only true red-zone threats on the team. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Boykin has been able to use his large frame to find success in the red zone.

This is evidenced by his seven career touchdowns on just 32 receptions — he’s scored a touchdown on roughly 22 percent of his career catches.

However, he’s far from a lock to make the Ravens roster.

The top five wide receiver spots should be pretty much set in stone. Marquise Brown, Sammy Watkins, and Rashod Bateman make up the starting three.

Devin Duvernay is a valuable special teamer and should be the leading candidate for the No. 4 wide receiver job. And it’s highly unlikely the team cuts fourth-round rookie Tylan Wallace before seeing him in an actual NFL game.

That leaves Boykin fighting for the sixth (and likely final) wide receiver spot. His primary competition for the role is 2020 sixth-rounder James Proche.

Proche is more of a slot receiver and didn’t play at all after losing his punt returner job to Duvernay in Week 14. Boykin likely has the early edge, but both players have a clean slate under new wide receivers coach Tee Martin.

Others such as Jaylon Moore, Binjimen Victor, Deon Cain, and Devin Gray will be competing for that spot, but it’s likely the job goes to either Boykin or Proche.

Miles Boykin is far from a lock to make the Ravens roster. But a strong showing this summer will go a long way toward helping him claim a roster spot.