Ravens Designate Nick Boyle For Return
The Ravens have designated tight end Nick Boyle to return from the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. Meanwhile, they’ve reversed course on their waiver claim of Brandon Knight, as the former Cowboys offensive lineman did not report to the team. Instead, the Ravens pivoted to veteran offensive lineman James Carpenter. 
[RELATED: Ravens Activate Bateman, Phillips From IR]
Boyle opened the year on IR as he was still healing up from his November knee injury. A recent microscopic surgery helped somewhat, but also elongated his rehab. The good news is that Boyle is back to provide blocking for a Ravens squad that will be without Ronnie Stanley. The All-Pro left tackle opted to go under the knife this week, ruling him out for the rest of the year.
Boyle’s best season as a receiver came in 2019, when he had 31 catches for 321 yards and two touchdowns. The Ravens still have him under contract through 2023 thanks to the two-year, $13MM extension he inked back in January.
Ravens Sign RB Le’Veon Bell To Active Roster
Le’Veon Bell will no longer have to deal with the taxi squad. The Ravens have signed the veteran running back to their 53-man roster, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
Bell joined Baltimore’s practice squad in early September, and he’s been promoted to the active roster a handful of times. The 29-year-old has gotten into two games this season, collecting 12 touches for 29 yards and one touchdown. He’s seen time on 42 offensive snaps.
Since sitting out the 2018 season due to a contract dispute, Bell has had issues holding a job, much less matching his All-Pro production. He surpassed 1,000 all-purpose yards with the Jets in 2019, but he was limited to only 466 yards in 2020 as he split the season with New York and Kansas City.
With J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill all dealing with seasons-ending injuries, the Ravens brought in Bell for some extra depth. Even though he now has an official spot on the active roster, he’ll still find himself behind the likes of Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, and Ty’Son Williams on the depth chart.
Ravens’ Ronnie Stanley Done For Year
Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley will have another surgery on his ankle, shutting him down for the remainder of the season. The Ravens have placed the All-Pro on injured reserve, shutting him down for a second straight year. 
“This is not what I wanted or expected when coming into the season,” Stanley said. “Throughout the last year, I did everything I could to be 100% healthy so I could be out there playing for our team and city. As a competitor, I have a mindset of sacrificing my body for my brothers and my team to reach our goals. At this point in time, my ankle isn’t where it should be.”
“This is the best decision not only for my health, but also for the team long term. I look forward to supporting my team from the sideline this season and coming back fully healthy in 2022.”
Stanley appeared in 100% of his team’s offensive snaps in Week 1 against the Raiders, but he’s been sidelined ever since. Now, he’s the 17th Ravens player to hit the IR list this year — that’s more than any other team in the NFL.
Stanley was outstanding in 2019, his last healthy year, earning First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. Last November, the Ravens happily furnished him with a five-year, $98.75MM extension. But, since that stellar ’19, he’s played in just seven regular season games (six last year, one this year).
In Stanley’s stead, the Ravens will continue to deploy Alejandro Villanueva at left tackle with Patrick Mekari manning the right side. They’ll be supported by newcomer Brandon Knight with David Sharpe available for promotion on the practice squad.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/19/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DE Josh Mauro
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LB Joe Thomas
- Released: LB Chris Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Reggie Bonnafon
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Chris Thompson
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: CB Isaiah Johnson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Aaron Adeoye
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Connor Strachan
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: S Jordan Lucas, CB Marvell Tell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Shilique Calhoun
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Vince Biegel
- Released: LB Shaquem Griffin
New England Patriots
- Signed: K Riley Patterson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Lakiem Williams
New York Giants
- Signed: G Derrick Kelly, WR Travis Toivonen
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jaydon Mickens
Washington Football Team
- Signed: K Chris Blewitt, LB De’Jon Harris
- Released: WR Kelvin Harman, CB Cole Luke
Ravens Add OL James Carpenter To Practice Squad
James Carpenter had landed his next gig. The veteran offensive guard is signing with the Ravens, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). Carpenter will initially be joining Baltimore’s practice squad, but he’ll presumably join the active roster once he’s ready to go.
Carpenter came into the league as a tackle when he was drafted in the first-round by the Seahawks way back in 2011, but he was quickly switched to guard. He started 13 games for Atlanta this past season, and 11 the year before. The Alabama product spent his first four years in Seattle, then signed a four-year deal with the Jets in 2015.
He completed that deal and started all 16 games for New York in three of those seasons. He signed a four-year, $21MM deal with Atlanta in 2019, but only made it halfway through that pact before he was cut but the team back in March. The 32-year-old had remained a free agent since that time.
The Ravens’ offensive line had one of their best games of the season yesterday against the Chargers. While Lamar Jackson was sacked three times, Baltimore still managed to rush for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Still, that hasn’t stopped the front office from adding to the offensive line. Earlier today, the Ravens claimed offensive tackle Brandon Knight off waivers from the Cowboys.
Ravens OL Ronnie Stanley Nearing Return?
Ronnie Stanley could be back with the Ravens sooner than later. Head coach John Harbaugh acknowledged today that the team and the offensive line are nearing a resolution regarding the player’s return.
“I think we’re nearing one but i don’t have anything to announce at this time,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on Twitter).
Stanley appeared in 100 percent of his team’s offensive snaps in Week 1, but he’s been sidelined the past five games with an ankle injury. We heard in late September that the offensive lineman could be back in a matter of weeks after avoiding ankle surgery, but there hasn’t been an update since.
Stanley was outstanding in 2019, his last healthy year, earning First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. Since then, he’s played in a total of seven regular season games (six last year, one this year). In Stanley’s stead, the Ravens will continue to deploy Alejandro Villanueva at left tackle with Patrick Mekari manning the right side.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/18/21
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Claimed off waivers: OT Brandon Knight (from Cowboys)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: G John Molchon
- Released: WR/KR Jaydon Mickens
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: S Amani Hooker
- Placed on IR: CB Kristian Fulton
Free Agents
- Suspended: OT Jarron Jones
Jones has slapped with a 10-game ban, effective Week 5. The former Steelers offensive lineman previously faced a pair of felony domestic violence charges.
North Notes: Darrisaw, Carpenter, McFarland
Let’s round up a few items from the league’s North divisions:
- Vikings LT Christian Darrisaw, the No. 23 overall pick of this year’s draft, has undergone two procedures for a groin injury in 2021, which delayed the start to his pro career. But he saw his first snaps at the left tackle position in last week’s win over the Lions, and he will get the start there against the Panthers today, as Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. Rashod Hill had been trying to hold down the fort in Darrisaw’s absence, but he struggled, and today marks the true beginning of the Darrisaw era on the blindside.
- The Ravens worked out free agent guard James Carpenter on Friday, as Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus tweets. Baltimore is on the lookout for OL depth after placing rookie guard Ben Cleveland on IR earlier this week. This marks the first reported interest in Carpenter since he was released by the Falcons in March.
- Even though the Steelers drafted RB Najee Harris in the first round of this year’s draft, 2020 draftee Anthony McFarland hoped to have a meaningful role on offense. But as Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review details, McFarland sustained a torn MCL during the preseason and has been on IR ever since. He was designated for return last week, and Rutter says the Maryland product will most likely be back on the field after the Steelers’ Week 7 bye.
Ravens Activate Bateman, Phillips From IR
Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman will make his NFL debut this weekend in a heavily anticipated matchup between two exciting young QBs in Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert. Head coach John Harbaugh apprised reporters of the news today (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).
Baltimore activated both Bateman and guard Tyre Phillips from IR Saturday. Phillips has been out since Week 1 due to a knee injury that required cart transportation. He began the season as the Ravens’ starting left guard. This move comes shortly after the Ravens placed rookie fill-in Ben Cleveland, who has split time at left guard with Ben Powers, on IR. Baltimore promoted Le’Veon Bell and tackle Andre Smith from its practice squad as well.
The Ravens have managed a 4-1 record despite a rash of injured stars and key contributors, including their top two RBs — J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards — CB Marcus Peters, LT Ronnie Stanley, and many others besides. Bateman, the 27th-overall pick of this year’s draft, joined the club’s MASH unit after suffering a significant groin pull in training camp that ultimately required surgery. Baltimore put its rookie wideout on IR and designated him for return at the end of September.
The Ravens’ ground game, which was the club’s calling card over the past several years, has been subdued in 2021 thanks in large part to the aforementioned injuries to Dobbins and Edwards (and thanks to opposing defenses gearing up to stop the run). But Jackson has elevated his passing abilities and his receivers have played well, allowing Baltimore to sustain a productive aerial attack, which Bateman should further bolster.
Unfortunately (but not unsurprisingly), Bateman’s debut coincides with the loss of fellow wideout Sammy Watkins. Watkins signed a one-year contract with the Ravens this spring, and he had developed a strong rapport with Jackson, catching 18 passes for 292 yards (good for a 16.2 YPR mark, which would be the second-highest figure of his career). Watkins suffered a hamstring injury in Monday’s dramatic win over the Colts, and he has been ruled out for the Chargers game this week (Twitter link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). There is no definitive timetable for Watkins at this point, but it does not sound like the team will put him on IR just yet.
Meanwhile, Baltimore continues to be without TE Nick Boyle. Boyle is an effective ancillary receiving target in his own right, but his primary contribution has been as a blocker. He is regarded as one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, and his return could help the running game get back on track. As with Watkins, there is no definitive return date for Boyle, but Harbaugh said the Delaware product will come off of IR soon (Twitter link via Hensley).
Boyle has been recovering from a severe knee injury he suffered last November, which ended his 2020 season prematurely.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/13/21
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S James Wiggins
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OLB Jaylon Ferguson
Carolina Panthers
- Designated for return: G Pat Elflein
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: OLB Sam Kamara, RB Ryan Nall
Cincinnati Bengals
- Designated for return: DE Khalid Kareem
Dallas Cowboys
- Designated for return: CB Kelvin Joseph, TE Sean McKeon
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return: T Taylor Decker, DT Kevin Strong
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- Designated for return: TE Dominique Dafney
Houston Texans
- Designated for return: WR Danny Amendola, WR Nico Collins
Indianapolis Colts
- Designated for return: LB Jordan Glasgow
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Jahlani Tavai
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: TE Deon Yelder
Tennessee Titans
- Designated for return: S Amani Hooker
Washington Football Team
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: CB Corn Elder
- Placed on IR: CB Darryl Roberts