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Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Derek Wolfe Will Not Play This Season

November 16th, 2021 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sidelined during the season’s first half, Derek Wolfe will not end up playing at all for the Ravens in 2021. 

Wolfe has missed extensive time due to hip and back injuries. Although he returned to practice late last month, his 21-day window to be officially activated closed Tuesday. He is now back on IR and must remain there for the rest of the season.

Harbaugh said he does not “understand [the situation] completely,” per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, but the veteran defensive lineman was “not in a place” where a return this season is possible.

The 10th-year D-lineman practiced just once during his IR-return window and is set to miss a full season for the first time in his career. Wolfe has dealt with injuries for much of his NFL run but has never previously missed more than five regular-season games. This news comes months after the Ravens re-signed him on a three-year, $12MM deal.

One of many starters from the Broncos’ dominant 2015 defense still active, Wolfe played eight seasons in Denver and wanted to return on a third contract. But the Broncos went in a different direction in 2020, leading Wolfe to Baltimore. He started eight games for last season’s playoff-bound Ravens squad, making 51 tackles and registering just one sack. Wolfe and Calais Campbell represented key veteran additions for last year’s team, but the former’s career is at a crossroads after this news.

The Ravens guaranteed Wolfe $8.5MM. It will be interesting if they are still interested in the former second-round pick returning in 2022 for his age-32 season. A near-$4MM dead-money hit would come if Wolfe is released.

Ravens To Release Le’Veon Bell

November 16th, 2021 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens are releasing Le’Veon Bell, per an announcement from the running back himself. As a post-trade-deadline cut, he’ll be subject to the waiver wire before potentially reaching the open market. 

“This hurts, but it’s been a blessing to be here to say the least,” Bell tweeted. “I’ve enjoyed every second of this short period and got a whole new meaning of what this city is like..it’s a great place to be. I appreciate [GM Eric DeCosta] and [head coach] John Harbaugh for the opportunity to be called a Raven.”

[RELATED: Ravens Activate TE Nick Boyle]

While a reunion is possible, per Harbaugh, Bell’s 2.7-yard average this season does not present considerable upside. Bell joined the Ravens’ taxi squad in early September and earned a promotion to the varsity squad soon after. The 29-year-old has appeared in a total of five games this season, collecting 31 touches for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

“I really appreciate everything about him: professionalism, attitude, work ethic,” Harbaugh said, via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. “Being around him is a joy every single day. He’s really a great guy and he helped us.”

Bell has had issues holding a job since his famed 2018 holdout. No longer producing like his old All-Pro self, he was limited to just 466 yards between the Jets and Chiefs last year. Still, he did register more than 1,000 all-purpose yards with Gang Green in 2019.

The Ravens were expected to use Bell quite a bit following injuries to J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill. Instead, they’ll stick to the rest of their RBs — Devonta Freeman, Ty’Son Williams, and Latavius Murray.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/21

November 11th, 2021 at 6:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Ravens Activate TE Nick Boyle

November 8th, 2021 at 4:26pm CST by Ben Levine

After being sidelined for the past year, it sounds like Nick Boyle‘s return is imminent. The Ravens activated the veteran tight end from injured reserve today. That means he’ll be eligible to play in Thursday’s game against the Dolphins.

The veteran suffered a severe knee injury last November, and Boyle naturally landed on injured reserve prior to this season. There was initial hope that Boyle would be ready to go toward the beginning of the 2021 campaign, but a clean-up procedure delayed his comeback. Boyle returned to practice in late October.

“Nick obviously has been a really good player for us,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman recently said (via Clifton Brown of the team’s website). “It was a big loss for us last year, but he’s been really working to get back. I mean, Nick is a guy with a unique skillset that keeps getting better. We’re just going to have to bring him into the fold gradually and get him to where he’s feeling really comfortable out there so he can be Nick Boyle.”

Boyle made a name for himself as one of the league’s premier blocking tight ends, although he’s managed to stay relevant in the passing game (including a 2019 campaign where he set career-highs with 31 receptions and 321 receiving yards). The organization showed their commitment to the 28-year-old when they inked him to a two-year, $13MM extension this past offseason.

Mark Andrews will still serve as the top tight end (and one of Lamar Jackson‘s favorite targets), but Boyle should see plenty of snaps. The team is also rostering tight end Josh Oliver.

NFL Practice Squad Updates:  11/8/21

November 8th, 2021 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Suspension lifted: DE Frank Herron (will remain on PS injured list)

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/21

November 8th, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

Ravens’ DeShon Elliott Done For Year

November 7th, 2021 at 4:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Ravens defensive back DeShon Elliott is believed to be done for the year, according to head coach John Harbaugh (Twitter link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). Elliott will be placed on season-ending injured reserve later this week, opening up a spot on the 53-man roster.

Elliott was forced out of Sunday’s game and later diagnosed with torn pectoral and a torn bicep. It’s a bad blow for the Ravens, who have been using the 24-year-old as a starter since last year. Elliott’s season will end with 23 tackles, one sack, and three tackles for loss in six games.

The timing is especially rough for Elliott since he’ll be out of contract in March. With a repeat of 2020 — a year with 80 stops, 2.5 sacks, and 16 starts — he could have been in line for a major payday.

The Ravens went on to beat the Vikings 34-31 in overtime, advancing to 6-2 on the year. They’ll try and keep the momentum going without Elliott — or much of a break — when they play the Dolphins on Thursday night.

Multiple Teams Were Interested In Adrian Peterson; Derrick Henry Done For Year?

November 7th, 2021 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Veteran running back Adrian Peterson signed with the Titans this week after the team placed stud RB Derrick Henry on IR. And though his audition with Tennessee was the first time we heard anything on Peterson since July, there was apparently a fair amount of interest in his services.

Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Ravens, Raiders, Bills, Falcons, and Dolphins all expressed interest in Peterson, the three-time NFL rushing leader. Peterson also says Dancing with the Stars — which has made a habit of casting current and former NFLers — made him an offer in September, an offer that he declined because he believed he would have the opportunity to sign with Baltimore.

The Ravens lost their top three RBs before the season even started, and they ended up signing veterans Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, and Le’Veon Bell to help fill the void, so Peterson was right to think that he might get a shot in Baltimore. That obviously didn’t happen, but the future Hall-of-Famer will get a prime opportunity with Tennessee.

At 6-2, the Titans are currently at the top of the AFC standings, so Peterson will immediately get some action for a playoff contender, something he did not get to experience over the last three seasons (he spent 2018-19 with the Washington Football Team and 2020 with the Lions). Of course, losing Henry — the engine that makes Tennessee’s offense run, with all due respect to A.J. Brown and Ryan Tannehill — could seriously undermine the club’s chances at securing a first-round bye.

Speaking of Henry, Schefter passes along some bad news for Titans fans. The last report on Henry’s foot injury suggested that he might be back as soon as Week 15, or at least in time for the playoffs, but one source tells ESPN that it would be very surprising if Henry were able to return at all this season.

Without Henry, the Titans will forge ahead with Peterson, Jeremy McNichols, and D’Onta Foreman.

Ravens, Dolphins Discussed Xavien Howard Trade

November 7th, 2021 at 8:13am CST by Rory Parks

Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard‘s dissatisfaction with his contract led to his requesting a trade this summer, and although player and team were able to work out a revised pact to keep Howard placated, Miami’s 1-7 record in 2021 made him an obvious trade candidate in advance of last week’s deadline. And as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, the Ravens made a push to add Howard in an effort to bolster their secondary.

Baltimore is sitting at 5-2 and clinging to first place in the AFC North, but the club has dealt with myriad injuries to star players and other key contributors. Per Rapoport, GM Eric DeCosta was actively trying to trade for proven talent at multiple positions of need, and Howard was the most notable target. The Ravens lost playmaking CB Marcus Peters for the year just before the regular season started, and Howard — who has twice the led the league in interceptions — would have made for an excellent replacement.

Pro Football Focus has assigned Howard a below-average 56.2 coverage grade this season, a steep drop-off from his 89.6 mark one year ago. Still, having him line up across from Marlon Humphrey was doubtlessly a tantalizing proposition for DeCosta, and with Howard, Humphrey, and Peters all under club control through at least 2022, the Ravens would have been loaded at CB next season. It would have also made it easier to allow Anthony Averett, who has replaced Peters in the starting lineup, to depart in free agency.

Of course, the Dolphins were not going to let Howard go for nothing, and Rapoport says that the ‘Fins were likely looking for a first-rounder and more for their star defender. DeCosta may have been willing to pony up that type of capital, but only if Miami absorbed at least some of Howard’s remaining $13.785MM salary for 2021.

In the end, the good faith negotiations between the two clubs did not produce a deal, and the Ravens — who did not swing a trade with any team, despite DeCosta’s best efforts — will attempt to secure a playoff berth with the talent already on the roster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/21

November 2nd, 2021 at 8:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Football Team

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