Ravens re-sign TE Eric Tomlinson to a 1-year deal

The early part of the offseason is usually when lowkey, under-the-radar signings and transactions occur. This has already happened for the Ravens as they re-signed a pair of defensive backs, Jordan Richards and Devontae Harris, to one-year deals last week.

Now, they’ve inked another veteran to a one-year deal in TE Eric Tomlinson.

Tomlinson was picked up by the Ravens ahead of Week 12 last season. At the time, the Ravens badly needed depth at tight end behind Mark Andrews, as Nick Boyle had suffered a season-ending hip injury. Luke Wilson was the only other option at the position but he was ultimately released in December.

Tomlinson went on to appear in every game for the Ravens down the stretch. He saw just one target in eight games, though, and was used almost exclusively as a blocker in the offense. Tomlinson played a total of 161 offensive snaps and 34 snaps on special teams, including 38 snaps on offense in the Ravens’ two playoff games combined.

Tasked with picking up much of the responsibility left in Boyle’s absence, Tomlinson filled in admirably and the Ravens rushing attack did not miss a beat during the transition. Evidently, he made a strong enough impression for the organization to keep him around. Tomlinson figures to compete for the No. 3 tight end job this offseason and could find himself at No. 2 on the depth chart depending on the timeline of Boyle’s recovery.

Tomlinson is entering his sixth career season and the Ravens are the seventh team he’s suited up for. He began the 2020 campaign with the Giants but was released by New York after Week 1.