Tag: Josh Oliver

Ronnie Stanley returns to practice field on Monday, offense has mixed day

Ronnie Stanley returns to practice field on Monday, offense has mixed day

When the Baltimore Ravens took the practice field on Monday, there was a familiar face out there with them for the first time since suffering a gruesome ankle injury in the middle of the 2020 season. That player was offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley, who means so much to Baltimore’s offense as a whole.

Stanley didn’t do much on the practice field, but head coach John Harbaugh said he’s on schedule. The offensive lineman’s return was a positive development, but the offense had an up and down day as a whole.

Players like wide receiver Tylan Wallace, tight end Josh Oliver, and safety Ar’Darius Washington stepped up, which is a good sign as the preseason draws closer. If that trio (and others who are fighting for playing time or a roster spot) can continue to stack good practices together, it will go a long way in showing the coaching staff that they deserve to be a part of the team in 2021.

Nick Boyle reportedly had recent ‘cleanup’ knee surgery, timeline to return unclear

Nick Boyle reportedly had recent ‘cleanup’ knee surgery, timeline to return unclear

The Baltimore Ravens certainly felt the absence of tight end Nick Boyle once he suffered a gruesome season-ending leg injury in their Week 10 loss to the New England Patriots. He is one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL who is a great system fit for what Baltimore does on offense.

Many are anticipating Boyle’s return to the football field. The veteran was recently placed on the Active/PUP list, but that didn’t come as much of a surprise, especially considering the nature of his injury. However, it was reported on Tuesday that Boyle recently had “knee cleanup surgery”, which makes his timetable to return a bit cloudy.

If the recent surgery keeps Boyle out into the regular season, the Ravens have plenty of options to hold down the fort until he returns such as Josh Oliver, Eric Tomlinson and more. It’s of the utmost importance to make sure that Boyle is 100% healthy before returning to the field, and it seems like Baltimore is being cautious with not only Boyle, but the rest of their injured players as well.

It’s better for the tight end to miss a few weeks now and get back to full strength as opposed to pushing things and getting injured early in the season. Even though many want to see Boyle back in uniform as soon as possible he’ll be out there soon enough, and when he is, the Raves will have made sure he’s healthy and ready to go.

John Harbaugh ‘not too worried’ about Ravens’ tight end situation

The Baltimore Ravens have plenty of talent at the tight end position. John Harbaugh is excited about getting guys from the position in pads

The Baltimore Ravens have one of the best tight ends in the league in Mark Andrews. They also boast tight end Nick Boyle, who has developed into one of the best blocking tight ends in football. However, the team has plenty of other young talent at the position that will be competing for a roster spot for the upcoming 2021 season.

When asked about how the young tight ends currently on the team look so far such as Eli Wolf and Josh Oliver, head coach John Harbaugh had glowing things to say, and seemed excited to see how the battle at the position will play out over the course of the next few weeks.

“…Those are guys are flashing. They look really athletic. Let’s not forget Tony Poljan from Virginia there. You saw him make some catches today. He’s probably more of a guy that’s going to show up even more when the pads come on. So, I think all those guys have done exceptionally well. I cannot wait to see them again in pads and, like we said, play out, in terms of who plays the best in those situations. So, I’m not too worried about our tight end situation; they look good out there so far.”

Harbaugh singled out undrafted rookie Tony Poljan as a name he’s excited to see in pads, but players like Wolf, Oliver, Jacob Breeland, and even Eric Tomlinson could make some noise as they battle for the No. 3 tight end spot. Baltimore didn’t use three tight ends in 2020 nearly as much as they did in 2019, where it was a big part of their offense.

It feels like the team is gearing up to use three tight end sets to their advantage during the 2021 season. Putting multiple tight ends on the field at the same time can force defenses to put heavier personnel in, which can help the passing game, especially on play-action throws. The Ravens currently have a plethora of talent at tight end, and might have to make some tough decisions as they decide who will make the final 53-man roster.

Veteran tight end reportedly works out for Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens reportedly brought in veteran tight end Charles Clay for a visit late this week

The Baltimore Ravens have one of the best tight end duos in the entire NFL with Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle. However, the team might want to add another veteran playmaker at the position, as they’re looking at more options.

Adam Caplan of SiriusXM and Fox Sports Radio reported that Baltimore brought in veteran tight end Charles Clay for a visit late this week.

Clay has played for nine seasons in the NFL, last playing in 2019.  He’s accumulated 357 receptions for 3,868 yards and 24 touchdowns during his career. Clay is a versatile player, and can play in a H-back role, much like former Raven Kyle Juszczyk and fifth-round pick Ben Mason. If Baltimore believes that Clay could add another dimension to their offense, they could bring him into training camp and see if he can carve out a role for himself on the Ravens’ final 53-man roster.

The Ravens currently have a lot of other tight ends vying for a roster spot, including Josh Oliver, Eric Tomlinson, Jacob Breeland and Eli Wolf. Clay would compete with those players and others if signed by Baltimore.

Ravens reportedly bring in veteran tight end for visit

The Baltimore Ravens reportedly brought in tight end MyCole Pruitt for a visit this week. He would provide another option at the position

The Baltimore Ravens have felt the void that Hayden Hurst left after being traded to the Atlanta Falcons. He wanted a bigger role, and with Mark Andrews turning into one of the best tight ends in the NFL, Hurst wanted a chance to shine on his own.

Baltimore used three tight end sets a relatively high amount in 2019 with Andrews, Hurst, and Nick Boyle. While Andrews and Boyle still remain with the team, the Ravens have tried a plethora of options to try to replace Hurst, including Patrick Ricard, Eric Tomlinson, Luke Willson and more. Now it seems that they’re looking at another veteran tight end, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that Baltimore brought in MyCole Pruitt for a visit earlier in the week.

Pruitt has spent time with four teams over the course of his seven year career. In total, he’s caught 32 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns. Pruitt is athletic and has good receiving skills as well as having the ability to be a good blocker, and could fill a role if signed by the Ravens.

Aside from Andrews and Boyle, Baltimore currently has tight ends such as Tomlinson, Josh Oliver, Jacob Breeland, Eli Wolf, Ben Mason, and others on their roster. If Pruitt is added to that mix, it would add to a crowded tight end room, but would increase competition and bring the best out of every player fighting for a roster spot.

With extremely deep offense, Ravens might have to make some difficult decisions

The Baltimore Ravens brought in plenty of playmakers to round out their offense. However, they could have to make some tough decisions

The Baltimore Ravens have always been a team that values depth at as many positions as possible. Having so much depth is a good problem to have, but sometimes it can create roster crunches that turn into tough decisions.

In 2021, Baltimore might have put together one of the deepest rosters they’ve ever had. The team only has a few minor needs, and even those don’t necessarily have to be addressed, as the players already on the roster can make those holes seem smaller than they actually are if they perform at a high level.

On the offensive side of the ball in particular, the Ravens made sure to add plenty of talented playmakers that can not only play at a high level, but also fit their style of play. Both the additions and the players already on the roster have bought into Baltimore’s style of offense, which is extremely important.

When looking at how deep each position on the offense actually is, one would be hard pressed to find any huge weaknesses. The team has three quality young quarterbacks, including a star in Lamar Jackson. They have three great young running backs as well that compliment each other while also bringing something different to the table than the other two.

Where the offseason additions begin to be seen is at the wide receiver position, where the team added Sammy Watkins, Rashod Bateman, and Tylan Wallace to compliment players such as Marquise Brown and Devin Duvernay. At tight end, the team has a plethora of options behind Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle, and the offensive line saw a boost with the acquisitions of Kevin Zeitler, Alejandro Villanueva and Ben Cleveland, as they’ll team up with Ronnie Stanley, Bradley Bozeman and others.

Having all of that depth is a good thing for the Ravens, but once it’s time for the team to trim their roster to 53 players, it could result in a few difficult roster decisions for Baltimore. At quarterback, the team might have to choose between Tyler Huntley and Trace McSorley if they need an extra roster space. Wide receivers Miles Boykin and James Proche seem like they’re going to be fighting over one roster spot. At tight end, there are a plethora of options who could try to secure the third tight end spot in Jacob Breeland, Eli Wolf, Eric Tomlinson, Josh Oliver, and others. Even on the offensive line, there will be training camp battles to determine multiple positions, and players like Ben Bredeson, Ben Powers, Tyre Phillips and more will have their hands full competing for both starting spots and roster spots.

Overall, the Ravens will go into the 2021 season with a well-rounded roster that can sustain good play even in the event of injuries. However, the team will most likely have to let some talented players go once it’s time to cut their roster down for the regular season.

 

Ravens Draft Prospect Profile: Brevin Jordan

The Baltimore Ravens missed using three tight end sets in 2020. Could the Ravens target Brevin Jordan?

The Baltimore Ravens value tight ends more than most of the NFL. Their three tight end sets using Mark Andrews, Hayden Hurst, and Nick Boyle took the league by storm in 2019, helping Baltimore put up historic rushing numbers. However, the team traded Hurst during the 2020 offseason, leaving a huge hole in their offense.

One player who could help the Ravens get back to their style of putting three tight ends on the field is University of Miami tight end Brevin Jordan. The 6-foot-3, 245 pound tight end enjoyed solid production as a Hurricane, putting up 105 receptions for 1,358 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Despite his great receiving numbers, he’s also a good blocker who would give Baltimore an all-around player who would fill in nicely next to Andrews and Boyle. His skill set would be perfect to fill a role like Hurst had for the Ravens, and he can be utilized all over the field in a variety of different ways.

Jordan is a monster in the open field, and was utilized on screens a lot in college. If Baltimore could scheme up plays to maximize his ability in space, it would make the Ravens’ offense even more of a nightmare to defend against.

It’s no secret that Baltimore missed using three tight ends in 2020. Despite having some other options on their roster such as Jacob Breeland, Eli Wolf, Josh Oliver and Eric Tomlinson, having a player like Jordan to pair with Andrews and Boyle would help the Ravens open up both their running game and their passing game even more.

Grading the Ravens’ 2021 offseason through one month of free agency

The Baltimore Ravens have now navigated through one month of 2021 free agency. How have they fared so far?

The Baltimore Ravens have had plenty of mixed reviews when it comes to their 2021 offseason moves so far. Many came into this offseason expecting the Ravens to be major players, but instead they’ve operated in the same way they always have.

They’ve made a few additions and re-signed multiple players that will continue to perform well in a Baltimore uniform. Although the team did see a few players depart, their current roster is still extremely competitive, even without breaking the bank for a free agent or signing a massive amount of new players.

The legal tampering period began on March 15th, so we are officially one month into 2021 free agency. How have the Ravens’ fared so far?

The team has added just three outside players throughout the first month of the offseason in guard Kevin Zeitler, tight end Josh Oliver, and wide receiver Sammy Watkins. While Oliver is more of a reclamation project after playing in just three games during his first two NFL seasons, Zeitler and Watkins instantly make Baltimore’s offense better than it already was. Zeitler will shore up an interior offensive line group that struggled at times last season, and Watkins is an extremely versatile option who brings veteran leadership to an extremely young wide receiver room.

Despite adding some impact players, they did miss out on a few as well, such as Corey Davis, Marvin Jones Jr., Emmanuel Sanders and others. They were also reported to have interest in both JuJu Smith-Schuster and T.Y. Hilton, both of which spurned the Ravens to return to their former teams. The team could have stood to make one or two more additions during the first month of free agency, but they value compensatory picks, so signing a lot of unrestricted free agents would limit their ability to acquire those picks.

When it comes to who Baltimore has re-signed, a few key names include linebackers Tyus Bowser, Pernell McPhee and L.J. Fort, defensive end Derek Wolfe, safety Anthony Levine Sr., and more. While the Ravens’ outside additions focus on the offensive side of the ball, their re-signings are defense oriented, making sure they brought back as many key pieces from a unit that proved to be one of the best in football last season. Bowser should have an increased role in 2021, while McPhee, Fort, Wolfe and others should continue to play well.

The Ravens weren’t able to re-sign everyone from their 2020 roster, losing a few key pieces that include linebackers Matthew Judon, Yannick Ngakoue and Jihad Ward, wide receiver Willie Snead IV, and long snapper Morgan Cox. The team also opted to cut running back Mark Ingram II, who signed with the Houston Texans.

Losing Judon and Ngakoue are big blows to Baltimore’s pass rush, and losing Ward on top of both means that the Ravens will have to prioritize acquiring multiple edge rusher throughout the rest of the offseason. Snead was a key part of Baltimore’s offense for the three seasons he was with the Ravens, but with him primarily being a slot receiver, Baltimore opted to move in a different direction. For Ingram, it made sense for the Ravens to move on after a down year where he was phased out of the offense.

Overall, Baltimore has followed their blueprint from previous offseasons, so it’s not overly shocking to see the team not as active as many imagined. However, with Lamar Jackson on his rookie contract, the Ravens could have considered signing a few more unrestricted free agents, even if it meant sacrificing a compensatory pick to do so. The new players that they brought in and the old ones they re-signed keep the team extremely competitive, and as the offseason continues, Baltimore should slowly begin to sign more players and round out their roster.

Final grade: B-/C+

Ravens trade for TE Josh Oliver a brilliant low-risk move

The Baltimore Ravens paid so little in a trade for TE Josh Oliver that they’re already winners. But they could win big

The Baltimore Ravens picked up an athletic and promising tight end, trading with the Jacksonville Jaguars for Josh Oliver. It’s a low-risk deal but could be a massive get for Baltimore, once again pointing to general manager Eric DeCosta being a few steps ahead of everyone else.

On the surface, it might not look like that big of a deal. Oliver has played in just four games through his two years in the league, ending both seasons on injured reserve. The conditional seventh-round pick the Ravens gave up certainly points to Oliver’s value not being all that high. But let’s look at Oliver a little closer to get a clearer picture of the player Baltimore is getting.

A third-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, Oliver is very clearly a talented pass-catching tight end. Joe Marino at TheDraftNetwork put together an initial scouting report on Oliver and it reads perfectly for what Baltimore is looking for. In it, Marino notes Oliver has experience running a full route tree, has the hands to win in contested situations, is fast enough to get open, and agile enough to make plays with the ball in his hands. At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Oliver checks a lot of boxes and has all the makings of a serious threat in the Ravens’ tight-end-centric offensive scheme.

While there are knocks on Oliver’s ability to block, it’s a skill very few tight ends come into the league doing well. Look at Mark Andrews as a prime example of how a player can enter the NFL being downright bad at blocking but improve with coaching. Even if Oliver didn’t learn a single thing in Jacksonville, the Ravens will almost assuredly get him right in that regard.

The real concern is Oliver’s injury history and the impact it has had on his development. His rookie season ended prematurely after a back injury put him on injured reserve. Then, before the 2020 season even started, Oliver suffered a no-contact foot injury and was placed on injured reserve. However, with Baltimore’s seventh-round pick being conditional on Oliver making the team, the Ravens are at least a little protected on that front. If Oliver gets injured before the season starts, they simply cut him and don’t have to pay anything to the Jaguars for the tryout.

Really, I’m a little confused why Jacksonville traded him for so little. The worst-case scenario is that they were going to cut him before the season began. The best-case scenario is that he’s able to stay healthy and plays up to his third-round status. Given his relatively low cap hit on his rookie contract, it’s not like he was some massive cap burden that had to be dealt with immediately. Then again, the Ravens have often pulled off one-sided trades over the years, so I guess this is nothing new.

With just four games under his belt in the NFL, it’s fair to view Oliver as a rookie developmentally. However, with two more years remaining on his deal, that would give Baltimore enough time to not only get an immediate return on him but potentially coach him up into a starting option, all for very cheap. Think of it this way . . . If the Ravens were able to snag a player who had a third-round value on him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft, fans and analysts would be ecstatic, praising Baltimore up and down.

The Ravens were very clearly the winners of this trade, regardless of how it pans out. But it has the potential to make them massive winners if Oliver can stay healthy and get on the field.

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Ravens trade with Jaguars for TE Josh Oliver

The Baltimore Ravens are parting ways with a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft for Jacksonville Jaguars TE Josh Oliver

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh hinted this offseason could include the acquisition of a big tight end. While the Ravens didn’t grab a big name, they added some serious talent to the depth chart. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Baltimore traded with the Jacksonville Jaguars for tight end Josh Oliver.

Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, the Ravens are parting ways with a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft. The condition is that Oliver makes the team this season. It could be a steal, getting a talented former third-round pick for very little but that’s not a guarantee considering Oliver’s injury history.

Over his two years in the league, Oliver has played in just four games, heading to injured reserve in each season. He’s caught just three passes for 15 yards and no touchdowns. But if Oliver can stay healthy, he’s a promising young tight end that could flourish in Baltimore’s system. With Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle already cemented into their spots on the roster, Oliver will likely compete for the third tight end job with Eric Tomlinson.

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