Ravens: 3 players whose roles will decrease in 2021
By Kristen Wong
3. Miles Boykin, WR, Ravens
Ravens wideout Miles Boykin lost his spot in the preseason to James Proche and won’t likely win it back.
Baltimore has one of the league’s strongest wide receiver rooms heading into 2021 despite several injuries crippling their players this offseason.
Like Boykin, Rashod Bateman will miss at least the first three weeks of the regular season due to injury. But unlike Boykin, the 2021 first-rounder has enormous potential in developing into a future Ravens franchise star.
Aside from Bateman, the Ravens still have Marquise Brown, Sammy Watkins, Devin Duvernay, Tylan Wallace, and Proche to round out a very capable wide receiver unit.
Once Boykin returns from injured reserve, there simply may not be a spot for him in this lineup.
That being said, Watkins is playing on only a one-year deal, so it makes some sense for the Ravens to keep Boykin around until his rookie deal ends in 2022.
If Boykin ends up staying on the team, there’s no doubt his role will significantly decrease. Last season, he recorded 266 receiving yards on 19 catches in 16 games played.
He was the fourth-most targeted Raven then, just barely eclipsing Duvernay’s numbers, but Baltimore’s wide receiver unit has gotten a significant makeover since then.
The additions of Watkins and Bateman and the unexpected rise of Proche all but signal Boykin’s demotion to the bench. This season, Boykin won’t play unless the five receivers ahead of him get hurt (and that’s not counting Bateman).
Get used to the view from the bench, Boykin. It’s probably all you’ll see in 2021.