Ravens rookie receivers will be more involved on offense going forward
The Baltimore Ravens drafted a pair of rookie wide receivers for the third year in a row when they selected Devin Duvernay out of Texas in the third round and doubled down at the position with the selection of James Proche II out of SMU in the sixth.
Through the first three games of the 2020 regular season, the pair of first-year wideouts who were prolific pass catchers at their respective college programs have been active for every game but have mostly been relegated to special teams.
However, that is subjected to change going forward following the Ravens’ lopsided 34-20 loss to the reigning Superbowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week Three. The best highlight of the night for Baltimore was the 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that Duvernay ripped off to open the second quarter.
That play not only brought the Ravens within three points of the Chiefs who had just taken a 10-point advantage to close the opening quarter, but it swung the momentum back in the hands of the Ravens and provided the spark in the return game that Head Coach John Harbaugh and Special Team Coordinator Chris Horton said they were looking for during the summer.
Duvernay displayed his playmaking ability and breakaway speed on his long jaunt to the end zone to give a sputtering Ravens team a jolt. He has looked good and explosive as the starting kick returner in the first two games and had come close to breaking a few long ones before he finally took it the distance on Monday.
“That was an awesome play,” Harbaugh said of Duvernay’s return. “He and I a conversation before the game. For whatever reason, I saw it. I knew it. I told him, ‘You’re going to have a huge play in this game. You’re going to score.” I didn’t know if it was going to be a kick return or a catch. Right after the play, he came running off and he said, ‘You called it coach.’ Those are the things as coaches we live for.”
Proche is the starting punt returner and while he hasn’t had as many opportunities to show what he can do as a returner; he’s displayed an ability to secure the catch and has returned four punts for 50 yards with a long of 17 that came in the season opener.
Neither player has seen much action on offense to this point, but Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday that he believes both of them will have larger roles on the offensive side of the ball going forward.
“I think he is,” Harbaugh said. “I think also James Proche is.”
Of the two rookie receivers, Duvernay is the only one that has actually seen more than a handful of snaps on offense through the first three games of the year. He’s played 24 offensive snaps to Proche’s five and 33 snaps on special teams.
Duvernay has made the most of his touches whenever he’s gotten his hand on the ball whether it’s been on offense or as a returner on special teams. He has caught four passes for 38 yards including a 12 yard pick up for a first down on his first career reception in Week One and a nice 19-yard snag in Week Two.
He has flashed his potential to make an impact in limited opportunities but after Monday night where he only caught two passes for seven-yard but still managed to have the Ravens’ biggest play of the night, his playmaking ability won’t fly under the radar for much longer.
“I do see myself and [Duvernay] hitting on a couple passes this season,” said quarterback Lamar Jackson. “I tried to keep him a hidden secret but that kick return was amazing and you guys seen that motor he had.”
Proche has yet to record his first catch in an NFL game but had a strong training camp where he showed he could be a factor as a pass-catcher as well. While it’d be far-fetched to expect them both to have breakout games on Sunday against the Washington Football Team and start eclipsing 100 yards receiving with regularity, expect them both to see them on the field on offense and consistently catching more passes moving forward.
