Ravens TE Durham Smythe Out for Season with Torn Achilles

The MRI machine just delivered the exact news nobody in Baltimore wanted to hear. Ravens tight end Durham Smythe is officially out for the season with a torn Achilles, as reported by Ian Rapoport.

The injury happened during Sunday's 24-18 win over the Tennessee Titans, and it looked bad the second he went down. Now, the worst-case scenario is officially on paper.

"Ian Rapoport confirmed the MRI results, noting it was 'exactly what it appeared Sunday.'"

Achilles injuries remain the absolute worst thing in sports. You see a guy drop without contact, grab the back of his heel, and immediately start doing the math on a nine-month rehab.

It is the athletic equivalent of your car's check engine light flashing red on the highway. You know exactly how expensive and painful it is going to be before the mechanic even hooks up the scanner.

For the Ravens, losing Smythe is a brutal victory tax. He is a reliable piece of their tight end room, doing the dirty work in the blocking game and serving as a safety valve underneath.

This forces an immediate shuffle for anyone looking at Baltimore's offensive props or team futures. The snaps and targets have to go somewhere, meaning the next man up on the depth chart is about to see a serious workload increase.

Smythe now begins a long, grueling rehab process to get back on the field next year. Meanwhile, the Ravens have to patch a sudden hole in their offense before they take the field next week.