The Baltimore Ravens inked one of their own ahead of free agency.
The team signed tight end Nick Boyle to a three-year contract extension worth $18 million, with $10 million in guarantees, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday. The team later confirmed the extension.
The former fifth-round pick was slated to hit the free agent market next week. With a dearth of tight ends hitting the open market, it's likely Boyle's upside would have intrigued several teams.
"I'd be hard pressed to find a better TE group in the league right now," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Thursday during a press conference about the team's recent transactions.
The possibility of losing Boyle to a TE-needy team helped push the process, and probably added a few coins to his pocket. His three-year contract figures match up closely with what Jack Doyle received in 2017 when the Colts tight end inked a three-year, $18.9 million deal with $9.5 million guaranteed. Boyle will become the 15th highest paid tight end in the NFL at $6 million per season, slotting directly behind Doyle.
Boyle's payday is a nice one for a tight end who excels as a run blocker but somewhat struggles in the passing game. In four seasons, Boyle compiled 75 total receptions for 613 yards, with zero TDs. He caught just nine passes for 70 yards after Lamar Jackson took over the starting role.
Re-signing Boyle is another reminder that the Ravens offense will be a ground-focused operation with Lamar Jackson in 2019.
