Latest On Ravens’ Lamar Jackson Contract Talks
With Week 1 quickly approaching, it is becoming less and less likely that an extension becomes finalized between the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson before the latter’s self-imposed negotiating deadline. Recent remarks he made on social media hint at the type of contract the team has – or, more to the point, has not – offered him so far. 
Responding to a Twitter conversation stating that the Ravens had offered Jackson a fully guaranteed extension worth $250MM, the 25-year-old replied, “no they didn’t” (Twitter link). Such a deal would be in line with the unprecedented contract given to Deshaun Watson by the Browns, though that pact had a total value of $230MM.
Much has been made about Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti‘s comments made in the wake of that deal and the effect it was likely to have on future QB extensions. Indeed, it was reported last month that Jackson was seeking a second contract which was also guaranteed in full and, given his track record, higher in maximum value than Cleveland’s new signal-caller.
Two mega-deals have been signed at the position since the Browns’ acquisition of Watson: Kyler Murray‘s extension with the Cardinals (averaging $46.1MM per year) and, yesterday, the contract Russell Wilson signed which will keep him in Denver, presumably, for the remainder of his career ($49MM). Those extensions each include substantial guarantees, though they fall well short of the structure Watson’s deal is comprised of. As a result, the Ravens will no doubt point to the latter accord as the exception, rather than the rule, in the new QB market.
Baltimore was willing to match the annual value of Buffalo’s Josh Allen extension last offseason, which would have left Jackson on the books at an annual average of $43MM. A franchise tag would carry a similar cost if the team elects to use it next year, though doing so would have far different cap implications than an extension of the same value. How far the team is willing to go on the matter of guarantees – and the manner in which Jackson responds to those efforts – will be central to how this relationship proceeds.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/1/22
Teams continue to tinker with their rosters after hundreds of players were cut earlier this week. We’ve tracked all of today’s minor moves below:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Stephen Anderson, LS Aaron Brewer, CB Mike Ford, G Colby Gossett, LB Nick Kwiatkoski, S Dean Marlowe
- Placed on IR: S Charles Washington, WR Antoine Wesley
- Waived from IR: OL Greg Long
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DT Abdullah Anderson,
- Placed on IR: DL Marlon Davidson, TE John Fitzpatrick, LB Deion Jones, OL Jalen Mayfield, CB Isaiah Oliver
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived from IR: DT Aaron Crawford
Chicago Bears
- Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
- Placed on IR: WR N’Keal Harry
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR Mike Thomas
- Placed on IR: DE Khalid Kareem
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DB C.J. Goodwin, LS Jake McQuaide
- Placed on IR: OT Tyron Smith, WR James Washington
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Darius Phillips, DT Mike Purcell, TE Eric Tomlinson
- Released: DB Essang Bassey
- Placed on IR: TE Greg Dulcich, CB Michael Ojemudia
- Released from IR: CB Donnie Lewis
Green Bay Packers
- Released from IR: WR Danny Davis
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: LB Trevor Denbow
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers (from Bears): LB Caleb Johnson
- Released: DL Adam Gotsis
- Reverted to IR: K Jake Verity
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on IR: LB Daniel Hardy
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: S Clayton Fejedelem
- Released from IR: CB Mackensie Alexander, DB D’Angelo Ross
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: WR Tyquan Thornton
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Dwayne Washington
- Placed on IR: OT Trevor Penning, DL Malcolm Roach
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Austin Calitro, TE Tanner Hudson, DL Nick Williams
- Claimed off waivers (from Ravens): G Tyre Phillips
- Placed on IR: OL Shane Lemieux, DE Elerson Smith, CB Rodarius Williams
- Released from IR: TE Dre Miller, TE Ricky Seals-Jones
New York Jets
- Signed: S Marcell Harris
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Claimed off waivers (from Jaguars): LB Jamir Jones
- Released: LB Derrek Tuszka
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Tyler Kroft, DE Jordan Willis
- Placed on IR: LB Curtis Robinson, S Jimmie Ward
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Justin Coleman
- Placed on IR: DL LJ Collier
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: C Ryan Jensen
- Waived/injured: WR Cyril Grayson Jr.
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Cody Hollister
- Placed on IR: WR Racey McMath
Giants Release LB Blake Martinez, Claim G Tyre Phillips
The Giants had Blake Martinez on their initial 53-man roster, but as of Thursday afternoon, he is a free agent. New York released the veteran linebacker.
This removes a seventh-year veteran from Big Blue’s linebacking corps. Martinez accepted a pay cut this offseason, coming after he suffered an ACL tear early during the 2021 slate. As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com tweets, this was a peculiar move by the Giants; the team basically guaranteed him an extra $2MM before ultimately cutting him. This is believed to be a mutual parting, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). Martinez was at practice Thursday but had been excused Wednesday.
Martinez’s departure will clear a path for Tyre Phillips, the former Ravens guard whom the Giants claimed earlier Thursday. The Ravens waived Phillips on Wednesday. The Ravens had hoped Phillips would clear waivers and return to the team via a practice squad agreement, per ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley (on Twitter), but the former Baltimore starter did not make too far down the league’s priority list.
A former Packers fourth-round pick, Martinez posted four straight seasons of at least 140 tackles over his final three Green Bay years and his 2020 Giants debut. During an offseason that featured then-GM Dave Gettleman dole out big contracts to Martinez and James Bradberry, the former signed a three-year, $30MM deal. Following Martinez’s ACL tear, Gettleman stepped down. Big Blue’s new regime worked with Martinez to bring him back in March, but the team may be moving toward younger pieces at the lower-value linebacker spots.
Martinez, 28, played in two of the Giants’ preseason games after sitting out their August opener. Former seventh-rounder Tae Crowder is in line to start for the Giants, who used a fifth-round pick on Micah McFadden this year.
A 2020 third-round pick, Phillips, 25, started 13 games for the Ravens over his two seasons with the team. He became the team’s Week 1 starter as a rookie and was in position as Baltimore’s starting left guard to start last season as well. But multiple injuries derailed Phillips’ time in Maryland. The Ravens moved on with Ben Powers and Ben Cleveland as their non-Kevin Zeitler guard contingent.
The Giants have been busy up front this offseason. After injuries ransacked their 2021 O-line, the Giants added four first-string blockers (center Jon Feliciano, guards Mark Glowinski and Joshua Ezeudu, tackle Evan Neal). They also placed guard Shane Lemieux on IR Wednesday, sidelining him for at least four games. Phillips would represent a veteran alongside Ezeudu, a third-round rookie.
Restructure Details: Stanley, Hill, Smith-Schuster, Vannett
As teams around the NFL attempt to navigate the salary cap while putting together the rosters with which they will open the season, a couple of players have agreed to rework their current contracts in order to give their teams a bit more breathing room. Here are a few notable examples:
- Ronnie Stanley, LT (Ravens): Baltimore addressed a major stressor today by converting $8.47MM of star left tackle Stanley’s salary this year into a signing bonus, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The move resulted in the creation of $6.35MM of cap space for the 2022 season. This is a win-win for both sides. The Ravens gave Stanley a five-year, $112.8MM contract extension mid-season in 2020 that made him the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL at the time. Since signing the contract, Stanley has played in two total games. With this compromise, Stanley still gets money from the contract while giving the Ravens a bit of relief on what stood to be the 20th largest cap hit in the NFL this season. After initially holding a cap hit of $18.55MM, Stanley will now represent a much easier to swallow $12.2MM of the Ravens’ cap space this year.
- Troy Hill, CB (Rams): Los Angeles will make its cap struggles a bit easier by exercising a pre-existing option in Hill’s contract that will lower his 2022 cap hit by about $2MM, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. Hill returned to his long-time home in Los Angeles sporting a one-year-old contract from the Browns. The Rams decided to trade for their former cornerback a year after losing out on him to a two-year, $9MM deal from Cleveland. The option will lower Hill’s 2022 cap hit from $4.5MM to only $2.5MM.
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR (Chiefs): Smith-Schuster decided in his second stint with free agency to join a new franchise, signing with the Chiefs on a one-year, $3.76MM contract. The deal was already extremely incentive-laden, but Kansas City decided to give the former-Steelers’ receiver an opportunity at a bit higher of a bonus total in a cost-efficient, cap-savvy move. According to Yates, the Chiefs agreed to an amended contract that will increase Smith-Schuster’s per-game active roster bonus from $30K to $60K. This will increase his potential season total in such bonuses from $510K to $1.02MM. What’s interesting is that, of the additional $510K, only $150K will be attributed to this year’s salary cap. Since Smith-Schuster only appeared in five games last season, only five games-worth of the additional $30K per game will count against the 2022 salary cap. The remaining $360K will be applied to the 2023 salary cap.
- Nick Vannett, TE (Saints): New Orleans brought in a solid run-blocking tight end in Vannett last offseason on a three-year, $8MM deal. Unfortunately, the Saints were only able to get seven games of action out of Vannett last year in a season that saw him miss the first 10 weeks of the season. Perhaps a reaction to the absences last year, the Saints were able to convince Vannett to sign a reworked deal that would lower his 2022 base salary from $2.6MM to $1.04MM, according to a tweet from Yates. The lowered payout will result in about $1.55MM of cap space for New Orleans.
S Tony Jefferson To Join Giants’ Practice Squad
Tony Jefferson was a notable name amongst the Ravens’ final roster cuts, but the belief was that he would return to the team’s practice squad. The veteran safety is indeed joining a taxi squad, but not in Baltimore. 
Jefferson is signing with the Giants, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec and Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano (Twitter links). That represents a surprise given where things stood two days ago, though New York is a logical landing spot. With the Giants, Jefferson will be reunited with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who held the same post during their shared time in Baltimore.
Jefferson has significant starting experience dating back to his time with the Cardinals to start his career. That led him to the Ravens in free agency, where he partnered with Eric Weddle until his midseason 2019 knee injury. That opened up a starting spot for Chuck Clark, who has remained a first-teamer ever since. He, along with free agent addition Marcus Williams and first-round rookie Kyle Hamilton will serve as the Ravens’ top safeties.
Jefferson will likely face less of a logjam in the Big Apple. New York has Xavier McKinney and Julian Love at the top of the depth chart, but a lack of experience behind them. 2021 fifth-rounder Jason Pinnock and fourth-round rookie Dane Belton are currently projected as backups, so Jefferson could take on at least a rotational role on the team’s backend.
If he has fully recovered from the four surgeries required by his knee injury, Jefferson could find a spot under Martindale, as the Giants look to take a step forward in 2022.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC North
Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers moves are noted below.
Here are Wednesday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.
Baltimore Ravens
Signed:
- DE Brent Urban
Claimed:
Waived:
- G Tyre Phillips (story)
Placed on IR:
- TE Charlie Kolar, LB David Ojabo
Signed to practice squad:
- RB Tyler Badie, QB Anthony Brown, FB Ben Mason, DT Isaiah Mack, DT Kahlil McKenzie, OLB Steven Means, OLB Jeremiah Moon, DL Rayshad Nichols, WR Makai Polk, CB Kevon Seymour, T David Sharpe, WR Binjimen Victor, S Ar’Darius Washington, WR Raleigh Webb, CB Daryl Worley
Cincinnati Bengals
Claimed:
- TE Devin Asiasi (from Patriots), G Max Scharping (from Texans), DT Jay Tufele (from Jaguars) (story)
Released:
- QB Brandon Allen, S Michael Thomas
Waived:
Placed on IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- LS Cal Adomitis, QB Jake Browning, P Drue Chrisman, T Devin Cochran, DT Domenique Davis, G Nate Gilliam, WR Trenton Irwin, DE Raymond Johnson, LB Keandre Jones, WR Kwamie Lassiter II, TE Thaddeus Moss, LB Tegray Scales, DT Tyler Shelvin
Cleveland Browns
Claimed:
- QB Kellen Mond (story)
Released:
Signed to practice squad:
- LB Dakota Allen, WR Daylen Baldwin, TE Miller Forristall, WR Mike Harley Jr., OL Brock Hoffman, CB Shaun Jolly, RB John Kelly Jr., CB Herb Miller, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, DT David Moore, DT Roderick Perry, OL Alex Taylor
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ravens To Sign RB Kenyan Drake
AUGUST 31: The deal is going through. Drake will join his fourth team, with Rapoport adding the Ravens have agreed to terms with the seventh-year back (Twitter link).
AUGUST 30: With plenty of questions still surrounding their RB room, the Ravens are set to make an addition at the position. Baltimore is hosting veteran Kenyan Drake and “likely will sign him” pending a physical, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 
The 28-year-old was on the roster bubble in Vegas, leading to the recent announcement that he would either be traded or cut. Nothing materialized on the trade front, as expected, leaving Drake on the open market. His Raiders tenure lasted one season, and produced 254 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns; he added 30 catches for 291 yards and another score across his 12 games played.
Despite his release causing $8MM in total dead cap charges, the Raiders were willing to proceed with the move. That leaves the team with Josh Jacobs in the No. 1 spot for at least one more season, as they declined his fifth-year option, and a mix of veterans and rookies behind him. Drake will enter a similarly-crowded Ravens backfield, but he should be in line for a more significant workload.
Baltimore could have lead back J.K. Dobbins on the field for the first time since 2020 as early as Week 1, but he will not handle a full starter’s workload right away. That, coupled with the absence of backup Gus Edwards for at least the first four games of the season, leaves plenty of snaps available for other options. That list includes veteran Mike Davis and sixth-round rookie Tyler Badie.
Drake will compete with those two for a role in the build-up to the regular season. At least until Dobbins and Edwards are back to full health, he should give the team a more proven pass-catching back.
Ravens Waive G Tyre Phillips, Claim LB Del’Shawn Phillips
A Ravens guard starter to open each of the past two seasons, Tyre Phillips is now on the waiver wire. The Ravens moved on from the young offensive lineman Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The team attempted to trade the talented but injury-prone O-lineman, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (on Twitter), but scant interest came. Baltimore is moving forward with Ben Cleveland and Ben Powers instead. Kevin Zeitler remains in place as the Ravens’ right guard starter. Versatile veteran Patrick Mekari remains with the team as well.
Phillips has started 13 games for the Ravens. While teams were not willing to give up a draft pick for Phillips, it would not surprise if the 2020 third-round pick was claimed on waivers. The Ravens could also stash him on their practice squad. He is a candidate to be on Baltimore’s 16-man taxi squad, Zrebiec tweets. Phillips, however, did not fare well during preseason play. He also missed extensive time due to injury in 2020 and ’21.
The Ravens claimed linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips off waivers from the Jets, Zrebiec adds (via Twitter). Del’Shawn Phillips, 25, played in 17 games — mostly as a backup — with the Jets last season.
Ravens Drop Roster To 53
The Ravens have confirmed their final roster cuts, bringing the squad to the league-mandated 53-man limit. Like many teams, they are releasing a number of vested veterans with the intention of keeping them in the fold in the coming days, once other necessary moves have been made. Here is the list of Baltimore’s departures:
Waived:
- RB Tyler Badie
- QB Anthony Brown
- DT Isaiah Mack
- FB Ben Mason
- LB Zakoby McClain
- RB Nate McCrary
- OLB Jeremiah Moon
- DT Rayshad Nichols
- TE Tony Poljan
- WR Makai Polk
- DB David Vereen
- WR Binjimen Victor
- DB Ar’Darius Washington
- WR Raleigh Webb
- LB Chuck Wiley
Waived/injured:
- WR Shemar Bridges
- DT Aaron Crawford
- OLB Daelin Hayes
Released:
- S Tony Jefferson (story)
- OL Kahlil McKenzie
- OLB Steven Means
- CB Kevon Seymour
- T David Sharpe
- DE Brent Urban
- CB Daryl Worley
Badie might be the most surprising inclusion on the list. The sixth-round rookie led the SEC in rushing yards last year, but the team has had a crowded RB room throughout the offseason. Badie was though to be in competition with veteran Mike Davis for the No. 3 spot. Another notable name is soon to be added to the mix in the form of Kenyan Drake, though. Badie would, considering his age, represent a practice squad priority should he clear waivers.
Hayes was a fifth-round pick last season, but was limited to one appearance as a rookie. That extended absence, coupled with his relative lack of college production, could make him another practice squad candidate. Still, his inclusion – along with that of Means – is noteworthy given the team’s lack of depth in the edge rush department. Either of them departing to another roster could make the position even more of a priority than it is now.
Like Jefferson, Urban was named in the build-up to today’s deadline as a likely veteran to be released temporarily, while having a handshake agreement in place to return later in the week. The Canadian began his career in Baltimore, and returned this offseason as one of many changes the team has made along the defensive line.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/29/22
Teams have until 3pm Tuesday to slash their rosters from 80 to 53 players. Here are the Monday moves teams are making en route to doing so. The list will be updated throughout the day.
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB Jace Whittaker, S James Wiggins
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Darrell Baker
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: C Jimmy Murray
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: OL Jacob Capra, DE Daniel Joseph, DB Jordan Miller, OL Tanner Owen, WR Neil Pau’u, DB Josh Thomas
Chicago Bears
- Waived: S Jon Alexander, C Corey Dublin, WR Kevin Shaa
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: DE Chris Odom (story)
- Released: WR Javon Wims
- Waived: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley, DT Glen Logan, S Jovante Moffatt, T Ben Petrula, DE Curtis Weaver
Denver Broncos
- Waived: CB Bless Austin, LB Jeremiah Gemmel, OL Sebastian Gutierrez, RB JaQuan Hardy
- Waived/injured: CB Donnie Lewis
Detroit Lions
- Released: QB Tim Boyle
- Waived: CB Mark Gilbert, WR Tom Kennedy, WR Kalil Pimpleton, CB Saivion Smith
Houston Texans
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Chester Rogers
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: QB Jack Coan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: S Rudy Ford, K.C. McDermott
- Waived: LB Tyrell Adams, DL Auzoyah Alufohai, RB Ryquell Armstead, CB Benjie Franklin, DB Brandon Rusnak, LB Chapelle Russell, OL Badara Traore
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: LB Emeke Egbule, TE Sage Surratt
Miami Dolphins
- Released: OL Adam Pankey
- Waived: OL Blaise Andries, DL Owen Carney Jr., RB Gerrid Doaks, CB Elijah Hamilton, LB Darius Hodge, DT Niles Scott, RB ZaQuandre White, CB Quincy Wilson
- Placed on IR: LB Calvin Munson
- Waived/injured: CB D’Angelo Ross
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: CB Tye Smith
- Placed on IR: WR Olabisi Johnson (story), DL T.Y. McGill
- Waived: WR Myron Mitchell, T Timon Parris
New York Giants
- Waived: DB Yusuf Corker, WR Keelan Doss, DB Olaijah Griffin, OL Josh Rivas, K Ryan Santoso, OL Eric Smith, WR Travis Toivonen
New York Jets
- Waived: DE Bradlee Anae, WR Irvin Charles, CB Javelin Guidry, WR Calvin Jackson Jr., RB La’Mical Perine, LB Del’Shawn Phillips, QB Chris Streveler
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: CB Josh Blackwell, QB Carson Strong, OL Cameron Tom, DT Renell Wren
- Waived/injured: WR Greg Ward
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: DL Ron’Dell Carter, CB Linden Stephens, TE Jace Sternberger
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: CB Ken Crawley
- Waived: OL Dohnovan West
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: LB Andre Anthony, WR Jerreth Sterns
Tennessee Titans
- Released: S Adrian Colbert
- Waived: S Tyree Gillespie, OL Willie Wright
Washington Commanders
- Waived: DT Tyler Clark, DE Jacub Panasiuk, DB Steven Parker