Ravens WR Devin Duvernay hopes to take advantage of golden opportunity
By Justin Fried
The Baltimore Ravens will be relying on a young, unproven wide receiver corps in 2022, and one player who seems primed for a golden opportunity is Devin Duvernay.
The former third-round pick has been a valuable role player during his time in Baltimore serving an important role as a depth receiver and core special teamer. However, he will no longer be relied on as depth this season.
Following the draft-day trade of Marquise Brown, the Ravens now boast perhaps the most inexperienced wide receiver depth chart in the NFL.
Most have turned to second-year wideout Rashod Bateman as the man who will lead this group in 2022, but don’t overlook someone like Duvernay making an impact.
He’s ready to take advantage of this major opportunity. At least that’s what he indicated when asked by reporters at minicamp if he was trying to win a starting job this summer.
"“Yes, kind of. I just want to keep gaining these coaches’ trust, and as long as they trust me, believe in me, I feel like I’ll have no problem. So, I just come out in practice and just do what I can do and have fun with it and show them that I’m a very capable wide receiver and can help this team win.”"
Devin Duvernay is looking to prove himself to the Ravens this year
A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Duvernay saw his role in the offense increase this past season. The former Texas star hauled in 33 catches for 272 yards and two touchdowns — all of which were career highs.
He was also named to his first Pro Bowl and earned first-team All-Pro honors for his work as a return man after leading the league with 13.8 yards per return.
His special-teams prowess has never been in question, but Duvernay is hoping to make a much larger impact on the offensive side of the ball this year. The Ravens might need him to as well.
The unproven trio of Bateman, Duvernay, and James Proche currently occupies the top of the team’s wide receiver depth chart. You can debate the importance of the position in the Ravens’ offensive scheme all you want, but those three players are set for substantial playing time this season.
Duvernay’s game-changing speed and deep-threat ability could make him a perfect replacement for the departed Hollywood Brown. The 24-year-old ran a blazing 4.40 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and there’s no question the Ravens need that type of speed in their offense.
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It’ll be the opportunity of a lifetime for a player who many fans have been wanting to receive more snaps on offense. This is Devin Duvernay’s chance to prove that he deserves to be a long-term fixture in the Ravens’ receiving corps.