After being sidelined for the past year, it sounds like Nick Boyle‘s return is imminent. The Ravens activated the veteran tight end from injured reserve today. That means he’ll be eligible to play in Thursday’s game against the Dolphins.
The veteran suffered a severe knee injury last November, and Boyle naturally landed on injured reserve prior to this season. There was initial hope that Boyle would be ready to go toward the beginning of the 2021 campaign, but a clean-up procedure delayed his comeback. Boyle returned to practice in late October.
“Nick obviously has been a really good player for us,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman recently said (via Clifton Brown of the team’s website). “It was a big loss for us last year, but he’s been really working to get back. I mean, Nick is a guy with a unique skillset that keeps getting better. We’re just going to have to bring him into the fold gradually and get him to where he’s feeling really comfortable out there so he can be Nick Boyle.”
Boyle made a name for himself as one of the league’s premier blocking tight ends, although he’s managed to stay relevant in the passing game (including a 2019 campaign where he set career-highs with 31 receptions and 321 receiving yards). The organization showed their commitment to the 28-year-old when they inked him to a two-year, $13M extension this past offseason.
Mark Andrews will still serve as the top tight end (and one of Lamar Jackson‘s favorite targets), but Boyle should see plenty of snaps. The team is also rostering tight end Josh Oliver.
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