OWINGS MILLS — The Ravens signed Deonte Harty as the potential replacement for Pro-Bowl returner Devin Duvernay, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason.
It’s a homecoming for Harty, who attended Archbishop Curley in Baltimore before playing football at Assumption University in Massachusettes.
The addition of Harty could be timely with the new kickoff rules because of his speed and ability to find seams in the opposition.
“Deonte is a special player. He’s here for a reason, because of his pedigree and what he’s done in this league,” special teams coach Chris Horton said. “We all know what he can do with the ball in his hands, and this play fits him well. It’s a lot of space. It’s a big-fill play. We’re just looking forward to, really with all of our returners back there, and just seeing how they develop. What do they do well within the schemes that we’re going to put out there.”
Harty signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and finished his rookie year leading the NFL in punt returns (36) and punt return yards (338). He was the first undrafted Saint to make the Pro Bowl roster as a rookie that season.
Last year, Harty signed a two-year contract with the Bills and served as the team’s primary kick returner. He caught his first career touchdown with the Bills against the New York Giants.
Harty was also named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after he returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown in the Bills’ 21–14 victory over the Dolphins that clinched the AFC East division title. Buffalo released Harty on March 6th.
Harty has averaged 10.4 yards per punt return in his career and 25.2 yards per kick return. He will compete with Tylan Wallace, who took over as the starting returner when Duvernay was injured. Wallace returned a punt for a game-winning 76-yard touchdown against the Rams last season, and the Ravens like his potential moving forward.
“I think this guy – he’s electric. He’s been a Pro Bowl player,” Horton said. “He’s been an All-Pro player, and when he was sitting there and his name came up, it’s just, ‘Oh, man. We lost our guy. We need a guy to fill these shoes, a guy with some experience.’ You like to have a guy with some experience so [that] you’re not really relying on young guys, especially in the punt return game. Then, it just allows us to do a little bit more back there.
“I’m excited about him. I know the coaches are. The players are. When I talk to the guys, some of the veteran guys, ‘Hey, we’ve got Harty coming in.’ Those guys ask, ‘Is that the guy from the Saints, the guy who used to be on the Saints? I say, ‘Yeah, man, that’s the little returner from the Saints.’ So, he’s a well known and respected returner in this league, and we love him.”
The Ravens ranked in the middle of the NFL for special teams last season, according to Rick Gosselin’s annual rankings.
The Ravens could be better this season with the addition of Harty, Chris Board, and the return of Malik Harrison and Arthur Maulet, who were re-signed this offseason.
Board will replace Del’Shawn Phillips, who signed with the Texans in free agency. Phillips played on a career-high 375 special teams snaps, and Board will get the same type of playing time in 2024.
Harty also provides depth at wide receiver behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace and rookie Devontez Walker.
