Ravens To Release S Tony Jefferson
The Ravens have begun their final roster cuts, and a notable veteran is among them. Safety Tony Jefferson is being released, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 
The safety position has seen plenty of turnover this offseason in Baltimore; Marcus Williams was the team’s top free agent signing, and the Ravens used the first of their two Day 1 selections on Kyle Hamilton in the draft. Those two, along with incumbent Chuck Clark, left Jefferson a narrow path to an initial roster spot.
Jefferson, 30, opened his career with the Cardinals, putting up consistent numbers while taking on a larger snap share with each passing year. That led him to Baltimore in free agency, where was a full-time starter until the midway point of the 2019 campaign. A knee injury left him sidelined him for the entire 2020 season, and led to four surgeries being required. He returned to Baltimore late this past year.
As a vested veteran, the Oklahoma product is not subject to waivers, and could sign anywhere in free agency. However, as has been the case with a number of respected veterans recently, the Ravens are likely to bring Jefferson back in the next day of so. Per Jeff Zrebiec of the Athletic (subscription required), Baltimore could simply wait until tomorrow’s necessary paper transactions (such as transferring injured players from the 53-man squad to IR) until re-signing him.
Assuming that takes place, Jefferson will be able to demonstrate his new-found health while competing with a number of younger options for a depth role on the team’s backend. If he remains willing to sign with the team on a handshake agreement, he could also be a practice squad candidate throughout the campaign, one in which the Ravens once again have high expectations on both sides of the ball.
Ravens Notes: Dobbins, Jones, OLBs
Earlier this month, the Ravens got their top RB back on the practice field when they activated J.K. Dobbins. It was a welcomed sign for the team, after the former second-rounder missed the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL.
Dobbins is still not a lock to suit up in Week 1 as he continues to recover from the injury, however. As a result, he “won’t get a full workload” immediately upon his return, notes ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. The Ohio State product took over the lead role midway through his rookie season, averaging six yards per carry and scoring nine total touchdowns. Those figures led to major expectations last season, but his year-long absence (along with that of backup Gus Edwards, who will also miss at least the first month of the 2022 season) dealt a major blow to Baltimore’s run game.
The Ravens, unsurprisingly, will ease Dobbins back into lead-back duties. Given that, and Edwards’ ongoing recovery, the team will turn to a combination of veteran signing Mike Davis and, in all likelihood, sixth-round rookie Tyler Badie in support roles in the backfield.
Here are some other notes from Charm City:
- Dobbins isn’t the only promising young player whose health status the team is watching carefully. Rookie defensive lineman Travis Jones is dealing with a sprained knee which should keep him sidelined for three to five weeks, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The third-rounder had an impressive training camp and preseason, and will be in line for at least a rotational role right way. The chances of his debut coming in Week 1 are greatly lessened by this news, though, so the Ravens will lean more heavily on starter Michael Pierce in the middle of the d-line.
- The Ravens have been named as a potential landing spot for a veteran edge signing throughout the offseason, given the team’s relative lack of moves at the position. Especially considering the fact that projected starter Tyus Bowser was placed on the reserve/PUP list last week (guaranteeing that he will miss the first four weeks of the season), the team is thin at the position until he and/or second-round rookie David Ojabo recover from their respective Achilles tears. As such, a pass rush addition of some kind should be expected, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Athletic (subscription required). Jason Pierre-Paul, who visited the team earlier this offseason, tops the list of remaining free agents; plenty of other names are due to become available as well during final roster cuts.
- In that same piece, Zrebiec also notes that wideout Demarcus Robinson‘s deal, signed last week, includes nearly $900K in guaranteed money. That should help ensure he remains on the roster, something he wasn’t able to do with the Raiders. The veteran had four catches for 135 yards and a touchdown during the team’s preseason finale, and figures to play a notable role in their receiver rotation.
- Safety Tony Jefferson could find himself on the roster bubble tomorrow, but not for a lack of effort to return to his previous form. The 30-year-old suffered a knee injury in 2019 which cost him his starting spot; he underwent a total of four surgeries to repair the damage, Zrebiec details. Jefferson understandably considered retirement during the process, but has now recovered to the point where he came back to Baltimore last season and could carve out a role on the 2022 squad as well.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/22
We will keep track of today’s minor moves right here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: P Cameron Dicker
Chicago Bears
- Waived (non-football illness): OL Jean Delance
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: DE Curtis Weaver
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: DE Markaviest Bryant, T Amon Simon, OL James Empey, WR T.J. Vasher
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: LB Ty Summers
Las Vegas Raiders:
- Placed on IR: RT Brandon Parker, DT Tyler Lancaster, LB Tae Davis (story)
- Waived: TE Nicke Bowers, WR Justin Hall
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: DL Josh Black, RB Abram Smith, OL Khalique Washington, CB Brian Allen, T Derrick Kelly, CB Quenton Meeks
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: CB Ka’dar Hollman
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: CB Jameson Houston, TE Cade Brewer, LB Aaron Donkor, RB Ronnie Rivers
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: CB Tre Brown
Washington Commanders
- Released via injury settlement: DE Bunmi Rotimi
Summers is a 2019 seventh-round pick who has just one career start but who has established himself as a key contributor on Green Bay’s special teams unit over his first three seasons in the league. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com expects the TCU product to generate interest on the waiver wire (Twitter link). Indeed, Packers HC Matt LaFleur said that the team made the decision to part ways with Summers now in order to give him a chance to hook on with a new club before the wave of impending cuts that will soon flood the market (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
The Seahawks’ decision to move Brown to the PUP list means that he will be sidelined for at least the first four games of the season. That marks a disappointing start to his second NFL campaign; the fourth-rounder had two separate IR stints last year. That limited him to just five games (three starts), during which he registered 10 tackles and one pass deflection. Seattle has seen plenty of roster turnover at the CB position this offseason, leaving Brown in line for at least a rotational role. In his absence, the team will rely even more on starters Sidney Jones and Artie Burns, with rookies Coby Bryant likely to play in the slot.
Ravens S Chuck Clark Requested Trade
Chuck Clark has been mentioned as a trade candidate throughout the offseason, and it sounds like the veteran safety would welcome a move. Following an offseason that saw Baltimore make two major commitments at safety, Clark acknowledged that he asked the organization for a trade following the NFL Draft in April.
[RELATED: Trade Candidate: Ravens S Chuck Clark]
“Me personally, I just felt the situation that I was in, how things were going, of course, yeah I did ask, ‘Can I get out of here?'” Clark said (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “And so, I felt like that didn’t happen and I wasn’t just going to give away my spot. If I’m not going to be a starter, it’s going to have to be taken from me.”
The Ravens signed Marcus Williams to a five-year, $70MM deal, and they selected safety Kyle Hamilton with the 14th-overall pick in the draft. Naturally, Clark thought he was at risk of losing his starting spot, and it sounds like that was the motivation for making his trade request.
The 27-year-old has spent his entire career in Baltimore, and he’s made 44 starts for the team over the past three years. That includes a 2021 campaign where Clark started 16 games while compiling 80 tackles, 12 passes defended, and a pair of interceptions.Pro Football Focus ended up ranking him 41st among 92 qualifying safeties.
Despite the request, Clark still attended offseason workouts and has been a full participant throughout training camp and the preseason. Plus, since the Ravens have the luxury of bringing Hamilton along slowly thanks to their depth, it sounds like Clark could remain a starter for at least another season.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen moving forward, but I think that what you all have seen so far is how everyone has been in place,” Clark said. “There was definitely a time I didn’t know what was going to happen, honestly. And whatever was to come with that was going to come. At one point I did feel that way, but now that I’m out here with my team, man, I’m just like … I’m here, I’m locked in. They’re going to get what I got for right now. So, whatever comes in the future, that’s what’s going to come.”
Clark still has two years remaining on the three-year, $16MM extension he signed in 2020.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/22
Today’s minor moves around the league:
Atlanta Falcons
- Re-signed: TE Tucker Fisk
- Waived: OL Rick Leonard
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: P Cameron Dicker
Dallas Cowboys
- Released via injury settlement: TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): LB Barrington Wade
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers (from Colts): K Jake Verity
- Waived: QB Jake Luton and LB Grant Morgan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): WR Cyril Grayson
Ravens Activate LT Ronnie Stanley
The Ravens are in line to have their top left tackle available to start the season. The team announced on Friday that they have activated Ronnie Stanley from the PUP list. 
The news is encouraging for Stanley, who has played just one game since October 2020. The 28-year-old underwent a third ankle surgery not long after his 2021 Week 1 appearance, the only one of the campaign. Recovery from the lingering issues associated with the initial injury he suffered has been slow-moving and met with a great deal of uncertainty.
Nevertheless, the Notre Dame alum was expected to be back in time for Week 1 of the regular season as far back as this spring’s draft. A return to full health would be a massive boost to the Ravens’ offense, given the All-Pro’s abilities in pass protection in particular. Stanley ranks fourth amongst left tackles at an average of $19.75MM per year, so being able to play up to that figure would also be significant for the team from a financial standpoint.
The news isn’t all positive on the injury front, however. The Ravens also announced that outside linebacker Tyus Bowser has been placed on the reserve/PUP list, meaning that he will miss at least the first four weeks of the season. The team’s top pass rusher suffered a torn Achilles in the regular season finale, putting his fall availability in doubt. The 27-year-old posted a career-high seven sacks last year, and was projected to start alongside 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh.
Bowser’s absence, along with that of second-round rookie David Ojabo, who suffered the same injury during his Pro Day, leaves the Ravens thin in the edge department. Oweh and veteran Justin Houston are now likely to start, but an addition – something which has long been speculated regardless of Bowser’s status – would come as little surprise at this point.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/25/22
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
Baltimore Ravens
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DL Trent Harris
Buffalo Bills
- Waived/failed physical: WR Bailey Gaither
Carolina Panthers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Duke Dawson
Chicago Bears
- Released from IR via injury settlement: CB Jayson Stanley
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Jeremiah Gemmel
- Waived (injured): LB Barrington Wade
Houston Texans
- Signed: K Matt Ammendola
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: K Jake Verity
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released from IR via injury settlement: RB Derrick Gore
New York Giants
- Waived: C Chris Owens
- Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Robert Foster
Philadelphia Eagles
- Re-Signed: CB Josh Blackwell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived (injured): WR Cyril Grayson
- Released from IR via injury settlement: T Jonathan Hubbard
Washington Commanders
- Released from IR via injury settlement: S Nathan Gerry
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/24/22
Today’s minor moves around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): CB Darrell Baker
Atlanta Falcons
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): DT Jalen Dalton
- Released via injury settlement: CB Cornell Armstrong
Baltimore Ravens
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): WR Slade Bolden
Carolina Panthers
- Released via injury settlement: LB Khalan Tolson
Dallas Cowboys
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): LB Christian Sam
Denver Broncos
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): T Casey Tucker
- Released via injury settlement: DE Marquiss Spencer
Detroit Lions
- Released via injury settlement: S Brady Breeze
Green Bay Packers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): WR Danny Davis, S Vernon Scott
- Released via injury settlement: OL Cole Schneider, CB Donte Vaughn
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released via injury settlement: WR Gary Jennings Jr.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): CB Tevaughn Campbell, LB Damon Lloyd, DE Ty Shelby
Miami Dolphins
- Released via injury settlement: CB Tino Ellis
New Orleans Saints
- Released: T Jerald Hawkins
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Tanner Hudson
- Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): CB Harrison Hand
- Claimed off waivers (from Ravens): WRs Bailey Gaither and Jaylon Moore
- Released: TE Jordan Akins
- Placed on IR: WRs Collin Johnson, Marcus Kemp (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released via injury settlement: CB Jimmy Moreland
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Claimed off waivers (from Jets): S Elijah Riley
- Released via injury settlement: LB Tuzar Skipper, RB Master Teague
- Released: S Donovan Stiner
San Francisco 49ers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): OL Sam Schlueter
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Ronnie Rivers
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: LB Jon Rhattigan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to IR (from waivers): WR Bug Howard
Tennessee Titans
- Released via injury settlement: CB Shakur Brown
Washington Commanders
- Claimed off waivers (from Jaguars): OL Wes Martin
- Released: CB Channing Stribling
The biggest storyline of the day for the Giants was the injury to Johnson, but they have been busy at other positions as well. Hand was a fifth-round pick of the Vikings in 2020, making 23 appearances during his time there. He primarily played on special teams, but registered an interception and three pass breakups as a rookie. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets that Minnesota was interested in re-signing him had he cleared waivers.
The release of Akins is somewhat surprising, given the Giants’ question marks at the tight end position. The former Texans third-rounder signed just before the draft, where New York added Daniel Bellinger in the fourth round. The latter had a brief stint on the PUP list at the start of training camp, but, if healthy, could be the favorite to take on Evan Engram‘s vacated starting spot.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/22
Tuesday marked the day teams were forced to cut down from 85 to 80 players. Here are the moves teams made made to reach the new maximum. Players who land on the reserve/PUP or reserve/NFI list must miss at least the first four regular-season games.
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: P Nolan Cooney, CB Cortez Davis, TE Josh Hokit, RB T.J. Pledger
- Waived/injured: CB Darrell Baker Jr.
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: WR Geronimo Allison, CB Lafayette Pitts, WR Auden Tate
- Waived: OLB Kuony Deng
- Waived/injured: DL Jalen Dalton
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: ILB Diego Fagot, WR Bailey Gaither, T Jaryd Jones-Smith
- Waived/injured: WR Slade Bolden
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: QB Matt Corral (story), CB Duke Dawson
- Waived: TE Jared Scott
Chicago Bears
- Released: T Julie’n Davenport
- Waived: FB Jake Bargas, CB BoPete Keyes, DT LaCale London, WR Dazz Newsome
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: S Brandon Wilson
- Waived: QB Drew Plitt
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: TE Jeremy Sprinkle
- Waived/injured: LB Christian Sam
- Waived: K Lirim Hajrullahu, CB Quandre Mosely, WR Jaquarii Roberson
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Kyron Brown, WR Ty Fryfogle, RB Ryan Nall
Detroit Lions
- Waived: LB Shaun Dion Hamilton
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: RB Kylin Hill
- Waived: WR Danny Davis
- Waived/injured: S Vernon Scott
Houston Texans
- Placed on reserve/non-football illness list: WR John Metchie (story)
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: C Alex Mollette, RB C.J. Verdell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: T Lucas Niang
- Placed on IR: RB Derrick Gore
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: CB Chris Jones
- Waived: WR Chris Lacy
- Waived/injured: CB Cre’von LeBlanc
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Michael Jacquet
- Waived/injured: CB Tevaughn Campbell, LB Damon Lloyd, OLB Ty Shelby
- Placed on reserve/NFI list: TE Stone Smartt
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: LB Ryan Connelly, WR Blake Proehl
- Waived: TE Shaun Beyer, CB Harrison Hand
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: LB Ronnie Perkins
- Placed on reserve/NFI list: OL Andrew Stueber
New Orleans Saints
- Released from IR via injury settlement: T Sage Doxtater, DT Jaleel Johnson
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: OL Nick Gates, T Matt Peart
- Placed on IR: ILB Darrian Beavers (story), TE Andre Miller, TE Ricky Seals-Jones
New York Jets
- Released: OL Caleb Benenoch, LB Kai Nacua
- Waived: S Elijah Riley, OL Isaiah Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: TE Tyree Jackson, OL Brett Toth
- Waived: CB Josh Blackwell, RB DeAndre Torrey, T Jarrid Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: OLB Genard Avery
- Waived: WR Christian Blake, RB Mataeo Durant, QB Chris Oladokun, K Nick Sciba
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: DT Kalia Davis, CB Jason Verrett (story)
- Released: TE Tanner Hudson
- Waived: LB Jeremiah Gemmel
- Waived/injured: OL Sam Schlueter
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Cade Brewer
- Waived: G Shamarious Gilmore
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived/injured: TE Bug Howard
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on reserve/PUP list: K Caleb Shudak
Washington Commanders
- Released: T Rashod Hill
- Placed on IR: LB Nathan Gerry
- Waived: WR Kelvin Harmon
- Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Sammis Reyes
RB Gus Edwards Lands On Ravens’ Reserve/PUP List
The Ravens have waited a while to redeploy their optimal one-two running back punch. The team will wait until at least October for its J.K. Dobbins–Gus Edwards attack to return.
While both players missed all of last season due to ACL tears, Edwards landed on Baltimore’s reserve/PUP list Tuesday. He will be shut down for the Ravens’ first four games.
John Harbaugh recently expressed doubt about Edwards’ Week 1 status, but the 15th-year Ravens HC does expect the veteran back to be full speed later in 2022. Edwards went down during a 2021 preseason practice, suffering his ACL tear within minutes of Marcus Peters‘ season-nullifying knee injury. Peters is on track to make his return in Week 1, illustrating the differences in timelines these injuries can cause.
Edwards, 27, signed a Ravens extension months before suffering the injury. His three-year, $12.38MM deal included $8MM fully guaranteed. The contract runs through the 2023 season. The longtime Baltimore off-the-bench back ripped off three straight 700-plus-yard seasons to start his career, averaging north of five yards per carry in each.
Dobbins returned to practice two weeks ago, but the Ravens are carefully ramping up their starter for work. Dobbins, who went down barely a week before Edwards last year, also suffered meniscus damage. The Ravens’ batch of 2021 replacement options is no longer on the team, with veteran Mike Davis and sixth-round rookie Tyler Badie now representing Dobbins-Edwards insurance.