The Ravens released wide receiver Miles Boykin on Monday, parting ways after a quiet three years in Baltimore.
Boykin, a third-round pick in 2019, was coming off the most disappointing season of his NFL career and had a $2.8 million salary cap hit this year. Releasing Boykin, who was the subject of offseason trade rumors, saves the cap-strapped Ravens about $2.5 million in cap space.
The 6-foot-4 Boykin, the team’s best blocking wide receiver and a special teams standout, showed his promise as a rookie, when he had 13 catches for 198 yards and three touchdowns in a run-heavy offense. But he finished with just 266 yards and four touchdowns in 2020, and his catch rate (57.6%) was the lowest of any Ravens player with at least 10 receptions.
Boykin struggled early in training camp last year and opened the season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He didn’t make his season debut until Week 5 and saw limited offensive snaps over the next four weeks. A finger injury sidelined Boykin from Week 11 to Week 14. He ended the season with one catch for 6 yards, both career lows.
Boykin’s release leaves the Ravens with just one rotational wide receiver taller than 6 feet: the 6-1 Rashod Bateman. It also leaves another blotch on general manager Eric DeCosta’s first draft in Baltimore. Wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is the team’s only projected starter from the 2019 class, which also featured outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson (third round), running back Justice Hill (fourth), guard Ben Powers (fourth) and cornerback Iman Marshall (fourth).
The Ravens also announced the signing of four exclusive-rights free agents Monday: quarterback Tyler Huntley, center Trystan Colon, inside linebacker Kristian Welch and long snapper Nick Moore.
Huntley, who’s entering his third year in Baltimore, like the three other signings, started four games in place of quarterback Lamar Jackson last season, going 1-3. He completed 64.9% of his passes for 1,081 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. He also added 47 carries for 294 yards and two touchdowns.
Colon, who played 12 games last year, starting one, is expected to back up Patrick Mekari at center. Welch has developed into a solid special teams player and could contend for more snaps on defense this year, while Moore capably replaced Morgan Cox in his first season as the Ravens’ starting long snapper.
