Kenneth Dixon Could Return From IR
The Ravens placed running back Kenneth Dixon on injured reserve last week, but his season is not necessarily over. Dixon is a candidate to return from IR this season, according to head coach John Harbaugh (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). 
Per league rules, each team is permitted to bring two players back from IR each season, provided that they are sidelined for at least eight weeks. Therefore, Dixon could return as soon as Week 11, after the Ravens’ bye in Week 10.
For now, the Ravens will move ahead with Buck Allen as the team’s top backup to starter Alex Collins. They’ve also promoted running back De’Lance Turner from the practice squad in order to provide depth at the position.
After being selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, Dixon averaged 4.3 yards per carry as a rookie. Last year, however, he was set back by a torn meniscus and multiple suspensions.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/17/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s of Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Baltimore Ravens
- G Jonathan Cooper, G Dillon Day, G Jamil Douglas, C T.J. Johnson, G Austin Pasztor, G Ian Silberman, T Darrell Williams. (Twitter link via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley)
Cincinnati Bengals
- S Quin Blanding, DT Joshua Frazier, S Mike Mitchell, DT Elijah Qualls, DE Charles Tapper (Twitter links via Balzer and Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan)
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
- S Andrew Adams, CB David Amerson, CB Alex Carter, CB Michael Hunter, CB Jeremy Lane (via the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, on Twitter)
Indianapolis Colts
- CB Johnathan Alston, CB De’Vante Bausby, S Kurtis Drummond, Jackson Porter, CB Josh Shaw (Visit, link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- P Joseph Davidson (link)
New York Jets
- CB De’Vante Bausby, DT Michael Bennett, WR Jace Billingsley, T Gerhard de Beer, LB Azeem Victor, Adolphus Washington (link)
Philadelphia Eagles
- G Kofi Amichia, G Spencer Drango, G Kaleb Johnson, T Rees Odhiambo (link)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- TE Nick O’Leary (link)
Tennessee Titans
- WR Nick Williams (link)
Washington Redskins
- TE Evan Baylis, TE Pharaoh Brown, TE Vince Mayle, WR Tre McBride, QB Josh Woodrum (link)
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/18
Monday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: CB Maurice Canady
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: T Cam Robinson
- Waived: WR Rashad Greene
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on IR: WR Michael Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Maurice Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Nick Williams
- Waived: WR Cameron Batson, TE Anthony Firkser
Washington Redskins
- Waived: WR Jehu Chesson
Ravens To Re-Sign LB Albert McClellan
The Ravens are expected to re-sign linebacker Albert McClellan, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Baltimore needs help at the second level after starting middle linebacker C.J. Mosley was carted off the field with a bone bruise near his knee on Thursday night. While Mosley isn’t expected to face a long-term absence, it’s unclear exactly how long he’ll be out. With Mosley sidelined, the Ravens moved Patrick Onwuasor to middle linebacker and deployed rookie Kenny Young on the weak side.
McClellan, 32, offers plenty of experience with the Ravens, as he’d been with the club since 2011 before being released at final cutdowns. While he’s primarily served on special teams, McClellan has been called on to play defensive snaps in the past. In both 2012, and 2016, McClellan started 11 games as an injury replacement. Overall, McClellan has appeared in 90 games and managed 98 tackles.
Several Teams Have Inquired On Josh Gordon
Shortly after the Browns announced their plan to release Josh Gordon yesterday evening, we heard that rival clubs were already calling Cleveland to inquire about trading for the troubled wideout before he hits the open market. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk lends further credence to those reports, writing that a few teams have indeed discussed a trade with the Browns.
It is not surprising that teams would be interested in the tremendously-talented Gordon from a pure football perspective, but it would be surprising if a club surrendered draft capital to acquire him if there were truth to the speculation that Gordon had suffered a relapse in his battle with substance abuse. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the Browns’ decision to part ways with Gordon is not drug-related, though he did injure his hamstring during a team photo shoot. Given Gordon’s history, of course, it is fair to be skeptical of the circumstances surrounding his impending departure, and one league executive said, “if [the Browns] are letting him go, something is up” (Twitter link via ESPN’s Josina Anderson).
But assuming that Gordon has not run afoul of the league’s substance abuse policy, we could see the Browns strike a deal to send him elsewhere, though there are no concrete reports as to which teams have expressed interest. Florio speculates that the 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, and Cowboys could be in the running, but Calvin Watkins of The Athletic tweets that he does not expect Dallas to make a play for Gordon.
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, citing the 49ers’ previous interest in Gordon, says he would not be surprised if San Francisco were one of the clubs willing to trade for him, though he suggests that any trade would include only conditional compensation (Twitter link). Any team that does trade for him would take on the balance of Gordon’s $790K contract this year — a bargain if he can stay on the field — and would have the right to keep him under club control with a a restricted free agency tender in 2019.
Rapoport tweets that Gordon himself is most interested in the Cowboys and 49ers, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the Browns intend to trade Gordon to an NFC club (Twitter link).
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/18
Today’s pair of practice squad moves:
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Riley McCarron
Baltimore Ravens:
- Signed: S Kai Nacua
Ravens Work Out Three Offensive Linemen
The Ravens are auditioning a trio of offensive lineman today. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the team is hosting Wesley Johnson, Hroniss Grasu, Jordan Morgan on work outs.
The Ravens’ offensive line allowed four sacks to the Bengals on Thursday night, and the running game was only able to compile 66 yards on 22 caries (good for a three-yard average). The three players working out for Baltimore today either play center or guard, meaning the team is seemingly looking for some depth and reinforcement behind starters Alex Lewis, Matt Skura, and Marshal Yanda. Jermaine Eluemunor, who made the 2017 All-Rookie team, and rookie sixth-rounder Bradley Bozeman round out the team’s interior-line depth.
Johnson, 27, has the most experience among the auditionees, as he appeared in 31 games (23 starts) with the Jets over the past two seasons. The 2014 fifth-round pick out of Vanderbilt joined the Lions earlier this offseason, but he was released by the team at the end of the preseason. Since then, Johnson had a workout with the Vikings.
Grasu had spent his entire three-year career with the Bears before being released by the team earlier this month. The 27-year-old started 12 of his 14 career games, but injuries have limited him throughout his career (he spent the entire 2016 campaign on the injured reserve).
Morgan is the only offensive guard in the group, and he also previously spent time with the Bears. The 2017 fifth-round pick spent his entire rookie campaign on the injured reserve, and he was released by the organization earlier this month.
C.J. Mosley Not Facing Long-Term Injury
- Linebacker C.J. Mosley did not suffer any ligament damage in the Ravens‘ Thursday night loss to the Bengals, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (Twitter link). While Mosley may miss Baltimore’s Week 3 contest against Denver, Harbaugh doesn’t think Mosley is facing a long-term absence. For what it’s worth, the Ravens announced Mosley had a bone bruise when he left last night’s game. As Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes, Mosley has arguably become Baltimore’s most indispensable defender, so the Ravens will be hard-pressed to replace him for any period of time. Mosley, 26, is currently playing out the final year of his contract, but he hadn’t progressed on an extension with the Ravens as of July.
C.J. Mosley Carted Off Field
- C.J. Mosley was carted off the field during the Ravens‘ game against the Bengals tonight, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the linebacker is being evaluated for a knee injury (Mosley has since been diagnosed with a bone bruise). His absence was felt right away; after forcing a three-and-out on Cincy’s first drive, the Ravens defense allowed touchdowns on the next three series. Much of this could be attributed to Baltimore’s lack of depth and experience at middle linebacker, as the team is only rostering Patrick Onwuasor, Chris Board, and Bam Bradley (currently on the PUP) behind Mosley.
[SOURCE LINK]
Ravens To Place Kenneth Dixon On IR
Kenneth Dixon‘s career has encountered another barrier. The Ravens running back who missed all of 2017 will not be eligible to play again until at least November.
Dixon will head to IR, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, adding that Baltimore will promote running back De’Lance Turner from its practice squad to fill Dixon’s roster spot.
A knee injury was already set to sideline Dixon for multiple weeks, and the Ravens will take him off the 53-man roster for the time being. The soonest Baltimore’s No. 2 running back could return would be Week 11, since the Ravens are off Week 10. In the meantime, Buck Allen will likely become Alex Collins‘ top backup.
A torn meniscus and multiple suspensions set Dixon’s career back in 2017. The 2016 fourth-round pick rushed for 382 yards (4.3 per carry) and totaled three touchdowns as a rookie in 12 games.
Allen has two 500-plus-yard rushing seasons under his belt, in 2015 and ’17, and exceeded 800 yards from scrimmage in each campaign. The Ravens continue to see Dixon run into trouble, but they’ll still have an experienced backup during the first half of the season.