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Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Pernell McPhee Wants To Stay With Ravens

March 1st, 2021 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pernell McPhee wants to extend the latest chapter of his career. After leaving Baltimore as a big-ticket free agent signing several years ago, the veteran pass rusher has resurfaced with his original NFL team as a rotational player. He would like to continue to do so.

The Ravens have nearly their entire edge rusher contingent due for free agency. McPhee joins higher-profile cogs Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue as a free agent-to-be, with Tyus Bowser also on track to hit the market come March.

“Of course, the plan is to come back to Baltimore and continue to play some ball, help win a championship and build a dynasty,” McPhee said, via Clifton Brown of BaltimoreRavens.com. “That’s the goal. Myself and my agent haven’t really talked about it yet. I’ve been chilling, taking care of my body. I’ll think about things, but my thought is really just on coming back.”

After battling injuries with the Bears, McPhee returned to the Ravens in 2019. He re-signed on another one-year deal last year. Both accords occurred after those years’ respective drafts. This past season, McPhee served as a starter alongside Judon and matched Ngakoue’s Ravens total with three sacks. McPhee, 32, has recorded three sacks in back-to-back seasons. Last year, however, he posted 15 quarterback hits — his top mark since 2015. He also outsnapped Ngakoue in Baltimore’s divisional-round game.

The 10-year veteran could be a lower-cost option for the Ravens to retain. It would cost just more than $20MM for the team to use its franchise tag on Judon for a second straight year, and Ngakoue figures to have a big market as a first-time free agent. Considering their situation, McPhee’s desire to return might be something to capitalize on as the franchise attempts to craft a new pass-rushing plan.

No Talks Between Ravens, Lamar Jackson?

March 1st, 2021 at 10:13am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens are said to be far apart in extension talks with Lamar Jackson. According to a source who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT, those discussions haven’t actually started yet. 

[RELATED: Ravens, Jackson Far Apart?]

Often times, conflicting reports like these are a matter of semantics. Do broader conversations about years/dollars qualify as negotiations? That depends on who you ask. But, as Florio notes, Jackson does not have an agent, so it’s hard to imagine that the Ravens have gotten especially deep in talks.

As it stands, Jackson is set to make just $1.77MM this year. In 2022, per the new collective bargaining agreement, his fifth-year option will be equivalent to the quarterback transition tender for 2021. Jackson triggered that by making a Pro Bowl. The QB transition tender was worth $21.75MM last year. This year, after the cap reduction, it should still fall somewhere near $20MM.

The higher value of the fifth-year option gives Jackson some additional leverage. It’s likely that he’ll seek a deal in the range of Deshaun Watson‘s four-year, $156MM extension. Watson’s pact gave him a $39MM average annual value and included a healthy $73MM guaranteed at signing. But, as of this writing, it sounds like the two sides have yet to truly engage.

Dez Bryant Doesn’t Want To Return To Ravens

February 27th, 2021 at 6:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Dez Bryant wants to continue playing, but he doesn’t want to move forward with Baltimore. Recently, the wide receiver expressed frustration with the Ravens on social media and indicated that he’ll be heading elsewhere. 

“I realized quick Baltimore wasn’t the place for me,” Bryant tweeted. “No bad blood. That’s their way of doing things so you gotta respect it.”

Bryant, who will turn 33 during the 2021 season, had a grand total of six grabs for 47 yards and two touchdowns for Baltimore. After a long layoff, Bryant was hardly featured in the Ravens’ offense across six games. No one expected Bryant to leapfrog Marquise Brown in the pecking order, but the longtime Cowboys star apparently hoped to be on a par with Miles Boykin and Willie Snead IV. He was not, and he feels that his lack of experience with the Ravens’ playbook played a role.

“My chemistry [with quarterback Lamar Jackson] was good on and off the field. But it was guys there before me who understood the offensive concepts better than me,” Bryant said. “You can’t jeopardize that.”

The Ravens seem to agree. Wanting to get younger at the position, the Ravens will allow Bryant to explore new opportunities in March.

Ravens, Jackson Far Apart On Extension?

February 27th, 2021 at 4:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

John Harbaugh said the Ravens will explore an extension with Lamar Jackson either this year or next. It looks like the sides are already talking.

The Ravens and their MVP quarterback have begun discussing a new deal, but Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes the sides are far apart at this juncture. Jackson, who became extension-eligible in January, is due just a $1.77MM base salary in 2021. The Ravens will surely pick up his fifth-year option by May, locking him down through 2022.

Since taking the reins of Baltimore’s offense midway through his rookie season, Jackson has played the centerpiece role in the team’s ascent in that time. The Ravens missed the playoffs from 2015-17, and while they have assembled high-end defenses during Jackson’s years, his historically elite rushing talents and improvement as a passer have re-established the team as an AFC power. Some factors could work against a Jackson deal being done soon, though.

While it would make sense for Jackson to secure an extension ahead of making that low-end base salary this season, a few recent quarterback re-ups have gone quite poorly. Carson Wentz and Jared Goff both regressed after signing big-ticket extensions ahead of their fourth seasons. They are now on other teams, with the trades forcing the Eagles and Rams to eat record-setting dead-money sums. A clear Jackson peer, Deshaun Watson has requested a trade less than six months after signing a $39MM-per-year Texans extension. That development figures to at least give teams pause. On the other end of this, the Cowboys’ near-two-year run of negotiations with Dak Prescott has driven up the QB’s price immensely.

Watson’s deal would make sense as a floor for Jackson, even though the former has shown far more as a passer to this point. The imminent salary cap reduction has long been expected to be a one-year blip, and the anticipated run of TV deals should do plenty to boost the 2022-and-beyond caps. Jackson and Josh Allen stand to benefit. And the Bills’ talks with their quarterback, expected this year, will pertain to Jackson. Allen has not offered as much consistency as Jackson, though the Buffalo passer rocketed onto his 2018 draft classmate’s level with a dominant 2020 season. Both QBs entering their fourth seasons will tie together their respective negotiations.

The Ravens have already extended two other cornerstone players — Ronnie Stanley and Marlon Humphrey — but they have a key issue at edge rusher to navigate soon. Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue are free agents; so are two key backups. Baltimore also has an extra year to negotiate with Jackson; the team does not have that luxury with Mark Andrews, a third-round pick entering a contract year. Jackson, though, represents this puzzle’s biggest piece. His talks with the Ravens will be a key NFL matter in the coming weeks/months.

Ravens’ Orlando Brown Exploring Trades

February 26th, 2021 at 5:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Orlando Brown‘s left tackle-or-bust quest has led the three-year Ravens starter to request a trade. The Ravens are listening to offers for the 24-year-old blocker, and Brown’s camp is now looking into potential destinations.

Brown’s representatives have begun exploring trades, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who adds the Ravens are aware of their right tackle’s plans (Twitter link). However, the Ravens certainly represent the key party here. They are surely looking for a high-value trade haul.

Ronnie Stanley‘s season-ending injury prompted the Ravens to use Brown as their left tackle. Previously, Brown had operated as Baltimore’s tackle starter opposite Stanley. A former third-round pick, Brown has one season remaining on his rookie contract.

Pro Football Focus has viewed Brown as a top-25 tackle in each of the past two seasons, and proven O-linemen annually command tremendous interest as free agents. There figure to be several teams interest in acquiring Brown via trade. The Ravens having extended Stanley last year will cut off a Brown path to left tackle in Baltimore, but as of now, the second-generation NFL tackle remains the team’s right tackle.

Trading Brown would further deplete Baltimore’s offensive line. Marshal Yanda‘s retirement created a void inside for the Ravens, who now have Stanley coming off a major injury. Though, the Ravens making a deal would secure additional draft capital with which to bolster their O-line.

If the Ravens trade Brown, the acquiring team would need to be prepared to give him a high-end extension. A 2022 franchise tag could also be utilized, by either the Ravens or the acquiring team, to lock down Brown. Stanley, David Bakhtiari and 2019 trade acquisition Laremy Tunsil have changed the market at left tackle. Tunsil and Bakhtiari have pushed it beyond $22MM annually. The top right tackle contract (Lane Johnson‘s) averages $18MM per year.

Ravens RB Coach Leaving For Michigan

February 21st, 2021 at 5:33pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg
  • Those two coaches are leaving the college ranks for the pros, but we’ve also got a pro to college to pass along. Ravens running backs coach Matt Weiss is leaving to become the quarterbacks coach at Michigan, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. Weiss will go from coaching under John Harbaugh to his brother Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. As running backs coach in Baltimore the past two years, Weiss helped orchestrate one of the best ground games in the league.

This Date In Transactions History: Ravens Sign Rod Woodson

February 20th, 2021 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

By the late 1990s, Rod Woodson went from perennial All-Pro as a Steeler to 49ers cap casualty. The Hall of Fame defender began a memorable second act on this date 23 years ago.

The Ravens swooped in and signed Woodson on Feb. 20, 1998, landing the then-11-year veteran cornerback on a four-year, $11.5MM deal that came with a $3MM signing bonus. Woodson would soon become a critical piece of one of the NFL’s all-time great defenses.

A year earlier, Woodson became a free agent and signed with the 49ers. San Francisco added both Woodson and fellow ex-Steeler Kevin Greene for the 1997 season. The 49ers led the league in total defense and secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed that year; they lost to the Packers in the conference championship game. Both players became cap casualties on the same day in 1998. Shortly after Woodson’s Ravens agreement, Greene re-signed with the Panthers.

Baltimore used Woodson as a cornerback in 1998, but in one of the best position-change decisions in modern NFL history, the five-time All-Pro corner moved to safety a year later. This shift coincided with the Ravens’ defensive ascent. After ranking 22nd in total defense in a 6-10 1998 season, Baltimore ranked second in ’99 — an 8-8 slate. Woodson led the NFL with seven interceptions and returned two for touchdowns in his first season as a safety. That began a run of four straight Pro Bowls for the veteran, who would go on to become an 11-time Pro Bowler.

In 2000, the Ravens elevated their performance considerably. Woodson, then 35, started 16 games for a defense that allowed just 10.3 points per game — the fewest in the 16-game era, breaking the 1986 Bears’ previous mark (11.7) — and lifted the team to a 12-4 record and Super Bowl XXXV championship. The Ravens blended a mix of homegrown young talent — headed by Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware and Chris McAllister — with veterans to assemble that storied defense, with Woodson spearheading the latter contingent. He finished the 2000 season with four picks and 77 tackles.

The Ravens held onto Woodson through the 2001 season. He signed with the Raiders in 2002 and played a pivotal role in that team advancing to the Super Bowl, leading the NFL with eight INTs. Woodson wrapped his 17-year career after the 2003 season and became a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2009.

Browns Lead NFL In Salary Cap Carryover

February 18th, 2021 at 10:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier today, the NFL Players Association announced (via Twitter) the salary cap carryover amounts for all 32 NFL teams for the 2021 season. Effectively, teams are able to rollover their unused cap from the previous season. So, when the 2021 salary cap numbers become official, they can be added to each team’s carryover amount to determine that individual club’s official cap for 2021.

This follows news from earlier today that the NFL has raised its salary cap floor to $180MM for 2021. This total could clue us in to the salary cap maximum, which could end up landing north of $190MM. The salary cap was $198.2MM for the 2020 campaign.

As the NFLPA detailed, the league will rollover $315.1MM from the 2020 season, an average of $9.8MM per team. The Browns lead the league with a whopping $30.4MM, and they’re the only team in the top-five to make the playoffs. The NFC East ($68.8MM) and AFC East ($65.3MM) are the two divisions will the largest carryover amounts.

The full list is below:

  • Cleveland Browns: $30.4MM
  • New York Jets: $26.7MM
  • Dallas Cowboys: $25.4MM
  • Jacksonville Jaguars: $23.5MM
  • Philadelphia Eagles: $22.8MM
  • New England Patriots: $19.6MM
  • Denver Broncos: $17.8MM
  • Washington Football Team: $15.8MM
  • Miami Dolphins: $15.2MM
  • Detroit Lions: $12.8MM
  • Cincinnati Bengals: $10.8MM
  • Houston Texans: $9.2MM
  • Indianapolis Colts: $8.3MM
  • Los Angeles Chargers: $8.1MM
  • Chicago Bears: $7MM
  • Los Angeles Rams: $5.7MM
  • Kansas City Chiefs: $5.1MM
  • Arizona Cardinals: $5MM
  • Pittsburgh Steelers: $5MM
  • New York Giants: $4.8MM
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $4.6MM
  • Minnesota Vikings: $4.5MM
  • Carolina Panthers: $4.3MM
  • New Orleans Saints: $4.1MM
  • Buffalo Bills: $3.8MM
  • Green Bay Packers: $3.7MM
  • Las Vegas Raiders: $3.6MM
  • Tennessee Titans: $2.3MM
  • San Francisco 49ers: $1.9MM
  • Atlanta Falcons: $1.8MM
  • Seattle Seahawks: $956K
  • Baltimore Ravens: $587K

Latest On Ravens, Matt Judon

February 17th, 2021 at 2:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

After being franchise-tagged last year, Matt Judon appears closer to hitting the market for the first time. The free agent-to-be has said a return to the Ravens would require circumstances to align perfectly, providing a clear indication a hometown discount will not be in the cards. Judon, though, is not ruling out a Ravens return. If the veteran edge rusher is to leave Baltimore, however, he may not be willing to sign with one of the league’s rebuilding teams. Judon said he wants to land with a winning team, per veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson (on Twitter). The 29-year-old defender joins teammate Yannick Ngakoue, who did not see full-time action for the Ravens in the playoffs, and Shaquil Barrett and Bud Dupree as edge rushers eager to cash in after being tagged last year.

Dez Bryant Unlikely To Return To Ravens?

February 15th, 2021 at 8:47pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

After two seasons out of the game, it was great to see Dez Bryant back on an NFL field this past season with the Ravens. If Bryant wants at least one more run in 2021, it sounds like he might need to find a new home though.

Bryant is unlikely to return to Baltimore next year, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes. Zrebiec thinks the team is looking to get younger at the position, which makes sense considering Lamar Jackson‘s receiving corps was underwhelming in 2020. Zrebiec notes he was a strong locker room presence, but Bryant didn’t play a huge role on the field, finishing with only six catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

Bryant signed with the Ravens’ practice squad in late October, and was promoted to the active roster shortly after. Perhaps the most notable part of his season was a bizarre moment in December when Bryant was pulled from the field just moments before kickoff in a game against the Cowboys after apparently testing positive for COVID-19. Bryant was unhappy, then said that he tested negative and would be sitting out the rest of the season rather than deal with the league’s protocols.

He eventually backed away from that claim and returned to the roster quickly. Speaking of Dallas, Bryant played his last season there in 2017 when he started all 16 games and had 838 yards and six touchdowns. He sat out the first half of the 2018 season before signing with the Saints. Unfortunately, he tore an Achilles immediately after signing with New Orleans before he could appear in a game.

He then sat out the entire 2019 campaign and it appeared his career could be over before he resurfaced with Baltimore. He turned 32 in November, and it’s unclear if he wants to play in 2021 anyway. One of the best receivers in the league for a handful of years, he won’t get any real guaranteed money if he does find a new team to sign with.

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