Ravens Looking To Add Lineman
- Similarly, John Harbaugh said the Ravens will also look to add a lineman, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Baltimore currently has three lineman on the IR, including Marshal Yanda, Alex Lewis, and rookie Nico Siragusa. This would leave Luke Bowanko and Matt Skura as the team’s only backup linemen.
[SOURCE LINK]
NFL Workout Updates: 10/20/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account:
Baltimore Ravens
- QB Alek Torgersen; WRs Philly Brown, Marlon Brown, Cyril Grayson, Jordan Payton; TE Gavin Escobar; (link)
Chicago Bears
- P Brock Miller (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- G Brandon Thomas; DT Josh Augusta (link)
Los Angeles Chargers
- T Michael Ola (link)
Ravens Sign WR Griff Whalen
The Ravens announced that they have signed wide receiver Griff Whalen. In related moves, the team cut offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom and released cornerback Sheldon Price from injured reserve. 
Whalen, 27, spent the first four years of his career with the Colts before taking a mini-tour around the league in 2016. The bulk of his action last year came in eight games with the Chargers. He spent this past summer with the Ravens, but he missed the final cut in early September. He has now been called back at a time when Baltimore is in desperate need of wide receiver depth. Breshad Perriman is in concussion protocol while Jeremy Maclin and Mike Wallace have not been able to practice fully.
The Ravens traded a conditional draft pick to the Cardinals in September to acquire Bergstrom. After the offensive lineman played in just 32 snaps on offense and 13 on special teams, the conditions for the pick transfer might not have been met.
CB Maurice Canady Returns To Practice
Patriots LB Shea McClellin headlines the list of IR-DTD players who started practicing this week, which comes courtesy of Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter Link). McClellin has been recovering from an undisclosed injury he suffered during training camp. It’s an encouraging development for Bill Belichick as the Pats are heavily in need of capable pass rushers. The three other players who returned to practice were Chargers LB Denzel Perryman, Ravens CB Maurice Canady and Falcons LB LaRoy Reynolds.
Ravens Sign LB Steven Johnson
The Ravens have made a change at linebacker, as they’ve signed free agent Steven Johnson and released Jonathan Freeny, the club announced today.
Johnson should be familiar to Baltimore not only because he’s worked out for the club twice in the past month, but because he’s spent the past year-plus with the division rival Steelers. The 29-year-old Johnson, who’s also played for the Titans and Broncos during a six-year NFL career, has bounced on and off the Pittsburgh roster this season. He’s been active for only seven games over the past two years, and he’s played exclusively on special teams thus far in 2017.
The same can be said of Freeny, whose 35 total snaps this year have all come on special teams duty. Freeny, a five-year NFL veteran, started his career as a special teams player in Miami, but his most notable time came with the Patriots from 2015-16. During that time, Freeny appeared in 18 games and started 11 contests before going down with a shoulder injury last October.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/16/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- DT Shakir Soto; S Maurice Alexander (link)
Baltimore Ravens
- LB Steven Johnson (link)
Detroit Lions
- QB Taylor Heinicke; WR Kenny Lawler; TE Jason Croom (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- WRs Corey Brown, Noel Thomas (link via Mark Long of the Associated Press); G Thomas Evans; OTs Javarius Leamon, Storm Norton; DBs Ronald Martin, L.J. McCray (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- WRs Daniel Braverman, Frankie Hammond, Tim Patrick (link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
New England Patriots
- QB Garrett Grayson; WRs Tim Patrick, Deonte Thompson; DE Jhaustin Thomas; LBs Boseko Lokombo, Marcus Rush (all Twitter links via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New Orleans Saints
- RB Shaun Draughn (link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
- P Brock Miller (link)
Ravens Had Interest In Adrian Peterson
The Ravens had interest in trading for running back Adrian Peterson before the Saints dealt him to the Cardinals, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link).
New Orleans ultimately acquired a 2018 conditional sixth-round pick for Peterson, so it’s unclear if Baltimore simply didn’t want to meet that asking price, or if Peterson perhaps indicated he’d prefer to play for the Cardinals. Peterson claims he did not request a trade away from the Saints, but it’s entirely possible general manager Mickey Loomis & Co. allowed him some say on his destination.
Baltimore has dealt with a number of injuries at the running back position, as Kenneth Dixon and Danny Woodhead are both on injured reserve. While Woodhead is eligible to begin practicing again in late October, the Ravens don’t currently have a timeline for his return, reports Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Dixon, meanwhile, will miss the entirety of the season, while Terrance West will be sidelined for a few weeks with a calf injury.
Javorius Allen and Alex Collins have handled the bulk of the Ravens’ carries in recent weeks, and figure to do so going forward. After missing out on Peterson, Baltimore re-signed veteran journeyman Bobby Rainey, who has already earned his paycheck in Week 6 by returning a kickoff for a 96-yard touchdown against the Bears.
49ers Agreed To Trade NaVorro Bowman To Saints
We learned last night that at least two teams had serious interest in trading for former 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman before he was released by San Francisco, and it turns out that one of those interested teams was the Saints. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, the 49ers agreed to trade Bowman to New Orleans for a seventh-round draft pick, but the Saints learned the veteran linebacker preferred to be a free agent and talk to all teams before deciding on one. As such, the 49ers opted to grant Bowman’s wish and give him his release instead of going forward with the trade.
Schefter adds that San Francisco also engaged in trade talks with the Ravens, Browns, and Panthers, but none of those teams appear to be vying for Bowman’s services in free agency. Instead, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, there is strong mutual interest between Bowman and the Raiders, and Bowman appears set to visit Oakland in the coming days.
In related news, Schefter reports that the 49ers have not had any trade talks involving running back Carlos Hyde — despite speculation to the contrary — and they do not plan to have any such talks. We heard just last week, of course, that San Francisco was attempting to extend the oft-injured RB, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the year.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/13/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: T Dieugot Joseph
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Norman Price
- Released: OL Oni Omoile
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB A.J. Hendy
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Garrett Sickels
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Trevor Reilly
- Released: S Alex Carter
- Placed on injured list: OL Cole Toner
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: C Derrick Nelson, DT Kapron Lewis-Moore
- Released: TE Ryan Malleck, S Ronald Martin
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Ryan O’Malley, C Adam Redmond
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Matt Lengel
- Released: TE J.P. Holtz
New England Patriots
- Signed: G Cole Toner
- Released: QB Taylor Heinicke, G Jason King
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Woodrow Hamilton, LB Shayne Skov
- Released: CB Bradley Sylve
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Ethan Cooper, WR Kalif Raymond
- Released: OL Anthony Fabiano
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Jahad Thomas
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB Deontae Skinner
- Released: LB Boseko Lokombo
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DE Alex McCalister
- Released: WR Rashard Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: DE Noble Nwachukwu
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DE Larry Webster
- Released: FB Austin Johnson