The Ravens spent the offseason trying to upgrade at wide receiver, having made both JuJu Smith-Schuster and T.Y. Hilton their respective best offers in free agency. They ended up with Sammy Watkins and then drafted Rashod Bateman in the first round.
These moves, and Baltimore’s fourth-round selection of Tylan Wallace, crowd a once-thin receiver room. In addition to the Watkins-Bateman-Marquise Brown top trio and Wallace, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes 2020 third-rounder Devin Duvernay‘s roster spot is secure (subscription required). Miles Boykin, however, does not appear to be on as firm footing as training camp nears.
Baltimore drafted Boykin in the 2019 third round, bringing the Notre Dame product into the fold after selecting Brown in that year’s first round. While Lamar Jackson‘s rapport with his wide receivers has been inconsistent since he took the reins, the Ravens have not received too much from Boykin in his two-year run. The 6-foot-4 target has amassed just 32 receptions for 464 receiving yards in 32 games (24 starts).
The Ravens’ No. 2 wideout spot has resided below Brown, Mark Andrews and a multifaceted run game in this offense’s pecking order, but the franchise’s moves this offseason indicate it wants more from the position. It will lead to a Boykin role reduction, if he is to make the team.
Boykin and 2020 sixth-rounder James Proche may be battling for one spot, Zrebiec adds. Boykin saw more special teams time than the SMU product as well last season, with the former playing just 14% of Baltimore’s ST snaps compared to Boykin’s 32%. Unless the NFL’s run-heaviest team plans to keep seven wideouts, the two will vie for the final receiver spot on the 53-man roster.
Let the 49ers take him for a 7th rounder, and Kyle can use him to fill the role left by Bourne, especially if Hurd’s health is still looking questionable..