Former Baltimore Ravens first-round pick Hayden Hurst has been traded to the Atlanta Falcons. The Ravens will receive one of the Falcons second-round picks and a fifth-round pick (both in 2020) while Baltimore will also surrender a fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft. Hurst had become an integral part of the Ravens tight end group, along with Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle, but was reportedly looking to be involved more as a pass catcher in the future. He has two years remaining on his rookie deal with a fifth-year option for 2022.
Trade terms.
🏈Atlanta gets: Tight end Hayden Hurst and Ravens’ 2020 4th-round pick.
🏈Baltimore gets: Falcons’ 2020 2nd-round pick and Falcons 2020 5th-round pick.
As it turns out, the Falcons’ fifth-round pick already has been sent to Jacksonville for Calais Campbell.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
Raven’s Tight End Hayden Hurst Traded To Falcons
Hurst was drafted by the Ravens with their first pick in round one of the 2018 NFL draft. The player drafted with the Ravens’ second first-rounder was 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. Hurst made little impact as a rookie in 2018 but improved his production in 2019. Last season, he registered career-highs in each snaps played, receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Hurst is best known for being the tight end that both blocked and received at his position. Andrews was the team’s leading receiver and Boyle was the Ravens’ best blocking tight end.
With Austin Hooper reportedly signing with the Cleveland Browns to become the league’s highest-paid tight end, the Falcons needed to a replacement. He was one of Matt Ryan‘s favorite targets on offense, catching the second-most passes (75) on the Falcons and recorded third-most receiving yards (787). Outside of Hooper, Jaeden Graham had the second-most receiving yards of any tight end on the Falcons in 2019. He finished the year playing in all 16 games and recorded nine catches for 149 yards and one touchdown.
Hurst will now get a chance to become a prominent pass catcher in an NFL offense for the first time in his NFL career. He’s flashed moments of brilliance as a Raven but found it hard to consistently contribute as part of a crowded position group.
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