Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/20
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: DB Jeff Hector
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-signed: K/P Tristan Vizcaino
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: WR Tony Brown, LB Jermaine Grace, DE George Obinna, DT Justin Zimmer
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: FB Jordan Jones, OL Cole Madson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: WR Aleva Hifo
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: WR Jaydon Mickens
Tavon Young Back To Full Strength
- The Ravens will use Jimmy Smith in a matchup-based capacity. They are trying their longtime starting cornerback at safety and in the slot, John Harbaugh said. As of now, there is no plan to permanently move the veteran corner to safety. The Ravens are deep at cornerback, with Marcus Peters, Marlon Humphrey and slot man Tavon Young back in the fold. Young, however, has missed two of the past three full seasons. Harbaugh said the fifth-year corner is back to 100% after a neck injury last summer.
- Ravens rookie UDFA tight end Jacob Breeland will miss the 2020 season, Harbaugh confirmed. The Oregon product was one of the top contenders for Baltimore’s No. 3 tight end spot, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required).
Ravens Won’t Rule Out Antonio Brown
Maybe Lamar Jackson will get his wish after all. When asked about the possibility of signing Antonio Brown, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that he’s willing to “look at any and every player” and Brown is “no exception,” (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network). Then, in reference to Brown’s murky status with the league office, Harbaugh addressed the obvious.
[RELATED: Ravens’ Jackson Still Pushing For Antonio Brown]
“I don’t think he’s available right now,” said the coach.
Jackson and Marquise Brown (AB’s cousin) would love to welcome Brown to Baltimore. Ditto for Seahawks star quarterback Russell Wilson. The NFL, it seems, is less than interested in bringing the controversial wide receiver back to the game. Brown’s investigation has dragged on for months and the league office has yet to provide his camp with meaningful status updates.
Brown, of course, has given the NFL a whole lot to sift through. Between the ugly allegations, legal entanglements, social media outbursts, retirements, and un-retirements, it’s hard to make sense of his situation.
The 32-year-old has tallied 841 receptions for 11,253 yards over the course of his career, which includes seven Pro Bowl appearances. At this moment, he’s aiming for a return in 2020, despite previous concerns about the health “risk [being] greater than the reward.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/20
Teams continue to make moves as players report to training camps, with many opting to pare their rosters from 90 to 80 players well before the mid-August deadline. Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Re-signed: G Parker Ehinger
Chicago Bears
- Waived/injured: CB Tre Roberson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived/injured: DT Ryan Glasgow
Cleveland Browns
- Waived/injured: DE Trevon Young
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers (from Bills) OL Garrett McGhin
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: OL Jovahn Fair, DT Braxton Hoyett, DB Jalen Julius, FB/TE John Lovett, P Tyler Newsome, LB Bryan Wright
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): DT Ray Smith
- Waived: CB Ryan Lewis
New York Jets
- Placed on reserve/retired list: RB Jalin Moore
Ravens’ Lamar Jackson Still Pushing For Antonio Brown
After some consideration, the Ravens decided to pass on Antonio Brown earlier this summer. For what it’s worth, Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson hasn’t given up hope of bringing AB to Baltimore.
“It was nice throwing to Antonio Brown [this offseason],” Jackson said on Wednesday morning (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley). “I was hoping we would get him. I’m still hoping — a little bit.”
Brown’s talent is undeniable, but the complications that come along with him are impossible to ignore. Just recently, Brown announced his retirement from the NFL, only to reverse course three days later. Brown – who now says he’s ready to play – has called it quits at least three times since September of last year.
Jackson lobbied hard for Brown following their offseason workouts. Antonio’s cousin, Marquise Brown, agrees, and he would like to make it a family affair. Still, the four-time All-Pro and would-be future Hall of Famer remains in limbo with Roger Goodell. Even if the Ravens wanted to ignite a media circus and risk the potential headaches, they would not be able to bank on Brown’s early season availability. When the NFL finally rules on Brown’s situation, it stands to reason that he’ll face a suspension.
The Ravens have Hollywood and Willie Snead, but the run game is their bread-and-butter. One could argue that they don’t need Brown. At the same time, it’s hard to imagine anyone being able to keep a lid on their offense with a productive Brown in the lineup.
The Seahawks have also been connected to Brown, and Russell Wilson has advocated for him. Still, it’s not clear if the Seahawks are entertaining the possibility.
Ravens’ Andre Smith Opts Out Of 2020 NFL Season
Ravens offensive lineman Andre Smith has opted out of the 2020 season, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). More than a dozen players have opted out as of this writing and that number figures to grow larger between now and the Aug. 1 deadline.
[RELATED: Patriots’ Hightower Opts Out]
Smith, 33, hooked on with the Ravens at the end of the 2020 season to bolster their blocking unit in the playoffs. A former top-10 pick, Smith was once one of the game’s better protectors. He’s way past his prime, but the Ravens were hoping to have him around for depth. In total, Smith has appeared in 116 regular season games during his career, but he’s been somewhat limited since 2016 thanks to multiple injured reserve trips. He hasn’t earned a quality score from PFF since 2014.
Smith, who boasts 90 career starts and tons of earnings over the years, probably didn’t need the money this year. That’s especially true since his contract was at, or near, the veteran’s minimum.
15 NFL Players Land On NFL’s Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Dolphins, Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Jaguars, Chiefs, Cowboys and Buccaneers have placed players on the newly created reserve/COVID-19 list. Here’s the full rundown, per the league’s transactions wire:
Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
Jacksonville Jaguars
- CB Luq Barcoo, DT DaVon Hamilton, CB Josiah Scott, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Aleva Hifo
Miami Dolphins
- LS Blake Ferguson, DT Benito Jones, CB Cordrea Tankersley
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The reserve/COVID-19 designation is for players who have tested positive for the coronavirus or are in quarantine for potential exposure. In turn, these players are removed from the roster and allowed to return after three weeks.
Ravens’ De’Anthony Thomas Opts Out Of 2020 Season
A second player plans to opt out of the 2020 season. Following former Chiefs teammate Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Ravens wide receiver/return man De’Anthony Thomas has expressed his intention to opt out, the team announced.
This will be a voluntary opt-out for Thomas, who re-signed with the Ravens in March. This would have been the wideout’s seventh NFL season.
Because this is a voluntary opt-out, and not a high-risk player choosing to bypass the COVID-19-clouded season, Thomas is set to receive a $150K stipend. He will not receive an accrued season toward free agency. His new deal was a one-year pact for the league minimum.
Players have only a handful of days to determine whether they will play in 2020, with August 3 serving as the deadline. Thomas operated as Baltimore’s primary punt returner last season, averaging 7.2 yards per return for his second NFL team. The Ravens, however, believe sixth-round rookie James Proche can fill Thomas’ shoes, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (via Twitter).
Thomas, 27, spent five full seasons with the Chiefs. He worked as Kansas City’s primary kick returner for much of his stay, while also playing an auxiliary role as a wide receiver in K.C.’s Alex Smith-piloted offenses. Though, Thomas has never posted a 200-yard season and last caught double-digit passes in 2017. The eventual Super Bowl champions cut him last year, leading him to Baltimore. The former Oregon standout’s contract will toll to 2021.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/20
Teams are trimming players earlier than usual this year, thanks to the NFL’s recommendation for an 80-man roster max. We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: LB Vontarrious Dora, QB Drew Anderson, DE T.J. Carter, OL Jackson Dennis, OL Drew Dickinson, TE Parker Houston, WR Shane Leatherbury, WR Devin Phelps, CB Jarren Williams, CB Bejour Wilson
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: G Evan Adams, G Daishawn Dixon, T R.J. Prince, K Nick Vogel
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: WR Ray-Ray McCloud, OL Garrett McGhin
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: CB Isiah Swann
Denver Broncos
- Released: DT Joel Heath
- Waived: LB Tre’ Crawford, QB Riley Neal, WR Kelvin McKnight, RB Khalfani Muhammad, S Kahani Smith, CB Shakial Taylor, C Nico Falah
Houston Texans
- Claimed off waivers (from Eagles) DT Albert Huggins
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived/Injured: DB Javaris Davis, WR Cody White
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (from Chiefs): CB Javaris Davis
- Waived: DE Avery Moss, LB Trent Harris
- Waived/NFI: TE Michael Roberts
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: WR Shelton Gibson, WR Marcus Green, DE Daeshon Hall, DT Albert Huggins, and CB Tremon Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: DL Amani Bledsoe, LB Nigel Harris, TE Cole Herdman, WR Trevion Thompson, G Zac Kerin
- Waived/Injured: RB Shaun Wilson
Ravens Sign Patrick Queen, Wrap Draft Class
That’s a wrap on the Ravens’ 2020 NFL Draft class. On Wednesday, the club announced deals with first-round linebacker Patrick Queen and third-round wide receiver Devin Duvernay, the final stragglers in their ten-man group. 
Queen put himself on the radar as a sophomore at LSU, but he saved his best for last. In 2019, Queen registered had 85 tackles last season, 12 tackles for loss, and three sacks. A three-down ‘backer with solid coverage skills, GM Eric DeCosta says Queen is a “guy that plays like a Raven.”
While the Ravens address the LB need early, they sat back while this year’s big-name wide receivers came off the board. Towards the end of Round 3, they nabbed Duvernay, a short and speedy receiver with the ability to stretch the field.
“The No. 1 priority for us was to get a fast guy,” John Harbaugh said earlier this year (via The Baltimore Sun). “We just wanted to get another fast guy in the offense, a speed guy. One, you got a guy that caught 106 balls. In his career, he had over 160 catches with one drop. That’s what we had in our count. I didn’t see a drop on tape this last year…He’s only 5-[foot]-10, [but he’s a] strong, tough, real competitive guy. He has a little chip on his shoulder.”
Here’s the full rundown of the Ravens’ frosh:
1-28: Patrick Queen, LB (LSU): Signed
2-55: J.K. Dobbins, RB (Ohio State): Signed
3-71: Justin Madubuike, DT (Texas A&M): Signed
3-92: Devin Duvernay, WR (Texas): Signed
3-98: Malik Harrison, LB (Ohio State): Signed
3-106: Tyre Phillips, OL (Mississippi State): Signed
4-143: Ben Bredeson, G (Michigan): Signed
5-170: Broderick Washington Jr., DT (Texas Tech): Signed
6-201: James Proche, WR (SMU): Signed
7-219: Geno Stone, S (Iowa): Signed