"The Competition" is a series that breaks down every position battle leading up to training camp.
Returning Players
Crockett Gillmore (6-foot-6, 270 pounds, third season)
Dennis Pitta (6-4, 245, seventh season)
Maxx Williams (6-4, 250, second season)
Nick Boyle (6-4, 260, second season)
Darren Waller (6-6, 245, second season)
Free-Agent Signings
Benjamin Watson (6-3, 255, 13th season)
Projected Starters
This is a tough one between Gillmore, Pitta and Watson. Gillmore was last year's starter and showed a lot of promise, despite playing through shoulder injuries for the majority of the season. He's a big, bruising tight end who is very difficult to bring down once he has the ball. He also may be the group's best blocker. But Pitta used to be the starter before his second hip injury. If he's healthy, does he reassume the lead spot or convert to more of just a receiving threat? Watson is coming off a career year and signed a two-year deal worth a reported $8 million this offseason. The Ravens are going to get him on the field a lot.
Key Role Players
Whoever ends up being the No. 2 and No. 3 tight ends will still play big roles, whether those are more as a receiver or blocker. And don't forget about Williams, who set Ravens rookie tight end franchise records last year. He's another big-bodied, soft-handed pass catcher who is tough to bring down. If Williams continues his growth, he could be another impact player. Boyle will return from suspension after 10 games, and it will be interesting to see whether the Ravens find a spot for him. Boyle showed promise as a rookie. If Waller makes the team, he's a force on special teams.
Most Anticipated Battle
Gillmore sat out 11-on-11 drills during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and minicamp. Once he's on the field, the competition for the starting job can kick off. More than just finding the starter will be developing a pecking order and determining everyone's role. Attention will still be on Pitta to see if he can withstand the daily grind of training camp and recapture his previous form.
We're looking at competitive positions heading into Organized Team Activities, where players will battle for depth chart positioning. The Ravens have a stable of talented tight ends with no pecking order.
Benjamin Watson 2015 Stats: 74 receptions, 825 yards, 6 touchdowns In an atypical move, the Ravens were aggressive out of the gates in signing Watson as an unrestricted free agent, showing their desire to snag him. The 35-year-old veteran is coming off a career year in New Orleans, and his challenge will be to replicate that in Baltimore. The Ravens wouldn't have signed Watson to a reported two-year, $8 million deal if they didn't plan on giving him a lot of snaps.
Crockett Gillmore 2015 Stats: 33 receptions, 412 yards, 4 touchdowns Last year's starter was a force to be reckoned with when healthy. Gillmore showed reliable hands and was extremely difficult for opponents to bring down. Problem was Gillmore was rarely healthy. Shoulder injuries plagued him and he was placed on injured reserve after 10 games due to a back injury. After getting surgery on one shoulder this offseason, the third-year target needs to get healthy and stay that way to reclaim his starting position.
Maxx Williams 2015 Stats: 32 receptions, 268 yards, 1 touchdown Last year's second-round pick had a successful rookie campaign, breaking the Ravens' rookie tight end franchise records in catches and receiving yards. Still just 22 years old, Williams has room to grow. A player's biggest leap is generally from Year 1 to Year 2, and it will be interesting to see what strides Williams makes this summer.
Dennis Pitta 2015 Stats: N/A Pitta hasn't played since 2014 due to his second major hip injury. It's been a long rehabilitation process, but Pitta is finally back on the field. The main goal now is for Pitta to remain healthy. Any kind of setback with his hip would be a disaster. He's also got to shake off the rust and show he can get back to his prior form when he was one of Joe Flacco's favorite targets.
Nick Boyle 2015 Stats: 18 receptions, 153 yards Boyle was off to a good start last year before a suspension for performance enhancing substances ended his season early. He's a big, blocking tight end who also showed he can sneak out and catch some passes. Like Gillmore, he's very difficult to bring down. Boyle received a second suspension this offseason and will be out for the first 10 games. He has to prove this summer that he deserves a spot when he's eligible to return.
Darren Waller 2015 Stats: 2 receptions, 18 yards Waller is making the switch from wide receiver to tight end, a position that some coaches and scouts envisioned for him during the pre-draft process last year. At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Waller has the body to be a mismatch problem as a receiving threat. He'll have to improve his blocking and show that he can indeed stretch the middle of the field as a tight end, while likely taking bigger hits.
