Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Hayden Hurst ready for bigger role after knocking off rust

Chicago Bears v Baltimore Ravens

CANTON, OH - AUGUST 02: Hayden Hurst #81 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after a touchdown reception against the Chicago Bears in the third quarter of the Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on August 2, 2018 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Hayden Hurst made his much-anticipated debut Sunday. The first-round pick played only 21 of 87 snaps, getting two targets and one catch for 7 yards.

“OK, about what you’d expect probably,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of Hurst’s performance, via Clifton Brown of the team website.

Hurst, though, appears ready for a bigger role after missing the first four games with a stress fracture.

Tight ends Maxx Williams, Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle have combined for 49 catches for 376 yards and a touchdown, but Hurst was drafted 25th overall for a reason.

“He had a fantastic practice yesterday [Wednesday],” offensive coordinator Marty Morhinweg said of Hurst. “So that first week, if you look at it, you have a rookie who has never played in a league game coming off of a major injury. He was knocking a little bit of rust off last week, and then, man, I was excited, because he practiced really well [Wednesday], so I think he’s on the [rise].”