Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/20
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: WR Antoine Wesley
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Nate Holley
Seattle Seahawks
- Suspended: G Kyle Fuller (two games)
Bills, Ravens Monitoring Ziggy Ansah
The Bills and Ravens have free agent DE Ziggy Ansah on their radar, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Ansah has sent a workout video of himself to NFL teams in an effort to show that he is fully recovered from his recent shoulder injuries.
Of course, Ansah and Jadeveon Clowney were supposed to be an edge rushing nightmare for the Seahawks last year, but things didn’t work out as planned. Clowney managed just three sacks and Ansah posted only 2.5 sacks in eleven games. Still, the potential is there – Ansah registered 12 sacks in 2017 for the Lions, and he would be a serious threat if he could regain his old form. Now another year removed from the shoulder surgery that marred his 2018 season and delayed his 2019 debut, he profiles as a potential low-risk/high-reward pickup.
The 49ers brought Ansah in for a workout earlier this month, but it’s presently unclear where things stand on that front. Buffalo and Baltimore, meanwhile, both boast strong defenses that could nonetheless benefit from another pass rusher.
The Bills bid adieu to last season’s sack leaders, Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson, in free agency, though they did add Iowa standout AJ Epenesa in the second round of this year’s draft. The Ravens, meanwhile, don’t have much by way of proven edge rushing depth behind Matt Judon, and while the club has been loosely connected to Clowney and Yannick Ngakoue, the price tag for either player probably puts them out of Baltimore’s range.
Ansah, 31, has one Pro Bowl to his credit, which came after a 14.5-sack campaign in 2015. The fifth overall pick of the 2013 draft appears ready to sign with a new team as soon as possible.
Latest On Ravens, Dez Bryant
Dez Bryant did, in fact, work out for the Ravens on Thursday. This was the former Cowboys All-Pro’s first known workout since he suffered an Achilles tear in November 2018.
The Ravens, though, appear content for the time being. They are not expected to sign the veteran wideout at this time, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. While the Ravens have not ruled out a Bryant pact, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, they are not in a rush to add the eight-year NFL vet (Twitter link).
This marks the second connection between the Ravens and Bryant. Shortly after the Cowboys let Bryant walk in free agency two years ago, the Ravens offered him a three-year, $21MM deal. Bryant turned that proposal down and remained in free agency for several months before signing a less lucrative Saints deal and ending up on the team’s IR list. Bryant, 31, has not played since the 2017 season.
Behind Marquise Brown, Baltimore has some question marks at wide receiver. But Bryant may not be asked to help provide answers.
Matt Skura Returns To Ravens Practice
- Nine months after tearing his ACL, PCL and MCL and dislocating his kneecap, Matt Skura returned to practice. The Ravens‘ first-string center passed his physical and was back in time for the team’s first padded practice, the team announced. Skura’s return, in a contract year, would be key for a Ravens team that saw potential Hall of Fame guard Marshal Yanda retire after 13 seasons.
- It appears the Ravens will put their sixth-round pick to work quickly. Wide receiver James Proche is on track to be the team’s punt returner, but Baltimore special teams coordinator Chris Horton said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, on Twitter) the SMU product is a candidate to return kicks as well. The Ravens recently signed veteran return man Kenjon Barner, so Proche still being in contention for the kick-return role is interesting.
Russell Shepard Declines Ravens Workout
The Ravens asked Russell Shepard to work out alongside Dez Bryant and others this week, but he turned down their invite (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Instead, the wide receiver is “set to walk away and is not planning to play in 2020.” 
[RELATED: Ravens Won’t Sign AB]
Shepard, it seems, is ready to move on from football altogether. The 30-year-old spent the first five years of his career in the NFC South, playing for the Bucs and Panthers before inking a one-year deal with the Giants in 2018. The former undrafted free agent was always more of a special teams player than an offensive force. Statistically, his best season came in 2016 when he set career highs in catches (23) and yards (341). His first season in New York/New Jersey wasn’t much different – he notched just ten grabs for 188 yards and two scores. Last year, he landed on IR after just three games.
That’s one less wide receiver option for the Ravens, but they’ll still consider Bryant and Dwayne Harris, a fellow ex-Giant who also showed his stuff for the team this week. There was some talk of the Ravens signing Antonio Brown, but they’ve formally shut the door on him, despite the endorsement of Lamar Jackson.
Ravens Place Iman Marshall On IR
Iman Marshall‘s season is over. The Ravens placed the cornerback on injured reserve after he tore several knee ligaments, including his ACL. 
[RELATED: Ravens Won’t Sign Antonio Brown]
Marshall, a fourth-year pro out of USC, was pushing for one of the final spots on the Ravens’ CB depth chart. Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, Tavon Young, and Jimmy Smith are set to lead the group, but there will be one or two more openings to fill.
Marshall also missed the bulk of his rookie season due to injury. He suited up for just three games, spending most of his on-field time with the special teams unit.
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens are doing their homework on Dez Bryant. Meanwhile, they’ve ruled out Antonio Brown, despite Lamar Jackson‘s strong endorsement.
Ravens Won’t Sign Antonio Brown
The Ravens are interested in Dez Bryant, but they will not consider Antonio Brown, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Lamar Jackson has pushed for the Ravens to sign his workout pal, but owner Steve Bisciotti is not interested. 
[RELATED: Ravens To Audition Dez Bryant]
There was, at least, a glimmer of hope recently when head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that he’s willing to “look at any and every player” and that Brown is “no exception.” Brown, apparently, is an exception. His troubling off-the-field issues and the club’s history with Ray Rice have soured any potential deal.
Brown must serve an eight-game NFL suspension before returning to the field. Even then, it’s still not clear if he’ll get an opportunity. Seahawks star quarterback Russell Wilson would love to bring him to Seattle, though Pete Carroll seems more inclined to reunite with Josh Gordon.
Brown, 32, has tallied 841 receptions for 11,253 yards over the course of his career, which includes seven Pro Bowl appearances.
Ravens To Audition Dez Bryant
The Ravens are set to bring in Dez Bryant for a tryout, according to Tom Pelissero and Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter). Bryant is expected to travel to Baltimore sometime this week and make his case for a spot on the roster.
[RELATED: Ravens Won’t Rule Out Antonio Brown]
Bryant has not played since 2017, but his camp says he’s in shape and eager to get back on the field. Of course, this isn’t Bryant’s first rodeo with the Ravens. The longtime Cowboys star famously rejected Baltimore’s three-year, $21MM pitch in 2018 without a viable Plan B. Bryant then sat out for much of the year before landing with the Saints in November. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles before he could make his New Orleans debut, prompting him to dedicate 2019 to rehab.
Bryant was a three-time Pro Bowler in Dallas with three-straight seasons of at least 1,200 yards. Things started to tail off after he inked a five-year, $70MM contract with the Cowboys. He was= was limited to nine games in 2015 and underwent ankle and foot surgeries in the offseason. In 2016, he bounced back with a career-high 15.9 yards per grab, though the catch and yardage totals were not as gaudy as his best ones. In 2017, he started in all 16 regular season games, but his production did not match the contract. The Cowboys cut him in the following April – crummy timing that resulted in tepid interest at his asking price.
Now on the verge of his age-32 season, Bryant is looking at reduced expectations and earning power. Still, Bryant badly wants to get back on the field, and he could have his chance with the Ravens.
Jets Not Interested In Yannick Ngakoue
The Jets’ lack of a top-tier pass rusher has led to many observers connecting the dots between Gang Green and players like Yannick Ngakoue and Jadeveon Clowney this offseason. But we heard earlier this month that the club has no interest in Clowney, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says the Jets feel the same way about Ngakoue.
That jibes with what Cimini reported back in March, but as the Jets have since acquired multiple first-round picks while failing to address their pass-rushing needs, it seemed that there was a possibility that the club could still make a move for Ngakoue, whose disenchantment with the Jaguars has been well-publicized. And, since several Power 5 conferences have pushed their seasons to the spring — while the remaining conferences could still follow suit — New York’s 2021 first-round selections may not be quite as valuable as they normally would be.
Still, Cimini says GM Joe Douglas views his four first-round picks from 2021-22 to be vital to the club’s rebuild, and he would be loathe to part with them. On the other hand, the ESPN scribe says Ravens’ edge defender Matt Judon could pique Douglas’ interest.
Indeed, Douglas, a former Ravens scout, has made a habit of acquiring former Baltimore talent, and Cimini classifies Judon as a better player than Ngakoue — which could be up for debate — who would fit nicely in the Jets’ 3-4 front. Judon and the Ravens did not reach an extension prior to the July 15 deadline, so he will play out the 2020 season on his franchise tag.
But unlike Ngakoue’s animosity towards Jacksonville, Judon harbors no ill-will towards the Ravens. And Baltimore, a championship contender, does not have much by way of proven depth in the pass-rushing department either, so it would be surprising to see the team jettison Judon, even if it could get a first-rounder in return.
Ravens, Ronnie Stanley Resume Talks
The Ravens have a few key players either in contract years or eligible for extensions. Ronnie Stanley resides as one of those talents, and the team has resumed talks with its cornerstone left tackle, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com notes.
This certainly represents a notable development, with Hensley adding that these talks had been on hold since the parties last discussed the issue in February. One season remains on Stanley’s rookie deal.
Stanley surged to the All-Pro first team last year and can realistically aim to become the NFL’s highest-paid tackle. That distinction will mean more now than it would have had the parties reached an agreement last year. Laremy Tunsil drove the market to the $22MM-per-year range earlier this year. No other tackle earns more than $18MM on average, creating an interesting issue for a Ravens team that also has Matt Judon on the franchise tag and Marlon Humphrey eligible for a new deal. Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews will become extension-eligible after the season.
“It’s not really at the forefront of my mind. We’re still in talks, and hopefully, we are trying to get something done soon,” Stanley said, via Hensley. “But I think my main focus has always been be the best player I can be [and] help my team win. The money usually takes care of itself after that.”
The cap potentially set to decrease by more than $20MM in 2021 has many teams stalled on contract talks. Stanley will be the Ravens’ top franchise tag candidate, should the sides not agree to a deal this year. The 26-year-old blocker is attached to a $12.87MM fifth-year option salary this season.