Wednesday night, the Baltimore Ravens announced that the team would be hosting a press conference Thursday morning at 11 A.M. The occasion, to announce the re-signing of a player. The Ravens withheld the identity of the player, and speculation filled social media. Could it be C.J. Mosley, Terrell Suggs, or Za’Darius Smith? Ironically, it was not a big name target at all, it was Nick Boyle. Although he is not flashy, Boyle’s importance to the offseason cannot be understated. The 2015 fifth-round draft pick out of Delaware became one of the best blocking tight ends in the National Football League during his tenure in Baltimore. He is essentially a sixth offensive lineman on the field (with an ability to catch as well).

Boyle’s ability to block is extremely important to the offense the Ravens are trying to build around Lamar Jackson. Jackson’s prowess as a mobile quarterback is well known. The Ravens are going to use the foundation that Jackson provides to build a run-first offense. To succeed in that dimension, the Ravens need to assemble a group of runners and blockers capable of handling the heavy workload. Nick Boyle perfectly fits into this formula. He played over 100 more snaps with Lamar Jackson at quarterback than any other tight end in 2018. He rarely caught the ball, but the 308 snaps were crucial in establishing the dominance of the run game.

The Baltimore Ravens agreed to give Nick Boye a three year, $18 million deal. The contract averages $6 million per year.

At the press conference, Nick Boyle said that he and his wife were very excited to be back in Baltimore. They did not want to be anywhere else. The Ravens did not want him anywhere else either. When asked what makes him a great blocking tight end, Boyle responded that it’s the want to do it. He also said that he fits into this offense well with the combination of coaching and playcalling. The Ravens wanted to keep the gritty mentality that Nick Boyle brings to the table, and with this deal, they get that mindset back.

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