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Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Ravens To Sign Mike Davis

May 10th, 2022 at 10:00am CST by Adam La Rose

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

May 9th, 2022 at 10:19pm CST by Ben Levine

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

May 8th, 2022 at 10:55am CST by Adam La Rose

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

May 7th, 2022 at 12:18pm CST by Ben Levine

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

May 6th, 2022 at 10:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

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

May 6th, 2022 at 1:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

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.

Ravens Notes: WRs, Clark, Ojabo

May 3rd, 2022 at 5:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens were busier than expected during Round 1 of last week’s draft, making not one but two selections. To acquire the second pick, of course, they honored Marquise Brown‘s trade request. That was the largest of a number of receiver departures this offseason, leaving many surprised the team didn’t draft a wideout at any point over the weekend.

When asked about that, general manager Eric DeCosta said, “it wasn’t for a lack of effort. I think, honestly, the fact that there was a run of receivers in the first round like there was … I wouldn’t say it was a great receiver class in general, compared to some of the years… There were some receivers that we liked; we tried to take a couple guys at different points… I said this last year, but we like our receivers.” 

Baltimore’s WR room now consists of recent draftees Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, James Proche and Tylan Wallace. DeCosta did say, though, that the team “will add players to the mix”, a process which will likely involve diving into the remaining free agent market.

Here are some more notes from around Charm City:

  • Regarding DeCosta’s above remark about failing to land draft targets at WR, they were apparently one pick away from selecting Calvin Austin III, according to Peter King of FMIA. As he details, Baltimore was prepared to use pick No. 139 on the Memphis speedster, but the Steelers took him at 138. While they didn’t draft a wideout, the Ravens did add a pair of tight ends in the fourth round: Charlie Kolar and Isiah Likley.
  • After the Ravens drafted safety Kyle Hamilton 14th overall, some have raised questions about Chuck Clark‘s future with the team. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora writes that it’s “hard to see” Baltimore keeping the latter much longer, given Hamilton’s skillset and the recent trend of trading away valued players seeking new and/or larger roles.
  • Another draft pick vaunted for its relative value was that of edge rusher David Ojabo in the second round. His reason for falling out of the first round – a torn Achilles suffered at his pro day – has many expecting the Michigan product to miss his entire rookie season. However, as ESPN’s Jamison Hensley writes, the team is “optimistic that at some point this year he’ll have a chance to play”, a sentiment which Ojabo himself also shares.

2023 NFL Fifth-Year Option Results

May 3rd, 2022 at 9:17am CST by Zachary Links

Monday marked the deadline for NFL clubs to officially pick up their options on 2019 first-rounders. Fifth-year option seasons are no longer just guaranteed for injury — they’re now fully guaranteed, which makes these decisions a little tougher for teams.

Nineteen players had their options exercised, a tick up from 14 last year. Here’s the full rundown:

1. QB Kyler Murray, Cardinals – Exercised ($29.7MM)
2. DE Nick Bosa, 49ers: Exercised ($17.9MM)
3. DE Quinnen Williams, Jets: Exercised ($11.5MM)
4. DE Clelin Ferrell, Raiders: Declined ($11.5MM)
5. LB Devin White, Buccaneers: Exercised ($11.7MM)
6. QB Daniel Jones, Giants: Declined ($22.4MM)
7. DE Josh Allen, Jaguars: Exercised ($11.5MM)
8. TE T.J. Hockenson, Lions: Exercised ($9.4MM)
9. DT Ed Oliver, Bills: Exercised ($10.8MM)
10. LB Devin Bush, Steelers: Declined ($10.9MM)
11. OT Jonah Williams, Bengals: Exercised ($12.6MM)
12. LB Rashan Gary, Packers: Exercised ($10.9MM)
13. DT Christian Wilkins, Dolphins: Exercised ($10.8MM)
14. G Chris Lindstrom, Falcons: Exercised ($13.2MM)
15. QB Dwayne Haskins:
16. DE Brian Burns, Panthers: Exercised ($16MM)
17. DT Dexter Lawrence, Giants: Exercised ($10.8MM)
18. C Garrett Bradbury, Vikings: Declined ($13.2MM)
19. DT Jeffery Simmons, Titans: Exercised ($10.8MM)
20. TE Noah Fant, Seahawks: Exercised ($6.9MM; originally drafted by Broncos)
21. S Darnell Savage, Packers: Exercised ($7.9MM)
22. OT Andre Dillard, Eagles: Declined ($12.6MM)
23. OT Tytus Howard, Texans: Exercised ($13.2MM)
24. RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders: Declined ($8MM)
25. WR Marquise Brown, Cardinals: ($13.4MM; originally drafted by Ravens)
26. DE Montez Sweat, Commanders: Exercised ($11.5MM)
27. S Johnathan Abram, Raiders: Declined ($7.9MM)
28. DE Jerry Tillery, Chargers: Declined ($11.5MM)
29. DE L.J. Collier, Seahawks: Declined ($11.5MM)
30. CB Deandre Baker — N/A (released by Giants)
31. OT Kaleb McGary, Falcons: Declined ($13.2MM)
32. WR N’Keal Harry, Patriots: Declined ($12.4MM)

Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram Hit With UFA Tenders

May 2nd, 2022 at 10:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Both the Ravens and Chiefs made use of a rarely used tender today. Per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), free agent linebackers Justin Houston and Melvin Ingram were hit with UFA tenders by Baltimore and Kansas City, respectively.

This makes July 22 (or the first day of training camp, whichever is later) a relatively important date for the two veterans. If they sign with a new team before that date, then they’ll count toward the compensatory pick formula (benefiting their 2021 team). If they remain unsigned, then their 2021 squad will have exclusive negotiating rights, meaning the player will either return to the organization or sit unsigned.

Houston’s offer from Baltimore is worth 110% of his 2021 salary, which was $2.075MM. The veteran inked a one-year deal with the Ravens last offseason, and he ended up collecting 34 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 15 starts for his new team. Houston spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Chiefs, including a 2014 campaign where he compiled 22 sacks.

Per Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com, the Chiefs effectively offered Ingram a one-year deal worth $4.4MM. The linebacker was traded to Kansas City last November, and he saw time in nine games (six starts) down the stretch, collecting 15 tackles and one sack. The 33-year-old added another two sacks in three playoff games. The former first-round pick spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Chargers, collecting 49 sacks and three Pro Bowl appearances.

Ravens Select P Jordan Stout At No. 130

April 30th, 2022 at 12:24pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got a fourth-round punter. The Ravens have selected Penn State’s Jordan Stout with the No. 130 pick. San Diego State’s Matt Araiza, who many considered the best punter in the draft, is still on the board.

The last punter selected this high was Bryan Anger, who was selected at No. 70 by the Jaguars in 2012.

Stout made a name for himself during his time in college thanks to both his punting and kicking prowess. He had 100 punts between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, averaging 46 yards on his attempts. He also served as their kicker, converting 16 of his 23 field goal attempts, including a 57-yarder.

“It’s definitely huge,” Stout said of his versatility (via Oliver Hodgkinson of ProFootballNetwork.com). “There’s a lot of good punters in the league. There’s a lot of good kickers in the league. But, there aren’t a lot of people who are great at both. I’ve always prided myself as a combo guy. I’ve figured out how to do all three at a high level.”

This move means the Ravens will surely move on from punter Sam Koch, the team’s longest-tenured player. Cutting the veteran will save the Ravens $2.1MM in cap space.

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