Ravens 2024 position review: Tight Ends

Breaking down the individual seasons of every player who played meaningful snaps this past year.

With the 2024 season officially in the books and the start of the new league year a week away, it’s the perfect time to review the Baltimore Ravens one position group at a time before completely turning the page forward to gearing up for 2025.

In the next installment of this article series, the tight ends are up after a year where they combined for nearly 20 receiving touchdowns and continued to be integral to both the running and passing game.

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Mark Andrews

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Following a slow statistical start to the regular season after being involved in a car accident during training camp, the three-time Pro Bowler was back to being one of Lamar Jackson’s most trusted and reliable targets, especially in the red zone. After Week 5, he scored a touchdown in 10 of the next 12 games including one in each of the last six to break the franchise record and become the Ravens’ all-time touchdown scorer.

Andrews finished the season third on the team in targets (69), second in receptions (55) third in receiving yards (673) and hauled in a career-high 11 receiving touchdowns to lead the team. There’s a chance that he might have played his last snap in a Ravens uniform but as bad of a taste as his last game left in the collective mouths of fans, his contributions to the team’s success during his first seven years in the league should not be overlook or underappreciated.

Isaiah Likely

Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

Despite still not being full-time starting or consistently heavily featured role in the offense, the 2022 fourth-rounder continued to increase his production in his third season and set new career highs. Likely finished fourth on the team in targets (58), receptions (42) and receiving yards (477) and his career-high six receiving touchdowns were the third-most on the team. In addition to continuing to be electric and elusive after the catch, he also showed a greater sense of physicality with the ball in his hands that manifested in broken tackles and vicious stiff arms. Two aspects of his game where he made the most significant strides were as a blocker in the run game, especially as the lead blocker on designed quarterback runs and with his connection with Jackson on off-schedule and extended plays.

It seemed like a lot of the time when Jackson needed a play made after buying more time or getting flushed from the pocket, he was able to find Likely uncovered downed field including on what was nearly the game-tying score in the divisional round. He could very well be the Ravens’ full-time starter heading into a contract year or even get extended this offseason. Either way, Likely most certainly will factor into the Ravens’ future plans at the position whether his veteran mentor and friend is retained by the team or not.

Charlie Kolar

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

Even though he was third on the depth chart and missed four games in the second half of the season due to a broken forearm he suffered while blocking for Derrick Henry, the Ravens’ other 2022 fourth-rounder at the position still managed to have a career year. Kolar set a new career high in offensive snaps played with 251 and saw an increase in his production across the board with nine receptions on 11 targets for 131 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Kolar was also a fixture on special teams with 289 snaps (78%) and tied his career career-high in total tackles with four including a pair of solos. His primary role was a traditional ‘Y’ tight end which meant he spent more time blocking in the run game than running routes. However, he was able to flash his ability as a vertical threat when given the chance especially off of play action when he sometimes wasn’t accounted for by the defense resulting in him average a career-high 14.6 yards per catch.

Patrick Ricard

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images

After having his role and future with the team questioned two years ago in the first year under offensive coordinator Todd Monken, the former converted defensive lineman had one of the best seasons of his career. Not only did he receive his fifth career Pro Bowl nod after having his consecutive streak snapped last year but he also was named to the AP All Pro First Team for the first time in his career after being named to Second Team in 2023. He helped pave the way in the ground game for his five-time Pro Bowl running back newcomer in Henry to eclipse 1,900 rushing yards for the second time in his career, making him the first player in NFL history to achieve the impressive feat. Ricard played 39% of the Ravens’ total offensive snaps for the second year in a row and even though he is slated to be an unrestricted free agent in less than a week, the team re-signing him seems like a formality.