Ravens young tight end ‘making big strides’ as offensive role expands

Third-year pro Charlie Kolar continues to prove that he is one of the team’s talented ‘dual-threats’ at the position.

Charlie Kolar was a prolific pass catcher in college at Iowa State University, earning him a fourth-round selection by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2022 NFL Draft. His rookie season was stunted by a sports hernia, and with fellow fourth-rounder Isaiah Likely emerging as a dangerous receiving threat, Kolar’s focus shifted to being the best blocking tight end he could be following his return from surgery.

Kolar made tremendous improvements as a blocker, earning him more playing time and pass-catching opportunities this season. In two of the Ravens’ three wins, he led the tight ends in receiving yards with explosive receptions in both games, including a new career-long catch of 55 yards in Week 5.

“They get so focused on Mark and Isaiah, they forget about the fat white guy running up the seam,” said Kolar after the game. “I was so open; I didn’t know what to do, and Lamar [Jackson] threw it, and I got yelled at for not scoring again, so we have to fix that.”

Kolar finished with three catches for 64 receiving yards — both new single-game career-highs — and was the highest-graded player on the team with a minimum of 20 snaps with a career-high overall of 91.4. He also lined up under center to convert a fourth-and-1 deep in Ravens territory and later scored his first touchdown of the season.

“Mark paid me a favor and got tackled on the two-[yard line], so I could score,” Kolar said. “It was a beautiful day.”

While Andrews is off to the slowest start of his career with just 10 catches on 14 targets for 120 receiving yards and no touchdowns to date through five games, Kolar is off to his best. The former Cyclone has caught five of his six targets for 98 yards and a score this year, on pace to surpass his production from his first two seasons combined.

“Charlie is making big strides,” head coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “In college, he was a pass catcher and didn’t do any blocking; I didn’t even think he lined up inline very much. He’s made himself into a fine blocker. He’s doing a really good job blocking – very physical.”

“He’s always had the pass-catching ability,” continued Harbaugh. “I’m just jacked up for him. And now, I’m really excited for us, because now it gives you another dual-threat tight end.”

“We’ve been knew what Charlie can do,” Lamar Jackson said Wednesday. “I would say it was just up to him to just make the catches and make the runs after the catch. Hopefully, scoring next time and not just getting caught all the time. He’s doing what we all saw in camp and practice.”

As individuals, none of the Ravens’ tight ends have been able to consistently put up gaudy pass-catching statistics. Given the depth of weapons at their quarterback’s disposal across the offense, perhaps none of them will this season. Nevertheless, their impact as run-blockers has been integral to the overall success of the offense.

“Any player wants to be as versatile as they can be, [and] any tight end wants to be a dual-threat tight end, because if you’re out there in the run game, it opens up the pass game, [and] if you’re out there in the pass game, it opens up the run game,” Harbaugh said. “You want to be as versatile and dual threat as you can possibly be…but to see them go out there and do it in the games – and that’s why they were put in those situations – it’s powerful for us.”