TE Hayden Hurst to miss 3-4 weeks with stress fracture in foot

Usually birthdays are a time of joy for many. On his 25th birthday, Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst was announced to have a stress fracture in his foot. According to the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Hurst will be sidelined for three to four weeks with the injury. He will undergo a procedure on Friday to insert a screw in his foot.

The 25-year old first-round selection was expected to heavily contribute to the offense from the jump. With his injury, it could open the door for Baltimore to carry another tight end on their roster. It is a foregone conclusion Mark Andrews, who is a fellow rookie tight end and Nick Boyle to make the roster. Maxx Williams, Darren Waller and Vince Mayle are all now battling for what is presumed to be the final spot for a tight end on the roster.

Williams, a 2015 second-round pick, has shown flashes this preseason in the passing game. He has one touchdown so far, but has missed some time due to injury. Waller has shown the speed and explosiveness that Baltimore covets in their tight ends, but he hasn’t been able to stay on the field. He is just recently coming off of a season-long suspension. Mayle has the most experience in special teams and had his lone NFL touchdown on a jet sweep against the Oakland Raiders in Week 5 of last season.