Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Contract Details: Addison, Michel, Chargers

We’ve compiled some updated numbers on recent NFL signings:

  • Mario Addison, DE (Texans): two-year deal. Contract has a $7.7MM base value, including a $2MM signing bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.
  • Bryce Callahan, CB (Chargers): signed. It’s a one-year deal worth $1.27MM, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). The deal has a cap hit of $1.04MM thanks to the veteran salary benefit. Callahan will earn a base salary of $1.12MM and a signing bonus worth $152.5K.
  • Mike Davis, RB (Ravens): signed. It’s a one-year deal for the veteran running back, per Yates (on Twitter). The deal is worth a bit more than $1.20MM, meaning Davis’s cap hit will qualify for the veteran salary benefit contract.
  • Tyrann Mathieu, CB (Saints): three-year, $33MM deal ($18MM guaranteed). The deal features a $9.5MM signing bonus and fully guaranteed base salaries in 2022 and 2023. The contract is effectively a three-year pact worth $27MM, with $18MM guaranteed and $2MM in yearly bonuses (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com).
  • Sony Michel, RB (Dolphins): one-year, $2.1MM deal. The contract includes a $1.75MM base value, including a $350K signing bonus (per Yates on Twitter).
  • E.J. Perry, QB (Jaguars): signed. The UDFA received $230K in guaranteed money from Jacksonville, including a $23K signing bonus and a guaranteed $207K salary, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter).
  • Kyle Van Noy, LB (Chargers): one-year deal. The contract’s base value and cap hit are worth $2.25MM. Includes $1.5MM base salary and $750K signing bonus, per Yates on Twitter.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/11/22

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Claimed (from Giants): TE Rysen John
  • Waived/failed physical: TE Jesper Horsted

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Claimed (from Colts): TE Eli Wolf
  • Waived: WR Chris Blair

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

  • Claimed (from Lions): TE Matthew Sokol

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ravens Withdraw ERFA Tender On RB Ty’Son Williams

Ty’Son Williams is now a free agent. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Ravens have withdrawn the tender on the running back, meaning he’s now free to sign with any team.

[RELATED: Ravens To Sign Mike Davis]

Williams was hit with an exclusive rights free agent tender at the beginning of the offseason, but the RB never inked his one-year deal. The Ravens weren’t locked in to their tender, so they withdrew the offer after adding a number of running backs.

Williams went undrafted out of BYU in 2020, but he ended up spending much of his rookie campaign on Baltimore’s practice squad. Following a long list of RB injuries heading into the 2021 season, the 25-year-old found himself atop the depth chart. Williams collected 187 yards from scrimmage through his first two games, but he managed only 82 more yards for the rest of the season.

After adding Tyler Badie in the sixth round of the draft and Ricky Person Jr. as an undrafted free agent, the Ravens signed veteran running back Mike Davis earlier today. The trio will join J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill, with each of those holdovers still recovering from season-ending injuries in 2021. The Ravens are also rostering veteran running back Nate McCrary.

Ravens’ Chuck Clark Drawing Trade Interest

The Ravens used their top draft choice on Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, doing so a few weeks after signing Marcus Williams to a big-ticket free agent deal. That has invited speculation on Chuck Clark‘s status.

Although John Harbaugh has said he plans on Clark remaining a Raven, teams reached out about trade interest. Following Baltimore’s Hamilton selection, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team received calls about Clark’s availability. Multiple teams inquired. Given an extension in February 2020, Clark is under contract for two more years — on just $2.75MM and $3.29MM base salaries.

Clark’s experience and low-cost contract would make him an attractive trade piece, and Fowler adds the veteran starter would be open to a move. The sixth-year veteran has not requested a trade but obviously would prefer to remain a regular contributor. The arrivals of Williams and Hamilton stand to cut into Clark’s playing time, even if the Ravens intend to deploy more three-safety looks.

A former sixth-round pick, Clark moved into the Ravens’ starting lineup full-time in 2019. The Virginia Tech alum is going into his age-27 season. During Clark’s time in Baltimore, the team has devoted significant resources to the safety spot. Eric Weddle, Tony Jefferson and Earl Thomas played on higher-end free agency accords in recent years, but the Ravens’ recent commitment to the position sets this offseason apart.

Ravens To Sign Mike Davis

Mike Davis has found his next NFL home. The veteran running back is signing with the Ravens, as first reported by Jordan Schultz and confirmed by Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson (Twitter link). 

[RELATED: Ravens Eyeing Landry]

The 29-year-old was released last week by the Falcons. There had been optimism surrounding his arrival with his hometown team, but he ended up producing similar numbers to his career averages. He appeared in all 17 games, but only started eight, totalling 762 scrimmage yards while scoring four touchdowns. The team leaned more heavily on Cordarrelle Patterson and has since added Damien Williams in free agency and Tyler Allgeier during the draft.

While 2021 didn’t go according to plan for Davis, he is one year removed from the best season of his career, which came with the Panthers. Filling in for Christian McCaffrey, he became the team’s lead back and started 12 of 15 games. He rushed for 642 yards and six touchdowns, but was a key piece to the team’s passing game as well. He totalled 373 yards and a pair of scores through the air, earning him the two-year deal from the Falcons which was terminated this offseason.

In Baltimore, Davis will join a crowded running backs room. The team is set to have each of its top three options from last season – J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill – return after they all missed the entire 2021 campaign due to injuries. They also drafted Tyler Badie in the sixth round of the draft, so while Davis is the most experienced player in the group, he is likely going to compete for no more than a depth role.

Ravens Eyeing WR Jarvis Landry

The Ravens continue to seek wide receiver help, and their search has led them to a former AFC North foe. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Ravens are interested in adding veteran wideout Jarvis Landry (via NFL.com’s Grant Gordon).

[RELATED: Door Shut On Jarvis Landry Browns Return?]

The organization shocked many when they dealt top wideout Marquise Brown during the draft, leaving them with an inexperienced depth chart. The Ravens front office also passed on the wide receiver position during the draft, although they did recently add six undrafted wideouts to their roster. The team’s search also recently featured former Packers receiver Geronimo Allison, who auditioned for the organization last week.

At the moment, the Ravens’ non-rookie WR depth chart consists of Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, James Proche, Tylan Wallace, Binjimen Victor, and Jaylon Moore. General manager Eric DeCosta recently said that the team “will add players to the mix” at wide receiver, so a move is likely coming.

Landry would be a logical fit if the organization is focused on adding a veteran to Lamar Jackson‘s receivers corps. The 29-year-old WR put up career-lows in receptions (52), yards (570) and touchdowns (two) across 12 games last season, but he’s only two years removed from a 2019 campaign where he collected 83 receptions for 1,174 yards en route to a Pro Bowl selection.

The 29-year-old wide receiver was released by the Browns in a cost-cutting move earlier this offseason. For some time, it seemed like Landry would land back in Cleveland, but a report from earlier today indicated that the door appears to be closed on a return to the Browns. The Saints were also connected earlier this offseason, but it’s uncertain if their first-round selection of Chris Olave has changed things.

Ravens Intend To Keep Chuck Clark

After the events of this offseason, and the draft in particular, veteran Ravens safety Chuck Clark has been named as a player the team might look to move on from. Head coach John Harbaugh doesn’t see him going anywhere, however. 

When speaking to the media, Harbaugh said, “the idea is to have as many good players as you can have and have them in the right spots and the right roles. I love the fact that we have very versatile players in the backend and at safety. So, to me, Chuck is a big part of this team, and I’m planning on Chuck being here.”

Those comments were made in light of the fact that the team drafted safety Kyle Hamilton 14th overall. Lauded for his range and positional versatility, many felt that his addition would make Clark redundant. The latter has been a starter for the past three seasons, totalling 249 tackles, four interceptions and 25 pass deflections during that stretch. He has also worn the green dot as the player responsible for organizing the defense on the field.

Still, the overlap in skillsets between Clark and Hamilton has led to speculation that the Ravens could handle his situation in a similar fashion to those of Orlando Brown Jr. and Marquise Brown – highly regarded players whose trade requests were honored despite the team having the option of keeping them for at least one more season. The 27-year-old is under contract for two more years, with cap hits of $4.6MM and $5.2MM, though he has no guaranteed money remaining on his deal.

Assuming Clark is retained, he could still see plenty of playing time even if Hamilton starts right away. He has experience lining up in a number of positions, just as the latter does from his time at Notre Dame. The team should have opportunities to use three-safety packages (complementing free agent signee Marcus Williams) given their lack of established veterans at the inside linebacker and slot corner positions. If they do part ways, though, Baltimore would turn to the likes of Brandon Stephens, Tony Jefferson and Geno Stone to fill the safety void.

WR Geronimo Allison, DT Marcell Dareus Trying Out For Ravens

The Ravens will have two notable names among the tryout players at rookie minicamp. According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley (on Twitter), wide receiver Geronimo Allison and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus are among those competing for a potential contract.

Allison made a name for himself while paired with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. The 28-year-old ended up spending four seasons with the Packers, collecting 1,052 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns. He signed with the Lions back in 2020 but ended up opting out of that season.

He was released by Detroit at the end of the 2021 preseason, but he eventually caught on with their practice squad. He ended up seeing time in three games with Detroit last season.

Dareus was the third-overall pick back in 2011. He’d spend six-plus years in Buffalo, earning one All-Pro nod and two Pro Bowl appearances while collecting 35 sacks in 91 games. He was traded to the Jaguars during the 2017 season and spend two-plus seasons with the team, starting 22 of his 30 appearances. He sat out most of the 2020 season while recovering from core muscle surgery, and he didn’t find a gig for the 2020 or 2021 seasons.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/6/22

Here are the latest draft pick signings:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears 

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

  • DB Tariq Woolen (fifth round, Texas-San Antonio)
  • LB Tyreke Smith (fifth round, Ohio State)
  • WR Bo Melton (seventh round, Rutgers)
  • WR Dareke Young (seventh round, Lenoir-Rhyne)

Washington Commanders

Ravens Sign 17 UDFAs

The next team to announce their class of undrafted free agents is the Ravens. Here are their additions:

Brown’s college career had produced little in three years at Boston College. His transfer to Oregon, however, led to a rise in his stock. In 2021, he led the Ducks to a 10-win season and the Pac-12 championship game. Along the way, he set career highs in passing yards (2,989), completion percentage (64.1) and total touchdown (28). He is unlikely to unseat fellow former UDFA Tyler Huntley as the team’s backup QB, but will compete for the No. 3 role.

Another notable takeaway from the list is the number of receivers. More specifically, size is an element shared by most of the wideouts; other than Bolden, they range from six-foot-two to six-foot-five. Some were surprised by the fact the Ravens didn’t add to the position despite seeing Sammy Watkins leave in free agency, waiving Miles Boykin and trading away Marquise Brown. That should leave the door open for a prospect like Polk (who posted 105 catches for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021) in particular to fill out the depth chart.