With training camp just days away the process will begin as NFL teams begin to trim their rosters down to the 53 spots. The bubble is one of the most interesting things for fans to watch and for the Baltimore Ravens, 2022 draft pick TE Charlie Kolar could be a surprise bubble candidate.
Jon Alfano of Sports Illustrated wrote his “Five Players on Ravens Roster Bubble” and one of his candidates is the 25-year-old TE.
He wrote, “The Ravens have the best tight end duo in the league between Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, leaving Kolar in an interesting spot.”
Kolar finds himself behind one of the most consistent TE’s in the league in Andrews and one of the brightest spots of the 2023 season for the Ravens in Likely.
“He’s definitely not a bad player, and his blocking prowess should be very beneficial for a run-heavy offense such as Baltimore’s,” Alfano explained. Kolar is the better blocker between him and Likely, which could be critical in an offense centered around QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry.
However, his receiving skills leave much to be desired when stacked against Andrews and Likely. It becomes a numbers game and whether general manager Eric DeCosta finds it necessary to carry all three on the roster.
Alfano wrote, “Kolar could still be a valuable insurance option.” Andrews is coming off a serious injury last season against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Ravens may benefit from having insurance in case he suffers another injury or does need to be worked in slow.
Charlie Kolar Still Only Entering His Third Year in the NFL
Kolar was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2022 NFL draft, so it does feel a bit early to already move on from the Iowa State product.
He finds himself buried though in a depth chart with one of the game’s best in Andrews. In 2022, he only found his way into two games and had four catches for 49 receiving yards.
The TE only played in 36 offensive snaps and 4 special teams snaps during his rookie season. Those numbers increased in 2023, likely due to the injury of Andrews that took him out for the second half of the season.
I’m taking notes on Charlie Kolar. He’s a sneaky mover with fluid hips.
At 6’6 & 260 pounds, he offers the profile of a good starting TE.
Kolar finished with 230 offensive snaps and 251 special teams’ snaps, but it did not necessarily translate to catches on the field. He only finished with 7 catches for 87 yards but did catch his first touchdown.
All of his production came post Andrews’ injury. If Kolar sticks on the roster, it will be due to his superior blocking ability and in this offense that will be key.
Luckily, the Ravens did not draft any TE’s this draft, but they did add some undrafted free agents that could push Kolar for a spot.
Isaiah Likely Looking to Continue Breakout Campaign
The other fourth-round pick of the 2022 draft was Likely, who was picked ahead of Kolar, and he is looking to continue his 2023 breakout. Likely had 36 catches, 373 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns as a rookie behind Andrews.
During the final game of his rookie season, he showed his talent in a game where Andrews was inactive. The TE had 8 catches for 103 yards against the Bengals, which left fans and coaches salivating.
His 2023 started off slow backing up Andrews but took off once he was called into the starting role. From Week 11 on last season, he had 21 catches, 322 receiving yards, and 5 touchdowns.
All five of his touchdowns came in the last 5 weeks of the season and included some spectacular catches.
With Andrews back it will be a challenge for Likely to maintain the production with a smaller target share, but do not be surprised if offensive coordinator Todd Monken gets creative with his packages.
There could be plenty of two TE formations coming this season forcing defenses to account for both Andrews and Likely.
