By Joe Schiller
Lost among the attention of the wide receiving corps are two talented second-year tight ends.
One of those tight ends, Hayden Hurst, had an underwhelming rookie season. The former first-round pick was limited to just 13 receptions, 163 yards, and a touchdown in 12 games. Hurst missed the first four games of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot.
Now fully recovered and a year of NFL experience under his belt, Hurst has spent the offseason training and bulking up.
"I put on 20 pounds of muscle over the offseason," Hurst said. "I’m kind of on a mission this year. I’ve got a lot to prove.”
.@haydenrhurst on putting on 20 pounds of muscle this offseason and what he wants to prove this year.(And no, he didn't find the girl from the plane. --) pic.twitter.com/U5o8Qn5JTf
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens)
May 30, 2019 Hurst does have a lot to prove. Teammate Mark Andrews stole the spotlight in 2018. Andrews totaled 552 yards and three touchdowns in a fantastic rookie campaign, developing into one of Lamar Jackson's favorite targets. Hurst showed flashes throughout the regular-season but was never able to find consistency.
Head Coach John Harbaugh can see the difference in his second-year tight end.
"When [Hurst> came back, he had really trained,"
Harbaugh said. "I saw it mostly in his training. He started lifting weights and working right after the season, and he came back, he put on some weight. You can just see it. When you see his build, I think you can see the difference. He hasn’t lost one step of speed [and has> practiced well, so yes, he’s definitely a man on a mission. I’m looking forward to seeing how he does.”
Hurst will play an integral role in Greg Roman's offense as both a blocker and receiver. The Ravens ran the most double tight end packages in the NFL last season.
The Ravens double-dipped at tight end in the 2018 NFL Draft with the hopes of developing one of the league's top tight end groups. If Hurst can stay healthy, and Andrews can pick up where he left off from last season, Jackson won't just have dynamic weapons at wide receiver.
He'll have a dynamic pairing at tight end.
