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When Ravens tight end Durham Smythe crumpled to the field Sunday, his injury appeared to be serious.
It now looks like the blocking tight end will be out for the season after he tore his Achilles, according to NFL Network.
Despite the lack of catches and receiving yards, Smythe was a key addition in the offseason. The veteran tight end had spent his last season in Chicago under head coach Ben Johnson and now-Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
Head coach Jesse Minter said Monday that Smythe’s knowledge of the system has made him a “problem solver on the field” who can line up in different spots.
“Again, we have a deep room there. We have a bunch of guys, and it may be an opportunity for somebody else,” he said. “Again, it is going to be our job as a coaching staff and the position coach and the coordinator to make sure we are doing the things that those guys can do. But again, man, credit to Durham for how he has played for us this year.”
Smythe only has two targets with one catch for 4 yards in his first four games. But he was playing over 50% of the team’s offensive snaps up until his injury and played a big role as a blocker.
“He does so much for this offense, and for us, that is a guy we really have to step up [for],” tight end Mark Andrews said after the game. “We have, obviously, ‘Hibby’ [Matt Hibner] and Josh [Cuevas], [who] are going to continue to make plays and continue to step up, and we are just going to be the best unit that we can be.”
The news about Smythe comes amid a rash of Ravens injuries, particularly along the offensive line. They lost Danny Pinter, who looked to be in the lead for the starting center job, in the preseason, and saw second- and third-string centers Jovaughn Gwyn and Ethan Pocic go down in the team’s Week 3 win over the Cowboys.
Right guard Andrew Vorhees, who stepped in when starting right guard Vega Ioane moved to center, was also injured Sunday. Minter did not provide an update on Vorhees’ injury Monday.
He also said the team was awaiting results for the biggest injury of them all: quarterback Lamar Jackson, who left Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans late in the first half with an ankle injury.
Jackson left M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday in a protective boot and underwent an MRI on Monday.
“We’ll see what happens,” Minter said.



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