clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Kamar Aiken is Shaping Out to Be a Fine Receiver

Kamar is the competent receiver that the Ravens need so desperately.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The main complaint from fans of the Ravens has by far been the lack of quality receivers. It's certainly true that this is the Ravens' Achilles heel, and the return of Breshad Perriman will definitely be a welcome one. But let's not forget about Kamar Aiken, who has done a damn good job as the Ravens' second wide receiver.

I've been a supporter of Kamar for a while, but this time, we have the tape to prove his dominance.

I'd be foolish to ignore his fumble on the very first Ravens' offensive play last Sunday, and his -5 yard performance the week before. But we are slowly, and surely, seeing a former practice squad receiver mature and grow, right before our very own eyes.

Last week, Aiken put up 5 receptions on 7 targets, and turned those into 89 yards. He could've had even more too if it wasn't for a rare misplaced Joe Flacco deep ball.

But enough of the talk, let's go to the tape. The good stuff.

GIFs courtesy of Redditor /u/Ravensfann.

The Deep Pass That Almost Was

On what appears to be a nice Out & Up route, Aiken finds big seperation from the corner for what would be a 45-yard touchdown if Flacco didn't miss. Despite not having a true 'burner', the Ravens were able to stretch the field with Aiken.

Nice Catch in Coverage

It looks like Aiken found some space in man-zone coverage. A great throw and a great catch.

Short Pass, Great Run

This looks more like subpar coverage than anything else, but props to Aiken for finding room and getting what looks to be twenty-five yards after the catch

Sly Trick Play

At first, this looks like a typical drag route. But on second glance, look at this little nifty trick. Aiken uses the referee to pick off the linebacker in coverage, Curtis Lofton. That's a pretty veteran move.

So while Aiken isn't setting the world on fire for the Ravens, he's doing a pretty good job of complementing Steve Smith. At times, it seems as if Steve is the only receiver on the team by the sheer amount of targets he gets. But opponents, and Joe Flacco, will soon learn that Kamar is here to play too.