Toe Tap Tez Touches Down!

Being a wide receiver in Baltimore has never been easy. For decades the Ravens’ passing game has been challenged by coordinators who lacked the creativity to scheme an aerial attack that could spread a defense and manipulate its soft spots. Making the implementation of air strikes even more daunting has been an organizational philosophy to playing great defense complemented by a physical rushing offense. Mix it all up and what you get is a graveyard for the careers of pass catchers. And when the pass catcher is a rookie, the slope to success in Baltimore gets even slipperier. Just ask Devontez Walker.

“Tez” as he’s known around the locker room, fills a need for the Ravens. He’s angular receiver with a wide catch radius who possesses the ability to make contested catches. And while he’s held back by a somewhat limited route tree at this point in his professional career, Walker does have vertical skills with the ability to take the top off a defense. But still, the 2024 NFL Draft’s 113th overall pick has been unable to see much playing time on offense. In fact, it took him 15 weeks to get his first target. And when he did, he made the most of it.

But before he earned that opportunity, Walker made an impression on special teams which is one way to warm the heart of head coach John Harbaugh. Against the Giants, Tez made a shoestring tackle at the 27-yard line during a New York kick return. The takedown prevented an explosive play. Earlier in the game, Walker helped pave the way to an excellent kick return by Justice Hill to set the Ravens up at the Giants 37-yard line. Tez’ escort helped enable Hill’s 59-yard return. Seemingly these efforts served as a springboard to the first target in the career of Tez Walker. And boy, did he make the most of it.

First NFL catch is a TOUCHDOWN for @DevontezWalker!!!!

Tune in on CBS and @paramountplus!! pic.twitter.com/vyNtRbfyNF

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 15, 2024

The catch finished a well-placed scoring strike from Lamar Jackson who after the game labeled Walker, “Tez Toe Tap”. Maybe “Toe Tap Tez” has a better ring to it?

Regardless, it’s a moment that Devontez Walker will never forget, and it represents another case in point that one way for a player to earn more snaps on offense or defense, is to make the most out of one’s special teams opportunities. And as Tez develops his game, puts in the work with his coaching staff, he could earn much more playing time in 2025. Just ask a guy who knows a little something about playing the position of wide receiver in the National Football League.

Former Ravens WR Steve Smith Sr. REALLY likes the potential of new Ravens WR Devontez Walker pic.twitter.com/b9ehJgDUbe

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) April 27, 2024

Congrats to Devontez Walker, our Jimmy’s Famous Seafood Big Crab Cake for Week 15.

[Related Article: The Good, Bad & The Ugly, Ravens at Giants]

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