The Baltimore Ravens have built themselves into becoming one of the best teams in the league, and there are several reasons for that.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson certainly deserves some credit for that, but an underrated aspect of the team may also be the best at its position in the league.
Sports Illustrated writer Gilberto Manzano named the Ravens as the best team in the league when it comes to tight ends.
“The Ravens have the luxury of having two starting-caliber tight ends, making them perhaps the only team in the league that can say that. Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely combined for 97 receptions, 1,150 yards and a whopping 17 touchdowns last season,” Manzano writes.
“What makes this duo unique is how much they contribute as downfield pass catchers for Jackson, with Andrews and Likely averaging 12.2 yards and 11.4 yards per reception, respectively. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride had better individual seasons last year, but they were one-man shows for their respective teams. Depth at tight end has paid off for the Ravens in various ways.”
Tight ends have grown a lot in the NFL over the years, and it’s become a position where having more than one is important for a team’s success.
Given how much the Ravens run the football with Jackson and Derrick Henry, having two tight end sets is common for Baltimore’s offense. The fact that both Andrews and Likely can both block and act as a receiver on an elite level gives the Ravens a mismatch in that area during most of their games.
While Andrews has been subject to criticism after his blunder in the team’s playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens wouldn’t necessarily be able to find a better alternative, and that’s clear based on Manzano’s words.
