Tight end:
With the trade of Hayden Hurst, this is also one of the team’s lesser immediate needs as well. But if they kept an eye towards the future and picked up a developmental prospect who could potentially replace either Nick Boyle or Mark Andrews in the next few years, that wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Both Boyle and Andrews are currently under contract through the 2021 season, giving the Ravens two more years. However, cutting Boyle next offseason would give Baltimore back $5.5 million on the salary cap. Even if neither player gets cut or traded before their contracts expire, they aren’t likely to be very affordable to re-sign.
That’s especially the case for Andrews, who has now entered the upper echelon of the position in the NFL. He was the Ravens’ top receiving threat last season in both targets, receptions, yards and touchdown catches. When they do eventually need to re-sign him, Andrews will likely look to be made the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, and with good reason.
By grabbing another tight end to train behind Boyle and Andrews, they could end up answering one of their biggest concerns in another two years with a guy they already have on the roster. If not, the Ravens might be backed up against the wall and have to pay out the nose.