The Baltimore Ravens have too many weapons to keep track of. The running back room is loaded with lead bell cow Derrick Henry and speed threats Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell are lethal in the open field. In the receiving game, Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman are changing the narrative for Ravens’ wide receivers, and the room only got deeper with the addition of veteran wideout DeAndre Hopkins. And that is not even mentioning the best tight end duo in the NFL in Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
With all the flashy playmakers scattered across the field, it is easy to forget some talented contributors. Due to how loaded the team is, others have even been stuck at the bottom of the depth chart and have waited patiently for their turn to prove themselves in the league. One of those players is tight end Charlie Kolar.
Will Charlie Kolar finally break out in 2025?
Baltimore’s coaching staff has sung the praises of Kolar since he entered the league in 2022. He came out of Iowa State as one of the country's smartest and sure-handed tight ends. Going into 2025, he is slowly earning the staff’s trust to touch the field more often.
While he had just nine catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in 2024–all of which were career highs–there were flashes of a reliable number-two option at tight end. In a Week 5 shootout against the Cincinnati Bengals, Kolar was one of the team leaders in receiving yards, making three catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. The 26-year-old has worked his tail off this offseason and might be a more consistent weapon in Baltimore’s offense this upcoming season.
This June, Kolar joined Tight End University, an event run by all-time great tight ends Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Greg Olsen. He has honed his craft and learned from those who have dominated the position for years. In a contract year, this is a golden chance for Kolar to finally find a place in the league and the Ravens’ offense, especially looking at the future of the position in Baltimore.
Andrews, Likely, and Kolar are all set to become free agents in 2026. While it sounds like the front office is prioritizing getting Likely’s deal done and making him the future, the tight end next in line on the depth chart is up for grabs. Kolar will hope to prove himself worthy in 2025 and seize that job.
The trade talks around Andrews have been nonstop, and it looks like his Raven career will end after eight years in the city. Going into his age 30 season, it would not be a shock if Baltimore opted to go forward with the youth movement, pairing up Likely and Kolar as the tight ends of the future.
For a team that values its tight ends more than any other unit in the league, the pathway for Kolar's breakout campaign is there. If the offseason training can translate on the field, there should be no doubts about his future in Charm City.