Former NFL TE Todd Heap intrigued by new Baltimore Ravens tight ends

The Baltimore Ravens made a concerted effort to upgrade their passing game in the offseason, severing ties with their top two receivers and starting tight end.

And while much of the focus will be on incoming wideouts Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead, former Ravens tight end Todd Heap is eager to see how the replacements for tight end Benjamin Watson acquit themselves.

Baltimore used one of its dual first-round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft to select tight end Hayden Hurst of South Carolina and followed that up by taking another rookie tight end two rounds later in Oklahoma's Mark Andrews.

Heap, who played 10 of his 12 NFL seasons with the Ravens and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection, approved of the idea of taking two tight ends -- and not simply because he played the position.

"They've taken two before with Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson in 2010; I found it strange then, but not anymore," Heap told the Baltimore Sun. "I feel like they have a need at tight end in the offense right now, and they appear to have gotten two good ones."

Hurst, considered the top tight end available in this year's draft, had 44 receptions for 559 yards and two touchdowns in 2017. He set personal bests in 2016 with 48 receptions for 616 yards with the Gamecocks.

Andrews collected 112 passes for 1,765 receiving yards to go along with 22 touchdowns over his three seasons with the Sooners. He had 62 receptions in 2017, doubling his total from the previous year.

"We will see over the next couple of months, but I've been impressed with what I've seen so far," Heap said.