Durham Smythe is done for the year. Straight up, brutal news for the Ravens. Their veteran tight end tore his Achilles on Sunday, and an MRI quickly confirmed the worst: he’s out for the entire season. This is a massive blow, especially since the guy was playing a huge role in the offense right out of the gate in his first year with Baltimore.
Huge Hole In The Offensive Lineup
Seriously, this isn’t some minor depth guy. Smythe had started all four games for the Ravens this season, playing a whopping 50 percent of their offensive snaps. Yeah, *half* the plays. On top of that, he was chipping in on special teams for 28 percent of those snaps. We’re talking about a blocking tight end here, someone who does the dirty work up front. He might only have one catch for 4 yards on the stat sheet, but his value goes way beyond receiving. Losing that kind of consistent presence for protection? That’s going to sting, big time.
Veteran Leadership Gone
This dude isn’t new to the league, either. This was Smythe’s first season rocking the Ravens’ purple, but he’s been around the block. He spent last season with Chicago, working under Declan Doyle, who’s now the offensive coordinator for the Ravens. They clearly brought him in for a reason. Smythe was a fourth-round pick back in 2018 and has played in 133 games, starting 80 of them, across his time with the Dolphins, Bears, and now, sadly, a very short stint with the Ravens this season. That kind of veteran experience, especially in a blocking role, is tough to replace mid-season. The Ravens have got to find someone to step up and fill those crucial snaps, and fast.
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Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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