The Baltimore Ravens announced that they had signed former Buffalo Bills wide receiver and punt returner Deontay Harty to a contract, giving them another weapon for their passing offense and special teams. According to Harty’s Spotrac page, he signed a one-year, $1.29 million contract with the Ravens.
Since Harty was born and bred in Baltimore, this is kind of a homecoming for him, and he won’t require much time to adjust to his new football surroundings. In the 2023 NFL season, the 26-year-old Harty spent a year and a half with the Bills, where he finished with 150 receiving yards and a touchdown on 15 catches and 21 targets.
But the Bills also utilized him as a special teams player. Harty, who was not selected in the 2019 NFL Draft, played in 17% of the Bills’ special teams snaps last season despite playing in only 15% of their offensive snaps. In 2023, Harty brought 26 punts back for 323 yards and one touchdown. The only score of the game occurred during the fourth quarter of the Bills’ thrilling 21-14 road victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 18.
After that game, Harty reportedly claimed, “I blacked out,” according to the Associated Press (via ESPN). I’m not allowed to reveal what transpired. I had just noticed a furrow. I succeeded. And I was free the next thing you knew.
With the loss of two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Devin Duvernay to the Jacksonville Jaguars in NFL free agency, Harty’s presence in Baltimore helps the Ravens fill a void. Thanks to Duvernay and Tylan Wallace, who had 290 and 127 punt return yards, respectively, the Ravens placed first in the NFL overall in 2023 with 417 total punt return yards. Wallace, who is still with the Ravens, will likely assist Harty in returning punts for the most part of the workload.
He, while still a member of the New Orleans Saints, set a league record in 2019 with 338 punt return yards.
Harty signed a contract with the Saints as an undrafted free agent after his name was left off the board in the 2019 NFL Draft. He made the final cut for the 2019 NFL season and even went on to become a Pro Bowler and First-Team AP All-Pro selection in his rookie season of professional football, demonstrating how well he utilized that opportunity.
Up until the 2022 season, Harty was a member of the Assumption Greyhounds football team, a Division II football program. He signed a two-year contract with the Bills in 2023 after his time in New Orleans, but he was cut last March as a cap-clearing casualty.
This surprise signing by the Ravens, who finished 13-4 in 2023 and advanced to the AFC Championship Game, has also elicited reactions from a number of fans.
